Edgemont Technology

Update: Edgemont STEAM Program

Growth of The Edgemont Steam program

STEAM: Connecting Learning To Life

STEAM: Connecting LEarning to LIfe

The STEAM program and District Goal Component #3: Connecting Learning to Life

Student Data Privacy

The new Data Privacy and Protection portion of the Technology Department website offers insight into and resources around the new Student Data Privacy law including:

Edgemont Launches new Elearning Website

eLearning is happening everyday, across all grade levels and disciplines.

Visit Edgemont eLearning for daily advents in Edgemont in eLearning.

Jr HS STEAM Program

1:1 Program expands to include all students grades 5-12

This school year has been an exciting one for Edgemont, in that, we are completing year three of our successful 1:1 chromebook program. The 1:1 program has been so successful that the 1:1 Subcommittee has decided to continue the 1:1 program into 12th grade next year.

Our 1:1 students and teachers have embraced the 1:1 program over the past several years and have been developing a new digital learning environment which focuses on the mindful and educational use of technology for instruction and learning.

While all of our Edgemont students are engaged with technology to varying degrees, our 1:1 students more regularly participate in a learning environment in which these devices are used to publish, think critically, research, calculate, collaborate and create. The 1:1 program has afforded our teachers and students more time for personalized learning in class and allow for learning to extend beyond the physical classroom. We hope you will speak with your child about some of the exciting work that has been happening across the curriculum with these devices.

What's Happening Around The District...

As part of the district's focus on Tech Health, we are excited to announce that this year we will be working with Tech Health educator and author, Janell Burley Hofmann.

A leader in the field of educating and parenting in the digital age and author of iRules, Janell offers thoughtful insights and specific strategies for navigating the unique challenges children face today.

Thanks to generous sponsorship by our PTA/PTSA, Janell will be in our district working with staff, students and parents from November 6th-8th.

We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to work with her, and become part of our conversation about social and emotional health in today’s school culture.

2018-2021 Technology Plan Approved by NYSED

The new, 3 year district Technology Plan was approved by NYSED on 7/25/18. The drafting of the new Technology Plan was a collaborative effort between teachers, parents, staff and administrators. Below, is an excerpt from the plan, outlining the Vision Statement, those who helped draft and influence the plan and key initiatives.

"Edgemont is committed to preparing lifelong learners who are ethical and responsible digital citizens. Edgemont students will be able to use Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) to communicate in a variety of modes, solve problems creatively, retrieve and manage information, think critically, remain flexible and continue to learn. They will be self-directed learners able to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Two of the driving forces influencing Edgemont’s Technology Plan (Vision and Goals) are the Technology Action Plan (ICT Initiatives) and the district’s ‘Strategic Goals’. The Technology Plan is responsible for the overarching vision and goals while the Action Plan pinpoints and executes the tangible ICT initiatives throughout the district- see diagram below."

Inquiry Based Research

-4th Grade at Seely Place Elementary-

Fourth grade students at Seely Place are currently involved in an inquiry based research project. Inquiry based learning asks the students what they know and what they want to learn more about. The students use their own questions as a way to learn about a topic of their choice. This project has involved conducting and using multiple sources to research a topic, verifying the accuracy of information, taking notes, organizing data and finally creating a research book using Book Creator.

This year we worked with Andrea Nash, our instructional technology specialist to restructure the writing process of this project from beginning to end. Andrea came into each of the four classrooms and taught students how to take notes and cite sources using a color coding system. This system allowed students to give a color to each source they used in order to organize their notes. Next, students typed their rough draft, we discussed the idea of taking out the paper and pencil draft and going directly to typing. Finally, Andrea suggested using Book Creator as a way in which to create our final project. She came into our classrooms to provide an overview of Book Creator and the different features offered in order to make their own book.

As a team, we feel that embracing technology and providing our students the opportunity to create a virtual book based on their individual research (and needs), has enhanced the visual appeal and interest of this learning experience.

2nd Grade Ecosystem Research Project

-Ms. LaMonica's 2nd Grade, Greenville Elementary-

As part of our ecosystem unit in science, our class was divided into groups based on which animal group the students wanted to research most (reptiles, birds, amphibians, or fish). Each group worked together to inquire about their specific animal group through books and kid-friendly websites using Chromebooks. After recording their facts, they worked together to make a Google Slides presentation. Each group will present their Google Slides to the class to show what they have learned. This unit was based on the New York State Science Learning Standard 2-LS4-1 to show emphasis on the diversity of animals, their characteristics and habitats.

Amphibians.pdf

The Hour of code

The Hour of Code is in full effect around Edgemont this week. With the addition of more than 200 Chromebooks at Greenville and Seely Place Elementary, accessibility to coding and digital literacy learning has never been more prevalent. Students in all grades from K-6 are engaging in the foundations of computer science and coding which nurture problem-solving skills, logic and creativity. By starting early, students will have a foundation for success in any 21st-century career path.

While the The Hour of Code is becoming an annual event in Edgemont, Coding, Computer Science and Robotics curriculum is becoming a integral part of the K-12 curriculum offering opportunities for all of our students throughout their academic careers at Edgemont.

-Coding in the Seely Place Science Lab-

The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify "code", to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities but expanding to all sorts of community efforts.

One-To-One Program Begins

This Fall, after much anticipation, Edgemont officially began its one-to-one program in grades 5 and 7. Throughout the week, our students excitedly picked up their assigned Chromebooks in their homerooms at the elementary schools and in the library at EHS.

Over the past year, a 1:1 sub committee comprised of fifth and seventh grade teachers, administrators and parents worked together on developing a one-to-one program that will ensure all teachers and students are prepared for the one-to-one learning environment.

The one-to-one program is an integral component in actualizing the district’s Technology Action Plan which aims to ‘Provide infrastructure, equitable access, professional learning and technical support for the integration of technology to promote creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking.’

In week one, all of our 5th and 7th grade students, while already proficient Chromebook users, spent some class time reviewing the functionality of the Chromebooks and Google Apps basics. In the weeks leading up to the one-to-one kick-off, all of our 5th and 7th grade teachers devoted an entire day to furthering their proficiency with the Chromebooks and Google Apps and writing curriculum that will foster the one-to-one learning environment.

The deployment of more than 350 Chromebooks in our 5th and 7th grades also freed up all of the 5th and 7th grade level dedicated devices for the rest of the students to use during the school day. The goal, as per the Technology Action Plan, is to continue the one-to-one program next year in 6th and 8th grades ensuring all students in grades 5-8 will be part of the one-to-one program by this time next year.

New Edgemont Website Launches!!!

Phaedrus students organizing

characteristics of learning spaces

1st Graders Creating Digital Portfolios

Facilitated by our Educational Technology Specialist and some of our classroom teachers, many of our first grade students have been using the application See Saw to bring their ELA research and writing to digital life.

See Saw is an application which can be used as it in these pictures, with iPads, to capture hand written/drawn stories into a digital format. This particular class will be compiling all their digital stories into one digital portfolio as a culminating class project.

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