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ED 433 800 IR 019 860
TITLE ParenTech: Parenting in a Digital Age. ParenTech ResourceKit
INSTITUTION Ameritech Foundation, Chicago, IL.; North Central RegionalEducational Lab., Oak Brook, IL.
PUB DATE 1999-00-00NOTE 94p.; Poster and CD-ROM components of this kit not included
with ERIC copy.AVAILABLE FROM ParenTech, P.O. Box 263, Franklin Park, IL 60131 (free);
Tel: 877-298-7273 (Toll Free); Fax: 847-678-7054; e-mail:[email protected]; Web site: www.parentech.org
PUB TYPE Collected Works General (020) Guides Non-Classroom(055) -- Machine-Readable Data Files (102)
EDRS PRICE MF01/PC04 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS *Computer Uses in Education; *Educational Technology;
*Information Technology; Middle Schools; Optical Data Disks;*Parent Education; Parent Materials; Parent Participation;Resource Materials; Science and Society; World Wide WEb
IDENTIFIERS Web Sites
ABSTRACTParenTech is a technology information initiative designed to
educate families about the impact technology has on the ways children learn,work, and live. Designed for parents of middle school students (grades 6-8),the ParenTech Resource Kit contains the following materials: (1) a posterthat outlines suggested activities for promoting the value of technology; (2)
"Does It Compute?," a parent guide on technology and education, (3) "When IGrow Up," a parent guide on technology and careers; (4) "Fast Forward to theFuture," a parent guide on technology and society; (5) "The Librarian's Guideto Cyberspace for Parents & Kids" (American Library Association), includingrecommended World Wide Web sites and Internet safety tips; (6) an interactiveCD-ROM entitled "Parenting in a Digital Age"; (7) a "Technology + Society"brief that highlights technology trends and predictions; (8) a brochure andletter describing this resource kit; (9) sample materials from a TeacherGuide; and (10) a "Principal's Tip Sheet." (MES)
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.
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PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE ANDDISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL
HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
M. Kroeger
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
erftech,,
ership groeritech rrod NC EL
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationoriginating it.
Minor changes have been made toimprove reproduction quality.
Points of view or opinions stated in thisdocument do not necessarily representofficial OERI position or policy.
ParenTech is a unique technology information initiative designed to educatefamilies about how technology makes a difference in the ways we learn,
work, and live. Made possible by a partnership of the North Central RegionalEducational Laboratory (NCREL) and Ameritech, ParenTech provides families
and educators of middle school children (grades 6-8) with free resources
focused on technology's role in education, careers, and society.
ParenTech brings together the latest research from experts, inspiring storiesfrom families and educators, practical tips, and places to go to learn more
all in a parent-friendly resource kit that includes:
Three 16-page Parent Guides
An interactive CD-ROMA Web site, available at www.parentech.org
ParenTech also reaches out to middle schools with an informative Teacher
Guide, a principal's tip sheet, and a colorful poster. In addition, ParenTech
connects with communities through a "mini-exhibit" scheduled to visit
regional museums during the summer and fall of 1999.
BESTCOPYAVA1 BLE ti
North Ccntrcl R:Vannl Ectucannzl Lcherptery
Applying Reseerch one Technology to l.c,ithig
North Central Regional EducationalLaboratory (NCREL) is a nonprofiteducational research and development
organization supported in part by
the U.S. Department of Education.
Our mission is to strengthen and support
schools and communities so that all
students achieve standards of educational
excellence. Simply put, we are here
to help teachers teach better; students
learn better; administrators provide
better leadership; policymakers make
better policy; and families, communities,
and schools collaborate more effectively
on behalf of all students.
www.ncrel.org
Ameritech, the Midwest's leadingtelecommunications company, provides
a wide range of communications
products and services to millions of
customers in 50 states and 40 countries.
We understand how important technology
is, particularly in the lives of families, and
we understand how vital it is to develop
these skills in our children. That's why
we're proud to join with NCREL todevelop the ParenTech program and
to make ParenTech part of our strong
tradition of supporting and giving back
to the communities we serve. In 1998,
Ameritech contributed more than $27.2
million to help more than 3,800 nonprofit
organizations achieve their goals. And
nearly 43,000 of our employees and
retirees volunteered 482,000 hours
to support health and human services,
civic and community projects, and
educational and arts programs.
www.ameritech.com
A Partnership of Ameritech and NCREL
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
1900 Spring Road, Suite 300
Oak Brook, IL 60523-1480NCRELNorth Central Regional Educational Laboratory
'Applying Research and Technology to Learning'
A Partnership of Ameritech and NCREL
North Central Regional EducationalLaboratory
1900 Spring Road, Suite 300
Oak Brook, IL 60523-1480
800.356.2735Fax 630.571.4716
For orders: 1.877.298.7273
www.parentech.org
September 29, 1999
Dear Public Affairs/Public Relations DirectorEducation Resource Information Center (ERIC)1100 West St., 2nd FloorLaurel, MD 20707-3598
Dear Dear Public Affairs/Public Relations Director:
On behalf of the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) andAmeritech, I am pleased to inform you that your organization/publication wasmentioned in the Technology and Education Parent Guide which is part of theParenTech Resource Kit. In case you haven't heard, ParenTech is a newcampaign helping families of middle school students (grades 6-8) "get a grip" ontechnology. Your complimentary ParenTech kit is enclosed.
ParenTech provides families with free resource kits that help to educate themabout the impact technology has on the ways their children learn, work, and live.Developed by NCREL and funded through a major grant from the AmeritechFoundation, ParenTech brings together the latest research, inspiring stories,practical tips, and places to go to learn more.
Initially a pilot project in the Midwest, ParenTech is now available to parents ofmiddle schoolers nationwide. Parents can order their free kit by callingParenTech's toll-free number at 1-877-298-7273; by visiting the Web site atwww.parentech.org; or by writing to ParenTech at P.O. Box 263, Franklin Park,IL 60131.
You can lend your support to family education about technology by helping tospread the word about ParenTech through your own networks. Please feel free touse the attached sheet of sample copy for newsletters, Web sites, or other meansof publicizing the project, as you see fit.
Also, we're looking for additional partners to help disseminate kits to Midwestfamilies. If you know of middle schools/districts that have identified parentinvolvement in technology as a goal for the upcoming school year, please letthem know about ParenTech's free resources. There are many ways educatorsand community groups can use ParenTech as a tool in these efforts. Also, theremay be codevelopment or evaluation opportunities with NCREL.
If you have questions, comments, or ideas, please feel free to contact me at 630-368 -3793 or [email protected].
Best regards,
Annie FreelParenTech project managerNCREL
uild
ing
aPa
rtne
rshi
pP
aele
nTec
h is
a u
niqu
e pa
rtne
rshi
p of
the
Nor
dicc
entr
al R
egio
nal E
duca
tiona
l Lab
orat
ory
(NC
RE
L)-a
nd th
e A
mer
itech
Fou
ndat
ion.
Tog
ethe
r,N
CR
EL
and
Am
erite
ch a
re m
akin
g an
impo
rtan
tin
vest
men
t in
how
fam
ilies
und
erst
and
and
use
tech
nolo
gy to
enh
ance
how
thei
r ch
ildre
n w
illle
arn,
wor
k, a
nd li
ve.
INS
CR
EL
is a
non
prof
it ed
ucat
iona
l res
earc
han
d de
velo
pmen
t org
aniz
atio
n su
ppor
ted
inpa
rt b
y th
e U
.S. D
epar
tmen
t of E
duca
tion.
Our
mis
sion
is to
str
engt
hen
and
supp
ort s
choo
lsan
d co
mm
uniti
es s
o th
at a
ll st
uden
ts a
chie
vest
anda
rds
of e
duca
tiona
l exc
elle
nce.
Sim
ply
put,
we
are
here
to h
elp
teac
hers
teac
h be
tter;
stud
ents
lear
n be
tter;
adm
inis
trat
ors
prov
ide
bette
r le
ader
ship
; pol
icym
aker
s m
ake
bette
rpo
licy;
and
fam
ilies
, com
mun
ities
, and
sch
ools
colla
bora
te b
ette
r on
beh
alf o
f all
stud
ents
.w
ww
.ncr
eior
g
Am
erite
ch, t
he M
idw
est's
lead
ing
tele
com
-m
unic
atio
ns c
ompa
ny, p
rovi
des
a w
ide
rang
eof
com
mun
icat
ions
pro
duct
s an
d se
rvic
esto
mill
ions
of c
usto
mer
s in
50
stat
es a
nd 4
0co
untr
ies.
We
unde
rsta
nd h
ow im
port
ant
tech
nolo
gy is
, par
ticul
arly
in th
e liv
es o
f fam
ilies
,an
d w
e un
ders
tand
how
vita
l it i
s to
dev
elop
thes
e sk
ills
in o
ur c
hild
ren.
Tha
t's w
hy w
e're
prou
d to
join
with
NC
RE
L to
mak
e P
aren
Tec
hpa
rt o
f our
str
ong
trad
ition
of s
uppo
rtin
g an
dgi
ving
bac
k to
the
com
mun
ities
we
serv
e. In
1998
, Am
erite
ch c
ontr
ibut
ed m
ore
than
$27
.2m
illio
n to
hel
pfno
re th
an 3
,800
non
prof
itc
orga
niza
tions
achi
eve
thei
r go
als.
And
nea
rly43
,000
of A
ir em
ploy
ees
and
retir
ees
volu
ntee
red
482,
000c
liour
s to
sup
port
hea
lth a
nd h
uman
serv
ice'
s, c
ivic
and
com
mun
ity p
roje
cts,
and
edue
atio
nal a
nd a
rts
prog
ram
s.w
ww
.am
erite
ch.c
om0 0 0 0 0
ow to
"Get
a G
rip"
Help Pare t
o-rt
Par
en &
ehP
aren
ts...
Ord
er y
our
free
Par
enT
ech
Kit
toda
y!
(Not
e: Q
uant
ities
are
lim
ited.
)
Edu
cato
rs...
Look
for
the
free
Par
enT
ech
Kit
(incl
udin
g yo
ur T
each
er G
uide
) co
min
g to
your
sch
ool i
n th
e fa
ll of
199
9!
Libr
aria
ns...
Look
for
your
Par
enT
ech
Kit
in th
efa
ll of
199
9 (m
ade
poss
ible
thro
ugh
a pa
rtne
rshi
p
with
the
Am
eric
an L
ibra
ry A
ssoc
iatio
n)!
Cal
l Tol
l-Fre
e: 1
-877
-298
-727
3
(1-8
77-2
98-P
aren
Tec
h)
Writ
e us
at:
Par
enT
ech
P.O
. Box
263
Fra
nklin
Par
k, IL
601
31
Fax
us
at: (
847)
678
-705
4
E-m
ail u
s at
:
pare
ntec
@nc
rel.o
rg
Or
visi
t us
onlin
e at
ww
w.p
aren
tech
.org
Par
enT
ech
reso
urce
s ca
n al
so b
e fo
und
at
mid
dle
scho
ols
and
publ
ic li
brar
ies
in Il
linoi
s,
Indi
ana,
Mic
higa
n, O
hio,
and
Wis
cons
in
begi
nnin
g in
sum
mer
/fal
l 199
9.
"In
a tim
e of
dra
stic
chi
c' n
ge,
it is
the
lear
ners
who
inhe
rit t
he f
utur
e."
Eric
1-1
Offe
r
erite
ch®
NC
RE
LN
edh
lipbe
tlW
IIMV
Yc
ea/ r
atra
boy.
....e
S0
0 0
A P
artn
ersh
ip o
f Am
erite
ch a
nd N
CR
EL
rhat
Is P
aren
Tec
h?"T
he f
utur
e ai
n't w
hat i
t use
d to
be.
"Y
ogi B
erra
For
the
first
tim
e in
his
tory
, bei
ng a
par
ent m
eans
unde
rsta
ndin
g ho
w te
chno
logy
mak
es a
diff
eren
ce
in y
oung
peo
ples
' liv
es. Y
et a
ll to
o of
ten,
par
ents
don'
t fee
l the
y kn
ow h
ow to
gui
de th
eir
child
ren
thro
ugh
this
dig
ital a
ge.
Kid
s to
day
seem
so
at e
ase
with
tech
nolo
gybu
t man
y fa
mili
es s
till w
onde
r if
thei
r ch
ildre
n ar
e
usin
g te
chno
logy
in p
rodu
ctiv
e, e
duca
tiona
l way
s.
"Wha
t tec
hnol
ogy
skill
s sh
ould
my
child
lear
n in
mid
dle
scho
ol?"
"How
can
I he
lp m
y ch
ild e
xplo
reto
mor
row
's h
igh-
tech
car
eers
?"
"Whe
re c
an I
lear
n ab
out t
he te
chno
logi
esth
at w
ill s
hape
my
child
's li
fein
the
next
cen
tury
?"
The
ans
wer
s to
thes
e an
d m
any
othe
r qu
estio
ns
can
be fo
und
with
the
help
of P
aren
Tec
h, a
uniq
ue te
chno
logy
info
rmat
ion
initi
ativ
e th
at's
educ
atin
g fa
mili
es a
cros
s th
e M
idw
est.
y,9
4
Par
enT
ech
prov
ides
fam
ilies
and
edu
cato
rs o
f
child
ren
in g
rade
s 6-
8 w
ith th
e la
test
res
earc
h,in
spiri
ng s
torie
s, p
ract
ical
tips
, and
pla
ces
to g
o
to le
arn
mor
eall
in a
free
, par
ent-
frie
ndly
kit
of r
esou
rces
focu
sed
on th
ree
impo
rtan
t top
ics:
he P
aren
Tec
hK
it In
clud
es:
Thr
ee I6
-pa
ge P
aren
t Gui
des
An
inte
ract
ive
CD
-RO
M
A W
eb s
ite, a
vaila
ble
atw
ww
.par
ente
ch.o
rg
Par
enT
ech
also
rea
ches
out
to m
iddl
e sc
hool
s
with
an
info
rmat
ive
Tea
cher
Gui
de, a
prin
cipa
l's
tip s
heet
, and
a c
olor
ful p
oste
r. In
add
ition
,P
aren
Tec
h co
nnec
ts w
ith c
omm
uniti
es th
roug
ha
"min
i-exh
ibit"
sch
edul
ed to
vis
it re
gion
alm
useu
ms
durin
g th
e su
mm
er a
nd fa
ll of
199
9.
Res
ourc
e ki
ts a
re fr
ee to
fam
ilies
, sch
ools
, and
libr
arie
s
in Il
linoi
s, In
dian
a, M
ichi
gan,
Ohi
o, a
nd W
isco
nsin
.
Par
ents
and
edu
cato
rs o
utsi
de
thes
e st
ates
can
acc
ess
onlin
e
reso
urce
s at
cyv
ww
.par
ente
ch.o
rg).
With
Par
enT
ech
Res
ourc
e K
its in
han
d, fa
mili
es
and
educ
ator
s w
ill b
e re
ady
to "
get a
grip
"on
tech
nolo
gy a
nd e
xplo
re th
ifutu
re w
ithth
eir
child
renb
oth
at h
ome
and
at s
choo
l.S
il:,.1
t.14
4,t
The
way
we
lear
n...
Tec
hnol
ogy
and
Edu
catio
n
The
way
we
wor
k...
Tec
hnol
ogy
and
Car
eers
The
way
we
live.
..T
echn
olog
y an
d S
ocie
ty
"Onc
e a
new
tech
nolo
gy-
rolls
ove
r yo
u, (
1'yo
u're
not
par
t of
the
stea
mro
ller,
you
'repa
rt o
f th
e ro
ad."
Ste
war
t Bra
nd
jaha
tYou
'll F
ind.
..
Tec
hnol
ogy
and
Soc
iety
Gui
deT
echn
olog
y tr
ends
and
cut
ting-
edge
inno
vatio
ns
.P
aren
t-fr
iend
ly d
efin
ition
s of
com
mon
tech
nolo
gy te
rms
The
life
long
lear
ning
ski
lls c
ritic
al
for
the
next
20
year
s
Tec
hnol
ogy
and
Car
eers
Gui
deH
ow te
chno
logy
is c
hang
ing
the
21 s
t-
cent
ury
wor
kpla
ce
L' C
onve
rsat
ions
with
hig
h-te
ch p
rofe
ssio
nals
./ H
ow fa
mili
es a
nd s
choo
ls c
an e
nhan
ce
mid
dle
scho
oler
s' c
aree
r de
velo
pmen
t
Tec
hnol
ogy
and
Edu
catio
n G
uide
c,' K
ey e
lem
ents
of a
hig
h-qu
ality
mid
dle
scho
ol e
duca
tion
J H
ow te
chno
logy
can
sup
port
mid
dle
scho
ol te
achi
ng a
nd le
arni
ng
V E
duca
tiona
l tec
hnol
ogy
benc
hmar
ks
CD
-RO
Mv
"Virt
ual Q
& A
ses
sion
s" w
ith e
xper
ts
in e
duca
tion,
par
entin
g an
d te
chno
logy
V F
un a
ctiv
ities
to h
elp
pare
nts
guid
e
thei
r ch
ildre
n th
roug
h a
digi
tal a
ge
Vid
eo v
isits
to m
iddl
e sc
hool
cla
ssro
oms
whe
re te
chno
logy
is b
ringi
ng le
arni
ng to
life
Web
Site
(w
ww
.par
ente
ch.o
rg)
Inte
ract
ive
foru
ms
whe
re fa
mili
es a
nd
educ
ator
s ca
n sh
are
idea
s, q
uest
ions
,
and
conc
erns
V L
inks
to d
ozen
s of
inte
rest
ing
and
educ
atio
nal s
ites
.' In
form
ativ
e in
terv
iew
s w
ith fa
mili
es,
educ
ator
s, a
nd o
ther
s
...pl
us m
uch
mor
e!
D)arents...with the new millennium just around the corner, it's only natural to wonder what the next
r century will have in store for our kids. Every day, people predict the weather, the stock market, and
sports gamesbut what about the future of technology? Take time this summer to explore some of the
latest technology trends and predictions with your family. megin your journey by posting thisparent Ezrief on your refrigerator door!
Who thinks this stuff up?
Electronic WalletsTalk about apaperless society...soon you may beable to keep credit card numbers,medical information, other vital statis-tics, and even the latest best seller ona digital "smart card" that will fit inyour pocket. (Coming in 2005)
CyberfashionComputers in yourclothes? Yes, it's true. Imagine wear-ing eyeglasses with a PC screen onthe lens or a fabric keyboard sewninto your jacket. (Coming in 2009)
Smart HighwaysComputerizedmaps (Global Positioning Systems) insome of today's cars help you get
from point A to point B.Tomorrow's highways maydo the driving for youwith computer net-works that "tell" yourself-driving car where togo and how to avoid trafficjams. (Coming in 2019)
Super Small Computers"Nanocomputers" no biggerthan a molecule may somedaycure diseases by travelingthrough your blood stream todetect and fix faulty genes.(Coming in 2029) miss
la}Aorethese c
Web) oltes.00www.astc.org Looking for a high-tech museum close to your
home? Search no further. Visit the Association of Science-
Technology Centers' Web site and click on "Travel Guide" for a
listing of over 400 museums.
'Plan a virtual va.cation.Plan
VIalste"cybeir
safety" a priority.
your family vacationonline!
ExploreBefore
your family goes online,set
excitingdestinations,
mapout a
groundrules for computer
use,
route, and make reservations.
includingt:irne limits
and use of
Whetheryour family logs on at
passwords.Discuss
privacy,online
the library,or a community
etiquette, and which typesof Web
Internetsites to visit or avoid.
To learn
the Children'sPartnership
r or
www.mars2030.net The Mars Millenium Project invites
kids in grades K- 12 to research and design their own 100 -
person Mars space station for the year 2030.
www.wfs.org Be a futurist! Learn about the latestforecasts, trends, and ideas by visiting the World Future
Society's Web site. Discover how new technologies
are shaping the future.
rick.dgbt.doc.caijean/english/Irn_home.htmLifelong learning is the key to success in tomor-
row's high-tech world. This online course
includes quick quizzes and activities to help
you pinpoint your learning style.
www.cliadrenspartnershp.
visit
the AmericanLibrary
Association
www.ala.org
center,adventure
on thome,
is a click away.Begin your journey
at MapQuestwww.rnapcjuest.corn
or State Parks Onlinewww.rnind-
spring.comlwxrnotIparks.html.
www.growingupdigital.com What is
the "Net Generation" really like? Based
on Growing Up Digital, by Don Tapscott,
this site looks at how technology
affects our kids.
Curious? Want to know more?Cail 11-877-298-ParenTech to order your FREE ParenTech Resource Kit
Or visit our Web site at www.parentech.org9
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A Partnership of Ameritech and NCREL
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"Applying Research and Technology to Learning'
arenTech is a unique technology information initiative thateducates families of middle school children (grades 6-8) about
the ways technology is changing how we learn, work, and live.ParenTech's FREE Resource Kit brings together the latestresearch, inspiring stories, practical tips, and places to go to learnmore. It includes:
Three I 6-page Parent Guideso An interactive CD-ROMA Web Site www.parentech.org
ParenTech also reaches out to middle schools with informativeTeacher Guides and connects with communities through a "mini-exhibit" scheduled to visit museums throughout the region duringthe summer and fall of 1999.
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A Pubiic/Private Partnership
c0arenTech is a unique partnership of Ameritech and thenonprofit North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
(NCREL). In 1998, the Ameritech Foundation awarded NCRELa grant to create ParenTech. With each partner bringing itsexpertise to the project, this public/private collaboration representsa unique investment in families, education, and the future.
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The Librarian's Guide To
Cyb S afor Parents & Kids
From the American Library Association
Introduction
The Internet, World Wide Web, information superhighwayand cyberspace are all words used to describe this excitingand fun learning tool.
At the touch of a keyboard, you can read the London Timesor watch a volcano come to life on a computer screen.You can read a story to your child, "visit" Hawaii or viewan original copy of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. You canalso send "mail" to a friend in another town or country.
The sheer volume of places to go and things to do onlinecan be overwhelming. It can also make it difficult to find theexact information that you want. In fact, some people havecompared cyberspace to a library with all the books dumpedon the floor.
Librarians are experts at selecting, organizing and catego-rizing information so it is easy to find and use. Today, weare applying those same skills to cyberspace so that youand your child can take best advantage of the vast resourcesthe Internet offers.
Like radio, movies and TV before it, the Internet hasraised concern about its possible negative impact onchildren. Teaching your child how to use this technologyand to make wise choices is one of the most importantthings a parent can do.
Remember, it's not the technology, but how it is used,that makes a difference.
We hope this brochure will help you and your child enjoythe benefits and pleasures of being Web savvy.
It's important for parents to educate themselves aboutthis new technology and the opportunities it provides forfun and learning.
Spending time online with your child is the best way bothto learn about the Internet and to teach responsibility, goodconduct and values that are important to you. Ask childrento share their favorite Web sites and what they like aboutthem. Help them discover Web sites that can help themwith their homework, hobbies and other special interests.
It's also important to teach children "netiquette" howto behave online. Such straightforward rules as not typingin all capital letters (it looks like you are shouting), beingpolite, and keeping quiet in chat rooms until you get asense of what people are talking about, are simply goodmanners as well as common sense.
