Published: September 26, 2008 11:32 am         

Pioneer’s vision of technology in the classroom

ROYAL CENTER — Technology plays a vital role in the process of learning and acquiring knowledge in the Pioneer Regional School Corporation.

Currently, 325 computers provide opportunities for students and staff to use the 13MB combined bandwidth to and from the Internet, which is supported by fiber, wireless and copper connections to deliver information to desktop computers. Two sets of wireless laptops help deliver additional technology opportunities to Pioneer elementary students.

Aggressive plans are already under way to meet the ever-increasing demand for access to additional learning sources from the Internet. The future for Pioneer students and staff includes more opportunities for information and learning, as the district meets the challenge to increase the available pipeline (bandwidth) in order to accommodate information traveling to and from the desktops. Very soon, all forms of media (DVD’s, video and audio) will be streaming live into the classroom. Virtual fieldtrips and live interactions with students and experts from around the world will give Pioneer students and staff first hand knowledge and experiences only previously available to those individuals able to travel to distant destinations.

Pioneer elementary students will continue to learn the basic skills of reading, writing and computation, but they will move quickly into the realm of using these basic skills to interact with the ever-growing body of knowledge available to them.

Classroom teachers will continue to be at the center of learning for Pioneer elementary students, and they will make sure all pupils have acquired the basic fundamentals. Teachers will then guide and nurture students into the “world curriculum” via the Internet.

Students will still need to master the “state standards” of knowledge and performance, but beyond these requirements, students will be guided to create their own forms of knowledge from a world of information.

Pioneer secondary students will be using several different forms of learning, many of which will come from the Internet, including research-based, virtual academies, and many other options not yet operationally complete. Secondary students will still have the support of classroom teachers to master the required “state standards” but will see more and more opportunities to personalize their learning. The Internet will become not only the primary source for the traditional “hard knowledge” for students, but more importantly, it will become the link to interest and social networking.

The challenges for the Pioneer School District will revolve around the ability to continue to find the financial resources necessary to keep the infrastructure, software and user end equipment current and functioning. In addition, the district will need to provide the professional development opportunities necessary for the staff to continuously enhance the skills required to instruct and support students in interacting with the technology.

Dr. David Bess is superintendent of Pioneer Regional School Corporation.