Everything you ever wanted to know about technology in West Fargo classrooms is now in one place.
The West Fargo School District has released its massive "technology integration plan." It includes everything from Internet-assisted research projects used by teachers to guidelines for student use of computers.
The plan consolidates information available in many different places, said Peggy Spitzer, the district's co-coordinator of technology integration and in-service.
"We felt it was important to have in all in the same place," she said.
Members of the West Fargo School Board got their first look at the plan Monday night. They liked what they saw.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I'm thoroughly impressed with its completeness," said board member Troy Aswege.
Board member Karen Nitzkorski said she had struggled to understand how the district is incorporating technology into its curriculum.
"But this really helps us get our arms around it," she said.
The district believes computers and the Internet are no different than overhead projectors -- tools for teachers to use, said Louise Dardis, assistant superintendent.
In the middle 1990s, the district began incorporating computers and the Internet into the studies of its middle school students. Since then, West Fargo has expanded its use of technology to younger and older students.
The effort has been more complicated than some might think, Spitzer said.
For instance, there's debate nationally over the best age at which to teach keyboarding skills to students.
West Fargo settled on seventh grade. Students younger than that have trouble manipulating the keyboard and fall into bad habits, Spitzer said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Though the district has made good progress in incorporating technology in classrooms, much remains to be done, Dardis said.
That includes training administrators to better understand technology integration and finding a way to help staff stay current with changing state and national standards, she said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jonathan Knutson at (701) 241-5530