If you don't have a computer or Internet connectionat home, many libraries, colleges and cybercafes offerequipment for public use. Many provide Web pages withrecommended sites and offer classes for children andadults. Some schools and community centers offer specialprograms for parents to learn about the Internet and whatit offers children.
We encourage you to take advantage of theseopportunities.
Definitions
Just as there are different TV channels and kinds of maga-zines, there are many types of places to visit in cyberspace.
Here are a few examples:
World Wide Web sitesoften contain colorfulgraphics, sound andanimation, as well astext, and each may belinked to many otherWeb sites. Many of themost informative sitesare sponsored by educa-tional and nonprofitorganizations. Some sitesare sponsored by moviecompanies, toy manufacturers,publishers and other firms to sell theirproducts. There are also thousands of sites createdby individuals to express an idea, pursue a hobby or"publish" their own vision.
Usenet groups are postings on specific topics, wherethe comments, and sometimes images, follow oneanother in a bulletin board style.
Chat rooms are generally devoted to particular subjectslike baseball or video games. Participants can talk to eachother in "real time" with their remarks appearing as theytype them in.
E-mail makes it possible to send a written messageto one person or to thousands, almost instantaneously.
11continued on back
Safety Tips
The best way to ensure your child's safety on the Internetis to be there. Of course, that is not always possible. Just asyou teach your child rules about dealing with strangers out-side the home, you must provide rules for communicatingonline.
Suggested rules for kids:
1. Always ask your parents' permission before using yourfull name, address, telephone number or school nameanywhere on the Internet.
2. Always tell your parents or other adults you trust ifyou see something online that is scary or that youdon't understand.
3. Don't respond to messages that make you feeluncomfortable or uneasy.
4. Never give out a credit card number or password online.
5. Never arrange to meet in person someone you've metonline unless you discuss it with your parents and anadult goes with you.
Teach children that not everything they see or hear maybe true. Some sites may be trying to sell them somethingor contain inaccurate information.
Remember, the vast majority of Internet sites are perfectlysafe. But, like the real world, the virtual world containssome sites with sexual, violent and other content thatmay not be appropriate for children.
If you have a home computer, a number Of software filtersare available to block Web sites you may not want yourchild to visit. Parents need to understand that filters arenot perfect. They cannot block everything you might notwant your child to see and they may block information thatis helpful. Even if filters were 100 percent effective, thissoftware is no substitute for parental guidance.
We strongly recommend that you supervise older as wellas younger children's Internet use at home and at thelibrary. It's a good idea to place computers in the kitchen,family or living room so that you can see your child using it.Young children should never be allowed to "surf the Net"alone.
Selection
What Makes a Great Web site?
Here are some guidelines suggested by the Children andTechnology Committee of the Association for Library Serviceto Children, a division of the American Library Association.
eritech® A LAArnericanLibraryAssociation----. ...---
The purpose and content of the Web site are clear.A source is clearly identified. Contact informationis provided.
The content encourages exploration and thinking. It isappealing to, and suits the age level of, the childrenfor whom it is designed.
The site is easy to access. It loads quickly, and essentialinformation comes on the screen first. The informationis accurate and updated regularly.
The site takes advantage of the possibilities of theWeb it does more than can be done with print. Itcontributes something unique or unusual.
Parents should also examine Web sites for racial,gender and other biases they feel are inappropriatefor their children.
H32:
This brochure includesa list of "50+ GreatSites for Parents andKids" compiled bylibrarians who work withchildren and are familiarwith the Internet and what itoffers. These sites were select-ed because they are fun to visit,entertaining and/or educational.They are also easy to navigate,have a clearly identified source andmake effective use of the Web tocreate a unique interactive experience.These "Great Sites" can be found on the AmericanLibrary Association Web site at http://www.ala.org/parentspage/greatsites/guide.html.
We encourage you to contact your librarian with questionsand for additional Web sites that he or she might recom-mend. Borrow materials from your library. Attend classes.Visit the American Library Association's "Great Sites"Web site with your child.
Q & A For Kids
Children can get help with homework questions andguidance in using Web resources via KidsConnect, an onlinequestion and answer service sponsored by the AmericanAssociation of School Librarians, a division of the AmericanLibrary Association, with support from Microsoft. Sendquestions by e-mail to [email protected]. Allow two schooldays for answers. For more information, seehttp://www.ala.org/ICONN/AskKC.html.
12.
Printing of this edition of The Librarian'sGuide to Cyberspace is underwrittenby the Ameritech Foundation.
For additional copies contact:American Library AssociationPublic Information Office50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611Phone: 800-545-2433 ext. 5041/5044Fax: 312-944-8520 Email: [email protected]
ParenTech - Principal's Tip te littp://ww . a ntech.org/Re urces...rEducators-PrincipalsTipSheet.html
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Dear middle school principals and other educators:
This tip sheet provides you with tools you can use to involve your school'sfamilies in learning with and about technology through ParenTech. We hopeyou find these materials helpful; check the "Resources for Educators" and"Idea Box" pages on ParenTech's Web site (www.parentech.org) for more tipsand tools to come!
About ParenTech
For the first time in history, parenting well includes understanding howtechnology impacts children's lives. Every day, computers transform the wayswe learn, work, and live.
"The future ain't what it used to be."Yogi Berra
Middle school is a particularly exciting time in young people's lives. Duringthese years (10-15), kids are learning about themselves, developing importantskills, and starting to think more seriously about their futuresfutures wheretechnology is an important reality.
Yet all too often, parents and educators don't feel they know how to guidetoday's children through this digital age.
Now, there's someplace they can turn for answers. ParenTech is a uniquetechnology initiative that's educating families throughout the Midwest.ParenTech provides families and educators of children in grades 6-8 with freeresource kits to bring them up to speed with "must-know" technologyinformation focused on:
The way we learn...Technology and Education.
The way we work...Technology and Careers.
The way we live...Technology and Society.
Connecting families and schools is another ParenTech priority. The ParenTechkit and Teacher Guide can help your school strengthen bonds with parents byproviding discussion tools and fun activities.
Your school's ParenTech Kit includes:
Three 16-page Parent Guides v An interactive CD-ROMTeacher Guides for grades 6-8A Web Site, available at www.parentech.orq
Finally, ParenTech connects with communities through a "mini-exhibit"scheduled to visit regional museums during the summer and fall of 1999.
ParenTech was made possible by a unique partnership of the not-for-profitNorth Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) and the AmeritechFoundation.
Building Blocks! 13Build parent partnerships at your school by promoting the value of technology.
Host a ParenTech Night! Invite parents for a fun "crash course" in technology.1 of 4 10/28/99 3:31 PM
ParenTech - Principal's Tip Sheed can tailor this event to the techhttp://www.parentech.org/Resources...rEducators-PrincipalsTipSheethtmlGet students involved-they can teach the grownups for a change! You mighteven create a technology folder for visitors that highlights your school'stechnology initiatives, tips, and other local tech resources.
Invite Guest Speakers! Invite business and community leaders to your schoolto talk with students and parents about technology. Have them discuss theeducational route they chose, the skills they acquired, and the ups and downsof their jobs.
Use the ParenTech Teachers' Guide! Hear from experts and felloweducators. Learn how technology can be integrated into your existingcurriculum through fun classroom activities. And discover great tips for gettingparents involved.
Reach Out to Parents! Hang this poster in your school, and place yourschool's ParenTech Kit where parents and teachers can use it-in your school'slibrary, media center, or parent room. Encourage parents without computers athome to go to their public library to take classes and learn more aboutcomputers and the Internet.
Host a ParenTech Discussion Group! Use pages from the ParenTechresources and Teachers' Guide as discussion tools to identify issues that areimportant to your school's technology and parent involvement initiatives. Shareideas from the Guides in parent newsletters and other "take-home" materials.
Visit the ParenTech Web site for more ideas!
Spread the Word...
Adapt the sample copy for your parent/community newsletter.
We all know how quickly kids catch on to new technologies-in some cases,more quickly than parents and teachers!
Here at [insert school name], we are working to make technology a tool thatsupports learning for all students. As a parent, you also have an important roleto play in helping kids learn with technology...but sometimes that's "easier saidthan done."
Now, a free kit for parents, called ParenTech, is available to help families "get agrip" on technology. Made exclusively for parents of 6-8 graders, theseresources will help you learn about parenting in a digital age.
The ParenTech Kit includes:Three 16-page Parent GuidesAn interactive CD-ROMA Web site, available at www.parentech.orq
ParenTech provides families and educators of children in grades 6-8 with freeresource kits to bring them up to speed with "must-know" technologyinformation focused on education, careers, and society.
You can order your free ParenTech Kit by either calling 1-877-298-7273;writing to ParenTech at P.O. Box 263, Franklin Park, IL 60131; or visiting theWeb Site at www.parentech.org.
[Insert school's name] and our public library have also received freeParenTech Kits for families to use.
ParenTech was created by the non-profit North Central Regional EducationalLaboratory (NCREL), and made possible by a grant from the AmeritechFoundation.
With ParenTech in hand, you can "get a grip" on technology and guide yourchild toward the 21st century!
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ParenTech - Principal's Tip SheetLetter to the Editor http://www.parentech.org/Resources...rEducators-PrincipalsTipSheet.html
Edit the sample copy to reflect your school's technology initiatives. Retype onyour school's letterhead and send to the editor of your local newspaper.
Dear Editor:
As the principal at [insert school's name], I find that many parents havequestions and concerns about how technology is affecting their children's lives.
Middle school represents an important time in children's lives. Young peoplebetween 10 and 15 are learning about themselves, developing important skills,and starting to think more seriously about their futures-futures wheretechnology is a reality in the ways they'll learn, work, and live.
At [insert school], we are always working to keep our students' familiesinformed about important technology issues that affect learning.[Insertinformation about your local technology and parent involvement initiatives.]
In keeping with this tradition, I'd like to tell [insert community name]'s middleschool families about a new technology education initiative for parents calledParenTech.
ParenTech provides families and educators of children in grades 6-8 with freeresource kits to bring them up to speed with "must-know" information focusedon technology in education, careers, and society. Kits include three print parentguides, a CD-ROM, and an associated Web site located atwww.parentech.orq.
You can order your free ParenTech Kit by either calling 1-877-298-7273;writing to ParenTech at P.O. Box 263, Franklin Park, IL 60131; or visiting theWeb site. Resource kits are also available for use at public libraries throughoutthe Midwest.
ParenTech was created by the non-profit North Central Regional EducationalLaboratory (NCREL) and made possible by a grant from the AmeritechFoundation.
I hope our community's middle school families will take advantage of thisopportunity.
Optional: [insert school name] is hosting a Tech Open House on [insert date].[insert key activities]. On behalf of our school, I'd like to invite parents andinterested community members to join us. Please contact [insert name andphone number] for more information.
Sincerely,
[your name here]
JReturn to Resources for Educators.]
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ParenTech - Principal's Tip SketPartnership of ArnerlfreetYwal efitiources...rEducators-PrincipalsTipSheet.html
© 1999 North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. All rights reserved.Disclaimer and copyright information
Last modified on 5/17/99.
4 of 4 10/28/99 3:31 PM
ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guide
Teachetech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.html
ul.
This page provides some samples materials from theTeacher Guide. (The complete Teacher Guide will beavailable at a later date.)
On this page, you'll find:Articles about Technology and Education, Technology and Careers,and Technology and Society
The success story of a teacher who has integrated technology intothe curriculum
O A lesson activity called Passport to the World. This activity providesopportunities for students to use technology resources and forparents to be involved in their children's education.
Technology and Education
Learning for Earning
Interestingly, the "employability skills" identified by top employers parallel thoseskills developed by the learning activities that accommodate the middleschooler's need to explore, to be a self-directed learner, to solve problems, andto collaborate with peers.
All employers want workers who can read, write, and think intelligently. Theyalso want employees who can work in groups, solve problems, and usecomputers to accomplish their tasks.
Accommodating Learning Styles
As you know, in early adolescence, children are driven by the need to live andlearn more independently. Consequently, for some students, the traditionalclassroom provides a frustrating, rather than a motivating, experience.
If motivating students to learn is identified as a desirableoutcome of teaching, then technology can be considered to bean effective teaching tool. Studies indicate that students feelmore motivated to work in class when they're using a computer.
Fortunately, the integration of technology with curriculum introduces a newdegree of freedom to the learning process, enabling teachers, such as you, tostructure lessons in a manner that permits independence and facilitateslearning in a manner compatible with the learning styles of middle school-agedchildren.
You already know that your students learn best when they are actively involvedin constructing knowledge as opposed to simply memorizing facts and figures.So, we can conclude that high-quality learning occurs when children are fullyengaged with the material being introduced-when students can see therelevance of the concepts.
What Is Engaged Learning?
Engaged learning involves making sense of new experiences in relation toconcepts already understood. This kind of learning can be facilitated whenchildren are working on authentic (real-world) tasks that are multidisciplinary
1 of 16 (draw upon a variety of content areas). 10/28/99 3:30 PM
ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guide http://www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlTo facilitate engaged learning, activities must capitalize upon the middleschooler's curiosity and hunger for novelty and discovery. There's lots ofevidence suggesting that activities that incorporate the use of classroom tools-including computers-to support engaged learning
enhances critical thinking skills, contributes to improved performance onauthentic tests of subject knowledge and skills, and motivates students tolearn.
Tools To Facilitate Engaged Learning
Fortunately, using state-of-the-art equipment is not essential to the planningand facilitation of high-quality learning experiences. Computers with goodmemory, modems with adequate speed connections to the internet, andsoftware that promotes engaged learning are the foundations for providing yourstudents with quality learning experiences and transferable skills.
Obviously, the technology resources available for teaching and learning toolsvary from classroom to classroom. There is not one combination oftechnologies that guarantees engaged learning will occur. Ideally, you will beable to expose your students to a wide variety of technological applicationssuch as those described below:
The World Wide Web/The Internet is used primarily for researching topics byconducting Web searches and visiting Web sites. Several exciting sites havebeen created specifically with K-12 educators in mind.
The New York Times Learning Network features an article from the Timesevery day, complete with related classroom activities.http://www.nytimes.com/learninq/
"The Internet gives students and teachers easy access to currentand relevant kinds of data that they can't get any other way. Useof the Internet enriches students and encourages creativity."- Sue SwaimExecutive Director, National Middle School Association
Charged with preserving the United States' history and supervision of allfederal records, the National Archives & Records Administration's (NARA) Website highlights some of the documents in its collection and provides lessonplans and teaching suggestions. http://www.nara/qov
Providing a clear explanation of the universe that is easily followed by students,the Astronomy for Kids Web site covers topics that include constellations,planets, black holes, and comets. A telescope allows site visitors to select aplanet or constellation for a simulated view. http://tqiunior.advanced.orq/3645/
Lesson plans on musical topics introduce students to music composition,rhythmic patterns, and musical instruments at the AskERIC Lesson Plans, Arts:Music Web site: www.ericir.syr.eduNirtual /Lessons /Arts /Music
Web Teacher is a free, interactive, self-paced Internet tutorial available 24hours a day, 7 days a week. This site, designed by teachers for teachers,allows you to learn about the World Wide Web, e-mail, videoconferencing, chatrooms, Web page design, Internet safety, and online curriculum design. Thisresource accommodates all levels of expertise, from the novice to the veteranInternet user. http://www.webteacher.orq
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ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guide http.//www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlSuggested. Student Technology Competencies
Students in grades 6-8 should be able to
Demonstrate knowledge of current informationtechnologies.Use content-specific tools to support learning andresearch.Apply tools to support personal productivity, groupcollaboration and learning throughout the curriculum.Design, develop, publish, and present products usingtechnology resources.Collaborate with peers and experts using technologicaltools to investigate problems or issues and to developsolutions or products.Research and evaluate the relevance, appropriateness,completeness, and bias of electronic information.Adapted from the National Educational TechnologyStandards developed by International Society forTechnology in Education
Word processing programs allow students to store text that they write andprovide a means by which students may develop editing skills. Usedthoughtfully, these programs contribute to improved skills in spelling andgrammar and enhanced vocabularies with the aid of spell checking,thesauruses, and other online tools.
Presentation Programs enable students to create multimedia presentationsand can help students learn to organize information and communicateeffectively.
E-mail Programs allow users to send and receive text messages. Studentsmay use e-mail to communicate with students in other classrooms or otherschools or with experts they might not otherwise be able to contact.
Facilitated by Australian educator Dean Parton, the My Country, Your Countryproject gives students a meaningful understanding of other cultures by usingthe Internet as a communications link among classrooms spread throughoutthe world. Students can sign up as representatives of their geographical regionand act as online ambassadors. Participants use e-mail to ask each otherquestions about their cultures.http: / /www.bshs.wa.edu.au /partner /proi /country /cover.htm
Every month, the Writers Online Web site hosts writing workshops run byleading authors. Students are encouraged to investigate the author'sbackground, take a writing challenge, and then publish their work on site. Theauthors will provide feedback on each student's work. Registrations will beaccepted through July 31, 1999.http://www.yearofreadincorq.uk/writers/index.html
Technology, used appropriately and inventively can transform your classroom.
But technology isn't a solution to every educational problem. It should be usedin the classroom only in ways that accelerate and enhance student learningand enthusiasm.
Reaching Underperforming Students
Technology application appears to be a promising strategy for reachingunderperforming or disenfranchised students.
Computers can reach kids who are frustrated or fearful of traditional teachingmethods.
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ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guide http.//www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlTechnology can expand learning resources and learningopportunities, respond to differences among students, empowerstudents and free teachers, promote the integration ofknowledge across disciplines, and break down the traditionaldefinitions of where, when, and how teaching and learning takeplace. The key word is can.
- Illinois State Board of Education, 1998.
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More individual attention, greater interdisciplinary work; the ability to workindependently at one's own pace without being excluded from the classroom;the opportunity to work collaboratively with other students ontechnology-supported projects; and the relevance computers bring into theclassroom have been shown to benefit underperforming students.
Facilitating Learning Among Students With Disabilities
Technology has also been effective in helping students with disabilities.
The Internet provides a wealth of information and resources for teachers,parents, and special students. Mainstreaming into community schools cannotbe successfully achieved without reeducating teachers, parents, and otherstudents about the unique abilities special students bring to the learningenvironment, given the opportunity, proper tools, and support.
Special Web Sites for Special Needs
Center for Exceptional Childrenhttp://www.cec..sped.org
LD Onlinehttp: / /www.ldonline.orq
Special Needs Education Networkhttp://www.schoolnet.ca/sne/
Apple's Disability Sitehttp://www.apple.com/education/k12/disabilitv/
Outside the Boxhttp://home.att.net/shaqberq/
The Can Do! Web Sitehttp://www.nlbbs.com/mbush/
Inviting Parental Involvement
The importance of parental involvement with the education of theirchildren is well documented. Research shows that when parents and otherkey adults are actively involved with the school and teacher, the child is muchmore likely to succeed.
"Helping a young person survive adolescence is like teaching achild to ride a bicycle. You have to hold on for a while, then let goand then you have to do a lot of running to keep up-to make surethey don't fall."
- Nicholas Gill, Psychologist
The parents of your middle school students have a special role in educatingtheir children-one that complements your role of teacher. With your guidance,encouragement, and support, they can model and facilitate learning includinglearning that is enhanced by technology.
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ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guide http.//www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlWeb Sites on Parental Involvement
.5 of 16
Partnership for Family Involvement in Educationhttp://www.ed.qov/PFIE
National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Educationhttp://www.ncpie.orq
U.S. Department of Educationhttp://www.ed.qov
U.S. Department of Justice - Justice for Kids and Youthhttp://www.usdoi.qov/kidspaqe
C.S. Mott Foundationhttp://www.mott.orq
What Teachers Can Do to Facilitate Parental Involvement
Establish a vehicle for communicating with the parents ofyour students, which regularly informs them about theirchild's projects, homework, and progress. Consider thepotential of technologies such as voice mail, e-mail, andWeb pages to keep you connected.Inform parents how they can best support your role in theeducative process-both at home and in your classroom.Provide them with guidelines for conducting researchusing the Internet and/or a list of interesting Web sites toexplore with their children.Invite parents with specialized knowledge andtechnological expertise to give a demonstration to theclass and/or to talk about hoW technology is integral-totheir career.Alert parents to your efforts to raise funds and/or purchaseequipment. They may be willing to assist with fund raisingand/or be able to facilitate a more economical purchase.
'Return to topl
Technology and Careers
The students you are preparing today will be the technologyspecialists of tomorrow-the inventors of the 21st century.
The technological innovations being made today are so significant and soworld changing that our students may earn their livelihoods pursuing careersthat don't even exist yet! In any field-including sports, science, music,entertainment and art-some of the most fascinating and most lucrative jobs arein "high-tech" fields.
What are the high-tech careers?
High-tech careers are the careers that are held by the technical specialists in aparticular field. These are the people who deal most intensely and exclusivelywith advanced digital technologies. They can be found in almost any careerfield, from business to medicine, to agriculture, to zoology.http://www.pbs.orq/jobs/
These are the folks who are making the new technological discoveries thatmake the headlines every day. Their discoveries create new careeropportunities and entire new technological industries. Web pages, cell phones,
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ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guide, disease-reshttp://www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlare just a few recent innovations that come readily to mind.
Who are some of these professionals who design these new technologies andwhat skills define their jobs?
Wanted
Computer Scientist-a researcher who will push the limits of what computersdo! Think George Lucas as he creates the latest Star Wars opus. Your task:Create new discoveries that will one day have practical application. You willwork with computer engineers and others who specialize in designing newmachines and systems.
Computer Engineers-creative individuals who will design and test newcomputer hardware and software that will run the networks of the future.
Computer Scientist: Work as a theorist, researcher, and inventorin a research lab or an academic institution.Skills Needed: Be able to think logically, be familiar withprogramming language and have a broad knowledge andexperience with computer systems and technologies. Needstrong problem-solving and analysis skills as well as goodinterpersonal skills.Education Required: Generally need a Ph.D. or at least a master'sdegree in computer science or engineering.
As we know, computer technologies have virtually redefined many jobs andcreated many entirely new job markets. Although we can't predict whattechnologies will be in place when our students are ready to begin theircareers, we can help them develop the learning skills that will allow them toadapt to the work world of the future.
What are those learning skills? Let's ask the employers.
Today, all employers tell us that they want people who can read, write, andthink intelligently...and who can work in groups, solve problems, and usecomputers while doing it. All employers want people who haveself-management skills and initiative.
High-tech employers want even more. They want people with "tech plus" skills.These skills include understanding the needs of the business and coming upwith inventive and appropriate technology solutions that get the job done. Howdo we prepare such employees? What are the specific skills they will need forthe future?
Skills for 2025
Ability to think and reasonAbility to create, innovate, and synthesizeAbility to get along with peopleAbility to speak in publicAbility to use computers and communications technology and awillingness to update as new techniques emergeAbility to work independently-an entrepreneurial attitude
Not all technological careers require a college degree, but alltechnical careers will require workers to participate in continuingeducation classes to stay up to date on the latest development inthe field.
The good news is the skills required for these high-tech careers are the sameones we are developing within our students:
Strong basic skills in reading, writing, math, and scienceThe ability to solve problems using these basic skillsThe ability to use computers and other technologies to solve problemsThe ability to work well with other people in an economy that isincreasingly global and that relies more and more on collaboration
Achieving success in a high-tech workplace also will require students to:6 of 16 22 10/28/99 3:30 PM
ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guide http://www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlManage resources of time, money, materials, facilities, and peopleeffectively.Work with people amicably and productively to learn, serve, teach, andlead.Acquire and use information effectively.Master, understand, and improve complex systems.Work comfortably and expertly with a variety of technologies.
