Success Stories
Art
The technology and art department have been working together to create new experience for students. Technology use includes Photoshop, high end scanners and printers.
We're Getting Wired, We're Going Mobile, What's Next?
The International Society for Technology in Education's (ISTE) new book We're Getting Wired, We're Going Mobile, What's Next? provides K-12 and higher ed decision makers with a measured and inspiring guide for exploring and evaluating new directions in educational technology. An entire chapter is devoted to the technology program at Paideia School. The chapter begins by saying, "Paideia has set a new standard for technology in the K-12 environment with innovative and creative approaches to curriculum, administration, and the parent community." The excerpt from the book and ordering information can be found at www.iste.org/eseries.
Wireless Technology and Laptop Initiative
Paideia's campus network incorporates wireless technology that enhances the use of 175 laptops by teachers and students in all areas of the school. Teachers can request a personal laptop 24/7. The teacher must agree to complete at least two projects using technology in their classroom over and above any current applications. For some teachers this is their first venture into using technology in the curriculum. For others, it means trying yet another new idea. We are evaluating the impact of the laptops on the technology skill level of teachers and any changes in the use of technology by these teachers for supporting classroom activities.
Students may check out computers during the school day. Uses include note taking in class, taking tests using word processing instead of paper and pencil, having Internet immediately available for research, and for creating special projects such as movies and other multimedia productions. Paideia is a participant in the Schools' Attuned methodology, which takes a neurodevelopmental approach to learning and acknowledges that there is enormous variance among students' learning styles. Technology is used to both support students' strengths and to provide accommodations that assist students in addressing their weaknesses. This laptop initiative is also being evaluated.
Community Communication (Mail System)
Paideia surveyed alumni and asked what technology skills the alums felt were a must have to be prepared for college. At the top of the list was knowing how to use e-mail over a network and working with attachments. Paideia's mail system of choice is First Class published by OpenText. Full mail accounts are provided for all faculty and staff. High school and Junior High students are provided with intranet accounts only. That is high school and junior high students can communicate on or off campus with any member of the Paideia mail system but cannot communicate with anyone not in our system. Examples of mail applications include the use of group calendars for department planning, reserving multimedia equipment, and for scheduling sporting events and facilities. Online forums promote discussions on community and political topics. Folders with selected permissions provide news to faculty and students, technical tips and tricks, and other information. Every parent is provided with a FirstClass account. Parent accounts automatically forward messages to the parent's personal email address of choice and is primarily a mail delivery system.
Filemaker
Filemaker has made information easily accessible for teachers, counselors, administrators, and other school personnel on a need to know basis. Examples of FileMaker uses include: students' schedules emergency information, end of term reports, student and faculty attendance, campus parking information including car registrations, and progress reports that teachers complete for all students every three weeks. Information can be sorted and printed in any combination. An html file of a student's progress report can be e-mailed to parents upon request.
In addition to those applications mentioned above, web entry forms are being utilized for parents to provide emergency information and interest in the school's parent involvement program. The parent interest information is available to teachers to assist in identifying speakers, assistance with projects, and other functions. Alumni is being surveyed about their college experience and as a form of input as to how well Paideia prepares students academically.
A new pilot program is providing administrators with a PDA with student schedules, parking, and other information in FileMaker so information travels with them as they move around campus. Coaches and teachers that take students off campus for field trips and other events will carry PDAs with student emergency information and school emergency numbers and procedures.
iPods
iPods have been used by our music teachers for several years. Having their music library in a digital format allows them to better integrate sections or entire songs into their instruction. IPods are proving a valuable tool for creating Podcasts and for oral history projects. We are also exploring their use in the foreign language classroom.
Music
The music lab enables students to create, edit and publish their own compositions. Scores can be printed and preformed. Other software allows students to explore the use of digital sounds and instruments and participate in composition playoffs.
Palm
Our technology department is piloting a project using fifteen Palm personal organizers to assist teachers, coaches, and administrators in working more efficiently and effectively. In addition to the users' personal calendar, address book, and files, information transferred to the Palms on an as need basis include student schedules, car tag and parking information for both students and faculty, student emergency forms, emergency handbook information, and emergency contact information for school administrators. The Palms are synced once a week for information updates. Principals are finding that having the information in hand as they move around the campus invaluable. Notes and comments can also be recorded as needed. Teachers with students on field trips and coaches have current emergency information for students involved in events off campus.
PowerSchool
In 2003, it became clear that Paideia's administrative effectiveness was being lost because the support staff in many offices were using their own system for recording and cataloging information. A survey showed information was stored using eleven different programs, most of which did not integrate with each other. If a student's phone number changed, the change had to be recorded eleven different places. Clearly this was not acceptable.
After talking to many schools and exploring a variety of solutions, Paideia choose PowerSchool as its unified student information system. Information is now stored in one, centralized data base with multiple levels of editing and view only privileges. Custom screens and fields were created in house to accommodate the specific needs of each administrator and each member of the support staff. Updates are immediately applied to all screens. If necessary, data can be easily imported and exported to other applications. Teachers and administrators have accurate class and student contact information. PowerSchool was flexible enough to allow us to include a solution for our Admission's office. An added advantage to this is that data no longer has to be reentered once a student is accepted since the Admission's Office is included in the same system.
Promethean ActivBoards
Teachers in all areas of the school are finding these interactive boards improve collaboration and enhance instruction in numerous ways. Boards are distributed throughout the school from kindergarten through high school classrooms and in a wide variety of subject areas. Boards are placed in classrooms where there is teacher interest and commitment. Language arts, history, music, foreign language and math are just some of the areas where the ActivBoard is being used effectively.
Sharing of Information
The sharing of ideas, successes and mistakes is important. We are cooperating with other schools in efforts to learn from each other and to help schools in all stages of developing and implementing a technology plan. Our efforts include visits to other schools and participation in numerous conferences, professional organizations, teacher workshops, and informal sharing sessions. Paideia was a co-founder of the Atlanta Area Technology Educators users group. The school also reaches out to the community through classes for parents, faculty, and area educators. Paideia serves as a preview center for teachers. We have been a Beta site for certain software developers and serve on numerous advisory boards.
Technology Assistants
Student Assistants volunteer their time to assist our program in a number of ways. The technology center is often in full operation without an adult present. Empowering students in this way has fostered a community spirit and set a tone of responsibility and respect.