Communications from the Director
On the Same Page
December 2006
David W. Magill, Director
Recently, I spent a day at the Microsoft Corporation in Seattle. I was quite
impressed with the energy I felt in their corporate headquarters and with the
fact that its founder, Bill Gates, is now devoting so much of his time and
personal resources to education.
At one of our sessions, a vision of a hypothetical English classroom of the
future was introduced. I have taken the liberty of adapting their vision and
have given it a Lab Schools twist. Now picture this:
It’s 11:35 a.m. on a Thursday morning and a group of 15 tenth grade students
at University High file into Mr. Sonaar Luthra’s fifth period English class. As
the students take their seats, their digital slates automatically connect to
the classroom’s network and bring up the class workspace. They can see
completed homework from the night before on the screen. The display shows what
was accepted, and for some, Mr. Luthra has already graded and commented on
their work.
Behind the scenes, as the homework is submitted, the classroom management
system performs a quick text search on each essay to flag possible plagiarism.
One of the papers gets a yellow mark next to it, indicating that the teacher
should follow up later.
Mr. Luthra glances down at the seating chart displayed on his laptop. Icons
representing each student on his desktop appear as the digital slates are
connected to the network. He notes that one student has an excused absence and
another has an e-mail from David Ribbens, the Athletic Director, requesting an
early dismissal to attend an away game. He taps “OK” generating a response that
goes to the student, his coach, his parents, and the school’s records database.
Attendance is taken without the teacher doing anything but approving the
records.
The lesson plan Mr. Luthra has prepared automatically populates his screen,
an interactive white board in the front of the class, and the students’
desktops with the first item of the day. The class is discussing Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet. Mr. Luthra loaded video clips from modern and
classical versions of the fight scene between Mercutio and Tybalt, maps of
Verona and its proximity to Mantua, and page facsimiles from the quarto and
folio editions.
Predictably, what captures the students’ interest is an interactive
simulation of the fight scene. The class divides into two teams, one side the
Montagues, the other the Capulets. The simulation soon demonstrates how the
playful encounter turns deadly.
Mr. Luthra asks if any of the students participated in online discussions
about the play or mentioned it in any of their blogs. One girl replies that she
has, and that she received an instant message response from one of her friends
in Italy who had visited Verona. Mr. Luthra is able to place the student’s
response on the work surface for all to see.
Next the teacher leads a discussion about the use of humor and word play in
this fight scene. The students’ desktops display the written words in Act III,
Scene 1, and students highlight the words they are referencing while they
defend their opinions. As the period winds down, Mr. Luthra asks the students
to prepare an advocacy presentation by responding to this question: Why would
Shakespeare choose to weave comedic elements into a tragic scene? Arguments
must be supported. Each student sees the looming deadline immediately posted to
his or her calendar, with a clear indication that the parent web site has been
updated with the assignment description and the due dates as well.
At 12:20 the students close up their workspaces and go to lunch. Mr.
Luthra’s workspace automatically configures for his next class.
I’m intrigued with all that was included within this vision of a 45-minute
English class and thank our English department for helping me think of
Shakespeare in a new way. Of this I am sure:
- That the adults of our learning community will have the most difficult time
adapting to a changed pedagogy and, if it becomes widespread, it will take
time, training, and patience.
- If we thoughtfully and carefully use the tools of technology, then we have
a better chance of addressing most learning styles that comprise our student
population.
- And lastly, just because technology exists, that alone shouldn’t be a
reason to relegate other methods of teaching and learning.
What really is interesting and exciting is that the power of this
technology, both hardware and software, is available now or will be shortly.
Perhaps the most visible example of a futuristic classroom is already up and
running at Lab. It is on the southwest corner of University High School’s
second floor. It is our new digital World Language Laboratory and is a direct
result of the proceeds from Connections 2006. Click on this link to see a video
with teachers and students explaining the early benefits of this great new
addition: Language
Lab Video.
For Connections 2007, I am recommending that the proceeds purchase
technology and tools to enhance our program of fine arts. We will be much more
specific as to how this technology will be used, but there will be at least two
requirements that must be met before it is purchased:
- That the technology be portable and that it can be used in a newly designed
space as well as existing space and
- That our faculty be fully trained in its use prior to implementing it in
the classroom or in the artistic space.
Enjoy the holidays.
David W. Magill
Director
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