Action Plan
Early adolescents need activities that have relevance beyond the schoolwalls-activities that take advantage of their natural curiosity and hunger fornovelty, discovery, and challenge. This makes middle school years an idealtime for the career development process to begin.
Middle school is a time to become knowledgeable in a broadsense, about many career options. It's time to discover, question,and experience a wide variety of different possibilities.- Sue Swaim, executive director of NMSA
Some may think it's too early to be talking about our students' future careers,but as we know, our students are making important choices now that caneasily affect career paths that may or may not be open to them. For thatreason, there are important steps we can take that will help our studentsexplore the world of work. Certainly, our intent is NOT to "steer" our studentsinto specific careers, but rather to help them make connections betweendecisions and experiences that they have today to support their dreams oftomorrow.
Where to Start?
During middle school, students should
Assess their talents.Participate in career exploration activities.Build a connection between academic skills and the future.Set goals.Start to formulate a career.
What does an appropriate career development program look like? It is one thathelps them:
Build a positive self-image.Become more aware of their strengths and interests.Learn about what people in careers they like actually doPlan for high school and beyond.
http://www.colleoeboard.oro/plannino/html/intro.html
http://www.colleqeboard.orottoubaff/oronline/html/oroframe.html
Thinking about college ...50 to 66 percent of eighth gradersplanned on completing college but...only 25 percent planned ontaking any college preparatory courses. Only 26 percent werelearning about different occupations or the relationship betweenschooling and career options and only 49 percent of eighthgraders were learning about the vocational courses offered intheir high school.
U.S. Department of Education
Activity Corner for Career Exploration
Have students consider their own skills and interests. What's importantto them? What are their gifts? What are they good at? And what wouldthey really like to be good at?Research some occupations that interest them.How? Check out books; search the Internet for career bulletin boardsand sites. Search the Web for companies in fields that interest them.
7 of 16 Take a field trip. Look into community service projects and job 10/28/99 3:30 PM
ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guides. http://www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlHelp each student make a plan by developing specific steps they musttake to accomplish their goals. Have them talk with parents, guidancecounselors, family friends, and other teachers.
http://adventuresineducation.orq/planninq/pc qoal.htm
Help students explore the following questions:
What do people do in a particular job?Does the work look interesting? Fun? Fulfilling? Meaningful?Does it pay well?What knowledge and skills are required to do this work?How does a person acquire these skills?
http://jobsmart.org/tools/salary/index.htm
http://www.pbs.orq/iobs/
http://www.Mappinq-Your-Future.orq/tours/k12stndt.htm
Top 10 things 6th Graders Want to Be When They Grow Up.
1. Professional sports player2. Medical professional3. Teacher4. Entertainer5. Veterinarian6. Scientist7. Lawyer8. Law enforcer9. Computer field worker
10. Writer
- from Information Technologies of America Association
Parents as Partners
It is important to enlist parents and other influential adults to help our middleschoolers plan ahead. As parents, they have a unique opportunity to help theirchildren explore possible careers and identify skills that will be needed in theworkplace. An important prerequisite to this exploration is helping our studentsdevelop a strong sense of self-esteem.
Self-esteem and motivation to succeed are strongly linked. Helping ourstudents feel good about their abilities and possibilities will increase their drivefor success in school and beyond.
Don't let our students give up on math and science! If students seem highlyfrustrated by math or science or say things such as "I'll just never be good atthat!" work with them. Take time to help them understand the concepts. Insistthat they get help. Shore up their confidence that these subjects are not onlylearnable but also relevant. Even artists and writers use math and scienceconcepts as fodder for their creativity.
This is even more crucial for your female students. Research over the lastdecade concludes that early adolescent girls, in general, drastically loseinterest in math and science at a time in their lives and at a time in societywhen continuing with these courses of study are vital to their future options.
http://www.serve.com/iwitts/
www.minorities-ib.com
Suggested Extension Activities Involving Parents
Family genealogies, including career treesInterviews with family members about their workFamily members as classroom career resource speakersClassroom job treasure chest (a collection of items that parents make atwork)Job shadowing with a parent or other significant adultParent conferences to review student academic skills and work habits
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ParenTech - Resources for Educators Teacher Guide http://www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.html
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Technology and. Society
Forces of Change
While technology isn't the only force changing our lives, it is one of the mostpervasive. If we define technology as any human-made device that people useto accomplish something they need or want to do, it is easy to appreciate therange in complexity of the technology that is available to us in our homes andin our classrooms.
It can be said that society is a process of interactions. As the amount andcomplexity of technology introduced into our society increases, our interactionswith technology and with each other will also continue to change.
As a teacher, you assume a unique and significant role in the lives of yourstudents. By instruction, through guided practice, and by example, you teachthem how to manage their interactions with available learning tools and witheach other.
"New developments in technology change the course of people'slives, their behaviors, and their attitudes to the world."
Coates, Mchaffie, and Hines, 2025.
Education Reconceptualized
Our society is characterized by rapid developments in technology, information,and communication.
If you are not currently using the World Wide Web, it is likely thatit will become an integral part of your world in the next decade.Forecasters believe that by the year 2008, 80 percent of thepeople in developed countries will have access to some sort of"information superhighway."
Because technologies are changing so fast, a "one-size-fits-all" body oftechnology knowledge does not exist. Education for the completion ofwell-defined tasks is no longer sufficient. It has become critical, more than atany previous time, for people of all ages, including our children, to preparethemselves to be lifelong learners.
Tip: Encourage students to use computers and other technologytools in the same ways that scientists and other professionals do- to help them work in groups, analyze and present data, andshare their work over the Internet with people elsewhere.
- Technology Counts '98
The person who is prepared to engage in lifelong learning can be characterizedas possessing a skill set that enables him or her to continually adapt to newsituations and new technologies.
Skills For Lifelong Learning
Preparing our children to be lifelong learners will require the development ofskills in information literacy. As a teacher, it is imperative that you encourage
9 of 16 your students to use the variety of information resources available to them. 10/28/99 3:30 PM
ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guide:erate are ablhttp://www.paientech.orgaesources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlsources.
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In addition to finding information, students must develop skills in informationassessment, analysis, and intrepretation. They must become skilled incomprehending data presented in a variety of formats, including numerical,chart, and graph form. People who are information savvy are able to determinewhether the information they have accessed is relevant, accurate, andcomplete.
No doubt you have already incorporated problem-solving activities into thelessons that you plan for your students. Lifelong learners must be able to makedecisions based on sound reasoning, relevant data, and ethicalprinciples. Incorporating the use of technology into classroom informationgathering and problem solving will prepare your students for the learning thatwill be required by the technological innovations of the future.
Lifelong learners are skilled in collaboration. Capitalizing on opportunities tohave your students in engage in collaborative, technology-supported projectswill serve to strengthen their abilities to work well with a variety of peoplehaving a wide range of opinions and perspectives.
Communication skills will be redefined in the society of the future. In additionto presenting their thoughts in verbal and written form, our students must beprepared to create, produce, and present their ideas using a variety ofappropriate technologies and media.
"To thrive in today's world and tomorrow's workplace, America'sstudents must learn how to learn, learn how think, and have asolid understanding of how technology works and what it cando."
- The CEO Forum, School Technology and Readiness Report,February 1999
If we are to prepare our students to engage in learning for the duration of theirlives, we must facilitate self-directedness.
As we prepare our students to engage in lifelong learning, we must foster theirability to identify and prioritize their own learning needs and interests.
Lifelong learning can perhaps best be faciliated by "building anawareness of 'self as learner' in our children."
- Gene Roth, Professor, Northern Illinois University
Our students need to learn how to take initiative and assume responsibility fortheir own learning endeavors. Finally, they must be taught how to evaluate theextent to which their experiences have satisfied their personal learning goals.
Lifelong learners are individuals who have developed the ability to adapt tochange.
Ultimately, the extent to which our students are able to accept new challengesand to think
creatively about the opportunities presented to them as a result of change, andtheir ability to be persistent will them, determines their success as learnersthroughout their lifetime and their ability to contribute positively to a changingworld.
Shaping Our World
The ways in which our children will contribute to and impose change upon ourworld are innumerable and diverse. Many of our children will shape the worldby the contributions they make in their work environments.
Sixty percent of the jobs available at the beginning of the next century willrequire skills currently held by only 20 percent of the workforce.
Recognizing that careers of the future will be located within a highly
210/28/99 3:30 PM
ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guidertant to con:http://www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlemployers in the 21st century.
Check It Out
Through the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit theEnvironment, or GLOBE project, students from 70 countries work withscientists to understand the global environment. www.sri.com/policv/teched/projects/p4.htm"Losing Ground Bit by Bit: Low-Income Communities in the InformationAge," gives an overview on the distribution of technology in the UnitedStates and what kinds of community, state, and federal efforts can helpclose the digital gap.
www.benton.org/Library
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Teacher Success Story
Folding Computers and Other Technologies into the Curriculum
Effective technology integration frees both teachers and students. Teachersshed their traditional role as content experts who dispense knowledge andbecome learning consultants who help students engage in knowledge building.In this new world of learning, students take responsibility for their own learning,move from studying in isolation to working in teams to solve complex,real-world problems. This seismic shift in learning requires sometime-wrenching shift in teaching. And no matter how effortless outstandingtechnology programs may appear, enormous effort underlies them.
The following profile documents both the "shift" in learning and the effortteachers put in place to help students succeed.
An Electronic Field Trip to Africa
When Donna Holinga decided to teach her sixth- grade social studies classabout Africa, the last thought on her mind was what textbooks to use. Sheknew that idea would astound her students. "They really don't have a conceptthat many sixth-grade classrooms and social studies classes are 'Open yourbook, read chapter 2, and answer the questions,'" explains Holinga, "becausethat's not how they get information.
Holinga's students at Lincoln School in Springfield, Illinois, expect to be toldwhat research they'll need to do and what technology resources will beimportant. Holinga's class participates in project LINCOL'N (Living in the NewComputer Oriented Learning Environment), an initiative to integrate technologyinto the mandated, middle school curriculum.
Holinga's goal for this integrated, thematic unit, "Exploring Africa," is to help herstudents recognize the diversity of the continent in its people, landform, andnatural resources. To this end, she creates collaborative learning teamsassigned to explore one African nation. Their study will include the diversityfound in the people, the geography, and the natural resources.
As the students explore their selected nation, they will use screened Web sites,and CD-ROMS as well as the traditional technologies, which include film stripsand laser discs. According to Holinga, any form of technology that "providesme with information for the kids or the kids with information, we'll use it."
To manage the flow of the research, she uses a rotation chart that moves thecollaborative teams among the seven computer stations. For example, on Day1, team one might work with the CD-ROM "Mammals of Africa" to exploreanimals indigenous to the nation. Day 2 might find them at the previewed Websites researching the language, population, and natural resources of theircountry. Day 3 might find the team using traditional reference books to create amap of the continent.
Each day a group recorder fills in a task sheet, listing the date, the station, thetechnology being used, and the work accomplished.
A real plus for Holinga's class is that her sister lives in Africa and has11 of 16 connected the class with the real experts on Africa27e who live there. By 10/28/99 3:30 PM
ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guide http://www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.html
So how are the students faring with Project LINCOL'N and its emphasis ontechnology? From all accounts, they're thriving. Students do well on state,standardized tests; and when students who are now in high school areinterviewed, they indicate they're doing quite well academically.
More important, Holinga's use of technology in her class allows students todelve deeply into subjects. It provides a tool that helps develop higher-orderthinking skills and problem solving, and links curriculum with realisticexperiences beyond the classroom walls.
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Passport to the World: A Project Lesson Plan
* Adapted from Ed Oasis Teacher's Guild Library (www.edsoasis.orq)
"Technology can be used for much more than simply teachingstudents what they don't know; it can help them understandthemselves and where they fit in this complex society."
- Alan November, Author of "Involve Students in Community, "October 1991
Time Required: Variable, depending upon number of student groups and the depth andbreadth to which the project is incorporated into the curriculum.
Grade Level: Grades 6-8
Subject/Content Area: Social studies. Math, language arts, science, music, and artcurricula could also be modified to incorporate the project.
Project Goal: Students will develop a meaningful understanding of diversity throughtheir exploration of other cultures. Students will appreciate the relevance of diversitythrough their comparison of the cultures studied and with their own culture. Students willdemonstrate their learning through the creation of a Multicultural Fair.
Prerequisite Skills: Students should be familiar with accessing information on theInternet, comfortable with cooperative team learning, and skilled in the development anddelivery of an informational presentation. If these skills have not been previouslydeveloped, the project will require additional time for the introduction of these concepts.
Learner Outcomes:
As a result of their participation in the Passport to the World project, students will:
Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively with individuals of differentgenders, cultures, and points of view, within and outside of their classroom.Demonstrate the ability to gather information using content-specific tools tosupport learning and research.Analyze data, considering multiple interpretations, to answer a social sciencequestion, comparing results to known theories, current models, or personalexperience.Evaluate the relevance, appropriateness, completeness, and bias of electronicand other information collected.Design, develop, and present products of research using technology resources tocreate an appropriate display that may include charts, graphs, and maps toillustrate themes or concepts relative to people, places and environments.Develop an understanding of the interconnectedness of the world with anappreciation for the similarities and differences among people of differentcultures.Exercise skills in written and oral communication to create, produce, and presentthe conclusions of their research.
Materials: Folders, paper, art supplies, poster board, Polaroid camera/film for passportpictures (or have students bring a picture from home), sample passports, access to theInternet, scanner, and multiple copies of The Ultimate Flag Sticker Book.
Assessment: Expectations for student outcomes and how these outcomes will beevaluated must be presented and understood before beginning the project. Rubrics
12 of 16 28 10/28/99 3:30 PM
ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guideesentations Ehttp://www.parentech.org/Resourc-es...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlthe cultural universals (history, food, shelter, clothing, religion, government, customs,education, politics, art, economics, family, communication, and transportation) may be acriterion for assessment. In addition, students may keep a log of their project activities,making journal entries that comprise individual "progress reports." Journal entries willfacilitate reflection upon and discussion of what is learned, problems encountered, andproject organization. Some log entries may be "directed," where students respond tospecific questions from the teacher; other entries are "nondirected."
Promoting Engaged Learning
Engaged Learning occurs when:
Students collaborate in teams.Students determine what information is needed and how itwill be retrieved.Students assume responsibility for collection of data.Students engage in a task that models the "real-world"phenomenon of traveling.Students collectively engage in the construction ofknowledge.Students produce a model that represents theirunderstanding and that can be shared.The teacher serves as a facilitator and resource guiderather than the disseminator of information.
Procedures:
STEP ONE: INTRODUCTION TO THE CONCEPT OF DIVERSITY AND TO THEPROJECT
It may be beneficial to invite parents or grandparents of students in the class who arefirst generation immigrants to come and speak to the class about ethnic diversity and thesimilarities and differences they found between their native culture and the culture in theUnited States.
You may wish to have students interview each other about traditions or customs in theirhomes. These traditions may or may not be associated with particular holidays. A largegroup discussion that highlights the similarities and differences between customs couldlay the foundation for the introduction of the concept of diversity.
In preparation for the Multicultural Fair, and as a way of introducing the project, studentsmay research the process of obtaining a passport.
What information is required to obtain a passport?How much does a passport cost?
. How long does a passport remain valid?What countries, if any, do NOT require a passport for entry?
Students should be given the opportunity to examine authentic passports beforecreating their own passports using software packages, as available, for drawing andimporting images to construct the inside of their passports. Photographs may bescanned into the computer for inclusion in the passport. Encourage students to decoratethe outside of their passport.
STEP TWO: TEAM BUILDING AND TASK ASSIGNMENTS
Divide students into small groups of approximately four students each. Provide the classwith a list of the countries that would be acceptable for their research project. Allow timefor each small group to reach consensus regarding which country they will research.Once consensus has been reached, the group will "sign up for" a country on theapproved list. This procedure will eliminate duplications in research efforts.
Provide each team with a project overview that outlines the cultural universals,explaining that information should be collected on the history of the country, food,shelter, clothing, religion, government, customs, education, politics, art, economics,family, communication, and transportation. Clarify how the cultural universals will beused as criteria for project evaluation. Suggest that the teams identify the different topicsthat must be researched, as well as the multitude of tasks that must be completed,dividing the responsibilities among themselves. Require each team to devise a workplan that must be turned in and approved.
STEP THREE: DATA COLLECTION AND SYNTHESIS 2913 of 16 10/28/99 3:30 PM
ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guide http://www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlUsing the resources available to your classroom-including the Internet, CD-ROMs, guestspeakers, and books from your library-have each small group research its country withthe purpose of generating an oral report and creating a display. Arrange for the studentsto exchange e-mail messages with a representative of the country they are researching.
Instruct students on the use of note cards for organization of their data. One (or more)cards may be used for information collected on each cultural universal. When groupmembers come together to share the results of their individual research efforts, data oncommon cultural universals may be easily combined, using note cards.
Require students to keep a log of the information they collect and the sources used,reflecting upon how their data gathering techniques might be improved.
INTERESTING WEB SITES TO VISIT
http://www.kidlink.org/KIDPROJ/MCC/ is a database ofunique ways kids are celebrating their country's holidaysand festivals.www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.htmlincludes facts on geography, population, government, andeconomy for every country in the world.http://galaxv.einet.net/galaxv/CommunitvANorld-Communities.htmlis a collection of information on countries around theworld as well as international documents, guides, anddirectories.http : / /dir.vahoo.com /Regional /Regions/,searchesinformation on any country, state, or town that has a siteon the Internet.http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map collection/Map collection.htmlincludes public domain maps created by the CIA."Electronic Cartographic Reference Resources" provideslinks to information about time zones and distances.http://fotw.digibel.be/flags/mirror.html displays images andlimited information on flags from countries all over theworld.http://www.intellicast.com/weather/intl/ providesinternational weather information.http://www.oanda.com/converter/classic computes theexchange rate between any two currencies. (Note: whenentering date, day should appear before the month).http://www.travlang.com/languages/ is a source of basicvocabulary for travelers. English is translated into morethan ten languages.
STEP FOUR: DATA SYNTHESIS AND CONSTRUCTION OF UNDERSTANDING
Provide time for students to meet with their teams to exchange the information theycollected as a result of their research and to collectively form an understanding of thedata. The use of concept mapping may facilitate the initial construction of the grouppresentation. At this time, groups should conceptualize their displays for the MulticulturalFair exhibition. Displays/activities should depict each of the cultural universalscharacteristic of the particular country studied.
Once groups have constructed an outline of their oral presentation, individual teammembers should assume responsibility for further developing the various sections of thepresentation. Individual contributions to the construction of the exhibit will likely coincidewith individual contributions to the oral presentation.
STEP FIVE : REHEARSAL OF ORAL PRESENTATION AND CONSTRUCTION OFDISPLAY
This week should be devoted to finalizing and rehearsing the oral presentations and toconstructing displays for the Multicultural Fair.
In the event that parents are going to be invited to attend the oral presentations andexhibition during Multicultural Week, students should create an invitation-using whatevercomputer software is available to them-and take it home this week.
3014 of 16 10/28/99 3:30 PM
ParenTech - Resources for Educators - Teacher Guide http.//www.parentech.org/Resources...rcesforEducators-TeacherGuide.htmlEngaging Parental Involvement
Invite parents to participate as volunteers in your classroom.Parent volunteers can assist students needing help and canotherwise monitor the use of the Internet.
15 of 16
When sending notes home with students to invite parentalinvolvement, be very specific about the roles that they mightassume and/or the tasks they might undertake while in theclassroom.
Invite the parents of all of the students to attend the MulticulturalFair presentations and to visit the exhibits.
STEP SIX: GROUP PRESENTATIONS AND MULTICULTURAL FAIR
During Multicultural Week, each student will be an "ambassador" for the countryresearched by his or her small group.
Schedule a different group each day to give its oral presentation, allowing for a shortquestion-and-answer period after each group report.
A portion of each day during Multicultural Week should be devoted to visiting the foreignexhibits. Each day, different groups should be scheduled as "ambassadors" and"tourists." All students should have the opportunity both to visit the displays created bytheir classmates and to present their own work.
USING THE PASSPORT AT THE MULTICULTURAL FAIR
The passport serves as a record of participation. Stickers of each country's flag (foundin The Ultimate Flag Sticker Book, Dorling Kindersley Limited, 1993) may be scannedinto the computer, allowing each student to maintain a record of his or her travels byimporting an image of the flag of each country "visited" into the passport document.
BUILDING BRIDGES
To further elucidate the concept of diversity, provide the students with a grid that willfacilitate their note-taking during the class presentations. The grid should provide ameans by which students can note the commonalties and differences between thecultural universals of each country studied.
The final project assessment might be either a group or individual activity that requiresthe student to engage in some comparison-and-contrast exercises. For example,questions such as the following might be included:
Which three countries studied by the class have systems of government that aresimilar to the United States?What country has rendered the most influence upon art in the United States?In which of the countries studied do children engage in education in much thesame way as you do?
This final activity will not only facilitate classroom attentiveness during grouppresentations, it will enable students to find relevance in the Passport to the WorldProject to their everyday lives.
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'Return to Resources for Educators'
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RE© 1999 North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer and copyright information
Last modified on 5/17/99.
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3 0A Partnership of Ameritech and NCREL
About ParenTech. 0.
7.\arenTech is a unique technology informationHi}campaign that helps families "get a grip" on the
technology that's all around us. A partnership ofthe nonprofit North Central Regional EducationalLaboratory (NCREL) and Ameritech, ParenTech providesparents of middle schoolers (grades 6 to 8) withresources to help them understand the ways technologyis changing how we learn, work, and live.
The ParenTech Resource Kit includes:
Three 16-page Parent Guides
An interactive CD-ROM
A Web site, available at www.parentech.org
ParenTech also reaches out to middle schools with aninformative Teacher Guide, a principal's tip sheet, anda colorful poster. In addition, ParenTech connects withcommunities through a "mini-exhibit" and an outreachpartnership with the American Library Association.
Whether you're a parent, a teacher, a principal, or justsomeone who cares about families, technology, and thefuture, we hope you find ParenTech's resources interest-ing and valuable. Read the guides, visit the Web site,explore the CD-ROM at your library or school... and mostimportant, keep learning with your family and with yourcommunity. Enjoy!
Thanks to all the NCREL and Ameritech team members, external advisors,
and others who have helped make ParenTech, happen. 7b learn more about
the team, visit ParenTech's Web site and click on "What Is ParenTech?"
This resource was developed and produced by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL)
through a grant from the Ameritech Foundation. The content does not necessarily reflect the position orpolicy of Ameritech, the Ameritech Foundation, or NCREL. Mention of trade names, individual products,organizations, or resources (including books and Web sites) does not imply endorsement by NCREL,Ameritech, or the Ameritech Foundation.
C 1999 North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. All rights reserved.
