| Waller Junior High School Technology Plan |
| Waller Junior High School is located in the rural urban community of Enid, Oklahoma, in the Enid School District. Forty-one teachers, one librarian, two counselors, and two administrators serve the 600 hundred and one students who attend our school in thirty-six classrooms. Currently, 200 seventh graders, 180 eighth graders, and 169 freshmen attend Waller Junior High School. These students represent the spectrum of young adolescents, including high achievers, Limited English Proficient, special education, at-risk, disadvantaged, and displaced young adults. Currently, 15 percent of the student body receive free and reduced lunches. Waller Junior High School serves a rural urban city, including a wide socioeconomic population. The school population reflects the community and includes 4% African American, 2.4% Hispanic, 2.10% Asian, 6.2% American Indian, and 85.30% Caucasian. Because we are fortunate to serve the Vance Force Air Base, eighteen percent of our students come from a military background. It is our philosophy that technology should be utilized to support, reinforce, and enhance our core curriculum. In addition to being a powerful means of instruction when integrated into the curriculum, the use of technology prepares students for their future in an increasingly technologically dependent world. Furthermore, for the vast majority of students, using technology is intrinsically motivating and heightens interest in all curricular areas. Currently, we have 115 computers within our school. Ninety-three are available for student daily use; thirty-five are utilized by students and teachers within the classrooms; and seven are used in the administrative and counseling offices. Seven of those computers are available for student use throughout each day in the school�s library. The administrative office currently doses not have network access to the Internet. Our school library media center now has Internet access due to several grant-writing projects that allowed a technology modernization program to occur. The school houses one computer lab with a total of twenty-one stations available. We currently offer Computer Literacy, Computer Applications, Internet, Multimedia, and Desktop Publishing. Those twenty-one computers are also used in our journalism class along with community education courses offered yearly to the public. Our art class houses four computers with Internet access that supports both the art and yearbook curriculum. |
| Technology is quickly becoming a vital part of our curricular program at Waller Junior High. Expanding technology into all curricular areas is a priority for us. A technology plan has been adopted by the school, which is guiding our technology development. We realize infusing technology into the total program is an ongoing process that will require dedication and a financial commitment from the staff and administration and the Enid Board of Education. It is our philosophy that technology should be utilized to support, reinforce, and enhance our core curriculum. In addition to being a powerful means of instruction when integrated into the curriculum, the use of technology prepares students for their future in an increasingly technologically dependent world. Furthermore, for the vast majority of students, using technology is intrinsically motivating and heightens interest in all curricular areas. Click here for Waller Day Speech on Technology. |
| We have just begun our journey on the road to preparing our students for a technologically advanced world. It is our vision that Waller Junior High School will provide a workplace and learning environment which utilizes the tools of technology, enabling our employees and students to accomplish worthy goals for self, the community, and the nation by fulfilling their responsibilities for managing and using information into and beyond the 21st century. In order to do this, the following goals have been established: 1) Waller Junior High School will provide students with broad based learning experiences that will develop thinking processes, connect students to real-life issues, enhance technology opportunities, and prepare students for success in the 21st century. 2) Waller Junior High School will maintain a knowledgeable, dedicated, and enthusiastic staff who are team players and student advocates through active recruitment, career options, and on-going staff development. 3) Waller Junior High School will provide a technology staff development program that supports new staff and provides on-going technology professional development for all staff; and 4) Waller Junior High School will provide for parent / community involvement to provide support for student success. Sub-goals have been developed in each one of these categories. The staff and administration plan to focus our bond interest money and local parent-supported fundraising projects through the technology parent committee and PTSA. |
| During Phase II of the project, we plan on updating our inventory of technology within the school. It is our goal to provide each classroom with at least one computer connected to viewing monitors and printers, establish an integrated learning system guided by our teachers to assist students in reading, writing, and mathematics content attainment, and provide Internet access to all classrooms within the school. We also plan to develop two smaller student use labs within the school�s library with Internet access and update our library card catalog. Each classroom will also be provided with the availability to DLP Multimedia Projectors. These projectors will be available on carts for each wing of the building totaling four DLP projectors located in strategic areas of the school for easy access. To ensure computers are used for a variety of purposes, CD ROMS, scanners, digital cameras, and software/courseware will be purchased and available for student and teacher use. Realizing that integrating technology into the curriculum requires much more than hardware and software, we plan to continue offering staff development in the use of technology within the classrooms. Staff development will include basic training for all staff in using technology in their classrooms and time for teachers to work within the departments to develop the best way to enhance their curricular programs with technology. Staff development days throughout each year will be dedicated to providing instruction and time for such activities. Release time will also be provided as needed. We as a staff also realize that we cannot prepare our students for the 21st Century alone. Parents and community members will be included in the process through our staff development program, Site-Based Management Team, our career TOPS (Teens on the Path to Success) program, and the daily instruction within our classrooms. We hope to develop a partnership with Vance Air Force Base and community business to enhance our program further. After the completion of Phase II, we plan to take our curricular programs one step further with the use of technology. Each department will develop the use of technology beyond the use of computers. Departments will develop and use other forms of technology such as our IETV Lab to enhance the curricular programs, and our staff development program will integrate these other forms of technology. |
