Chapter 3
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Case Study
Reflections of the Dean of Students in a Maine High School
While many may have scoffed at the use of technology in the classroom and would prefer we stick with the three “Rs” [reading, writing, and arithmetic], we have found that, by embracing these technological naysayers and encouraging them to come into the building and get “hands-on” with various forms of technology, they begin to see its true potential. Three years ago we became part of a statewide initiative to provide each high school student with his or her own laptop for the school year. While we knew students would be very eager to get their laptops, we also knew that the faculty and the parents would be less enthusiastic. In order to assist our faculty with the transition from a more traditional pen and paper classroom and grade book to a fully supported online student information system, we provided professional development during the school day and offered various groups of teachers off-site trainings and visits with other schools that were already living completely in the digital world.
For the parents of our students, we knew we had to present them with a clear message and rationale on why their children were being given laptops. In order to help communicate our message to them, we invited all parents into the school and put a laptop in their hands and helped them learn all about the programs and the potential these machines offered to them and their own kids. We knew we were going to have to change the culture concerning how people thought about technology; and we thought that this technology training for parents was a great way to start that change. Over the years, incoming students’ parents now expect these workshops and are often taught or assisted by more veteran parents. The culture change of embracing technology as an effective tool, not only for their children in the classrooms but also for the parents themselves, is beginning to take place all across our district.
Once all stakeholders see the potential benefits of embracing technology, be it in the classroom for an increased capacity for teaching and learning, or at home where students are exploring more on their own to become more connected individuals, only then will the endless possibilities technology gives us become evident. While the cultural change is never smooth and simple (there will be bumps, seen and unseen, along the way), there must also be a dedication and perseverance to the utilization of technology within the school in order for it to succeed.
Source: Andrew K. Korman is the dean of students at one of the nation’s Coalition of Essential Schools, Noble High School in North Berwick, Maine. He is a doctoral student at the University of New Hampshire, studying leadership and policy development with a focus on male high school dropouts.