Parents may duplicate these materials for personal and community use. Educators may duplicate thesematerials for classroom and community use. Any duplication of these materials for commercial purposeswithout express written permission is strictly prohibited.
r
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ave you been in your child's middle school lately?Kids nowadays are doing all kinds of things:working in groups, researching facts on the World
Wide Web, measuring the water quality of nearby ponds,and e-mailing historians in Hungary. These kids are goingplaces and learning more than we ever did about allsorts of subjects. Their teachers may lecture less andguide and listen more.
In addition, the growing use of technology in classroomspushes our definitions of what kids should be learning inschooland how they should be learning it. Technologyalso changes what it means to be an informed parent.
What's a Parent to Do?You're probably wondering how you can help your middleschooler get the most out of learning with technology.You take an important step when you learn about thebest ways that schools can use technology in theclassroom. That means understanding technology'sbenefits...and limits.
It's important to remember that not all technology iscreated equal. Nor will it all change our lives for thebetter. Now, as always, the best thing any of us can dofor our children is to instill in them a craving for learning,a curiosity to know more, and the confidence that theycan master the technology in their lives.
You Hold a Special Keyto Your Child's SuccessResearchers have come to the conclusion that studentslearn better, feel better, and attend school more whenparents are actively involved with their education. Familyinvolvement is as important during the middle schoolyears as it is when children are younger.
Even if your kids are exercising their independence, theystill need your guidance and wisdomnow more thanever. Even if they happen to know more about computersthan you do, you have more experience in life. You knowwhat it takes to be successful. And the more you knowabout technology in education, the better you can helpyour kids learn. So dive in! Your tech-smart self starts here!
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EDUCATION + 'Tech
ThtnkUnderstanding How Your Middle Schooler
7Zooming Towards Maturity!Ages 10-15...Doctors call thisperiod of growth early adoles-
cence. In education these are called the
middle school years. It's a time of
change for kids, not only for their bodies,but for their minds and emotions as well.They're making some pretty incredible
leaps in their abilities to think about the
world. Middle schoolers question the waythings are, make new connections, and
even think about how they think. It's a
complicated age. Remember?
So let's take a look at what's specialabout middle school learners!
Middle Schoolers Are...Building social skills and bonds.Your kids probably enjoy working ingroups because they're beginning todevelop new ways of relating to people.
They crave success and recognition
among their peersand sometimesseem to ignore everybody else.
marthey make may have serious personalconsequences. They may frequentlychange their minds as they developinterests.
Building new thinking skills.Perhaps the biggest change is thedevelopment of "adult" thinkingskills. Middle schoolers are startingto think more logically, abstractly,and reflectively.
With all of this going on, it's importantthat kids are exposed to the kinds oflearning opportunities that meet alltheir developmental needs. That meansfinding out how kids learn best andthen creating classes that teach themthat way.
"Engaged Learning": TheHeartbeat of Good MiddleSchool EducationEducation experts everywhere nowknow that "learning by doing" is thekind of education that benefits earlyadolescents most. Students learn best
Engaged learning is learning by doing, exploring,questioning, and collaborating. It's how kids learn best.
O Forming an identity distinct fromfamily, yet still needing guidance.Middle schoolers want independence,yet still seek structure. They may feelisolated from adults and reluctant toshare their feelings. At times theyseem to resent adults.
Focusing on future relationshipsto the broader world. Middleschoolers are aware that choices
If-reel; EDUCATION
when they are making connectionsbetween academic subjects and theworld around them, and then applyingwhat they learn to solve complexproblems. Many educators refer to thislearning style as "engaged learning."
What does engaged learning look like?let's check it out:
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1S
Picture a middle school located justoutside a midsize town in northeasternWisconsin. A team of sixth-grade teachers
representing language arts, math,social studies, and science are collabo-rating on an interdisciplinary projectorganized around the theme of"Adventure." More specifically, for thenext three weeks, the sixth graders andtheir teachers will be immersed in theAlaskan Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Eachday they'll link to Iditarod Web sites forupdates as they track the mushersfrom Anchorage to the finish line inNome.
Each teacher has learning goals forhis or her particular subject. Forexample, Mr. Howard, the social studies
teacher, wants to improve his students'investigative skills as well as theircollaboration skills. He will divide the stu-
dents into groups to study the historyof Alaska and of the Inuit people. Mrs.Landan, the language arts teacher,
wants her students to tap into their cre-ative skills and develop their communi-cations skills by writing daily updates ofthe race and delivering their speechesin class as if they were reporters broad-casting live from Alaska.
Analytical problem solving is the skillthat Ms. Clark, the math teacher, hopesher students will improve upon. Herstudents will prepare for the race as ifthey were really in Alaska by studyingthe trail map and plotting timesbetween checkpoints. They will alsodetermine what supplies they'll needand how much they can pack into asled without making it too heavy. Mr.Williams, the science teacher will
AN IDEAL MIDDLE SCHOOL ISENCOURAGING, CHALLENGING,AND SUPPORTIVE
Middle school experts say schoolswhether they call themselvesmiddle schools, junior highs, orelementary schoolscan bestmeet the learning needs of earlyadolescents by providing:
Thachers who work togetheracross all subjects to design anduse interdisciplinary lessons.
A school staff advisor wholooks out for their academic andoverall success throughout themiddle years.
Thachers Who are trained in mid-dle school teaching or who areexperienced in teaching earlyadolescents. They should use avariety of instruction styles, andguide and coach more than showand tell. - tc
A curriculum that has strongconnections to the real world.The community should work withthe school to give kids additionalopportunities and new perspec-tives on what they're learning.
Adapted from "This We Believe," publishedby the National Middle School Association.Available at www.nmsa.org
promote logical thinking skills withexperiments focused on environmentalissues such as climate, terrain, andphysical demands, on the mushers.
Keeping in mind that students havedifferent learning styles, the teacherswill encourage them to use variousmethods to conduct their research. Tohelp them accomplish this task, theteachers will provide their students witha list of quality books, Web sites, and
'videos. The teachers will always be onhand to guide students through theirinvestigations, but the students must
learn to ask significant questions anddetermine the best ways to findanswers. Students will be graded notjust on how well they memorize facts;but on how they find and, use new
knowledge and skills.
At the end of three weeks, students willwork in small groups to complete a finalproject. They will be given the freedomto choose their own topics and decidewhat methods to use for delivering, their
presentations. Perhaps one group willmake a video about the types of sleddogs, their behaviors, and how they arechosen for racing. Another group might
use computer software to showAlaska's geography and weather todemonstrate how these factors caneither help or hinder the racers. Thepossibilities are endless, allowing thestudents to focus on their interests anddirect their own learning.
Why Is This Engaged Learning...and How Is it Special?
Students have a real problem tosolve: How to win this difficult race.This kind 'of learning goes beyond justmemorizing faCts and taking multiple-choice tests. Students must applywhat they learn from each subjectand use a variety of skills to makenew connections and gain realinsights.
Students take responsibility for theirown learning. They ask significantquestions and determine how to findthe answers using different types ofresources.
These kids are collaborating. They'relearning with and from each other aswell as from their teachers.
They are being challenged. They haveto figure out strategies for findingnecessary information, deciding whatit means and how to use it.
This kind of learning interests students.They're motivated to delve deeper intothe topic and produce quality work.They like feeling a sense of controlwhen it comes to their own learning.
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How Your Middle Schooler Can LearnWith Technology
ElTo infinity and beyond!" Buzz
Lightyearo said it first in ToyStory, but he might as well have
been talking about where many folksthink technology will take our schoolsas soon as computers are put in everyclassroom. But is this "buzz" for real?Can your child's school really use tech-
nology to help learning take off?
The good news is yes, technology canbe used to rocket your child's educa-tion into the stratosphere. But if yoususpect there's more to learning withtechnology than just plugging in and
logging on, you're right.
Technology in schools can provide
students with some very real benefits.Specifically, they can:
Put vast amounts of knowledge atstudents' fingertips so kids can learnmore deeply about more topics andmake more connections.
Help kids learn to distinguishbetween reliable and unreliablesources of information, becausethey're checking out a wider varietyof information resources.
Reach kids with different learningstyles. For example, to learn how twochemicals react when mixed together,your child could read text, interview achemist via videoconference, or usea computer model to see how themolecules interact with each other.
Connect kids with people, places,and activities outside the classroomand around the world.
Help kids feel comfortable usingtechnologies that will become part oftheir lives.
Encourage kids to think about therole of technology in their futuresand in the world.
Tec -11+ EDUCATION
Linda Roberts, director of the U.S.Department of Education's Office ofTechnology, sums it up. "It's not thatstudents can't learn to be collaborative,good communicators, creators, andproblem. solvers without technology. Buttechnology tools give them informationin a variety of media and contexts thatare richer. They go so far beyond textand give students many more ways to
get to knowledge and develop true
understanding."
Roberts gives an example: "Let's saywe want students to learn about wastemanagement: the amount of trash col-lected in a community and what form ittakes; how much is collected every day;
what happens if you don't collect it; andwhat happens when you recycle or elimi-
nate one contributing factor to the trash
on a weekly basis. That's a very com-plex problem. But kids can enter thesevariables into a spreadsheet and usevisual database tools to help themthink through these questions. And thenthey're probably going to be a lot better
at finding, using, and analyzing informtion to solve other complex problems.That's really what educational technology
is about"
It's in the Way That You Use it!Right now, you may be saying to yourself,
"I know why technology belongs in mykid's classroom. Now I want to knowhow they should be using it!" A goodquestion...with some very good answers.The following four principles can help you
understand how schools can usetechnology for engaged learning!
Know the Learning LandscapeAlthough there are lots of classroomtechnologies (see pages 6-7), researchreveals that there are really just four
38
major ways that students use any kind
of technology for learning:
1. To inquire and explore:Technology tools can help yourmiddle schooler get his or herhands on text, numerical infor-mation, visual examples andinteractive models to help askand answer questions. TheWeb and multimedia CD-ROMsare some of the most commoninquiry tools in schools today.
2. To communicate: Technology hasprofoundly changed the way peoplecommunicate. In middle school,your youngster can use a word-processing program to write, sende-mail to other students or toexperts, develop a multimediapresentation, or collaborate withstudents far away throughvideoconferencing.
3. To create: Kids can use tech-nologies to help them expresscreative ideas through art, music,animation, or audio/video. Studentsalso can use special software oractual programming languagesto create new computer applicationsor databases.
4. To tutor: The fourth way kidscan use technology for learning isalso one of the most common. Formany years, educational developershave made special programs tohelp kids learn basic reading,grammar, spelling, and math skills.In fact, this was the computer'smain use when it was firstintroduced into schools.
"Drill and practice" tutorials canhelp kids, but should be used inmoderation. When students use
Schools should use technology to support
learningnot the other way, around.
the computer only for tutoring, theirproblem- solving skills may langUish.There'S a lot of.eVidence to supportthe belief that all students learn.best when they are challenged tosolve complex problems.
(Adapted from the research of. Barbara Means; and Benjamin Bruceand James Leviny
Oh, Grow Up!In middle school, your child's thinkingabilities start to really "grow up." Andthat means the technology activities inmiddle school should mature as well.Studies show that middle schoolerslearn best when they use technologiesthe same ways adults do: mostly toexplore, create, and communicate(and only occasionally to tutor). It's nocoincidence that "grown-up" technologyactivities support engaged learning!
Cheryl Lemke of the Milken Foundationstates, "Science, math, communica-tions,'and the social sciences are verydifferent in the real world because oftechnology, and so technology in theclassroom should model that. If wehave students act as scientists in theirclasses, but when they get out in theworld they find out science is done verydifferently, we've really, done our kidsa disservice."
Think Quality; Not QuantityIt's a common question from parents:H6w many hours a day should my childbe using technology to learn? The rightanswer can range from "zero" to "8hours plus" depending on the learninggoal at hand. Any technology should beused only when it helps to expand andaccelerate' your child's learning. Inessence, if technology doesn't helpstudents learn more, faster, and/orbetter, turn it off!
Blend Well Before UsingTechnology shouldn't just be an
'occasional keyboarding class that'sSeparate from "regular" subjects.
Instead, technology should blend
-seamlessly into challenging activities inall subjects. Roberts notes, "Parentsought to see computers being usedthroughout the schbol. They'shouldSee students using computers to do,
'assignments in virtually every area ofthe curriculum."
So What Does It Look Like?'What Linda Roberts looks for in a class-room is "kids who are applying skillsto real-world problems. I expect tosee students doing very careful,thoughtful research; solvingcomplex, realistic probleMs;working with other students.They shoirld be actively gathering
information, evaluating it, thinking crit-
ically about where that information iscoming from.
. "And students who use technologyshould be reading much more than theywould otherwise, because they'repulling in more resources and thinkingharder about their work. I also look tosee that students are using communi-cation tools like e-mail.
"Finally, I want to see 'students usingdata retrieval toolslike CD-ROMencyclopedias, multimedia tables, andoriginal source materials that provideinteractive models and simulationsparticularly in math and science, sothey better underatand the principlesbehind the computations."
If all this sounds too advanced formiddle school, think again. CherylLemke says, "I think our expectationsfor students aren't high enough. Kidsneed to feel that they're taken seriously,
that the work they do is meaningful. Ifwe set the, mark high, provide
milestones along the way, and if wesupport kids and really reward themonly when they've met those standards,then students will excel and accomplishgreat things."
3 9
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Help your school create aParent Technology Night (or aSaturday tech Breakfast
Check out...www edgov/technology
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www.ncrtec.org/capacity/plug/plug.htm.
The "Rig 'it Way," continued
A Parents' Guide to Classroom Technologies
THE TECHNOLOGY RELATED TERMS AND PRODUCTS
The World Wide Web/the Internet: An enormousnetwork of computers around the world where people and organiza-tions can post information, graphics, video, interactive programs,and so on. Anyone who has an account with an Internet servercan create a Web sitefrom kids to corporations.
E-mail: People can send and receive letters in electronic formatover the same network that the Web uses. E-mail can be sent andreceived in a fraction of a second. Some schools may provide e-mailaccounts for classrooms or students.
Educational Software: A wide variety of computerprograms designed to teach kids specific skills or to give them aproblem to solve. They are produced by companies, nonprofitorganizations, or even teachers with programming skills. Thesoftware often takes the form of games, stories, or other playfulactivities.
Word Processing Software: Programs used to createwritten documents. In addition to typing, most have built-in spellingand grammar checking programs.
Database Software: Programs used to build organizedcollections of information (text, pictures, numbers). Users can thenuse preset features or program the database to do calculations thatcombine and process the data in different ways.
Presentation Software: Programs used to createmultimedia "slide shows" that combine words, charts, video,and audio.
Graphics and Desktop Publishing Software:Programs used to create computer drawings, animation, or charts.They can also be used to design written documents with pictures,graphics, and professional-looking design.
Web browser (programs you can use to surf the Net) brand namessuch as Netscape, Mosaic, or Internet Explorer
Web programming languages such as Java or HTML code
E-mail program brand names such as Eudora,Exchange, Outlook, Netscape
Company names such as Broderbund, Learning Company, KnowledgeAdventure, Creative Works
Software brands such as Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, Claris Works,Microsoft Word Pad
Software brand names such as Excel, Lotus
Software brand names such as Power Point, SlideMakerPro
Software brand names such as Harvard Graphics, Paint Box, AdobeAcrobat, Microsoft Draw, QuarkXPress
40
kay, it's time to get really specific. Whether you're a technology expert or a complete beginner, you've probably wonderedwhat technologies you should see in your child's classroom. There's no single "right" technology combo for every class. Whether
your child's school is chock-full of the latest, most expensive equipment or making do with just a few hand-me-down computers,
teachers and students can use the technology they have for engaged learning. For all you busy parents, here's a quick roundup of some
common classroom technologies and how your middle school can use them for engaged learning!
WHAT KIDS CAN DO WITH IT WATCH OUT FOR
"Surf the Web" to find info on almost any subject.
Use Web page authoring software to create Web sites that show others theirprojects or what they've learned.
Think about what makes information reliable: Who created the site?Where is the information from? Where else do you find this information?Do other sources have competing points of view?
Write and get responses from experts and fellow students anywherein the world.
Create or join listservs (group e-mails on a specific topic) to connectwith networks of people who are sharing thoughts and questions onall kinds of topics.
Solve complex problems that are also interesting and fun, throughsimulations or games.
Express their thoughts and create music or artwork or construct modelsof all sorts.
Write and edit their work speedily and efficiently. Kids can spend moretime writing and less time recopying.
Perform calculations that help them understand how different piecesof information fit together and relate to each other.
Build their own databases to learn what information is important torecord and in what form.
Learn how to organize information concisely to make a point, persuadean audience, or communicate effectively.
Use presentations to help them become more polished speakers.
Build their visual skills and learn to present information effectively aboutwhat they've learned.
Kids believing everything they see on the Web; using the Web asthe only source of information; getting lost in information ratherthan learning to control their Web searches.
Most schools have an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) that outlinesthe ways students will use the Internet and how the school willprotect kids from inappropriate information and keep them safe.If you haven't seen your school's, ask for a copy.
See note on AUP above.
Glitzy software that entertains kids but doesn't challengethem; software with lots of repetitive activities or memorization(okay for very young kids, but not appropriate for middleschoolers); folks who think schools must have specialcommercial software to teach kids well (all kinds of softwarecan be used educationally).
For tips on selecting educational software, check out theChildren's Software Revue (www2.childrenssoftware.com/childrenssoftware) or the California Instructional TechnologyClearinghouse (http://clearinghouse.k12.ca.us).
Lots of class time spent on software skills, not learning how toconstruct a good written piece; spelling and depending too heavilyon grammar checker (those programs aren't perfect!).
Studies show that although kids who use word processing softwarewrite more, faster, and enjoy it more, they don't necessarily writebetter. It takes skilled teaching to actually help your child'swriting improve.
Kids who use databases but don't learn the principles behind them(e.g., statistics or data organization).
Spending more time on the look of the presentation than on thecontent that goes into it.
See "Presentation Software."
For an expanded chart, visit ParenTech's Web page at www.parentech.org. Click on "Resources for Parents."
41
on t eWhat Can Keep a School From Using
t's a fact that computers cansignificantly improve education andlearning...and it's a fact that most
schools have computers. So why isn'ttechnology helping every school roardown the digital information highway?
Frankly, when it comes to educationaltechnology, equipment is just thebeginning. Several barriers can keep
schools from making the best possibleuse of their technology investments.Here are some of the most common.
Many Schools Lack Accessto the World Wide Web.Internet or Inter-not?The Internet can give students fromall walks of life the chance to learnknowledge that was once available onlyto scholars, researchers, and the well-connectedif it's available in theirclassrooms. Yet schools with higherpopulations of poor and minority students
tend to have far less Internet access. Inaddition, statistics about the Internet in
echnolo
projected that by the year 2000,87 percent of U.S. schools will haveInternet access. Today, only 14 percent
of U.S. classrooms have this access.
Many Schools Are StillPlaying Computer Catch-UpOutdated computers, computers notequipped to run CD-ROMs, computers
without adequate memory to run thekinds of software teachers would
Eighty-five percent of U.S. schoolshave multimedia computers (i.e.,computers with CD-ROM and/orInternet capabilities), but the ratioof students to those computers is16:1.
(Educational Testing Service, Computers andClassrooms 1997, Quality Education Data,1997)
In 1998, 63% of high-poverty schools
had Internet access compared with88% of high-income schools.
National Center for
Education Statistics, 1998
schools are often misleading; theytypically don't indicate the location ofwired computers or whether teacherscan or do take advantage of thatInternet access in their lessons. It's
rleg + EDUCATION
like...does this sound familiar?With computer capabilitieschanging so dramatically and
so quickly, it's no wonder thatour schools can't keep up.
Added to this burden is the factthat many of our schools maynot have enough equipment.
While 98 percent of all schools
reported owning computers in1997 (Educational Testing
Service, 1997) only about 4 percent ofAmerican public schools have an
"ideal" computer-to-student ratio of 1:5.The average national ratio is 1:7 (Market
Data Retrieval, 1998).
:4 2
Effectively?
Technology also tends to be lessaccessible in schools with large minoritypopulations and large numbers ofstudents with family incomes below thepoverty level.
Computer Labs Get Less UseComputer labs can be great placesto get a lot of kids hooked up toheavy-duty learning opportunities.
Unfortunately, they're just not beingused enough. Many students in class-rooms without computers take onlyoccasional trips to the labs. When theydo go to the lab, they often use thecomputers to learn mechanical skills orto play computer games that don't domuch for their learning. Such arrange-ments don't give kids opportunitiesto use technology as a tool in their"regular" learning activities.
Many Teachers Don't Get theTraining or Time They NeedContinuing education is essential forteachers. In fact, it's the single mostimportant factor in whether your childlearns well with technology! "Teachersneed to spend time developing lesson
plans and units that integrate technologyinto the school's regular learning goals.They need to try them out and revisethem over time and spend time withcolleagues sharing ideas on how they
work," says Randy Knuth, director of
NCREL's North Central Regional
Technology in Education Consortium.
These are time-consuming tasks."Change takes time," Knuth explains."It doesn't happen overnight. It's aconstantly evolving process of creatingand refining a vision of what learning
Experts agree that about 30 percent ofyour school's technology budget should
be used for continuous teacher training.
ACtionBe an advocate foryour child's; school: .;
should look like. As your skills atusing technology improve, you seenew opportunities and understandmore clearly what technology can do."
Experts generally agree that approxi-mately 30 percent of your school'stechnology funding should be used forcontinuous teacher training through-out the school year. The problemfacing teachers today is that ascurriculum demands grow larger, theyhave less available time. Teachersneed to have time in their schedules.to work together and integrate tech-nology across all classes.
Many Schools Lack AdequateTechnical SupportMany schools struggle to keep theircomputer systems up and running.Ideally, middle schools should have aprofessional technical support personavailable to solve problems with net-working, installing software, etc. Yetschools often assign these tasks toteachers or other instructional staffwho may not even be trained in techni-
cal support. The result is a loss forboth teachers and students of valuable
teaching time. Schools need to haveenough technical support to keep allequipment running smoothly and totroubleshoot operational problems.
Linda Roberts notes, "I think parentscan be very important in helpingschools overcome barriers. They canask the school what their plan is forusing technology, and how their planfor technology is tied directly to theiracademic plan. Then parents canmake sure that the school is providing
not only computers and getting those
WHEREARECOMPUTERSLOCATEDAN$YOUR'SCHOOL?
Visit' your:child's school.to learn -what barriers:
teachers and others experience-in-using:,Iechnology..,HoWAlo.:they,describor_whats.working and what's not ?,-What do,,theythink would helpf,lnin yOur principal .and the PTA/PTO to:explore solutions',for your school;stchallenges
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educational technolOgy;barriers'.tnattmustbe oveicomee-Yamightletter-writing.campaign or get a.publici.:meetingunderi,way,to get the whole'COmmunity involved ;Your helifmak&r'local businessesand'coMmunitygroupi...aware of howomportantieclinOlOgy, is ;toai
4.1,-,ttwofmrti =all children's education.it;
(Market Data Retrkiial, 199V. ..
computers connected among class-rooms and externally to the Internet,they can also ensure that teachersare getting support and training tointegrate these tools into theirteaching and learning activities.
in addition, parents who havetechnology knowledge or access totechnology resources through theirwork can think about how they couldbe part of the effort to build a trulyintegrated technology program in theirchild's school.
