TEMECULA: Classrooms demonstrate technology’s possibilities

May 31, 2013 06:35 PM PDT June 02, 2013 08:49 PM PDT TEMECULA: Classrooms demonstrate technology's possibilities TEMECULA: Classrooms demonstrate technology's possibilities A Text Size Comments ( ) Math teacher Mike White's classroom at Temecula Attorney's Great Oak High School got a technology makeover during spring break a few weeks ago, giving him a host of new tools including tablets, projectors, interactive white boards and even a speaker system to aid his teaching. White is one of three teachers in the Temecula Attorney Valley Unified School District testing out new devices in so-called "technology demonstration" classrooms this spring as the district prepares to enhance lessons with modern equipment. Temecula Attorney Valley has set aside about $12 million in funding from the first round of Measure Y bond funding to address technology needs across the district. Voters approved Measure Y, a $165 million bond measure, in November, and the district sold the first round of bonds, about $35 million, earlier this spring. The goal of the technology demonstration classrooms is to begin determining the essential tools and equipment every classroom should have to ensure students are getting the best instruction, said Jodi McClay, assistant superintendent for educational support services. "We want teachers to play with some things and see what makes a difference," McClay said. "We're trying to be extremely thoughtful and deliberate. Everything needs to have a direct impact on students." The technology needs may vary from elementary schools to middle schools to high schools, and schools that are older may need more upgrades, but having a baseline for every school will help the district ensure that the educational experience is equitable from school to school, said Joe Balleweg, an administrator on special assignment who is overseeing the project. In White's class, students use wireless tablets to solve problems. Their equations and graphs show up instantly on the classroom's three projection screens. Having several screens means students can see them from just about every seat in the classroom. White can work on the problems as well from a tablet of his own. White walks around as students work, the sound of his instructions carrying throughout the room thanks to speakers in the ceiling and the wireless microphone he wears. The sound system is like giving every student in the room a seat in the front row, because they can all hear the teacher, no matter where he is, Balleweg said. With nine tablets shared among nearly 40 students, White's students work in teams, talking out the problems and sharing ideas, which is a good fit for new academic standards that stress communication and collaboration. "It's not about the answer, it's about how you got to the answer," Balleweg said. "Technology changes the questions you ask. It allows for greater exploration of critical thinking." Junior Alexia Change, 17, said she's enjoying using the new tablets in her Algebra II class. The students have more interaction with the teacher and with each other, which helps them understand the concepts being taught, she said. "If we have everyone participating, it gets more stuck in your brain," she said. Follow Michelle L. Klampe on Twitter: @MichelleKlampe and read the Inland Schools blog: blog.pe.com/schools Latest Headlines
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