| Around The Clock Learning |  |
| Spry Community School is a new school model in Chicago. This school combines pre-K through high school students into one space where K-8 starts at 9am, and High School runs from 11-7pm. The school aims for a 100% graduation rate, and its philosophy is that the greatest influence on students is family, and the greatest influence on family is community; therefore, they aim to be a resource for continuous community learning and involvement. Spry offers programs such as partnerships with hospitals where students serve as interns, a high school-elementary school tutoring program, and an afterschool program that teaches computer and life skills. |  |
| Home: Part One (PDF) | |
| Online courses can enable schools to expand student learning opportunities. Schools can offer subjects on which no local expertise is available, that only a few students are interested in, or that are unavailable because of traditional scheduling. This is particularly true for languages, advanced course topics, and college preparatory courses, but online courses can also be invaluable in helping students who are struggling or who have dropped out and wish to recover the credits necessary to graduate. | |
| Consumer Guide To Buying Assistive And Learning Technologies | |
| This decision support tool assists users in becoming an informed consumer of assistive and learning technologies. The tool provides information on many topics, along with helpful questions to ask vendors. | |
| Home: Part Four (PDF) | |
| The Internet and telecommunications networks can be an important part of a community's communications system for both routine information and especially emergency information. Through applications like automated telephone messages, text messaging, e-mail, and websites, schools can alert community members about a wide range of topics from routine changes in scheduling and reminders for upcoming events to dismissal, lockdown, evacuation, or other information critical in an emergency. | |
| Home: Part Three (PDF) | |
| New global positioning technologies are offering unprecedented learning and support opportunities. Global positioning systems (GPS) are being used to help provide directions for cars and buses but can also be used in an emergency to locate vehicles or individuals. Systems can keep track of bus locations, monitor the bus systems, and keep real-time records of school bus stops. Cell phones with GPS access can be used to collect geopositioning data to log artifacts or geocode pictures to provide students with a real-world context for what they are learning. | |
| Sample Evaluation Questions (PDF) | |
| A worksheet with sample evaluation questions used in district technology evaluations. | |
| Home: Part Five (PDF) | |
| Just as students can use technology to access information outside of school, teachers can benefit from the opportunity as well. By providing remote access to school and district networks, teachers can have access to school-based resources and web-based tools to streamline administrative tasks, enhance planning opportunities, and support student learning. | |
| Home: Part Six (PDF) | |
| Technology can expand opportunities for parents to learn about and become involved in their child's education. A parent portal is a web site designed to provide parents secure access to information about their children's homework and schoolwork, as well as calendar information and opportunities to access teachers and administrators. | |
| NETS For Students: Profiles For Technology Literate Students (PDF) | |
| Profiles of technology literate students for grades preK-12, developed by ISTE's National Educational Technology Standards project. | |
| National Educational Technology Standards For Students: The Next Generation (PDF) | |
| ISTE's National Educational Technology Standards for Students. The standards describe what students should know and be able to do to learn effectively in a digital world. | |
| Hands-On Favorites | |
| This article highlights administrators and technologists who have recently purchased notification systems. They describe how they use the system, what they like about it, and what they wish that the system did for them. | |
| Home: Part Two (PDF) | |
| The rapid evolution of mobile technologies, such as smartphones and other handheld or laptop devices, provides unique ways for schools to expand learning opportunities beyond the time and spatial boundaries of school. Mobile devices that connect to networks or the Internet enable students to access learning material anytime and almost anywhere. By leveraging these tools, teachers can provide core, enrichment, and/or remedial information and experiences that students can access as needed from home, in the community, or even on the bus ride to and from school. Supported by technology, we can work collaboratively to construct a learning ecosystem that links home, school, and community. | |