Whetlibi: its time--equipment,tectinUknOW,hOwior. , 4$,just enthusiasin4yourcontributiOn,totthe
school is important If you don'thave.lots*of time;,tellfyour;schoorsprinicpal.orpar:4,ent coordinator, what time:andAalents-youedo have,:,aneaSk.thenn how, You.:oan
o-.". 4; 'the most helpful.
"I really believe that technology canbe a bridge between kids and parentsduring these years. I have this visionof parents coming to school afterregular hours and sitting side by sidewith their kidsbeing astounded bywhat their kids know. Parents can
allow their children to be their coachesand mentors in technology, but atthe same time, provide their kidswith their good judgement and whatall the technology means."
The federal '`e-ratgorogramspiOvidesktis-counts to.schoolsindlibrariesifoidhternetwiring and access. The School aint Libra.--*Corporatiommanages thWprograni.'you'can
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educational goals Available online
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by Arlene,Krebs(1999).i r;
As you watch your kidszip around the World
Wide Web on parentnight; as you hearabout the cool softwarethey're using in scienceclass; as you thinkabout how much all ofthese computers cost,
do you ever wonder if all this technologyreally makes education better?
You're not alone. Over the past tenyears, even as districts make majortechnology investments, educators,legislators, and researchers have beenasking for proof that technology makesa difference in education. After all, theU.S. spent more than $5 billion onschool technology in 1997 alone. Likeyou, they want evidence that technologyimproves student achievement.
But asking if technology in education
is effective is sort of like asking ifsilverware is effective. You need moreinformation...like, "What kind of silver-ware?" "What's the goal?" A butterknife won't help you eat a bowl of soup,and a spoon won't carve a turkey. Tojudge technology's effectiveness,researchers have had to ask:
0"Which type of technology?"
0"What's the teacher's purpose inhaving the students use the technology?"
0"What other classroom factors affecthow the technology gets used?"
While all the news isn't in yetafterall, computers are only now becominga pervasive part of many schoolsfindings indicate that technology can bevery effective at enhancing the schoolexperiencemost noticeablyin middle school and beyond!
10 red' + EDUCATION
Does TechnologyReally Improve Learning?
5 Ways Technology CanMake Schools Better
1. Technology Can Build Students'Motivation in SchoolEveryone knows that kids thinktechnology is fun. Many studiesconfirm that kids say they're moreinterested in schoolwork when itinvolves computers.
2. Technology Can ImproveSchool CultureTeacher training in technology canimprove a school's culture, whichalso tends to lay the groundworkfor improved test scores. CherylLemke notes, "What we're seeingis that when schools use moretechnologyand teachers arewell-trained to use itthen thecomplexity and level of instructiongoes' up and, as a result of that,test scores go up."
3. Technology Can ImproveTest ScoresIn a recent national study by theEducational Testing Service, eighth-grade students who used comput-ers to conduct mathematicalsimulations performed better onstandardized tests than studentswho didn't use computers. However,eight graders who used computersmostly for "drill and practice"performed worse on tests thanstudents who didn't use computersat all!
It's also interesting that in themath classes where test scoresrose, kids actually used computersless often than the students whoused them for drill and practice.
This study supports others thatshow computers tend to raise testscores more in subjects that are
4 4.
The Milken Exchange onEducational Technology:www.milkenexchange.org
Education Week'sTechnology Counts '98Report: www.edweek.org,click on "Special Reports"
1,111-14-RAAJLA-1,11-1....0,0-11-111-0-0-11-11-01-1,0-1L.,-0-11-111-1,1LILIURI
naturally more structured, like math.In less-structured subjects (like
writing), computer use doesn't
make as much of a difference onstandardized test scores.
4. Technology Can Improve OtherMeasures of AchievementTeachers can use technology
to help kids tackle challenging,
"grown-up" problems that they
couldn't without the information-processing powers of computers.
And many studies have shown that
when kids learn through doing such
authentic tasks, they do better onperformance-based assessments,
not just multiple choice tests.
5. Technology Can Help Under-performing Students andThose With DisabilitiesComputers allow students with
many different abilities to work
at their own pace and to workcollaboratively with other students
on significant projects. Several
studies have shown that computeractivities can help diverse kids
connect through their common
enthusiasm for technology!
he Keyboard...
hat should middle schoolers be
learning to do with technology?
More than you'd expect!
Educatois across the nation are
working to,establish technology learning
goals for each grade level. And while
they may vary from district to district,
most research -based standards have
some common threads.
The Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development's (ASCD)
Technology Planning Guide says
students of all ages need to be:.
Skilled information seekers,navigators, and evaluators.
Critical thinkers, analysts,and selectors of informationand technology.
Active problem solvers.
Creators of knowledge, who combineand synthesize information usingdifferent types of technology.
Effective, communicators with
technology.
Technologists who have the skillsto install and use technology fordaily life and learning.
... Responsible citizens in atechnological age.
The NETS (National Educational
Technology Standards for Students)
standards will give you a good feel
for the highlevel of technological know-
how that experts feel middle schoolers
should master:
1. Use e-mail, the Internet, andother information technologies;_understand how they affecttoday's- society.
BEST COPY AVAiLABLE
AndFar Beyond!
2 Cqmfortably work through routinecoinputer hardware and softwareglitches. .
3. Use cOmputers and associatedtechnOlogies responsibly andethically. Understand the conse-quences of irresponsible use.
Use software, Web tools, environ-mental probes, graphing calcula-tors and other technological toolsto conduct research.
Consider what goals yourschool is achieving withtechnologile
No,matter how fancy they might soundon paper, "technology standards" are
just descriptions of what kids should knowand be able to do at various grades. Youdon't need to be: an expert to talk with others about the standards you want your kidsto meet. Participate in the conversation bybecoming a member of your school's tech-nology committee, talking with your child'sprincipal, attending PTA or school boardmeetings, and supporting public meetingsto discuss-what .your school's standardsare and what they mean.
5. Use a variety of cOmputekelatedtechnologies independently andcooperatively.
6. Use technology to design, developand publish Web pages and video-'tape presentations that communi-cate curriculum concepts to other's.
7. Work with peers, experts, andotrrs via e-mail and other col-la orative tools to investigate andsolve curriculum-related problems.
8. Choose and use appropriate tech-nology resources to solve problemsand 'accomplish tasks.
9. Uriderstand how computers,software, and networks work.
10. Evaluate the accuracy, relevance,appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bias of sources of infor-mation available on the Internet.
Linda Roberts says, "I believe that
we must have our students all befluent readers and proficient writers
because those are the essential foun--dations for anything and everythingour students will need to do in tomor-
row's world. But I also think it isvery important for our students tobe teChnologically literate as well.
Technology fluency or literacy is in
essence, the basic skill.'"
45
Learn about your school's andstate's technology standards.
It's really not hard to find out whatstandards your state and your school havefor learning with technology. Just ask yourschool to send you a copy of their learninggoals for using technology. What are theimportant learning goals? What should yourchild know and be able to do by the timehe or she leaves middle school?
Many states have their learning standardsonline. You can link to your own statedepartment of educatioo's,bomeApagt1,0going to
The Amerinn .Association for theAdvancement of Science (AAAS) hascompiled comprehensive benchmarks forscience and technology education by gradel:jlevels. Visit them online atclick on "Project 2061."
www.aaas.org
The Mid-continent Regional EducationalLabotatory,thi(MCREL) online database at
is a great place to exploreall kinds.ofstandards from research andfrom states nationwide.
www.mcrel.org
The International Society for Technology inEducation (ISTE) has developed standardsfor what teachers should know and be ableto do with technOlogy in their clas§rooms.Visit them online at click onthe NETS project."
The Council for Basic Education is a leaderin assessing learning standards across the '4-curriculum; they're online at wCvb-e
.--The Fordham Foundation has 'alMTrillectedeicemPl.ry standardS' (wine at
ools nd F es...
s a parent, you can be a powerful
partner for change when itcomes to technology in your
child's school. When schools and fami-lies use technology together, all sortsof exciting changes can happen. Hereare just a few of the reasons it pays toconnect with technology!
1. Parent-Teacher RelationshipsGrow Strong With Voice Mail,E-mail, and the Web.A school voice mail system is oneof the most effective, yet inexpen-sive ways that schools can usetechnology to connect. Parents canleave private messages for teachers
24 hours a day and teachers canget in touch with parents whenit's most convenient for both. KateGill Kress ley, director of the Indiana
Center for Family, School, and
Community Partnerships, says,
"Voice mail provides a differentcomfort level for most parents thatmakes a huge difference. Thereis no substitute for face-to-faceinteraction between parents andteachers, but technology can beenormously helpful in expandingrelationships that have begunin that old-fashioned way."
E-mail can connect parents andteachers as well. Electronicmessages can provide private,two-way messaging benefits similarto voice mail. E-mail listservs cango a step further: Teachers canstart a listsery for their student'sfamilies or schools can start upspecial-interest listservs. Schools
can even send out parent surveysvia e-mail to gather informationabout families' interests and needs.
12 Tech + EDUCATION
Connecting With ech
A school Web site can keep parentsup to date by posting everythingfrom the school calendar to PTAmeeting notes to classroom assign-ments. Web sites can even have"just for fun" photos and studentartwork. Cheryl Lemke feels thatInternet and e-mail interactionsbetween students, teachers, andparents and between parents andteachers have great potential.She suggests that schools use newtechnologies to 'post homeworkassignments and wonderful projectsthat students are doing on theWorld Wide Web, as well asresources that parents can use tohelp their children learn better.
2. Parents Are Student, Too, atSchool-Hosted Computer Classes.School-hosted computer classesfor adults can help parents learnwhat their children are learning.Technologically savvy parents are
better able to be partners in theirchildren's education. Lemkebelieves that "it's important thatfamilies learn together about thechallenges and opportunities theInternet provides so that parentsare as informed as their adoles-cents are about what's availableacross the 'Net."
Technology training can even
give many parents a "fresh start"in getting involvedespeciallythose who haven't had positiveeducational experiences in the past.Sue Ferguson, director of theNational Coalition for ParentInvolvement in Education (NCPIE),
recommends that schools sponsortechnology training for families at
G,
libraries, community centers, orchurches as well as at school."These can be great places to reachout to parents who are wary ofschools," remarks Ferguson,"The parents feel they're on'neutral ground.
3. School Technology Can SupportCommunity Development!In 1996, the Illinois State Board ofEducation invited 36 of the state'spoorest communities to join a school
technologyplanning project. Onecondition: each community had toestablish a six-person teamthat included the local super-intendent, a school board member, .
a community member, a student,a teacher, and a local principal.
Notes Lemke (who spearheaded theproject), "When we first started,each community was required tohost a town meeting. We were toldin advance by all 36 superintend-ents, 'My community is not interested
in technology, they don't.understand
WHAT A WEB SITECAN PROVIDE PARENTS
III
I
.
I I
"If you think education is expensive try ignorance."
it, and they will never supporttechnology funding for this isolated,depressed area.'
"But when they held their meetings,community members to a letterunderstood the need for technology,and they were delighted to be apart of technology in the schools.In soft cases 50 percent of thecommunity came to town meetings!And they were completely support-
ive two, three, four years into theprocess. It really was tremendous.
"Part of the reason the communi-ties were so supportive is that theschools actually made sure that thetechnology in schools would also
benefit community members. Theseschools made sure that the schoolwas open until 10 o'clock fournights a week and on Saturdays sothat parents and community mem-bers could also use the computers."Lemke adds that in some cases,schools paid for computers to gointo libraries or community centersin order to help families get accessto them after school hours. "Theschools didn't isolate their tech-nology," she explained. "It was awhole community system support-ing students and the community."
4. School Technology FostersSupport in the BusinessCommunity, Too.When local businesses,
organizations, and communitymembers become part of thelearning loop, everyone benefits.Technology activities can bringpeople to school who might nototherwise come through the door.Local businesses, organizations,and community members with
technological skills can donatecomputers, training, and/or
BEST CO AVM LAKE
Derek I3ok
Only 12 percent of U.S. elementary
and middle schools report using the
World Wide Web to communicate with
parents.
More than 40 percent of parents
never attend school programsalthough more than 75 percent of
middle school students say they'd
like their parents to be more involved
in school.
Source: Milken Exchange onEducational Technology
technical support to classrooms.How about high-tech "mentors"
from the business community for
teachers or families?
5. Parents Can Support TheirChild's Learning at Home.
When parents know and understand,
the ways their child is 'using tech-
nology at school, they are more
likely to become involved with their
child's learning. Web sites can
give parents access to detailed
information about homework
assignments, teachers' grading
systems, and other information
that they don't always get
otherwise. Gill Kressley states,
"Families must understand how
critical it is that they know what
the curriculum is all about."
In addition, when teachers post
family learning activities on school
.Web sites to support regular class-
room activities, parents can actually
be part of their kids' homework
assidnmentS!
4i
Connect with your child'sschool through4technology!
40:
Remember,your ludr,learn from watching you. You6111 haveto be a technology expert to
start learnidg with other members of theschool community. School tech activitiescan be a learning opportunity; you'll learnmore about technology, meet new people,
Build your own skills.
and strengthen your connection with yourkids at the,sameitimeLl. 1,34' .".
Get students involved. Middle.sc -615:0"iffrafill'earrraluable skills and
' reflect on what they learn when they helpbuild Web pages or decide what messageliviOdo,oh-41iig,Week:s voice mail system.,
Help put out the welcome mat.Zifk'ITiliZIFikeep,the school open into
the evening so parents and kids can usetechnology resources together. Connectwith the local library so online resourcesthere can support class activities as well.Offer to be at school to help staff thesehours. If funds aren't available to puttechnology in the school, perhaps itcan go in the library with a program toconnect to schools.
Web66 is an online clearinghouse forhundreds of school Web pagesnationwide. Available atedu/schools.html
web66.coled.umn.
The National Network of PartnershipSchools brings together schools, districts,and state that are committed to develop-ing and maintaining comphrehensive pro-grams of school-family-community;partnerships. Available at http://scov.csos.jhu.edu/p2000/p2000.html
1www.edtrust.orgThe`tducation Trust athas information about fame yrst oolCompacts for Learning.
You'll find information on parent involve-ment on the NCREL's Pathways to School'Improvement at www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areasissues env mnt f
-AM visit the National Coalition for. ParentInvolvement in Education at TTETIM:173and the Partnership for Famil71M126m-Min Education
The Indiana Center. for Family,. SchoOl,, ,
+Community Paitnerships is online at
www. pfie.ed.gov
Ste t Director
An Indiana-based
Indiana is
known as theCrossroads ofAmerica, home
of the Hoosiers,host of the Indy500, and birth-place of David
Letterman. Butfrom now on,when you think
about Indiana,think of it as the birthplace of theBuddy System Project.
Since its conception in 1988, theBuddy Project (or BuddyNet) has built
strong partnerships between home andschool using technology. There is aformula to the success of the BuddyProject and Alan Hill, president of theCorporation for Educational Technology,
where the program is administered,shares it.
"The success of the Buddy Systemrests in the combination of theseessential elements: providing parentswith a home computer, low-cost educa-tional software, and access to theInternet; school support and training;and most important, teacher and par-ent participation." The Buddy Systemwas one of the nation's first programsto connect families to schools by loan-ing computers to homes.
Initial evaluations of BuddyNet point topositive strides. Besides improved testscores and more professional develop-ment for teachers in many schools, anarticle in Education Week's "TechnologyCounts" issue reported that three-
14 EDUCATION
ioloa.Project Moves into Middle Schools
quarters of sampled parents saidBuddy helped them get involved withtheir children's homework. More than40 percent reported that the computerhelped their families engage in activi-ties together. Many schools informallyreport that Buddy parents are involvedin their children's education on a dailybasisattending meetings, contactingteachers via e-mail, and assisting withhomework.
The Buddy Project was initially imple-
mented in elementary schools with twogoals: extending the learning day intothe home and increasing parents'involvement in their children's education.
But as those grade schoolers grew andprogressed into middle school, it wasonly natural that Buddy should, too.
Now, the Buddy Step-Up program helps
middle school students further developtheir technology skills by having themhelp out their teachers who needtechnology training and support. That'sright, middle schoolers teaching theirteachers!
The Buddy Step-Up program is part oflife for students, parents, and teachersat Sarah Scott Middle School in TerreHaute, Indiana. Although the Step-Upprogram is only in its pilot phase, theschool has actually been involved withthe Buddy System Project since 1992."In 1992, the Corporation forEducational Technology approkhed usand said they were looking for an exper-
imental middle school to expand theBuddy program," Mike Hardesty, SarahScott's Buddy site coordinator, recalls."We were the first middle school or
.t- 4 8
junior high to become involved with theprogram."
The program was introduced to theschool in three stages. The first stageinvolved sending computers home withthe teachers to familiarize them withthe new technology. Next, a computerlab was set up at the school. The finalstep was to send computers home withthe students and to provide training fortheir parents.
According to Mike, teachers developtheir technology skills through individu-alized training. "It's a great partnershipbecause the students know the technol-ogy and the teachers know how theywant to incorporate it into their lessons,"
explains Mike. "Teachers direct the one-on-one sessions with their Step-Up
students and, therefore, receive trainingtailored to their needs."
John and Lesley Wilson are the Step-Up
parent leaders at Sarah Scott. Theywork with Mike to coordinate parent-training sessions, another importantpart of the program. John and Lesleystart by giving parents the basics, suchas how to navigate through word-processing programs and how to usethe Internet. They really want parentsto become comfortable with thecomputers and the software.
Some parents participating in theprogram find the technology skills theylearn reach far beyond their home andschool. According to Mike, these par-ents are using their newfound computerskills to get an edge at work. "Part ofour success story," says Mike, "is the
fact that some parents come up to me(especially the stay-at-home moms),
and say, 'I got a job or I got a better jobbecause of the computer skills I'velearned by having a computer at home.'Even with the limited equipment that wehave, they are still able to teach them-selves how to use the computer pro-grams and basics."
John and Lesley's son, Nicholas, is asixth grader at Sarah Scott and hasincreased his comfort level with com-puters. Lesley says it's to the pointwhere he would rather write a storyusing the computer than using a penciland notebook. "He learns differentlythan us," states Lesley. "My inclinationis to go to a book to find whatever Ineed to know, whereas he gets on thecomputer and uses the encyclopediaand it's much faster."
The Step-Up program at Sarah Scotthas faced a few challenges. "Over thecourse of the year, we've tried to setup a few training sessions for parentsto learn computer basics," remarksLesley. "We realized that the trainingwould be more effective if we ran asession every month and had parentscome into the school's computer lab.Right now we're in the process of get-ting parents' input in order to updatethe training schedule."
Perhaps the greatest challenge wasadapting the Buddy Project to meet theneeds of middle school students,teachers, and parents. Mike explains,"We have to implement the BuddyProject differently than elementaryschools simply because our daily sched-ule is different. In middle school yourEnglish teacher is different from yourscience teacher, and there are oftendifferent students in each class.
"So instead of working all day long on aproject, kids only have about 40 min-
TIPS FROM THE BUDDY SYSTEM ANDOTHER COMPUTER-SHARING PROGRAMS
If you are part of a group that is looking to help your school start up a programlike this, here are some tips to keep in mind:
Plan on continuous training for teachers and parents. Monthly trainings, per-haps supplemented with "drop-in" training evenings or weekends, work betterthan putting all your training energy up front at the start of the school year
Put some of your funds to work to make sure there's a teacher on "specialassignment" to oversee the project. Otherwise, time strains may cause theproject to fizzle out. This teacher might take a partial or a complete breakfrom his or her regular teaching duties to run the program.
'fry to provide insurance for all computers so families without hoineowners' orother insurance aren't kept from taking one home due to liability problems. :
You probably won't have enough money to give all kids computers. That's whypartnerships with libraries, local companies with computer labs, communitycolleges, and others are important. You may decide to give out loaned computersevery term on a lottery system or based on parents' access to computers athome or work.
Ensure that computers are provided for a whole classroom of kids (through homecomputers or community-based access) so teachers across different subjects candesign interdisciplinary lessons that use the computer to make connections.
Spread the word One challenge is that the parents who are first in line for com-puter-sharing programs may be those who are already comfortable with tech-nology. 'fry reaching out through churches, community centers, or local papersto bring in families who haven't been involved with the school or technology.
Consider giving teachers home computers, too. In Chicago and suburbanIllinois, some schools give teachers laptops in exchange for time spentteaching computer skills classes to parents.
Decide what parent involvement and student achievement results you wantfrom the program and how you will measure these results. A local college ofeducation or your district may want to do a formal evaluation of your project soother schools can learn from your experience.
..c.0.1,,,,,oic,,,f, *AAA.* CAW. .t.11-11.0 11.11.11-MAJLJULILAAJULLRAAJULAILLILLJULL
utes for each subject. If only a few of
the kids in a given class are in
BuddyNet, you can't make the most
of the computers to do interdisciplinary
projects because kids don't have
consistent access."
Still, Hardesty notes, "We've had kids
that go to high school and can teach
the high school computer teachers
things, because they've had computers
49
at home and school since they were in
fourth grade."
To learn more about the Buddy System
Project and Step-Up program, visit the
BuddyNet Web site at www. buddynet.
net. Discover how the project has
helped the students, parents, and
teachers at Sarah Scott Middle School
by visiting their Web site at www.vigoco.
k12.in.us/scotms.
EDUCATION + Tec 15
mily Fun Page.Just a Little more
Technologyand EducationGo Handin Hand...See forYourself
Juneau, AlaskaMiddle schoolers atDzantik'I Heeni Middle School have helped to pre-
serve their regional history with the use of video technolo-gy. The students created documentaries about local heroeswith accompanying still photographs and written testimoni-als. Also, another group of students created a Web sitedesigned to help people learn about the rich history andfolklore of Alaska. www.jsd.k12.ak.us/www/schools/dzh/dzh.html
Palatine, IllinoisA little closer to home, students at PlumGrove Junior High School developed a virtual field trip tothe Adler Planetarium in Chicago. The students and teach-ers had to learn some pretty high-tech computer programsto create this Web site that demonstrates the story ofastronomy throughout the ages. www.ccsd15.k12.11.us/ESC/pgadler.htm
Omaha, NebraskaStudents at Westside Middle Schoollearned all about human rights by using the Internet tosearch library resources and news reports. They alsocontacted foreign governments around the world tofind out more about their policies and practices. Thestudents identified countries violating human rightsand created multimedia presentations that weremailed to the leaders of those governments in hopesof sparking reforms. www.wst.esu3.k12.ne.us
The JASON ProjectDistance learning at its finest!This year-round scientific expedition is designed to exciteand engage students in science and technology and moti-vate and provide professional development for teachers.Students and teachers around the globe can link toresearchers and explorers in the field via live satellite andInternet broadcasts. www.jasonproject.org
Questionsfor Reflection...Ways we can help our school
use technology better:
1.
2.
Ways we can lend a hand to help our school
get the technology we need:
1.
2.
Ways we can help our school use what it'sgot to help kids learn and connect families:
1.
2.
More excitingWeb sites...
www.glef.org The George Lucas Educational Foundationbelieves children should have challenging and engaging_
educational environments where they have access tointeractive technologies and are supported by inspired
teachers and involved parents and communities.
sn
www.c4k.org Computers 4 KidsWhether you needa computer or want to donate a computer, this
Web site is worth a visit.
www.scri.fsu.eduidennIsl/CMS.htmlThe Cyberspace Middle School is gearedtoward kids in grades 6-9, but parents
and teachers are welcomeas well.
