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TECHNOLOGY
To
be successful in today's digital society, students must have a firm grasp of
technology and its implementation. Citizens must be able to use technology
effectively and responsibly, and be ready to adapt and stay ahead of the
technology curve. Queen of Angels School is committed to preparing young people
to meet this challenge.
Students at Queen
of Angels School begin short, weekly visits to the computer lab while in
preschool and increase the time spent there as they pass into the higher
grades. From kindergarten through the second grade, they are introduced to the
EasyTech and KidPix programs. EasyTech is a cross-platform program; that means
that the skills learned in school—such as word processing or creating
spreadsheets—can be applied to whatever computer they might have at home, be it
a PC or a Mac. In third grade, students begin to study key boarding and
Microsoft Word; the computers at Queen of Angels feature Microsoft XP software.
In fourth grade, students are introduced to Excel spreadsheets. In the upper
grades, they begin to hone and expand on the skills they have already
learned. They are encouraged and
instructed in how to use technology for effective research and presentations.
Queen
of Angels school boasts a state of the art computer lab featuring twenty-three
modern computers, thirty I Pads, and fifteen I Pods. The I Pads and I Pods are
signed out by teachers for use and instruction in their class rooms. In
addition Laptop computers are located
on each floor for student use.
The Computer
program adheres to National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) developed
for students by the International Society for Technology in Education
(ISTE). NETS provides a set of grade level profiles and performance
indicators describing the technology that students should master by the
completion of their grade level. NETS are utilized to monitor the technology
progress of students at Queen of Angels and the effectiveness of programs such
as Easy Tech. Easy Tech is an award-winning program developed by Learning.com.
EasyTech helps students in kindergarten through eighth grade develop their
computer and technology skills. By linking these lessons to a school’s
curriculum, EasyTech also helps students improve their abilities in math,
science, language, and the social sciences. EasyTech achieves these goals
through a combination of lessons and tutorials, activities and games, practice
sessions, and discussion. Quizzes and other tools help teachers monitor and
evaluate student progress so that it complies with national and state
standards. EasyTech meets the National Educational Technology Standards
developed by the International Society for Technology in Education, and it has
received a top rating from Multimedia & Internet @ Schools and
Education World.
These programs
and standards provide a framework for preparing students to be lifelong
learners who make informed decisions about the role of technology in their
lives. These standards require students to be proficient in the following
areas of technology:
- Basic operations and concepts.
- Understanding the social, ethical and human
issues related to technology.
- Utilizing productivity tools to enhance learning
and promote creativity.
- Utilizing technology as a communication tool, a
research tool, and a problem solving and decision making tool.
Mr. Adams integrates his instruction with other
disciplines in the school and teaches skill sets that are appropriate to other
classes such as Powerpoint. The lab is always open for research across the
school curriculum under the guidance of Mr. Adams.
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