Technology
The technology department strives to support student learning throughout the school, provide the tools and instruction students need to be successful learners, and encourage the technological proficiency necessary to succeed in today’s world. Technology is integrated across curricular areas throughout the school day while technology specialists K-12 offer computer classes with age-appropriate diverse courses of study. Teaching methods are adapted to accommodate all learners and include one-on-one instruction, large screen demonstrations, written directions, and project-based learning. We also provide assistive technology resources to support students’ individual learning styles.
The technology program supports students, faculty, and classroom instruction throughout the school and across the curriculum. Our goal is for every student to take advantage of the tools and technology available to them, and to become informed, proficient technology users.
The McLean School technology program is based on National Educational Technology Standards for Students, published by ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education. Individual skills are divided into six main categories: basic operations, social and ethical issues, productivity tools, communication tools, research tools and problem solving and decision-making tools.
Students create a variety of projects that involve research and evaluation of the sources, consideration of Internet safety and copyright issues, communication with others, publishing work on the web, participation in Web Quests and virtual field trips. Students learn touch typing techniques, desktop publishing, web design, graphic design, and animation. In addition to specific computer classes, technology is integrated across other subject areas. Students at McLean use technology for creative writing, student journals, travel brochures, slide show presentations, tessellations, comic books, advertisements, web pages, animations, desktop publishing, timelines, charts and graphs, poetry packets, and literary magazines. The technology department frequently adjusts the curriculum to stay current with the rapidly changing technological world.
A variety of technology resources are available to students including classroom computers, computer labs, mini-labs, media center, Alpha Smarts, wireless laptops, digital cameras, scanners, video camcorders, video studio, and a number of printers. All students in Grades 5 - 12 log onto a school-wide network with user names and passwords. Each student has a network folder which is accessible anywhere in the building where they may save and retrieve their work. In addition, a wireless network is available for Internet access with laptops. We have an aggressive writing program throughout the curriculum. Students in grades 7-12 are encouraged to bring their own laptop for a number of reasons including paperless organization, note-taking, file management and computer access.
All school computers have Microsoft Office software as well as many other programs for student use in school. Image editing, keyboarding, desktop publishing, multimedia, webbing, video editing, outlining, research databases, critical thinking, and other software programs are used to build student skills. Software available for use by students include programs like Kidspiration and Inspiration which help students with prewriting and writing skills; Read Naturally, which builds reading skills and Geometers Sketchpad which help students understand geometry concepts. Kurzweil 3000 and TextHELP, text-to-speech software programs are also available to students. The technology department strives to find age-appropriate software to help students learn not only in core curricular areas but also in areas like art and music.