I:
You probably see and hear lots of "techterms" in the news, at work, and at yourchild's school. Want the low-down on whatthose high-falutin' words really mean?Here's a quick primer...
Applications see "Software."
B andwidth refers to how much data can betransferred over your Internet connection ina specific amount of time. Think of bandwithas the "pipe" or "highway" that data travelson from one computer to another...the greaterthe bandwith, the faster your connection.
B rowsers or Web Browsers are softwareprograms that let you find, see, and hearmaterial on the World Wide Web, includingtext, pictures, sound, and video. NetscapeNavigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer arepopular browsers.
A CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read OnlyMemory) is a computer disk that can storelarge amounts of informationmuch morethan a floppy disk can. Everything from com-puter games to entire encyclopedias can befound on CD-ROMs.
The Central Processing Unit, or CPU, canbe considered the "brains" of your computer.It consists of one or more circuit boardsinside a computer that do most of yourcomputer's work.
A Chat Room is a location on the Internetor Web that allows users anywhere to com-municate almost instantaneously by typing,sending, and reading messages.
Domain Name see "URL."
To Download means to copy a file from onecomputer system to another.
E-mail (electronic mail) refers to a way ofsending messages electronically from onecomputer to another, generally through amodem and telephone line that are connectedto a computer.
Fiber Optics are little plastic or glass"threads" that use light to send digitalinformation even more quickly thanelectrical wires or cables can.
A Floppy Disk is a small, plastic disk coatedin a magnetic substance; it's used to storecomputer data.
Hardware is a term for the nuts, bolts, andwires of computer equipment. Central pro-cessing units, monitors, and modems arecommon pieces of hardware.
GlossaryA Home Page is the starting point on aparticular group or organization's World WideWeb site (which typically consists of multiple"pages").
A Hypertext Link is a way to connect aWeb page to other pages that have relatedcontent. A link is usually underlined, andwhen you click on it you connect to the sitewithout having to know or type its Webaddress (or URL).
HTML (Hypertext Mark-up Language) is a setof commands that tells a Web browser pro-gram how the Web page currently beingviewed should look do your computer'sscreen.
The Internet is a worldwide network of com-puters people can use to gather and displayinformation, and to communicate with oneanother. Using the World Wide Web is a pop-ular way to explore the Internet.
Information Technology is the field ofwork and study that deals with processingand managing information and data usingcomputers and related technology. Itincludes everything from Web design tocomputer programming.
Interactive Programs give you individual-ized results from your computer, dependingon what information or action you enter intothe program. Computer games and chatrooms are interactive programs.
Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a gener-ic term for a company that connects youdirectly to the Internet through its server.You use an ISP to connect onto the Internetevery time you log on.
The Keyboard refers to the part of the com-puter that resembles a typewriter. You use itto enter and change information.
A Microprocessor or Microchip is a small,integrated electronic circuit that can performall the tasks of a central processing unit(CPU)store information, do calculations, etc.
A Modem is a device that allows computersto transmit information to one another via anordinary telephone line by changing digital(electronic) signals to telephone ("analog" orsoundwave) signals and then back to digitalsignals.
A Monitor is the part of the computer thatresembles a television screen; it's whereyou see your work.
A Mouse is a small device attached to thecomputer by a cord that lets you give yourcomputer directions by moving a pointeraround your computer screen.
Multimedia refers to programs that cancombine text with pictures, sounds, andvideo. The World Wide Web is the multimediaversion of the Internet.
A Network refers to two or more computersthat are connected and can share informa-tion. Those in the same or nearby buildingsare called local area networks or intranets;those that are farther away are called widearea networks. The Internet is a result ofconnecting networks all over the world.
Online Services are companies that offermembers partial or full Internet/Web access."Subscriber services" offer their membersspecial services in addition to internetaccess.
Operating System see "Software."
Peripheral Devices refer to any part of acomputer other than the central processingunit (CPU). Disks, keyboards, monitors, andprinters are all peripheral devices.
A Program is a sequence of instructionsthat tells a computer how to perform a taskor function. Also see "Software."
Search Engines are Web pages that makeit easy for you to find things on the Internetby allowing you to search for information bytyping in keywords or topic areas.
A Server is a powerful networked computerthat can send and receive information to andfrom many different computers at once.
Software refers to a computer program orset of instructions. Operating system soft-ware operates the computer hardware itselfand is invisible to you. Application softwareperforms specific activities, such as wordprocessing, games, Web pages, or spread-sheets.
Telecommunications is the science thatdeals with sending and receiving digitalsignals over large distances so people cancommunicate. Telecommunications includeseverything from e-mail to digital cellularphones.
The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) refersto the address of a site on the Internet. Alsocalled a domain name.
The World Wide Web (Web or WWW) is ahypertext-based network of Internet sitesand browsers that provide multimedia, notjust text. These pages have "www" at thefront of their URLs (e.g., www.parentech.orgy. Most Internet sites these days are Webpages.
5 1BEST COPY AVAILABLE
meritech®
ParenTech is about...
The way we learn... Technology + Education
The way we work... Technology + Careers
The way we live... Technology + Society
A Partnership of Ameritech and NCREL
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory1900 Spring Road, Suite 300
Oak Brook, IL 60523.1480
52
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A Partnership of Ameritech and NCREL
About ParenTech...
parenTech is a unique technology informationcampaign that helps families "get a grip" on thetechnology that's all around us. A partnership of
the nonprofit North Central Regional EducationalLaboratory (NCREL) and Ameritech, ParenTech providesparents of middle schoolers (grades 6 to 8) withresources to help them understand the ways technologyis changing how we learn, work, and live.
The ParenTech Resource Kit Includes:
Three 16-page Parent Guides
An interactive CD-ROM
A Web site, available at www.parentech.org
ParenTech also reaches out to middle schools with aninformative Teacher Guide, a principal's tip sheet, anda colorful poster. In addition, ParenTech connects withcommunities through a "mini-exhibit" and an outreachpartnership with the American Library Association.
Whether you're a parent, a teacher, a principal, or justsomeone who cares about families, technology, and thefuture, we hope you find ParenTech's resources interest-ing and valuable. Read the guides, visit the Web site,explore the CD-ROM at your library or school... and mostimportant, keep learning with your family and with yourcommunity. Enjoy!
54
Thanks to all the NCREL and Ameritech team members, external advisors,
and others who have helped make ParenTech happen. lb learn more about
the team, visit ParenTech's [Veb site and click on "What Is ParenTech?"
This resource was developed and produced by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL)through a grant from the Ameritech Foundation. The content does not necessarily reflect the position orpolicy of Ameritech. the Ameritech Foundation, or NCREL. Mention of trade names, indNidual products.organizations, or resources (including books and Web sites) does not imply endorsement by NCREL
Ameritech, or the Amentech Foundation.
0 1999 North Central Regional Educational laboratory. All rights reserved.
Forams may duplicate these materials for personal and community use. Educators may duplicate thesematerials for classroom and community use. Any duplication of these materials for commercial purposeswithout express written permission is strictly prohibited.
BISTCOPY/WAILABLE
id the "Working lues'
Help Your A/11dd Schooler E lore Future Careers Now!
Bet you wish that when you were a kid you couldhave had someone tell you what your future wouldreally be likea wise person who could share the
secrets the next 20 years would hold and set your feeton the right path. (Of course, you might not have paidclose attention to all those words back then, but still;you could have stored the unused nuggets away, readyto be retrieved when important decisions were looming )Looking back, it would have saved a lot of headachesand sleepless nights if you had known how to getready for the real future. No doubt, we all probablywould have done some things differently. 1
So, How About Your Child?I I
Is there someone who can impart this life-changing,stress-reducing, headache-relieving information? How . .about...you? There's no reason you can't be that person.If you know about important career trends, you can help 1
your child get a jump on his or her dreams. You can
I
A
a
point him or her in the direction of discovering what *1 1
21st-century careers will be like. (An added bonus:These trends are pretty valuable for helping you in
1
your career choices, too.)
It's Not Too Early!You may think it's too early to think about your child's 1 1 1 1
future career, but it's not. Even if his or her dreams are1 1 s e
"all over the map," your child's budding interests makethis the perfect time to begin investigating career ideas s
and options. Sue Swaim, executive director of theNational Middle School Association, believes that"middle school is a time to discover, question, andexperience a wide variety of different possibilities."
By the time your child graduates from high school,careers in technology will dominate almost everyconceivable field. It's no exaggeration to say that middleschoolers need to start planning for careers in technologynow. There are many concrete steps you can take,whether your youngster has a specific career goal inmind or is simply "shopping around." Research showsthat it is your support, wisdom, and guidance that will havethe greatest influence on the career your child eventuallychooses. So the more you know, the better you can helpyour child...today and tomorrow!
4
I
CAREERS + Tee,' 1
4
Tomorrow's Workplace,Not Even the Sky Is the Limit
It's hard to believe sometimes, butthe fact is that today's technologicalinnovations are so significant that
our children will likely earn a livingpursuing one or more careers thatdon't even exist yet! New discoveriesare constantly leading to new jobopportunities in every field imaginable.Qualifying for these jobs meansthat students should start to preparenow. They need to develop strongbackgrounds in math and scienceand become skilled in understanding,reading, and writing about technology.
"The Industrial Age has given
way to the Information Age."
Price PritchettOne of the greatest gifts you cangive your child is the understandingthat the future belongs to the techno-logically prepared. A look at sevenworkplace trends will show you why!
Computers Accelerate andimprove WorkComputer technologies have dramati-cally changed the way even traditionalworkers get things done.
"Remote control" surgery is justone of the cutting-edge innovationstaking place in the medical field.Doctors also routinely work withMR1s, ultrasound machines, andCAT scans to get clear, multidimen-sional views inside a patient'sbody without surgery.
Exploring for oil is now done onthe screens of supercomputers.
Ted9 + CAREERS
Lawyers and their assistants usegiant computerized databasesto research and prepare cases.
Scientists are using GISGeographicInformation Systems (computerizeddatabases of multimedia maps)tostudy the Brazilian rainforest. Theycan pinpoint the location of endan-gered species; take up-to-the-secondair and water quality readings; createinteractive, 3-D "maps"; and instantlysend this data to other scientists allover the world.
Computer technologies have virtuallyredefined many jobs and created manynew career fields. They also have led,directly or indirectly, to declines in fieldssuch as manufacturing.
In car assembly plants, for instance,workers spend their time monitoringcomputers and robots that do the labor,and they often fix machines by debugging
computer programs rather than wieldingwrenches. It's predicted that by 2017,manufacturing jobs will comprise lessthan 10 percent of all jobsascompared to 30 percent today!
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Information and CommunicationAre the New CommoditiesThanks to computers, networks, andInternet connections, informationhas become a universally available
commodity. Careers that once focusedsolely on information gathering (forexample, scientists) now focus on usinginformation that technology makesinstantly available. Tomorrow's workerswill need to know how to apply informa-tion and use it to solve problems. And,
they'll use technology to determinewhat information is needed next.
Instant Global AccessThanks to innovations in technology,people all over the world are working asif there were no boundaries of time andspace. American programmers routinelysend digital information to coworkers inIndia so that projects can continuearound the clock. American executiveshold real-time videoconferences withJapanese clients. Students communicate
with scientists in other states and
1FIVE OF THE FASTEST GRomNG soBS, 1996-2006
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79%
By 2010, half of all Americans are
expected to be self-employedand many will "telecommute"
to and from job assignments.
countries. Farmers monitor weatherpatterns and check global marketprices on the Internet.
Individualized HoursWith the aid of computers, many jobtasks can be done anywhere. Workingfrom home but being connected to youroffice via computer (telecommuting)is likely to become more common.Workers will have more flexibility tobalance home and work demands, andemployers will save on overhead costs.Between 1991 and 1997, the percent-age of workers with flexible schedulesincreased 85 percent, thanks to newtechnologies such as e-mail, faxes,videoconferencing, and easyInternet access.
Less Stability, More OpportunityToday's middle schoolers may expectto change jobs seven to ten timesthroughout their careers. Several of those
jobs are likely to be in different fields.Technology skills will smooth the transi-tion. In addition, many of tomorrow'sworkers will be independent contractors,
working part-time with more than one
DID YOU KNOW?
Information that workers need
to have in order to perform
their jobs routinely changes
every six months in some
businesses today."
Association for EducationalCommunications and
Technology, 1997
company. Tomorrow's workplace will need
people who can combine specializedtechnological knowledge with the abilityto adapt to new work circumstances.
Need for Continuing EducationIn the past, most people's educationended when they got their diploma ordegree. In tomorrow's world, if you stoplearning, you'll stop earning. If employees
want to keep their competitive edgein a world whereinformation isthe prevalentcommodity,
they will
need tocontinually
update
theirknowledge
and techno-logical skills.
Need for CareerManagement SkillsBy 2010, half of all Americansare expected to be self-employed.Children will need to learn to beself-managers and be able to chartand direct their own career pathsTomorrow's workers will need toconstantly assess how they can usethe next wave of technology to improvetheir futures. They'll need to keepdeveloping new skills. Even specialistswill need to apply old skills to newsituations and will need to keeplearning new technologies
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ddle Schoolers
Gids, yes. Boys, yes. Clothes,
yes. Grades, hopefully. All these
subjects are right up there ona middle schooler's list of importantthings to think about (just like theywere on ours). Careers in modelingor pro sports? Probably. Careers in
high-tech...maybe not. So how comeour "plugged-in" kids aren't thinkingabout high-tech jobs?
High-Tech Isn't onTheir "Radar"Many middle schoolers don't knowmuch about today's high-tech careersfor a simple reason: Their parents andteachers don't know much about themeither. For example, an Illinois momtells this story... . ..., .
..:,-."My son came home from schdol oneday with his mind made up to become a
police officer. He had done poorly onhis math exam and his rationale wasthat police officers don't need to knowmath. I wish I would have known thenwhat I know now, because I would havetold him that technology is used everyday for law enforcement."
Your child may not realize it, but high-tech careers are all around you. Evenprofessionals such as police officersuse various forms of technology onthe job every day. Help your child get amore realistic picture of the work worldby pointing out that technology is usednow in traditionally "low-tech" careers.
They May Not ThinkHigh-Tech Is "Cool"If you take a survey of middle schoolstudents, chances are very high thatthey'll describe high-tech professionalsas nerds who wear pocket protectorsand bow ties. Even though today'skids spend a lot of time logged on to
Tee + CAREERS
Aren'tThinking About High-Tech Careers
computers, they may not be able to getbeyond this popular stereotype. TheInformation Technology Association ofAmerica cites this "image problem"as one of the main reasons thereis a shortage of quality workersfor high-tech jobs.
Minorities and Girls Are OftenLeft Out of the High-TechCareer "Loop"The fastest growing fields of technologyrequire strong math and science back-grounds. Yet young women and minoritystudent--:the fastek-growing groupsof working Ameridansare underrepre-Sec nted in the high school and college
..courses that would prepare them forhigh -tech careers.
Why? Sometimes female and minoritystudentS receive subtly different
'messages about their abilities in mathand science, and about the importanceof these subjects in their futures.They may:
Receive less encouragement fromparents, teachers, and peers.
Lack exposure to successful femaleor minority role models.
Lack adequate career preparationinformation.
You open doors of possibility for yourchild when you encourage him or herto do well in math and science courses.You also can help by identifying womenand minority role models who are"breaking out" to becomehigh-tech superstars.
"But My Kid Just Isn't Interestedin High-Tech Careers!"It's okay if your child isn't explicitlyinterested in high-tech careers. As longas you support him or her in doing
what he or she loves, you know you'redoing a good job. Encourage your child
to keep exploring and to prepare formany possibilities by staying involved inmath and science. Help him or her bean enthusiastic learner about technology.
And remember, most kids are interestedin some aspect of technologywhetherit's playing computer games, sendinge-mail messages to friends and relatives,
or even trading Beanie Babies® online.Use these real-life points of interest tobroaden your child's horizons.
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.1
at Employers WantNew Work Skills for the 21st Century
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and 63 percent of students said yes; but79 percent of the employers said NO!
So what do employers want? The futur-istic job ad says it all. Employers wantworkers who can read, write, and thinkintelligently...and who can use computers
to work in groups, solve problems, andaccomplish great things.
High-tech employers want even more.
They want employees with "tech-plus"skills. These are people who havetechnology know-how and who also
understand the needs of other fields.
"Job-seekers who possess technicalskills in conjunction with a specialtyarea, such as business, are more mar-ketable to today's employers," remarksBob Litman of the U.S. Department ofLabor. "As jobs change, it's harder tobe skilled in only one narrow nichewithout becoming obsolete."
Employers want these employees todayand they'll want them even more by2010. The problem, many frustratedemployers say, is that many schoolsaren't educating children in the"information age" skills they'll needto get jobs. When the time comes, willyour child be qualified to answer that ad?
What Your Kids Should KnowIn 1992, The U.S. Secretary'sCommission on Achieving NecessarySkills (SCANS) put together a list offoundational skills that all studentsmust have to be successful intomorrow's work world. These skillrequirements are the same whetheryour child will enroll in a four-year college,
a two-year program, or a technicalschool, or enter the workforce rightafter high school.
Briefly, all students must have...
Basic skills: know the fundamentalsof reading, writing, math and science,and speaking and listening.
Thinking skills: solve problems usingthose basic skills, think creatively,and know how to learn and reason.
Personal qualities: work well withother people in an economy that isincreasingly global; be responsible,sociable, and have personal integrity.
SCANS also identifies the followingcompetencies for your child's successin a high-tech workplace. They must beable to...
Select technology: determinewhich sets of procedures, tools, ormachines, including computers andtheir programs, will get the job done.
Apply technology: understand theproper procedures for setting up andoperating machines, including comput-ers and their programming systems.
Maintain and troubleshoot technology:prevent, identifiy, or solve problemsin machines, computers, and othertechnologies.
The SCANS report is availableonline at www.ttrc.doleta.gov /SCANS
"
leen C
Heti; your:child coneec-,='''-today's'acailemic skills wit
tomorrow's career skills.
,ExploreAhe essential skills in%C ;:jotisfYOui'kid likes:Encourage yourPc
Interview relatives or friends tolearnmhat kinds of "school skills" they
4, use on,the job. Help him or her discover:.;inipe'rtaOce of technical reading and
-,.,Auriting,'Math, problem solving, and otheria'.i skills aS:they relate to the real World.
-44 Get your kid's feetivet...Investigate'school activities
Shipieamps, and volunteer activities;,'1.where your, child can use; lasiroorn
,
.skills'In real-world,'high-tech environments.
P.S. Don't forget about the.-persbnal skills. What electivesis your child taking? Participating in
-classes such as theater, choir, or band-,can help develop speaking, reading, and :listening skillsnot to mention interper-sonal skills such as teamwork.'
heck out...Teaching the New Basic Skills: -Principlesfor Educating Children to. Thrive in a::
. 'Changing Economy Richard J. Murnane andFrank Levy, The Free Press (1996).:*.
viAnhy megaskillshsi pref-ion-16.1Am
Building achievement and life skills forboth children and adulti is :the Primaryfocus of The Home and SChoOI Institute.
.
Visit this site for family activities and tipsfor parents.
.
wyvy tist),org Check out this site forthelatest research -based standards. The.: :.National Skill Standar& Board develops' ',
'.voluntary skills 'standar& for -a highly, .skilled Ainerican workforce..inthe'21stcentury.
-.w ww:ita a- ors', The InformationTechnology
;2:Association of America is developing stan-dards for jobs and doing several projects
',with education.
ww vvpslullsumnut org. The Vice''Preeident'S "21st Century SkillS for 21st-:Century Jobs Is a national forum helping:
,''':,-Americans get the skills they need toand ensuring employers get
s,' the skilled workers they need to stay'.:" competitive.
-Tech Jobs
When today's middle school
children enter the job market(around 2006) many of the
most promising careers will be intechnology fields. Without a doubt,your middle schooler needs to knowwhat "techies" do!
"Techies." Just who are those people?If you guessed "Fans from the TV series
Star Trek," you'd be wrong, but yourconfusion would be understandable.(Those soundalikes are called"Trekkies.") Admittedly though, techiesdo have something in common with thecrew of the Starship Enterprisethey'realso involved in exploration and theywork with some pretty amazing technology.
But ';techies" are the inventors andcreators of the 21st century! Theymake the new technologies thatchange our world.
Technical specialists can be found inalmost every career field imaginable,from business to medicine, to agriculture,
to zoology, to the arts and entertainment.In one sense, everybody's job will behigh-tech in the coming years. Afterall, we're all using technologies thatweren't common in the work worldjust 20 or 30 years ago. No matterwhat field your child eventually choosesit's likely computers or other digitaltechnologies will be used to get thework done.
The most high-tech careers out thereare those where folks actually createthe technologies we all use. Thesepeople design computers, develop soft-ware, devise ways to connect technolo-gies, and adapt current technologies tonew purpoSes.
+ CAREERS
What Are They,
Tomorrow's fastest growing job cate-gories are in high-tech fields. TheBureau of Labor Statistics projects thatbetween 1996 and 2006, the UnitedStates will require more than 1.3 millionnew workers to fill positions for computer
programmers, systems analysts,computer scientists, and engineers.
SOME OF THE FASTESTGROWING HIGH-TECH CAREERS,BY LEVEL OF EDUCATIONREQUIRED, ARE:
60
What Some "Techies" DoComputer Scientists are oftenresearchers. They push the limits ofwhat computers can do to come upwith new discoveries that may one dayhave practical applications.
Computer Engineers design and testcomputer hardware, software, networks,and processes. They turn ideas andresearch into practical technology tools.
Computer Programmers use math-based programming languages tobuild computer software.
Systems Analysts design whole net-works of computers that will do whatan organization needs them to do,efficiently and effectively.
Does Your Child Have Any ofThese High-Tech Qualities?There are all kinds of people in allkinds of high-tech jobs. "Techies" do,however, tend to share certain interestsand abilities. They're:
Creative...Develop new solutions forold problems. Come up with innova-tive and unusual ways to use tech-nology. Are curious about why andhow things could work.
Patient...Don't expect to get thingsright on the first try. Learn frommistakes.
Analytical Thinkers...Break downproblems to figure out how people,and computers fit together. Uselogical approaches to solve problems.Often enjoy puzzles, building or put-ting things together (and taking themapart) to figure out how things work!
Lifelong Learners...Are not afraid tokeep learning. Welcome new chal-lenges and like to master new skills.
-lave :,),*::sii:.1t...Think ahead.
Imagine the future. Forecast the nexttrend and identify the next technologyneed. Anticipate potential problemsand sidestep them before they happen.
Have an Eye for Detail...Focus on thesmall details that make the differencebetween good technologies andgreat ones.
Blend Technology and OtherInterests...Apply technology to theirother interests, whether it's music,the stock market, or publishing.
Sound anything like you or your middleschooler? If you answered yes, you'rein good company. High-tech careersconnect with lots of people's interestsand abilitiesyet many kids (andparents) don't know this!
When you encourage your kid to explorethe high-tech aspects of interestingcareers, you help keep his or her futureopen. It's a great way to help broadenyour kid's horizons and tap into his orher natural interests.
THE TOP 10'.10BS.16TH GRADERSAWANT.
SOME WAYS THESE FIELDS'OSE'TECHNOLOGY.
