Partnerships for Innovation
In a surprise announcement made in early May, ORAU declared Gresham Middle School sixth-grade science teacher Jenny Alvey as the grand-prize winner of its first Extreme Classroom Makeover.
Before the 2009-2010 school year begins, Alvey’s classroom will be renovated with the latest interactive technology, and ORAU will provide a year’s worth of training and support—a complete prize package valued at $25,000.
Here’s a little more about what Alvey plans to do with her new classroom makeover:
Q. How do you envision integrating the new technology within the coming academic year?
A. My principal always says, “He who does the work, does the learning,” so now it’s time to see if using a variety of technology will help my students to truly understand the material being taught to them on a daily basis within my classroom. I know at times students fear letting-on that they don’t understand a concept, and I feel that the student response system is really going to be a tool I utilize more than I anticipated.
Q. What are some of the things you hope to learn while participating in your training at the ORAU Center for Science Education later this summer?
A. This summer, my goal is to be like a sponge. In other words, I am going to soak up as much knowledge as possible. There are a variety of items won in this grant that I’ve have never had any type of experience with, so the whole process is going to be eye-opening and educational for me as well. I can’t wait to share this new-found knowledge with my students and colleagues in my building.
Q. How might certain aspects of the technology change how you prepare and conduct your lesson plans?
A. My lesson plans will totally change. Students will be able to do even more hands-on activities and incorporate many forms of technology into the activities that they will be doing. They will be able to use these tools in today’s society and in the future.
Q. Do you feel that your students are ready to use the new technology?
A. My students and technology go hand-in-hand. Let me explain. In general, some students have little-to-no experience with technology and its uses, while others use it on a daily basis. This is similar to the students sitting in my classroom every day. Some have little-to-no experience with a variety of concepts being taught while others experience new things daily. It’s going to be an adventure for us all.
Q. Do you have any predictions on how this kind of access to technology will shape your approach to teaching in the long-term?
A. I predict that the students leaving my classroom will have a better understanding of how to use a variety of tools related to technology, especially regarding its application to science. This knowledge, in turn, will enable them to be better equipped in the future. This opportunity will give me the tools I need to spread my knowledge and will also enable me to continue to use technology in my classroom.