By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
With sweeping technological changes in recent years, it’s no secret that today’s students are some of the savviest when it comes to using all the new gizmos and gadgets that have been introduced.
School officials representing schools from around the area gathered recently to discuss the overarching theme of 21st Century learning.
“We can’t teach students like we used to,” said Keith Brandstetter, superintendent of the Waterford Union High School District.
“Having students sit through a lecture and take notes is considered passé. We are not going backwards. There’s no question there.”
Several K-8 districts feed into WUHS, including Drought, North Cape, Washington-Caldwell and Water Graded, and some of these have embraced technology whole-heartedly by issuing laptops through an initiative known as one-to-one.
WUHS also is reviewing how it can make the most of new advancements.
Waterford Graded this year issued Netbook computers to seventh-graders attending Fox River Middle School. The effort is being expanded next year so seventh- and eighth-graders will have a laptop.
Washington-Caldwell will be following suit in the fall as students in grades six, seven and eight are issued iPads.
“Students will collaborate with one another and their teachers to enrich their learning experience,” explained Mark Pienkos, superintendent and principal of the Washington-Caldwell School District.
“Our students will also improve their communication, problem-solving and technology skills.”
Several school leaders projected that hard-cover textbooks will be going the way of the dinosaur – and sooner than some might think. At their recent round-table discussion, some administrators said textbooks in most curricular areas could be fully digitized within five years.
“The possibilities for an e-book are unlimited,” Brandstetter said. “Upgrades (to curriculum) can be downloaded as necessary. This is a very exciting time in education.”
While administrators and School Board members discussed the virtues of technology enhancements, there was overwhelming consensus that any upgrades should be merely used as tools.
“The reality is we still have to teach students to be critical thinkers,” Brandstetter said. “Technology is a device. It’s not a solution.”
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