Professional sports player
Medical professional
Teacher
Entertainment
Veterinarian
Scientist
Lawyer
Law enforcement
Computer field
Writer
Sports medicine; equipment and shoe design;performance-measuring sensory equipment;digital cameras for sports broadcasters
Imaging and diagnostic equipment; geneticmapping; video- or Web-based health care at adistance; electron microscopes; "labs-on-a-chip"
Instructional technology design (CD-ROMs, Webpages, educational software); distance learning;designing technology-supported curriculum
Sound 'producers and engineers; computer-based editing of film and TV footage; computeranimation; computer-based music compositionand Web-based advertising; special effects
Databases to track animal health in zoos andthe wild; microchips for tagging and lab analysis;computer interpretation of sounds and behavior
Molecular engineering; genetic mapping;developing new materials; computer-basedmodels of ecosystems and pollution effects
Online legal research; case managementdatabases; "mock trials" using computers asvirtual juries and judges based on past. cases
Databases that conduct worldwide searchesfor fugitives; espionage equipment design;diagnostic equipment for evidence and forensics
Just about everything!
Remote reporting using telecommunications;writing for "new media" (Web pages, CD-ROMs);computer-run book and newspaper design
9bp 10 careers from Information Tbchnologies of America Association's 1997 survey
1
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3111ege and Continued LearningTaking the Ultimate Road Trip to High-Tech Success
Do you have a special place at
home or work where you pin upreminders of motivational mes-
sages? You know, one-liners such as
"Anything worth doing is worth doingwell " or "Just do it." You might want to
consider making room for one or twomore: "College is the best way toprepare for a high-tech career" and"Continuing education is the realkey to career success."
The fact of the matter is that all21st-century workers will be expectedto expand their knowledge and sharpentheir skills by continuing their educationthroughout their careers. That translatesinto "you and your child will need tokeep learning for the rest of your lives."
Some popular means of continuingeducation include on-the-job training,
seminars, workshops, college courses,and certification, among others. Yourchild may want to look into summerjobs, internships, or co-ops to connecthis or her academic skills to the worldof work.
66 percent of eighth graders plannedon completing college but...
Only 25 percent planned on takingany college preparatory courses.
Only 26 percent were learning therelationship between courses andcareer options.
Only 49 percent were learning aboutthe vocational courses offered intheir high schools.
A bachelor's degreeoften in a math-or science-related fieldis one of thebest ways to prepare for a high-tech
career. Even students who major in non-technical subjects will need to takesome computer courses. A recentreport by the National Research Councilstates that all undergraduate students,regardless of their major areas of study,should be required to take courses inscience, math, engineering, or tech-nology. Yet the American Electronics
Association reports that the number ofstudents graduating with high-techdegrees is falling!
Another path to consider is networkcertificationan alterna-tive route to high-techcareers. It doesn't"College graduates now earn 76% more
than those who don't go to college."Secretary of Education Richard Riley
It's vital that middle schoolers havean accurate picture of the educationalpaths they'll follow to reach highschool, college, and ultimately, careersuccess. The following statistics fromthe U.S. Department of Educationdemonstrate that they'll need yourhelp to see the real picture. Fifty to
8 Tec + CAREERS
require a four-year
degree. Certification canbe obtained from majornetworking companiessuch as Microsoft or
Novell. It demonstrates that the personunderstands how to manage the intrica-cies of computer networks. Over the nextten years, increasing numbers of col-leges and technical institutes will offercertification courses. Today, some highschools even offer certification classesas part of their curricula!
62
DID YOU KNOW?
The following factors seem to improvestudents' odds of both going to andgraduating from college:
Having parents who expect thattheir children will go to college andwho encourage their children to
; expect that, too. .
Having several friends in their peergroup who also expect to go tocollege.
Planning for college early, well inadvance of filling out an application,by talking to college admissions
_ officers and researching financialaid (often during sophomore yearin high school).
Taking challenging coursework.For example, students who takealgebra and geometry in middleschool are much more likely to goon to college than students whodo not.
The Department of Education has iden-tified the kinds of coursework that willprepare middle school students well forcollege or other advanced study:
English
Science
History or geography
Challenging math courses, startingwith algebra and geometry in eighthor ninth grade
Computer science courses
Arts or music and a foreign language
High-tech middle schoolers should plan
to take relevant high school courses.
IF YOUR KIDS AREINTERESTED IN...
Pre-engineering (applied technologyfields): Robotics, Race CarDevelopment
Computer programming:Mutual Fund Tracking,Automobile Ignition Control
THEY MIGHT WANT TO TAKECLASSES IN...
ction Goal:Help your child begin to developa plan for high school.
Sketch out a career plan withyour child. Although it may seem too
early, it's not; middle schoolers areready to learn how to plan for theirfutures. Planning can start with a simpleconversation about your child's dreams.Use this opportunity to help him or herthink about the educational steps thatlead to that "dream" career. Follow upwith a trip to the library to check outbooks on career preparation.
Take a field trip. With your middleschooler, visit the high school he or
she will attend. Check out the courseoptions: What classes are available?What courses are required to graduate?Your child might want to talk with a guid-ance counselor and learn more aboutclasses (including electives) and after-school activities.
Geometry, energy sciences, simplemachines and mechanics, chemistryof machines
i
Logic, Boolean algebra, algorithms,number theory, et theory, matrices
Networking technologies (buildingsystems of connected computers):Satellite Systems, Local AreaNetwork/Wide Area Network
Algebra, calculus, computer communi-cations, optics, topology, "rate of flow"math problems
Electronics (analog and digital):Personal Communication Systems,"Sma rt" Appliances
Electricity, magnetism, heat transfer,trigonometry
Multimedia Web applicationsand database applications:Webmaster, Programming,Computer Animation
Statistics, algebra, classificationof information, programming
Computer-assisted design (CAD):Architecture, Fashion Design
Topology, spatial relationships, visualthinking, circuits
Source: Information Technology Association of America [www.itaa.orgj
Think College Early pro-vides you with useful resources to help youget your children on the right educationalpath to their future.
But What If I Don't Want to Go To College?A Guide to Success through AlternativeEducation, by Harlow G. Unger (CheckmarkBooks, 1998)
Microsoft Skills 2000 has an interestassessment game that matches your skillsand interests to information technologyjobs. Also, learn about certificationopportunities and-more.
This great sitefor students and adults provides monthlyfeatures on a variety of.career options.Explore the articles written by careercounselors and other experts.
Surf the Net with Kids CareerExploration Page.
ars a High-Tech Career?
Phyllis Cullen,Nursing Informatics
Researcher
Conversationswith
the "New Techies"
A Registered Nurse andPh.D. candidate, Phyllisbelieves that compassion-ate treatment and sophisti-cated technology can workhand in hand to improve patientcare. She's working on her doctorate inthe emerging field of nursing informatics.
Tell us about your work...I start out by analyzing health patternsin patients' medical histories and fromthat information, I develop databasesand programs to assist nurses. Withtechnology, nurses have a reliable toolto anticipate the outcome of a patient'streatment. Informatics researchers arealso studying the ethical and feasibilityissues involved with using computertechnology and information sciencein health care.
Nursing informatics bridges the gapbetween people exclusively involved
in technology and people who areexclusively involved in health care.
Job preparation...From a health care perspective, I'vebeen involved in many aspects of nurs-ing, from patient care to administrationto teaching. I've always been interestedin researching new developments, and
that's where technology came in. I'venever been afraid of new technologymy university background taught me theprinciples I needed to understand newtechnologies. I've taken many coursesthat relate to technology, including data-
base systems, decision support, busi-ness modeling, and statistics for largedata testing.
10 Tec1
+ CAREERS
How to pursuea health carecareer...First, keep your eyesopen for new develop-
ments. Don't be afraidto jump into technological
projects (e.g., at yourschool) even if you don't know
muchyou'll learn and you'll becomesomeone others think of when there'sa technological opportunity.
If you want to go into a particular field,demonstrate an interest in it! Don't beafraid of not knowing. Individuals whodemonstrate that kind of enthusiasmseem to be plucked by organizations.Showing an enthusiastic interest willhelp you break into any field all the wayup the ladder.
Pay attention to your talents. If you findit very easy to do something, and peoplearound you find it not so easy, realizethat you have a talent in that area.Look at what kinds of careers mightcorrespond with that talent.
All students should learn the basiclanguage of technology. Take courses
in keyboarding and spreadsheets. Learnall you can about the Internet and thedifferent ways that we can use technol-ogy to communicate and to give andget information. Learn about bits andbytes and chat rooms and all thoselittle terms because when you can talkin the language of technology, peopleare more apt to share tips with you andwill give you more information than youwould otherwise get.
Rick Omanson,Ameritech InteractiveMedia ServicesRick's background in psychology hasmade him very marketable in the fieldof systems engineering. He's a firmbeliever in giving customers whatthey want.
Tell us about your work...I manage a group of designers andprogrammers that are responsible forAmeritech's
Internet prod-ucts. Theprimaryproduct
we workon is anInternet
servicecalled
Ameritech.net. Thisservice offers the latest communications
features to consumers and businesses,such as high-speed data access to theInternet, access to popular sites andservices, and Web hostingbasically,any function of Web pages, plus more.
Job preparation...Actually, I have a degree in childpsychology. As an undergraduate, Ididn't take a single course in comput-ers or engineeringI was pursuing acareer in child development research.But after graduation, I altered the trackI was on and started working as a sys-tems engineer. It was an easier transi-tion than you may think. I analyzed whatpeople wanted and then wrote detaileddirections so a programmer could build it.
.0.1
Systems engineering is similar toproduct design in that your job is not tobuild things, it's to describe what needsto be built. It's a nice entry into tech-nology for people who don't have train-ing in it. Eventually, I made a careermove to Ameritech as a human factorsengineer. I make Ameritech.net Websites user-friendly for consumers and
businesses who utilize this technology.
Skills required for your work...There are many skills that have beenessential to my success in the communi-cations field, but the most importantone is the knowledge of people. Mybackground in psychology has providedme with a great deal of insight on hearingpeoples' needs and working through thedetails to meet those needs. Working'through the details means being able towork in a team environment, workingalongside people with different strengths.
It also means using my analytical skillsand my artistic abilities.
How middle schoolers canuse technology...One of the functions of the Internet, inaddition to getting information, is thatit's a very social medium. I have adaughter who hated computers; shereally detested them. But since shediscovered instant messaging and e-mail, she's on it every single night. Ithas strengthened both her typing andher communications skills. Using theInternet as a communications vehicleamong friends is a wonderful way forkids and parents to get exposed to it.
AdamNorton,3-D Graphics/ComputerAnimationBy combining his artistic skills andcomputer know-how, Adam hasachieved success in the field ofcomputer animation.
Tell us about your work...I'm a computer animator for a companythat produces the most popular arcadegames and home video games on themarket today. The team I work withconsists of three animators and twocomputer programmers. The first step
in our creative process is to determinethe concept for a game. The mostchallenging part is creating a cutting-edge ideagoing out on a limb totry something no one else has done
before.
While I create the graphics and anima-tion of the characters, another animatorcreates the special effects, and yetanother creates the backgroundscenery. The programmers then writethe code that makes the computerperform the tasks we want. However,they have to keep within the limitationsof the hardware. By working together asa team, we ensure that our individualendeavors merge together to make a
seamless product.
How'd you get that job?I feel lucky in the fact that I've alwaysknown what I wanted to do. Ever since Iwas a kid, I wanted to create cartoons.I was constantly drawing and makingcomic books. I was also interested in
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video games and computers, so itseemed only natural to merge my talent
as an artist with computers.
My high school didn't have computersand when I got to college I felt like Iwas at a disadvantage. I was learningalongside people who had been workingwith computers for years. But, it didn'ttake me long to catch on. I worked hardand earned a dual degree in computeranimation and multimedia.
Your formula for success...To succeed in this field, you have tohave the right combination of creativeskills and computer know-how. I see alot of great artists, but they can't cre-ate on the computer. On the otherhand, there are people who know com-puters inside and out, but they can't dothe artwork. Also, in this field there'sno on the job training." There's noone telling you what you need to learnthis week or next week. You have to beself-motivated and stay on top of the
latest technologies.
Advice for parents...Parents should make sure their childrenare learning skills like problem solving,self-motivation, and how to work on a
team. I can't stress teamwork enough.I've known people who get out ofschool and have done everything on
their own. They resent working on ateam and have problems sharing thecredit for a finished product. In my lineof work, a project turns out a lot betterwhen we have seven or eight peopleworking on it instead of just one. So it'simportant that kids start learning earlyon to work well with others.
CAREERS + Tedli 11
mm on Ground
Career Development Connects Families and Schools
y now you know a little moreabout the kind of work world yourchild will enter in the next century.
So what's the next step? Help yourchild begin to answer the same ques-tions you once asked (and maybe stilldo): What do I want to be when I growup? And how do I get there?
Learning about careers is a fun,productive way for you to help yourchild focus his or her abundant interestson what is happening the adult world.Learning about careers can also be aneutral ground where your child canstart to learn the rules and the struc-tures of the "big leagues."
But all this doesn't mean that your childshould be deciding in eighth grade whatthe rest of his or her life should hold.Just the opposite, in fact.
According to career developmentexperts, middle schoolers should beexpanding their horizons by exploring allkinds of jobs. They also should focuson doing well in school so that theyhave many educational optionsavailable to them in high school.
What Is "Career Development,"Anyway?A career isn't something that a personchooses in a day, a week, or a month.
Indeed, the process of exploring,selecting, and preparing for a careerunfolds over yearsand it starts earlierthan you may think. Research (andprobably your own experiences, too)confirms that most adults look for workthat matches what they're interested inand what they're good at; the experi-
12 Tec + CAREERS
ences they've had (in school and out);and the expectations their families haveabout what kinds of careers they mightpursue. Experts call this lifelongprocess career development.
As a parent, you can help your child'scareer development by keeping inmind that in the middle school years,students should focus on careerexploration. Specifically, they should:
Assess their talents,abilities, and interests.Career development experts agreethat it's best for young people tostart exploring careers that match thethings they naturally like to do andthe things they're naturally good at.
Develop a positive self-concept.When children feel good about whothey are and what they can do, theyhold high expectations for theirfutures and they're more motivatedto try hard in school and in life. Andtheir self-esteem rises when they seethat the skills they're developing arevaluable in the adult world.
rirriotpate in careeractivities.
Kids need to check out a wide varietyof careers, not just one field orspecialty. This exploration can includeanything from reading about careersto visiting actual workplaces. Careerexploration helps middle schoolersget a broad, balanced picture of thework world before they narrow theirchoices.
Understand the connection betweenacademic skills and career skills.You know these are the years whenyour child starts questioning every-thing"When will I ever use chem-
G6
istry, anyway?" "How can I becomethe first astronaut on Mars?" Whenyou help your child explore the skillsand education that various careersrequire, you help answer thesequestions in fun, educational ways.These connections are particularlyimportant because at this age manychildren begin to lose faith in theirabilities to "do" technologically rele-vant subjects such as math andscience. And students who narrowtheir educational paths may find theircareer choices are also seriously limitedjust a few years down the road.
Set goals and start to formulate aplan for high school...and beyond.When kids are in middle school,they're ready and eager to take onnew, "grownup" responsibilities (atleast sometimes). It's the perfecttime to start helping them planahead. Even if your child's planschange, you'll be helping him or herthink in an orderly way about thefuture and take responsibility formaking his or her dreams come true.
ABOUT THE FEDERALSCHOOL-TO-WORK ACT
The 1994 School-to-Work Act providesfederal funds to school districts thatdesign formal career developmentprograms. Programs are locally designed,but all federal School- to-Work- programsmust include:
School-based learning activities thatmeet challenging educational andworkplace skill standards.
Work-based learning activities that givestudents on-the-job experiences.
Connecting activities that bridge thegap between participating schools andbusinesses.
"The road to success is always
under construction."
Great Middle School CareerDevelopment ActivitiesYour child's middle school can providemany opportunities for high-tech careerexploration. It's best if this explorationis a part of regular learning activities sothat kids build their academic skillswhile they're exploring, and so they cansee the connections between schooland the jobs they like. Appropriateactivities include:
Classroom-basedcareer exploration.Career explorationin the classroom
Jim Miller
Career exploration.Students get in-depth exposure tocareer options when they studycareers in appealing fields, developindividual learning plans for highschool, or investigate what jobs areavailable in their community.
Job shadowing.Students get an up-close look at whata job is really like by spending a day
on the job with someone in afield that interests them.
Career counseling.By working with
guidance coun-selors at themiddle school orthough commu-nity organizetions, studentscan learn about
the steps theycan take to choose
and get any job theywant.
can include spe-daily designedunits on careersin reading,math, socialstudies, or sci-ence; generalinformation aboutcareers that is inte-grated into everydaylearning activities; field tripsto workplaces that relate to subjectareas; or interdisciplinary learningprojects where student activitiesmimic the work of professionals invarious fields.
Career days, fairs, speakers,and field trips.Students can meet with educators,employers, employees, and/or humanresource professionals to learn howto get the education and experiencethey will need.
Mentoring activities.Formal programs can connect stu-dents with adults who act as rolemodels and advocates for them dur-ing these important years. Mentorscan also help your child explorecareers that you may not be able toexpose him or her to.
Service learning andother community partnerships.
Community-based learning activitiesgive students the chance to do volun-teer work that connects to classroomactivities. Students get experienceworking with adults, build skills, andunderstand how they can use theirskills to solve real-world problems.
Why Do All Kids Need Real-World Thinking Skills?Leading business and educational orga-nizations, as well as the U.S.Department of Education, recommendthat schools give all studentsnot justthose in vocational tracksopportunitiesto connect classroom activities with thework world. By integrating career explo-ration concepts into the general curricu-lum, students can consider differentcareers as they relate to their owntalents and interests.
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reat things are happening atFredericktown Intermediate
School in Fredericktown, Ohio.
This small, rural school is receivingmuch-deserved praise for its careerdevelopment program. Guidance coun-
selor Kathie Brown gave ParenTech the
lowdown. We also talked with parentWendy Beutel, whose two teenage
sons participated in the program.
When it comes to career development,the number one question parents havefor Kathie is, "Why do students need toget involved at such a young age?"
Kathie: In grades 7, 8, and 9 we aresimply doing explorationself-explo-ration and exploration about the worldof work. We don't encourage decision
making at this young of an age and weteach the students that it's not wise tomake big decisions based on one pieceof information.
Wendy: When my sons started careereducation, my husband and I thoughtthey were a little too young. But, inretrospect, I think it was a good timeto do it. I believe parents can do morethan they realize in terms of exploringdifferent careers with their kids. And ithelps the students when it comes timeto decide what electives to take in highschool. They begin to think about thecourses they'll need to meet futurerequirements, whether it's for college,technical school, or another career path.
0
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+ CAREERS
'S on the Path to 21st-Century Career Development
Career education is now mandated inOhio. Every eighth grader in thestate is required tohave a
careerfolder.
Beginning
their eighth-
grade year,
students atFredericktown
IntermediateSchool partici-pate in small-group guidance
sessions centeredaround the 14 career clusters namedin the Coin Interest Inventory booklet.The clusters include careers in thefields of health, science and technolo-gy, education, manufacturing, andmechanics and repairs.
Students participate in activities thatdetermine their personal interests,skills, and abilities, and their values asthey relate to work. These activitiesinclude interest inventories; personalityposters and collages; career familytrees; a scavenger hunt to get signa-tures of adults who fit certain workcharacteristics; and general careerresearch using books, magazines,and computers.
0 0 0
Kathie: We definitely use technologyto access information about careers.Many of our print resources have beenreplaced by CD-ROMs. The students
prefer to use them and tend to do moreexploring on the computer than they
68
would just sittingdown with
books. The
students lovethe quickaccess toinforma-
tion, and Ithink theyreally
appreci-
ate thegraphics and
how up to date the informa-tion is It varies from student tostudent, but we're seeing more andmore of them really enjoying doing theirresearch and exploring on the computer.
Wendy: My youngest son really didn'thave a clue as to what he wanted todo. Each week it was something differ-ent, which is typical of kids that age. Bydoing the interests surveys and otheractivities, he realized he was veryinterested in journalism.
He learned the skills that would beinvolved with that profession, such asgood communication skills, creativity,and definitely computer skills. He evenshadowed a writer for the local news-paper. Because of the career educationprocess and his positive shadowingexperience, he is still focused in thatdirection today.
Kathie: A favorite activity among theeighth graders is career shadowing.The small-group sessions prepare themby teaching them how to dress, how to
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
"My son chose to shadow a systems analyst at a local computercompany. It was a real eye-opening experience for him."
greet people, the right questions toask, and how to write thank you notes.Also, to learn more about the careerthey've chosen, the students do a one-page report before they embark onshadowing day.
Wendy: My oldest son knew from avery young age that he wanted to be acomputer programmer, so he chose toshadow a systems analyst at a localcomputer company. I think it was a realeye-opening experience for him. Hewas able to see how important it is to
work with others on a team and howsometimes the job involves just sittingdown and figuring things out. This expe-rience really confirmed for him that thisis what he wants to do.
0 O 0
After shadowing day, the studentsprepare a presentation, including aspeech and visuals based on theirshadowing experience. According toKathie, many of the students go all-outand dress up. It's a very elaborateoccasion. Not only do the studentslearn about the career they chose toshadow, but those of their classmatesas well. It has become a big traditionat Fredericktown Intermediate Schooland in some ways is a rite of passagefor the students.
Wendy Beutel, parentFredericktown, OH
Kathie: Shadowing and interviewingare excellent career development tools.They can be huge motivators for kids interms of academics. It's one thing for aparent or teacher to give their childreninformationsometimes it's in one earand out the other. But when they hearit from a person in the world of work, itmakes a huge impact. Especially whenyou get them to see the connectionbetween school subjects they're takingnow and how that knowledge will benefitthem in the future. Through their shad-owing experiences, the students arehearing over and over again how impor-
tant it is to have skills in math, science,and computers.
O 0
Kathie tells this story of a student whocame to see her...
"He was interested in a two-yeartechnical program in law enforcement.He sat down with me and said, 'I wantto make sure that when I start theprogram, I'll be really prepared.' We gotout the catalog of the school he wasconsidering and looked through all thedifferent course work required. He wasfeeling pretty good about everythinguntil we got to a course called forensicphotography, which is where they go to
1the crime scene and take photographs.
He said, 'Mrs. Brown, I've never owned a
camera. I've never even taken a picture.'
The next year he took a photographycourse offered through our art depart-ment. By making the connectionbetween future requirements andactions he could take now to prepare,he took the initiative to enroll in thatclass and was motivated to do well."
KATHIE BROWN'S FAVORITEHIGH-TECH CAREER RESOURCES
Careers for Computer Buffs andOther Technological Typesby Marjorie Eberts andMargaret Gisler(VGM Career Horizons, 1993)
100 Best Careers forthe 21st Centuryby Shelly Field(Arco, 1996)
Great Jobs for Kids WhoLove Computers andGreat Jobs for Kids Who. LoveCommunications Technology(The Career Connections Series)
100 Jobs in Technologyby Lori Hawkins andBetsy Dowling(Macmillan General Reference,1997)
CAREERS + reci 15
mly Fun a
...Just a Little More
Have you HeardAbout These Mgh-Tech Fields?
BiomechanicsThe study of theanatomical principles of movement.
