Technology Takes A Seat In The Classroom

By Stephanie Miles

By 2004 students in elementary schools will be able to access and use the Internet from their classrooms, under a plan announced by Lt Gov M. Jodi Rell.

“This plan will put Connecticut’s students and education on the cutting edge of computer technology in the classroom,” Ms Rell said in an article in The Hartford Courant on Nov. 30.

Students at Newtown High School began experiencing this cutting edge technology last year. Over 80 Honors English II sophomores participated in creating Digital English Portfolios.

Each student created their own web site which became their English portfolio. Traditionally English students have had to put their best work in a binder or a folder that would be given to their next year’s English teacher. Instead these students under the direction of Bryan Luizzi, English teacher, and Linda Buonagurio, English teacher, put their best work on the web for the world to see.

Mr Luizzi, with solid a background and experience in the creation of web sites, taught not only his two Honors English II classes but also Mrs Buonagurio, so that she could teach her classes. Mr Luizzi had to start at the beginning teaching all the basic web page making material.

“If we lived in a perfect world, I envision all sophomores having to take a computer applications course in which they would be taught the basics of web site production. Thus, not only English teachers but any other teacher could apply the ability to make web pages and sites to their class, rather than have to take the time to teach production as well,” said Luizzi.

“The goal [of the plan] is to teach the skills needed to use and learn with computers in school and beyond,” said Ms Rell. Mr Luizzi agreed that teaching computer applications, including the production of web sites, should not be for only school, but for use after as well.

Those students that participated in the Digital Portfolios last year are now juniors and are either in American Studies or American Literature, as well as Humanities. Jeanetta Miller, English teacher, commented that about 25 percent of her American Literature as well as her American Studies students were planning on continuing their web sites as their junior year English portfolios.

Mrs Miller had seen some samples of portfolios done last year and was impressed with them. She felt it was only fair to allow the students the option of continuing the work they had done last year.

Mrs Miller is among a group of 26 teachers who are enrolled in a program for teachers that Mr Luizzi runs called Web Production Studio. The teachers meet every Wednesday for two hours to play with and experience various features involved in web site production. Mrs Miller noted that she could not necessarily coach students along but was planning on becoming more acquainted with the production process.

Teachers such as Charles Mann, social studies teacher and colleague of Mrs Miller, said, “The Internet and web sites are good things, but I am just not interested in it. I am a dinosaur.”

Kate Bouteiller, a junior, commented, “Continuing my web site this year for my portfolio will be easier than doing the traditional one because all I have to do is add pieces to my site. Everything else is already there.”

Ryan Ignatius, a junior, said, “Although the web sites were for class I liked the freedom of expression that you could have being able to create something to represent you. It also allows students to take some enjoyment in their work for classes.”

Mr Luizzi is trying to get enough hard drives for the iMac labs so that he can begin the web site production with his current sophomore classes.

If in fact by 2004 all classrooms will be wired for the Internet and teachers such as Mr Luizzi and those enrolled in the Web Production Studio continue to apply the Internet and computers to their classes, students at NHS will have been way ahead of the game in their interaction and ability to access and apply the Web to classroom activities.