The Future is Here at Okoboji Middle School

The Future is Here at Okoboji Middle School

If you are a country music fan, you may be familiar with Brad Paisley's recent release entitled “The Future is Here.” In this song he details the technological world around us and his amazement as to how many things he dreamed of as a child, which are now a part of our everyday reality. Well, I can't help but think that the future has arrived at Okoboji Middle School. Below are just a few of the technological tools that students and teachers have access to at OMS, and a synopsis of how we are using these tools to enhance the learning of all students.

Netbooks: Our 7/8 grade students began using netbooks at the beginning of the school year when our district purchased 75 new netbooks. Netbooks are simply laptops at about 80% the size of a traditional laptop. Currently we have about a 2:1 ratio of students to netbooks in 7^th and 8^th grade, and we are currently in the planning process of having a laptop for every student. “Before the netbooks, we almost had to fight to make sure we could use the laptops when we needed them,” commented Mrs Frerichs, our 7^th grade Language Arts instructor. “Now they are much more available and with this availability students aren't just using them on a daily basis, but more on an hourly basis.” With the increase of computer use, comes the need for an understanding of how to use all available technology. Between the outstanding professional development our technology team is providing, and the upcoming “technology boot camp” our grade level teachers will be engaged in during team planning time this year, we will continue to maximize the use of these computers to enhance the learning of each and every student.

52” LCD Television Screen: Karen Tschetter recently became our first teacher to pilot large flat screen televisions in the classroom. We currently have LCD projectors in most of our classrooms which are connected to computers in order to project the contents of the computer to the entire class. After having a couple of bulbs burn out, it was decided to try LCD televisions as a replacement in Mrs. Tschetter's room. We believe they provide a more vibrant viewing surface than an LCD projector and, in the long run, will actually save the district money. “The motivation and engagement students have in the various activities we facilitate through the computer/television has definitely increased. The television is so clear and a great tool to reach visual learners,” states Mrs. Tschetter, “from correcting student work to class-wide research, we have really utilized this tool to enhance student learning.” Who knows, we may soon have LCD screens in every classroom if this pilot project is successful!

Pole Vault Sound System and Clickers: Just down the hall from Mrs. Tschetter, Laura Stevens has been implementing two new technologies. The Pole Vault Sound System is comprised of speakers built into the classroom which can project the sound from computers and microphones teachers and students wear. “The students are so much more likely to hear the instructions and directions we give in class, and we also use the microphones to team teach or have students share their answers with the class.” Mrs. Stevens also is trying out the “clickers” which students use to submit answers on teacher and student created questions. Stevens can “view the answers immediately as a class and students can self-assess their progress. They also can be used for me to help clear up misconceptions students may have. If I see that only half the class understands a question asked, I know we have to do extra instruction in this area.”

Interwrite Pads: Many of you may be familiar with Smartboards, an interactive whiteboard mounted to the side of a classroom. At OMS, we currently have portable “smartboards” called Interwrite Pads. Mr. Bouse (5^th grade), Mrs. Thunhorst (6^th grade), Mrs. Frerichs (7^th grade), and Mrs. Jones (7^th/8^th grade) are the first group of teachers to begin using the Interwrite Pads in our school. The advantage to our Interwrite Pads over the traditional Smartboard is that the Interwrite Pad is portable and can move throughout the room. “Kids get excited to use the pads to write and share their thoughts in unique and different ways.” said Mrs. Frerichs, “Student engagement and motivation has dramatically increased when we use the Interwrite Pads.” Another advantage is in the cost—Interwrite Pads cost around $300 compared to Smartboards which can cost well over $1000 a piece.

MP3 Players Impact Reading: Over the past two years, Mrs. Hilsabeck and Mrs. Williams have worked to secure funding and purchase MP3 players for use by students in reading. We currently have over 20 MP3 players available to be checked out with preloaded books for students to listen to. “The MP3 players really help to draw in unmotivated and/or non-engaged readers as well as help excellent readers improve their auditory skills,” states Mrs. Hilsabeck, our Media Specialist. “They also have been a big help for our English language learners as they work to develop their English language skills.”

Heart Rate Monitors: A recent study researching the necessary skills employers are looking for in future employees stated that one of the top skills needed will be an ability to stay healthy and fit. At OMS, we are fortunate to have state-of-the-art equipment to rival any middle school across the state. Included in this equipment are new heart rate monitors students wear on their “cardio days” in PE class. The monitors communicate wirelessly with a projector which projects the students heart rate for the student to view and monitor while they exercise. “The monitors allow students to understand what it feels like to have their heart rate in a target range while exercising,” commented Mr. Hunziker when asked what impact technology is having in his classroom. “It is our hope that if students understand what vigorous exercise feels like now, they will be able to carry this into their future and stay fit when the leave our school.”

As you can see, technology is impacting all aspects of our school. In fact, the technology is integrated so vigorously that is has become a part of the solid culture of instruction and learning at Okoboji Middle School. The future truly is here at OMS as we work to prepare students to be productive citizens in a changing world!