A few years ago, the leadership within the high school and the corporation took a giant step into the technology age and made a commitment to the development and maintenance of our program. The installation of the WAN (Wide Area Network) and the LAN (Local Area Network) systems in addition to updating the labs, servers and software has kept the school at par with larger corporations. The addition of computers and printers through an Oracle Grant has also improved access to the computer systems. There is a current ratio of about 2.5 students to each computer. This ratio does not include the individual teacher computers. Additionally, the computer paraprofessionals have begun to evaluate wireless lab systems and other needs to keep us up to date.

Every teacher in the high school has a networked computer in their room which provides access to Microsoft Office, Group Wise, and Grade Quick in addition to other programs. Also, each department has a bank of five student computers and one laser printer. Some teachers also have individual color printers, all did at one time but these have begun to fail. There is a color laser printer in the office that may be used by all. The journalism staff is seeking to update their lab. Their computers do not function well. The journalism department publishes using Page Maker. The industrial technology department has a separate lab that runs CAD (Computer Aided Drawing) programs and web design software. This lab is also used by the interior design and landscaping classes. The CISCO networking classes have a lab that is shared with the A+ classes. There is a remediation lab with 25 computers that is also use at times by high school teachers. The addition of the departmental banks of computers has lessened the demand for our traditional labs. There is a wide variety of other software and hardware available throughout the school including the radio and TV lab that recently was updated with used equipment donated by our local PBS station. The technology committee has tried to anticipate our needs and is systematically working toward the future.

In the world of educational reform, public schools need to do all that is possible to create a positive learning environment that prepares students for the future. A very real part of that preparation today is to integrate them into the technological realm. If students are to succeed in the "real world," they must be literate in reading, writing, math and technology among other things. Educators need to find the best ways in which to work technology instruction into the curriculum. The implementation of this curriculum can not take the place of the three R's, but rather must work hand in hand with them. Therefore, there needs to be a plan and training. There are many demands on educators' time and schools must find away to allocate adequate time to train teachers to use technology. There must also be ways developed through which students are protected from sites that are not appropriate for them and from those who might wish to harm them. Additionally, there needs to be a means of protecting the system from tampering.

Computers and other technologies offer educators a chance to integrate subject matter and approach teaching in a variety of new ways. In addition to training teachers to use the software and hardware, there must also be lessons in how to use the Internet and other available resources to enhance what goes on in the classroom. Best practices can not be ignored. Teachers need to develop ways in which to individualize instruction and involve every student in the learning process. Computers offer schools a chance to attract those students who have grown up with Nintendo, but see no value to homework. Educators must be willing to try new things by stepping out of the box of methods and the four walls that surround and protect them. Just as these students are moving into a global society, teachers need to create a global school in which students can see how math relates to social studies and English. Schools must leave the world of isolationism behind. Some students and teachers may go screaming and shouting into the future, but schools and society can not afford to leave anyone behind.

Educational research indicates that student learning can be enhanced through the use of technology if there is a plan behind the ways in which technology will be incorporated into the classroom. The value of technology use "appears to lie in how effectively the medium is exploited in the teaching and learning situation" ( Oxford, 1998). Additionally, the benefit of technology "depends on how well the selected technology deals with students’ needs and interests … Technology itself is not a "miracle cure" for all instructional problems (Oxford, 1998)." Therefore, when looking at the need to incorporate technology one must first decide which educational goals will be addressed and what type of technology will best suit the needed situation.

Within the second language classroom, technology has often been termed "drill and kill." That type of activity does little to promote critical thinking or problem solving skills. Therefore, if technology integration is to lead to improved student performance in those areas it is necessary to go beyond the traditional uses of technology in the classroom and look for methods of incorporation that require students to use higher level thinking skills. The use of project-based multimedia learning and WebQuests allow teachers to incorporate technology in ways that strive to meet the standards of today and empower the student to take an active roll in the learning and decision making processes of the classroom. These methods also allow for more connections to be made between the classroom and the real world. WebQuests and multimedia projects lead students to develop skills that are needed in the work place.

The point of multimedia presentations is to communicate a message to an audience (Simkins, 2002). This type of presentation lends itself well to a second language classroom where the ultimate goal is communication. The national language standards in combination with Indiana's standards require that students learn about the history and fine arts of the target culture. Multimedia presentations provide a rich learning opportunity for students. However, it is necessary to remember that the most important part of the final presentation is student learning rather than a very elaborate presentation (Simkins, 2002). It is also important to remember that educational technologies include more that computers (Oxford, 1998) and that students should be encouraged to include a variety of media in their presentations.

Bernie Dodge developed WebQuests in the summer of 1995. According to (Star, 2002). Professor Dodge a WebQuest "is an inquiry-orientated activity in which most or all of the information used by the learners is drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to use learners' time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation" (Star, 2002). WebQuests have since become a popular K-12 learning tool. Teachers have called WebQuests a "super learning tool" which uses the constructivist approach to learning (Star, 2002). There are two types of WebQuests, short term and long term. The goal of a short term WebQuest is student learning while in a long-term WebQuest the goal is expanded to include more in-depth analysis of the material and a presentation (Integrating Technology, 2002). Further, WebQuests offer the flexibility for students to work independently or in small group.

Education is being transformed by technology and students are the beneficiaries of the opportunities that it is offering teachers (McKenzie, 2000). Research shows that technology applications can support higher-order thinking (Honey, 1999) and a 1994 study by Far West Laboratory indicates that technology as a learning tool is more effective when multiple technologies are combined. Additionally, the Far West study indicates that use of technology in the classroom improves student writing and problem solving skills. A national study by the Center for Technology in Education also indicated that students' awareness of the world increased through the use of technology (Cradler). Therefore, as educators work to improve students' skills and to meet learning standards, the advantages of integrating multimedia technology projects into the curriculum through the use of methods such as WebQuests can not be ignored.

Objectives

1. I will review projects and assignments from the past and see if subject-related technology will enhance them.
2. I will look for new ways to approach required material to find ways in which to incorporate subject-related technology.

Objectives

1. I will use a variety of subject-related technologies in my presentations to the class.
2. I will research new ways in which to use technology in classroom instruction.

Objectives

1. I will graph individual and class results on specific assignments in order to see if students are learning, make curricular adjustments and instructional decisions.
2. I will map student scores in order to find learning trends and to see when learning problems occur.

Objectives

1. I will develop more group-based projects that incorporate subject-related technologies.
2. I will develop WebQuests that require collaborative learning activities.

Objectives

1. I will look for ways to link to other French classes in order that students may communicate with others in the target language.
2. I will research methods of creating sister classes with French English classes.

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