Comparison+Schools+Research+Chart

Please download a copy of the School Research Chart and input your filtered data. I will personally gather all information once everyone submits their research in mid January into one big spreadsheet.




 * Member Name || School Research Chart || What most impressed me: ||
 * Matthew Brenner ||  ||   ||
 * Becky Farnum || [[file:becky school research chart.xlsx]] || This mission is what most impressed me – this is what I hope we can strive for at Sidwell….At Urban, technology is used to enhance communication, collaboration, organization and production in all classes, rather than being taught as a discrete subject. This de-emphasizes the specialization of computer technology as use becomes seamless, ubiquitous and normal. Rather than directly training students on computer and application use, students instead "learn as they go," relying on their own inquisitiveness, peer support and mini-lessons from teachers when necessary. ||
 * Rachel Jackson || Brooklyn Friends School

|| Their professional development is required. They have a comprehensive course management system which includes a grading system. They have the belief that they will use whatever technology that is the easiest to manage without the pressure of worrying about what they should be doing. As a result, they have moved to a Mac network, use Google Docs, and open source software. || with a laptop. If Apple made a tablet, they would switch. 2) At Urban School they just got SmartBoards this year and that is having almost as big of an impact as having a 1:1 laptop program. 3) Experimenting with ultramobile (netbook) computers is exciting and has already led our 3 Technology Directors to purchase them to try them out and see what the possibilities are. 4) At Tiburon school and at Urban, saw Ebeams as way to put SmartBoards on regular white boards and also saw sliding SmartBoards that let SmartBoard get out of way of chalkboard if needed. ||
 * Eleanor Lash ||  ||   ||
 * Lindsay McAuliffe ||  ||   ||
 * Patricia Moser || [[file:school research chart from Patt.xlsx]] || 1) At Urban School, the lack of tablet PCs hindered what could be done in the classroom
 * Charmaine Thompson || [[file:Charmaine_School_Research_Chart.xlsx]] || At Maret I was intrigued at how the content of their middle school comptuer curriculum. They seem to introduce more multimedia skills to the students and leave the word processing, speadsheet skills tied to the classroom. I believe the middle school can adobt this practive and integrate it easily.

At Blake, they provide a periodic online newsletter available to the community about technology at the school. I believe this is something that Sidwell can easily integrate to keep the community informed as to our practices.

At Westminster they have monthly tech drop-ins as part of their professional development. They use their email system to take requests for topics but usually a simply drop-in from teachers asking how to do a certain skill not necessarily learning an entire program. I like this approach as many faculty members simply want to learn a quick skill, lets say in Excel, how to create a bar chart for example. || 2. Germantown Friends - 5th grade participates in a detailed and interactive digital citizenship course. 3. Park School - The Arts have the greatest application of technology and the most state-of-the-art labs. The Arts is present in all areas of the school, through video displays along with regular installations. ||
 * Jennifer Voorhees || [[file:Jenni school research chart-1.xlsx]] || 1. GDS - Teacher evaluation includes a discussion of use and growth with technology. Podcasts are ubiquitous in many subjects, including history, languages, and community service. The 8th graders create a podcast as part of community service which is posted on the organization's wedpage. Benchmark projects are grade-wide. They have a comprehensive course management system (Blackboard).