| Philosophy |
| Our Journey |
| Phase II |
| We at Waller Junior High School envision a complete transformation of the school�s curricular program as a result of the implementation of Phase II of our technology plan. It is foreseen that Phase II of our plan will lead the school from the era of print to the active, hands-on era of technology. At the end of the next five years, one will see students in all curricular areas using some form of technology at many advanced levels to enhance their learning. The first step we must take is preparing our staff to use technology within their classroom to enhance the content of their subject matter. We must first ensure that each staff member has reached a personal proficiency in using technology. Through staff development, we will prepare teachers to set-up computers in their classrooms, use word processing, and grading programs. We will also teach them to access the Internet and locate information, which will enrich the curriculum within their classrooms. We will teach them to use e-mail to communicate with others and to use the networked attendance and grade book programs. After each staff member has attained personal proficiency, we will work toward attaining instructional proficiency as a staff. We will provide time for teachers to work together to develop strategies for incorporating technology into their teaching each day. Examples of this instructional proficiency will be seen throughout the school. Upon entering the Waller Junior High School Library, one will encounter students seeking literature sources from the computerized card catalog system. Some students will be using the five computer stations for word processing and seeking information from various CD ROMS, magazine programs, or on-line sources. In the back room, teams of students will be working at the seven computer stations, researching information for their core and elective classes through the Internet. As students leave the library, they will scan their book selections through the computerized checkout program. In the technology education center, cooperative groups of students will be editing their video tape production of their project for their class project. Another group of students will be dubbing pictures from their digital camera with music and commentary onto videotape. One will see a variety of activities upon entering any of the core or elective English classes. One may see students word-processing their latest paper at the computer, developing integrated electronic portfolios using CX Online or viewing an author�s presentation or classic literature production on laser disc. An entire class may be writing their rough drafts on a class set of Dreamwriters, sharing a chat room with a best selling author, or communicating with their �pen pals� in Europe via the Internet. The students from special education and enrichment classes will be working at their computer station at their own pace on individualized curriculum enhancement programs. |
| Our Vision |
| Science |
| The science classes will buzz with activity. Students will be documenting their lab results on the class computer and developing a spreadsheet to tabulate the results. Students will make pie and bar graphs to compare their results with other biology students in Oklahoma through developing classroom partnerships through the Internet. Students will be utilizing digital cameras to take pictures of cells from their microscopes for future reference. One may see students viewing experiments, demonstrations, or lectures from laser discs, while others may be comparing the results of their scientific inquiries with their lab partners in Australia via the Internet and/or video conferences. Others may be conducting preliminary research for their papers on the effects of chemical pollution on the environment via the Internet. |
| History classes will no longer be purely text and lecture driven. History will become alive through interactive technology. Students will actively experience history by viewing video and laser productions. Rather than just reading about historical events, students will actually get to experience historians� presentations through video conferencing. Students will participate in political debates and experience the daily operation of our legislative bodies via video conferencing. |
| History |
| Students in math classes will not practice mathematics in isolation. Instead, students will work on real-life applications of mathematics. Students will communicate with business owners via the Internet about math application in their fields of work. They will work with corporations, banks, engineers, architects, and stock brokers in applying their studies to business. Students will use graphing calculators, databases, spreadsheets, and computer programs to enhance their attainment of the curriculum. Students will participate in drill and practice sessions on computers, using mathematics programs and CD ROMS. Students in the integrated learning system mathematics class will work at their own pace in learning mathematics skills and applications with the guidance of the teacher and student mentors. |
| Students in the physical education classes will use heart monitors to monitor their physical fitness. Computers will be used to collect, store, and compare their progression throughout the year. Body fat will be monitored and calories and fat percentages will be tracked and compared using computers. Students in the dance and aerobics classes will participate in various dances and exercise routines, using video and laser disc productions. Students will make presentations on various sports, using video and digital cameras to enhance their presentations. |
| Math |
| Physical Education |
| Students throughout our elective classes will use technology to enhance their performance. Students in the foreign language classes will communicate with students and classes in the country they are studying through the Internet and video conferencing. Students in the art classes will use computers to develop graphics and artistic presentations. They will be able to �visit� museums throughout the world through the Internet and will be able to get input on their work from professional artists. They will develop a computerized electronic portfolio of their work to share with future educators or employers. Students in our music classes will compose and perform their own music utilizing digital music programs. The home economics classes will use technology to teach line and design graphics, machine art, professional style embroidery, and classic style monogramming. This will create a learning experience of how a small business is operated. The class will support the school through providing services to various organizations such as designing and printing cloth logos for athletics, student clubs and organizations. |
