Core curriculum changes push 21st-century technology in NJ classes
New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) and Kean University’s Center for Innovative Education (CIE) have partnered to serve as a technological force in education.
The two organizations are holding professional development workshops aimed at discussing new curriculum standards focusing on the importance and need for technology education.
The workshops are titled “Students as Digital Learners in 21st Century Learning.” District teachers, principals, superintendents and information technology professionals from all over the state of New Jersey are invited to attend the free and voluntary program. The series began in early July and will continue until Nov. 5 throughout the state at high schools, universities and convention centers.
According to spokeswoman for the DOE Kathryn Forsyth, the mission of the workshop initiative is to educate school staff members on methods of effective technology education for the students of today.
“Basically what we are trying to do is create the kind of learning environment that engages kids and cultivates the skills they need to compete in [the] 21st-century world and economy,” Forsyth said.
Workshop sessions are led by DOE and CIE staff and presentations are made by technology professionals Alan November and Ian Jukes.
The CIE, which aims to teach ways of infusing technology with traditional learning techniques, is a collaboration of Kean University and the New Jersey Consortium for Middle Schools.
The workshop focuses on using the Internet as an educational tool, becoming acquainted with the way students learn in the 21st century, and why the education system should prepare students to be 21st-century thinkers.
The 2009 New Jersey curriculum change infuses technology into traditional lesson plans as students will be taught to use technology in all content areas, including science, English, foreign languages, math and social studies.
Curriculum standards request that students learn to think critically, master technological literacy and learn cyber safety.
The DOE curriculum initiative has three phases and the workshop is part of phase one that aims to spread awareness about the need for technological change.
The second phase will provide professional development programs, educating teachers on how to teach technology. Phase three focuses on sustaining the curriculum change. All three phases will be complete in 2012, according to the CIE.
Center for Innovative Education co-director Carol James estimates the number of attendees of the workshops will reach about 3,000 by the end of the summer. James encourages teachers to include technology and participatory learning techniques in their classrooms.
“Students exist in 21st-century learning environments. In order to engage students, we need to meet them where they are at and use the technological tools that they are familiar with and enjoy,” she said.
Director of technology at the Glassboro Public School District George Weeks is working with the district to increase the amount of technology in the classroom in order to keep students excited about learning, as well as integrate the new curriculum initiative.
Starting this school year, buildings throughout the district will gain three to six laptop carts per building for student use, in addition to the already existing desktop computers in the schools.
In the future, Glassboro has a district-wide goal to implement a one-to-one laptop initiative.
Currently Glassboro offers technology tools, such as interactive white boards, blogging and podcasting capabilities for teachers, and homework drop boxes for students.
In the district, students will work on projects that infused technology with learning such as interactive slide shows and movies.
“Technology is all around us. Overall, I think that we are giving them a skill that they will need in the 21st century just to survive,” Weeks said. “It’s really keeping the students engaged and keeping them interested in learning new things.”
The two organizations are holding professional development workshops aimed at discussing new curriculum standards focusing on the importance and need for technology education.
The workshops are titled “Students as Digital Learners in 21st Century Learning.” District teachers, principals, superintendents and information technology professionals from all over the state of New Jersey are invited to attend the free and voluntary program. The series began in early July and will continue until Nov. 5 throughout the state at high schools, universities and convention centers.
According to spokeswoman for the DOE Kathryn Forsyth, the mission of the workshop initiative is to educate school staff members on methods of effective technology education for the students of today.
“Basically what we are trying to do is create the kind of learning environment that engages kids and cultivates the skills they need to compete in [the] 21st-century world and economy,” Forsyth said.
Workshop sessions are led by DOE and CIE staff and presentations are made by technology professionals Alan November and Ian Jukes.
The CIE, which aims to teach ways of infusing technology with traditional learning techniques, is a collaboration of Kean University and the New Jersey Consortium for Middle Schools.
The workshop focuses on using the Internet as an educational tool, becoming acquainted with the way students learn in the 21st century, and why the education system should prepare students to be 21st-century thinkers.
The 2009 New Jersey curriculum change infuses technology into traditional lesson plans as students will be taught to use technology in all content areas, including science, English, foreign languages, math and social studies.
Curriculum standards request that students learn to think critically, master technological literacy and learn cyber safety.
The DOE curriculum initiative has three phases and the workshop is part of phase one that aims to spread awareness about the need for technological change.
The second phase will provide professional development programs, educating teachers on how to teach technology. Phase three focuses on sustaining the curriculum change. All three phases will be complete in 2012, according to the CIE.
Center for Innovative Education co-director Carol James estimates the number of attendees of the workshops will reach about 3,000 by the end of the summer. James encourages teachers to include technology and participatory learning techniques in their classrooms.
“Students exist in 21st-century learning environments. In order to engage students, we need to meet them where they are at and use the technological tools that they are familiar with and enjoy,” she said.
Director of technology at the Glassboro Public School District George Weeks is working with the district to increase the amount of technology in the classroom in order to keep students excited about learning, as well as integrate the new curriculum initiative.
Starting this school year, buildings throughout the district will gain three to six laptop carts per building for student use, in addition to the already existing desktop computers in the schools.
In the future, Glassboro has a district-wide goal to implement a one-to-one laptop initiative.
Currently Glassboro offers technology tools, such as interactive white boards, blogging and podcasting capabilities for teachers, and homework drop boxes for students.
In the district, students will work on projects that infused technology with learning such as interactive slide shows and movies.
“Technology is all around us. Overall, I think that we are giving them a skill that they will need in the 21st century just to survive,” Weeks said. “It’s really keeping the students engaged and keeping them interested in learning new things.”
