ABSTRACT NUMBER 2

CITATION:

Reese, Susan. (April 2001). A new dimension in education. Techniques, 32-33p.

SUMMARY:

A revolutionary high school program in Williamsburg, Virginia is making a little history of its own there with its innovative technology education courses. Richard Aadahl recalls asking for his first lab of workstations. The first year this lab was using AutoCad for drafting and architecture. The following year the put the traditional drafting and design program on hold and went to an entirely computer-based curriculum waiting to gauge the reaction of the students and their parents. Later 3-D Studio was added to the curriculum, and introduced digital multimedia. Courses that were offered included both introductory and advanced engineering, computer drawing and design, architectural design, computer animation and graphics, and digital multimedia. Since this particular school was teaching computer animation, the teachers there had to develop their own curriculum. Since the district made it a requirement that each student to take a technology class, the classes may have students that are special education students mixed with the gifted and talented students. It has been really nice that the students are able to learn from each other regardless if they are special education or gifted and talented. The students explore areas of the real world by doing things that they can make a career in: programming, graphic design, surveying, architecture, and forensics. This school’s goal is that each student will graduate with an interactive CD-ROM containing a portfolio of their work. With this kind of education, students will have a head start on successful careers in a number of high-tech fields.

PERSONAL REACTION:

This article really caught my attention from the very beginning. I thoroughly enjoyed it so much that I had one of my friends read it. An article like this showed her why I know so much about technology. She came from a district that had the money to do something like this but they would rather spend their money on football programs. By having a program like this would force the teachers to stay up to date on the world of technology. As Chris Whelpley said in the article which I have to agree with, “…there area number of ways that teachers can stay on the cutting edge or technology. When a company releases a new product, they usually offer training seminars so that those who provide training to others can learn about the new capabilities of that product.” Schools also have to allow teachers to learn programs before they throw their teachers to new programs (grade book and attendance). Having them to learn too quickly will force them not to enjoy the convenience of the software that their district has bought for them to make things easier for them. If all schools around the country offered classes like computer animation and graphics as an art class I am pretty sure that the students would rather do that then learning primary colors for the millionth time. High school is a place where students can start to learn where they like to pursue a career in. By doing this, when they go to college they are 90% for sure what they want to major in. Else wise they will be changing their major at least three to four times before they even graduate college. Think all the money public highs schools can save the future college students.