| Electives |
| After Phase II of our technology program has been implemented, staff members will use technology in their curricular area to teach new things and assist students in attaining the established performance standards. Each staff member will have attained personal technology proficiency the first year and instructional technology proficiency the second year. All will be working toward leadership technology proficiency by the third year. The following outcomes will be achieved for all students: Students will 1) attain performance standards in each curricular area with the assistance of teachers and technology. 2) use some form of technology each and every day in at least one of their classrooms; 3) utilize some form of technology in each curricular area; 4) utilize various word-processing programs, move files between directories and drives, use formulas to help analyze data in spreadsheets, generate reports from a database in order to answer questions, and invent, select, and use graphics in order to make a point or illustrate what they have learned; 5) use e-mail to request and send information globally concerning research they are doing; 6) access the Internet to locate information needed and communicate with others throughout the world; 7) create web pages for classroom projects; 8) design an effective multimedia presentation, employing motion, sound, and still graphics to share their ideas; 9) be prepared for the ever changing demands of businesses in the area of technology; 10) keep integrated portfolios of their work done at Waller Junior High School; and 11) access their work from any class from any location in the school. |
| Project Results |
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| Logical-Mathematical Children with lots of logical intelligence are interested in patterns, categories and relationships. They are drawn to arithmetic problems, strategy games and experiments. |
| Bodily-kinesthetic These kids process knowledge through bodily sensations. They are often athletic, dancers or good at crafts such as sewing or woodworking. |
| Musical Musical children are always singing or drumming to themselves. They are usually quite aware of sounds others may miss. These kids are often discriminating listeners. |
| Spatial These children think in images and pictures. They may be fascinated with mazes or jigsaw puzzles, or spend free time drawing, building with Legos or daydreaming. |
| Interpersonal Children who are leaders among their peers, who are good at communicating and who seem to understand others' feelings and motives possess interpersonal intelligence. |
| Intrapersonal These children may be shy. They are very aware of their own feelings and are self-motivated. |
| Linguistic Children with this kind of intelligence enjoy writing, reading, telling stories or doing crossword puzzles. |
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| THE SEVEN INTELIGENCES |
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| Among the many organizations offering exciting on-line learning adventures and explorations are: the National Geographic Online at http://www.nationalgeographic.com allows students to go on expeditions with famed geographic explorers and photographers. Odyssey In Egypt: the Interactive Archaeological Dig takes students in grades 6-8 to the ruins of a Coptic Monastery to work "virtually" alongside archaeologists (http://www.scriptorium.org/oddyssey) "Class Afloat," a virtual cruise for students in grades 3--9, follows the adventures of a crew of students aboard the tall ship Concordia as they circumnavigate the globe (http://www.teachtsp.com) Microsoft's Mungo Park, an online adventure magazine, offers chat sessions with expedition parties who also report their experiences via the Internet, relying on satellite communications systems, laptop computers, and digital cameras (http://mungopark.msn.com) Other organizations offer boundless resources not found in any textbooks. For example, Access Excellence, developed by Genentech, describes new developments in biology for high school students and teachers and provides classroom biology projects via their Web site at http://www.gene.com/ae. (http://www.microsoft.com/kids). Ask Asia, an extensive new resource about Asia and Asian American studies designed for use by K-12 students, includes maps, current events, and links to other resources at http://www.askasia.org. |
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| ITEA is a professional association for technology education teachers who teach a curriculum called "technology education" which is problem-based learning utilizing math, science and technology principles at www.iteawww.org Technological Studies Involve: 1. Designing, developing, and utilizing technological systems 2. Open-ended, problem-based design activities 3. Cognitive, manipulative, and affective learning strategies 4. Applying technological knowledge and processes to real world experiences using up-to-date resources 5. Working individually as well as in a team to solve problems |
| INTERNET RESOURCE GUIDE |
| The Oklahoma State Department of Education has recently entered into a partnership with MCI WorldCom/MarcoPolo to bring high quality Intemet resources to the teachers of Oklahoma. MarcoPolo is a partnership between the MCI WorldCom Foundation and leading educational organizations that have created standards-based K-12 Internet content for the classroom, including original content, panel-reviewed links to top web sites, search engines that help find needed information quickly, and rich supplemental resources across multiple disciplines, including the arts, economics, geography, the humanities, mathematics, and sci-ence. The following MarcoPolo partners are the "seal of approval" that all the educational materials are accurate, up-to-date, and unbiased: Marco Polo is the name of the partnership and the name of the web site. The MarcoPolo site is a valuable educational resource on its own, offering teachers an online tour of MarcoPolo and the partner sites, an explanation of the program's philosophy, continually updated measurement and evaluation data, and other useful material. The six partner sites: can be accessed from the MarcoPolo site or directly. Check it out at www.wcom.com/marcopolo. |
| MARCOPOLO |
| International Technology Education Association |
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| Demographics |
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