Technology in Roanoke County Integrating learning with staff, students, and our surrounding communities.

Vision for RCS To integrate the use of blackboard, Microsoft, laptops, websites, and ActivBoard with our students, staff, and communities.

Why integrate technology? “Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is most important.” – Bill GatesBill Gates

Blackboard Blackboard is an underutilized resource that parents, students and teachers can use to help the students become more successful. How can we help use this resource more effectively?

Blackboard Students and staff can –Turn in papers on BB –Work on papers in real time –Check missing assignments –Print out missing assignments –Chat with teachers on questions they have about the course. Parents can –Check students grades on BB –Check missing assignments –Chat with teachers on questions they have about course work.

Microsoft Students need to be able to create –Word documents –Power Points –Spreadsheets This is to ensure students are more competitive with the 21 st century worker. All students will complete this goal by the end of Middle School. –Elementary School students will create Word Documents to publish original works. –Middle School students will create Power Points and Spreadsheets in order to publish original works. –High School students should be able to produce any of these functions for any school assignment.

Laptops Students and staff –Check out laptops for overnight usage. –Classrooms can have a minimum of 25 laptops available at one time for checkout –Students can check out laptops for group work –PTA can check out laptops for family functions

Websites Teachers will –Create and maintain a website though Wiki, Blogs, or other means in order to keep parents more informed and the lines of communication open. –Items to include in their website could include homework assignments, future tests, websites used for teaching, Power Point templates used to teach, and any other useful information. Each school will Have a link to each teachers’ website on their homepage. Maintain an online check out system for laptops being checked out by students, staff, or community. Have links to Blackboard and other helpful websites to help students and parents become more successful in learning new material.

ActivBoard Teachers will –Use the ActivBoards for real time voting for understanding on new material taught –Show PowerPoints and Videos to help facilitate learning. RCS will –Have enough ActivBoards available for each classroom to use –Maintain ActivBoards by replacing them when needed.

Finally….. “There can be infinite uses of the computer and of new age technology, but if teachers themselves are not able to bring it into the classroom and make it work, then it fails.” – Nancy KassebaumNancy Kassebaum