The First Help Desk Call

The First Help Desk Call


The standard cliche for evaluating the technical proficiency of an adult always used to be whether that individual could program his or her own vcr without assistance (usually from a child). It's the hallmark of change in the tech world that once we finally master something, it becomes irrelevant - such is the fate of the videocassette recorder. In fact, its replacement, the dvd player, is fast on its way to obsolescence, as the Blu-Ray version becomes the standard. It should come as no surprise then, that schools are victims to the same lag in technology implementation as the rest of the world. Even now, as we evaluate our best technology options for building "Smart" 21st century classrooms, new advances become available at a greater pace than we can even complete studies. Still, as we work to prepare students for jobs that don't yet exist, it is incumbent upon us to take advantage of any hardware or software that gives our students an advantage, better prepares them for life beyond high school, gives new tools to our teachers in the delivery of instruction, and positively impacts the academic achievement of our students.


The Grosse Pointe school district is currently evaluating our classroom technology priorities for the future. Among the things being considered for our high school classrooms are :

1. LCD Projectors - These have become almost essential as teachers use them daily to show powerpoints, websites, interactive web lessons, video clips, project lessons and student work and any number of other options.

2.Smart Boards - Interactive boards that function as large scale interactive computer monitors. The applications for these boards are limitless.

3. Document Cameras - High tech, new and improved versions of the old overheads, these devices are essentially cameras that project images on a screen or wall. For example, a biology teacher can do a dissection under the camera, and have the entire procedure projected live for students to see.

4. Sound systems for recording and amplifying sound.

5. A wide variety of other content specific technologies ranging from GPS labs for Earth Science, to sophisticated graphing calculators, to digital photo labs for photography, to various software and other pieces.

While we may all sometimes feel like the subject of the video on this post, it is critical that we provide our students with a 21st century education. The parents and students of our district have a right to expect that we will be leaders and innovators, and not followers in the efforts to use technology as part of the educational process. Please share your thoughts on technology with school administrators, teachers, board members and central office staff.

Legendary coach John Wooden said, "Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be". In today's world, schools that are not moving forward rapidly, and changing fluidly with the times, are quickly left behind. In the coming months we will be demonstrating some of the technologies we are considering for purchase in our classrooms. Watch this site and the Northern Lights newsletter for information on demonstrations for parents, as well as surveys and updates on district technology plans.