Biomechanical computer applications employ "stickmodeling" to analyze the movement of athletes and race horses.
BiotechnologyThe application of advanced computer sci-ences to design and make new medicines or industrial materialsor to solve environmental problems, such as waste recycling.
CADComputer-Aided Design. A CAD system is a combina-tion of hardware and software that engineers and architects useto design everything from furniture to airplanes. CAD systemsallow the user to view a design from any angle with the push ofa button and to zoom in or out for close-up and long-distanceviews.
NanotechnologyA field of science whose goal is to useindividual atoms and molecules as the building blocks ofsuper-small computers. Nanotechnologists create computerchips and other devices that are thousands of times smallerthan current technologies permit.
Distance Technology TelecommunicationsThe fieldconcerned with moving digital information (words, sounds,pictures, data) over long distances. People who work indistance technology design everything from cellular phonesto e-mail systems to satellite dishes.
QuestIons ReMectkm...Things my child likes to do (with technology and without)...
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How we'll find out about the education
these fields require...
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You probably see and hear lots of "techterms" in the news, at work, and at yourchild's school. Want the low-down on whatthose high- falutin'- words really mean?Here's a quick primer...
Applications see "Software."
Bandwidth refers to how much data can betransferred over your Internet connection ina specific amount of time. Think of bandwithas the "pipe" or "highway" that data travelson from one computer to another...the greaterthe bandwith, the faster your connection.
Browsers or Web Browsers are softwareprograms that let you find, see, and hearmaterial on the World Wide Web, includingtext, pictures, sound, and video. NetscapeNavigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer arepopular browsers.
A CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read OnlyMemory) is a computer disk that can storelarge amounts of informationmuch morethan a floppy disk can. Everything from com-puter games to entire encyclopedias can befound on CD-ROMs.
The Central Processing Unit, or CPU, canbe considered the "brains" of your computer.It consists of one or more circuit boardsinside a computer that do most of yourcomputer's work.
A Chat Room is a location on the Internetor Web that allows users anywhere to com-municate almost instantaneously by typing,sending, and reading messages.
Domain Name see "URL."
To Download means to copy a file from onecomputer system to another.
E-mail (electronic mail) refers to a way ofsending messages electronically from onecomputer to another, generally through amodem and telephone line that are connectedto a computer.
Fiber Optics are little plastic or glass"threads" that use light to send digitalinformation even more quickly thanelectrical wires or cables can.
A Floppy Disk is a small, plastic disk coatedin a magnetic substance; it's used to storecomputer data.
Hardware is a term for the nuts, bolts, andwires of computer equipment. Central pro-cessing units, monitors, and modems arecommon pieces of hardware.
GlossaryA Home Page is the starting point on aparticular group or organization's World WideWeb site (which typically consists of multiple"pages").
A Hypertext Unk is a way to connect aWeb page to other pages that have relatedcontent. A link is usually underlined, andwhen you click on it you connect to the sitewithout having to know or type its Webaddress (or URL).
HTML (Hypertext Mark-up Language) is a setof commands that tells a Web browser pro-gram how the Web page currently beingviewed should look on your computer'sscreen.
The Internet is a worldwide network of com-puters people can use to gather and displayinformation, and to communicate with oneanother. Using the World Wide Web is a pop-ular way to explore the Internet.
Information Technology is the field ofwork and study that deals with processingand managing information and data usingcomputers and related technology. Itincludes everything from Web design tocomputer programming.
Interactive Programs give you individual-ized results from your computer, dependingon what information or action you enter intothe program. Computer games and chatrooms are interactive programs.
Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a gener-ic term for a company that connects youdirectly to the Internet through its server.You use an ISP to connect onto the Internetevery time you log on.
The Keyboard refers to the part of the com-puter that resembles a typewriter. You use itto enter and change information.
A Microprocessor or Microchip is a small,integrated electronic circuit that can performall the tasks of a central processing unit(CPU)store information, do calculations, etc.
A Modem is a device that allows computersto transmit information to one another via anordinary telephone line by changing digital(electronic) signals to telephone ("analog" orsoundwave) signals and then back to digitalsignals.
A Monitor is the part of the computer thatresembles a television screen; it's whereyou see your work.
A Mouse is a small device attached to thecomputer by a cord that lets you give yourcomputer directions by moving a pointer
71
around your computer screen.
Multimedia refers to programs that cancombine text with pictures, sounds, andvideo. The World Wide Web is the multimediaversion of the Internet.
A Network refers to two or more computersthat are connected and can share informa-tion. Those in the same or nearby buildingsare called local area networks or intranets;those that are farther away are called widearea networks. The Internet is a result ofconnecting networks all over the world.
Online Services are companies that offermembers partial or full Internet/Web access."Subscriber services" offer their membersspecial services in addition to internetaccess.
Operating System see "Software."
Peripheral Devices refer to any part of acomputer other than the central processingunit (CPU). Disks, keyboards, monitors, andprinters are all peripheral devices.
A Program is a sequence of instructionsthat tells a computer how to perform a taskor function. Also see "Software."
Search Engines are Web pages that makeit easy for you to find things on the Internetby allowing you to search for information bytyping in keywords or topic areas.
A Server is a powerful networked computerthat can send and receive information to andfrom many different computers at once.
Software refers to a computer program orset of instructions. Operating system soft-ware operates the computer hardware itselfand is invisible to you. Application softwareperforms specific activities, such as wordprocessing, games, Web pages, or spread-sheets.
Telecommunications is the science thatdeals with sending and receiving digitalsignals over large distances so people cancommunicate. Telecommunications includeseverything from e-mail to digital cellularphones.
The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) refersto the address of a site on the Internet. Alsocalled a domain name.
The World Wide Web (Web or WWW) is ahypertext-based network of Internet sitesand browsers that provide multimedia, notjust text. These pages have "www" at thefront of their URLs (e.g., www.parentech.org). Most Internet sites these days are Webpages.
ParenTech is about...
The way we learn... Technology Educe Ion
The way we work... Technology + Careers
The way we live... Technology + Society
A Partnership of Ameritech and NCREL
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
1900 Spring Road, Suite 300Oak Brook, IL 60523-1480
NCRELNorth Cannel Regional Educational Laboratory
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About ParenTech...
arenTech is a unique technology informationcampaign that helps families "get a grip" on thetechnology that's all around us. A partnership of
the nonprofit North Central Regional EducationalLaboratory (NCREL) and Ameritech, ParenTech providesparents of middle schoolers (grades 6 to 8) withresources to help them understand the ways technologyis changing how we learn, work, and live.
The ParenTech Resource Kit includes:
Three 16-page Parent Guides
An interactive CD-ROM
A Web site, available at www.parentech.org
ParenTech also reaches out to middle schools with aninformative Teacher Guide, a principal's tip sheet, anda colorful poster. In addition, ParenTech connects withcommunities through a "mini-exhibit" and an outreachpartnership with the American Library Association.
Whether you're a parent, a teacher, a principal, or justsomeone who cares about families, technology, and thefuture, we hope you find ParenTech's resources interest-ing and valuable. Read the guides, visit the Web site,explore the CD-ROM at your library or school... and mostimportant, keep learning with your family and with yourcommunity. Enjoy!
Thanks to all the NCREL and Ameritech team members, external advisors,
and others who have helped make ParenTech happen. 7b learn more about
the team, visit ParenTech:s Web site and click on "What Is ParenTech?"
This resource was developed and produced by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL)
through a grant from the Ameritech Foundation. The content does not necessarily reflect the position orpolicy of Ameritech, the Ameritech Foundation, or NCREL. Mention of trade names, individual products,organizations, or resources (including books and Web sites) does not imply endorsement by NCREL,Ameritech, or the Ameritech Foundation.
O 1999 North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. All rights reserved.
Parents may duplicate these materials for personal and community use. Educators may duplicate thesematerials for classroom and community use. Any duplication of these materials for commercial purposeswithout express written permission is strictly prohibited.
4
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'sl 99...
Do You Know What Your Child's Future Will Be Like?
From the moment your child first came into your life,you've had hopes and dreams for his or her future.Your mind is constantly on fast-forward: What will
the future hold? How can you get your child ready?
But when you think about technology in your child's.future, what do you see?
Whether you're an optimist or a pessimist about it,there's no question that digital technologiesthe micro-processors, home computers, and telecommunicationsthat connect our livesare driving forces in today'ssociety. Technology isn't the only force changing ourlives, but it's one of the most pervasive.
It can be hard to keep up with the world of technology,especially with new innovations developing every threemonths. You might even think that it would be easierto discuss the birds and bees with kids than it wouldbe to explain all the new technplogies around you!
I
amide the Guide
You're probably hopeful and skeptical about what newtechnologies mean for our children's future. Will they be . ID .
1 ! I 1 I"cybergeniuses," absorbing more information in a weekthan their parents did in a lifetime and using it to create 8
amazing new worlds? Or will they become point-and-clickzombies, their social skills and creativity zapped by the s , , ,
computer?
And for parents, perhaps the biggest technology questionof all: What can you do to guarantee your child will realizehis or her full potential in a digital world?
The truth is, you can face the future head on and youcan prepare your child for the coming decades. How?
It's more important to know how technologies shape ourworld than it is to know how every last gizmo works. Nowand tomorrow, you'll be able to focus your attention onthose technological innovations that are mostimportant to your family and your child's future.
From the diverse opportunities and challenges that tech-nology offers, we will all choose our futures. The moreyou know, the better able you'll be to help your childchoose wisely. Then, the future will be theirsand yours!
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SOCIETY + Tee 1
Bytes, m99
1 1 at is DigitalTechnol
irst, let's take a closer look atwhat we mean by the word"technology." In the most gener-
al sense of the word, a technology canbe almost any human-made device thatpeople use to accomplish somethingthey need or want to do. Technologiesare simply toolsso a harnr'ner, abook, an automobile, a pencil, and acomputer are all technologies!
However, for almost all of us, "technol-ogy" has a much more complex set ofmeanings. The 1988 book InformationAnxiety makes the interesting observa-tion that most people use the word"technology" to refer only to tools thathave come into existence during theirlifetimes. What's important aboutthe things we view as "technological"is that they usually require some kindof change in how we're used to livingour lives.
All digital technologies use binarycode at their most basic level to storeand manipulate information. Binarycode is a simple language composedonly of combinations of the numbersone and zero to store, manipulate, andtransmit information.
A single "0" or a single "1" in a binarycode is called a bit, and one byte iscomposed of 8 bits (for example, the
number "00101100"). Digital technolo-
gies can reduce any kind of information
to this formpictures, sound, numbers,words, or processes for manipulatinginformation.
Millions of bytes of digital code canbe stored on microprocessors ormicrochips made of inexpensivesilicon and wire that are tiny and light-weight enough to place in almost anyobjectmaking digital just the righttechnology for running objects large
"Today, there are over 15 billion microchipsin usethe equivalent of two powerful computers
for every man, woman, and child on the planet."Michael Malone, One Digital Day
Almost all the technologies that havepeople thinking and changing thesedays are forms of digital technology.Digital technology is the basis for allthe computers and computer-relatedtools that are so much a part of lifein our times.
.Tech SOCIETY
and small, simple and complex.Microchips are used to store digitalinformation in everything from high-
powered computers in major researchlaboratories to your clock radio.
76
Digital information can also travel fromone location to another over computercable, telephone lines, or fiber opticcable, or it can be beamed to and fromsatellites. When it finally reaches us,a series of programs in the machinethat receives the information usuallytranslates the binary code into pictures,sounds, words, or numbers.
Most of the time the digital aspect ofsomething we use is invisible to us (or"transparent" in the lingo of technologydesigners); we only experience the endresult of the technology. Yet if you wereto pull back the surface of almostevery machine you encounterfromstreetlights to heart-lung machinesyou would see digital technologieshard at work.
Why Has Digital TechnologyBecome So Important?Basically, because it's the fastest,most powerful, and most flexible wayto store, manipulate, and transmitinformation developed to date.
One of the astounding aspects of digitaltechnology is its versatility. If you wantto change the function of a digitalmachine, you don't always have to builda new oneyou can often simplyreprogram the one you have to dosomething new. In addition, a computer's
memory allows it to operate itself onceit's been programmed. In the words ofwriter Michael Malone in the book OneDigital Day, microprocessors are a"meta-invention"an invention that hasspurred the creation of thousands ofother inventions.
Incomplete) History
of Digital Technolo
your kids probably have a hard
time imagining a world withoutcomputers. Yet home computers
are only the latest evolution in a digitalstory that began back in the 1940s and'50s. Here are just a few highlights:
1940s and '50s: A scientist at MITinvents binary code in 1942. The firstcomputers*that use binary codemammoth "mainframe" machines thesize of football fieldsthat store digitalcode in thousandsof meticulouslyordered filecabinets full ofpunch-cardsarebuilt by the militaryto survey the skyfor enemy planes.
1960s: The devel-
opment of the microchipmakes it possiblefor giant mainframesto become smaller, more portable, andless expensive. At this point, digitalinformation and digital systems becomevery popular among engineers andother kinds of designers. As a result,almost every field begins to look towardcomputer technology to determine howit could serve them.
Meanwhile:the Internet is in its infancy..
Research centers and universities beginexperimenting with the idea of connect-ing computers to allow several users indifferent locations to share largeamounts of data and sophisticatedcomputer programs. In 1969, ARPANET
a network of four computers andabout 20 scientist usersstarts up.
1970s and '80s: Spurred by the
advancements of programmers andenthusiasts who had begun designingcomputer programs for games, writing,and accounting, the first personalcomputers (known as "minicomputers")
break into the consumer market. TheApple II and Radio Shack TRS-80 hit the
stores in 4.977.
In 1982, the first standardized Internetprotocol is released, providing one com-mon language for all computers in therapidly expanding network.
However, using this network stillrequires knqwledge of arcane program-ming languages, and users can only
share plaintext with eachother (no pic-tures, sound,or graphics).
' So program-
: mers set towork design-ing an inter-
face that willallow non-
programm6rs to use the network andsend and receive sounds, images,and even moving pictures. In 1989,this interfacethe World Wide Webis launched.
1990s: The advent of the parallelprocessor (a microchip that can man-age multiple functions at once) bringsunprecedented speed and power intohome computing. More power on asingle microchip means computers getsmaller and lighter and portable laptopcomputers become popular.
The establishment of the World WideWeb and Web "browsers" (using
languages like Java and HTML) that
allow your home computer to accessmultimedia-Web sites spurs anexplosion of Internet use.
At the start of the '90s, there areabout 100,000 sites connected tothe Internet worldwide. In 1993, thereare 1 million. And as of 1999, there arenearly 40 million.
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'Mhat will the technology in
your child's life look like inthe next 20 years? While it
seems that hundreds of technologyinnovations spill forth every day, thereare several major trends that underliemost of the developments that are
shaping tomorrow.
Infotech Everywhere: According tomost major future forecasts, informa-tion technology fieldscomputer hard-ware, software, communications, andinformation servicesare leading thetechnology innovations that will change
our society.
Graham Molitor, editor of theEncyclopedia of the Future, writes that"monumental investments are beingmade to develop and enhance theinformation superhighways. In theUnited States, a total of between$100 billion and $500 billion is beingcommitted over the next several years
to extend and upgrade competinginformation handling modes." In fact,it's expected that by 2008, 80 percentof people in developed countries willhave access to some sort of "informa-tion superhighway."
Convergence: If you've heard of WebTV, then you're familiar with an exampleof convergence. Convergence meansthat technologies that traditionally usedifferent kinds of electronic signals(computers, TV, radio, and phone lines)will all work off of a digital signaland thus can be combined into multi-purpose, interactive machines. Expertspredict that in just six years (by 2005)many home and office technologies willconverge to provide users with seam-less multimedia experienceswithoutjumping from one technology to another.
Tech + SOCIETY
turyTwenty-five years from now your
children's children may not even thinkof the Internet as a kind of technology,as Web technologies are integratedinto almost every machine we have.
Portability: One of the biggest .
trends in digital technology is the riseof portable digital computers that areintegrated into equipment that goeseverywhere we go, in cases that maybe no larger than your hand.
Forecasters predict that beginning
around 2010, materials that arestronger, lighter weight, and even more
durable will replace the silicon and
metal in microchips, allowing highpowered machines to become even
smaller. Researchers are currentlyworking on calculator-sized computers
and even computers that can be worn
as eyeglasses (with voice-recognition
software and video projections onto the
glasses' lenses).
ThElege Get "UITO-PC": When wethink of technology, most of us think"personal computer"that box in thecorner (or laptop case) that stores pro-grams and provides us with connec-
tions to digitally based information.However, the biggest boom in consumer
technology isn't in PCs at all, but inappliances that have some of the mostdesirable aspects of PCse-mail capa-bility, Internet access, or specific pro-
gramswithout the entire programmingstructure of a personal computer.
Digital cameras, "smart" pagers,global positioning systemsthese arethe technologies that will take digitalinformation and power out of the PCand into virtually everyone's life in thenext century.
78
Bandwidth, Bandwidth,Bandwidth: Think of bandwidth asthe plumbing of distance technologieswiring constitutes the "pipe" that alldigital information travels through to getfrom one place to another. The biggerthe "pipe," the more digital informationcan flow from one place to another.
Adequate bandwidth is the major factorin ensuring two-way voice, video, and
data transmission that provides Web
browsing that's as quick as changing
TV channels, or full-motion audio and
video-on-demand that looks and sounds
good. As communications companies
continue to upgrade their infrastructurewhether it's cable, telephone wiring, orfiber optics networksmore of us willhave access to ever-broadening band-
width in our homes and offices.
A Wireless World: It's estimatedthat by 2010, satellite feeds willbecome the most widespread form of
digital information transmission, sincesatellites don't depend on "hardwiring"(wires between two places), but can
bounce information back and forth from
satellites in orbit around the earth.This means you will be able to accesse-mail, two-way video, or your hometown
news station's broadcast from aportable device anywhere in the world
without relying on cables or wires. Many
people may use broadband wiring in
their homes and offices, and satellitefeeds when they're "on the road" with
portable technologies.
"New developments in technology changethe course of people's lives, their behaviors,
and their attitudes to the world."Coates, Mahaffie, and Hines, 2025
Standardized Digital-Protocol:It's the complaint of many frustratedcomputer users: Why can't differenttechnologies "talk" to each other?Spurred by market demand, many digitalprograms are becoming more compatible.
Nowhere is this truer than with computerprogramming languages.
Most technology developers and pro-
grammers are heading toward a single
digital protocol (a set of rules that willallow all kinds of technologies to read
each other's languages and communi-cate information easily). By the year2006, most communications systems inindustrialized countries will adopt astandard digital protocol.
Faster, More Powerful: In the'60s, Gordon Moore, the founder ofIntel, predicted that the power of themicroprocessor would double every 18months. Over the last 30 years, he'sbeen rightand his once-outlandishprediction is now known as Moore'sLaw. The power of microchips made ofnew materials is expected to be 100times more than current chips, givingnew technologies the ability to process
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www.realaudio.com: Listen to radiofrom around the world using freeReal Audio Web software.
a lot of information simultaneously. In
computer terms, this kind of processingis known as parallel processing or"neural networking" because it closelymimics the way the human brain works.
LessExpensive:In 1962, alow-pow-
ered pro-
totype ofthe per-sonal
computer
cost$20,000.Today, com-
puters that are
much more powerful
are available for less than$1,000, and microprocessors are in$10 watches. While cutting-edge sys-tems can still be pricey, many con-sumer technologies are expected tocontinue becoming more affordable tomore of the population, simply becausemore and more people want the conve-nience and choice that digital technolo-
gies can_provide in a fast-paced world.
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These are a few of the most importantdigital trends for the new millennium.But how might digital developmentschange our daily lives? And what willyour children need to know to besuccessful in the future?
On the following pages, we look atsome "possible tomorrows"and theskills your child will need to succeed.
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ouldn't it be great to have acrystal ball and see exactlywhat the next 30 years of
your child's life will be like? Well, that's, one technology that hasn't been per-fected yet. But lots of other innovationsare on the brink of coming true that willmake your child's adult life prettyamazing. And you can learn aboutmany of them now!
Futurists, computer scientists, andother experts have been extremelybusy trying to forecast what the nextcentury will bring. From their predic-tions, we've assembled the following"possible tomorrows" (and estimatedtimes of arrival) to help you imaginewhat the future may bring.
0 0 0
Home Life:The World at Your Kitchen Table
2002: Entertainment on demandbecomes common. Through convergenttechnologies like "Web TV" and digitalsatellite transmissions, you'll be ableto order up almost any movie or TVshow any time, right from a TV-top box!See www.smarthomes.com.
2005: "E-living" becomes a way oflife. You've already heard about theboom in "e-shopping" on the Web.A recent ZDNet survey revealed thatmore than 20 million Americans con-sider their Internet access "indespensi-ble"a number that's bound to growas people use low-cost, high-bandwidth
Internet services to go to school, work,bank, and do errands...even visit withfriends and family. See my.yahoo.com.
'Wee, 7 + SOCIETY
You'll be able to order up customizedclothes, mixing and matching yourfavorite colors, styles, and fabricswithout spending a fortune! The secret:computer-run manufacturing that canautomatically, quickly assemble customclothes from Web orders.
Your middle schooler graduatesfrom high school. Congratulations,parent! The teen years are (alMost)over!
2008: Personal digital assistants(also known as computer "genies" or"avatars") will be commonly used.These portable high-powered comput-ers may respond to your verbal com-mands to schedule appointments, scanyour surroundings to keep you safe, orcompile a personalized news broadcastfrom satellite transmissions.
"Genies" may use intelligent softwareto understand a wide range of humanspeech, learn from experience, and
reprogram themselves to adapt.
2009: "Virtual reality" eyeglassesmay give you a new outlook on life,combining microchips with speciallytinted lenses. Such glasses may allowyou to join interactive role-playinggames with people all around the worldwhenever you pop them on! Seewww.virtual-reality.com/vr.html.
2011: Composite materials that aredesigned using digital engineering toolswill be used for new construction. Aform of carbon known as buckminster-fullerine, or "Buckyballs"a super-pure carbon steelwill be adapted tocreate stronger, more flexible bridges,
0
skyscrapers, almost anything.Computer chips themselves will usecarbon-based components instead ofthe silicon and metal chips that arecurrently used.
2012: The first truly reliable languagetranslation computers will appear onthe market.
2016: Helpful robot servants maymake your household feel like some-thing out of The Jetsons. Or, instead ofRosie the Robot, your home may have"digital cockroaches" that scurryaround sweeping up dust from cornersand ceilings. See www.androidworld.com.
2016: 3-D holophones will requiremassive bandwidth more than anythingelse. With life-size projections of
2027: How about shape-shifting fur-niture? It may someday be possible!The science of nanoteehnology isabout shrinking computers down toatom sizeeven building them out ofindividual moleculesso they can doamazing things. .
In theory, billions of nanocomputerscould be built right into regularobjects and then programmed torearrange the object's atomic struc-ture on command, actually turning ablue table into a yellow one or eveninto a chair! But although the con-cept is based on science, so far it'sstill just a cool idea.
To learn more, visit www.foresight.org
1977: "There is no reason for any individual
to have a computer in their home."
Ken Olsen, president/founderof Digital Equipment Corp.
friends or coworkers moving around theroom, "reach out and touch someone"takes on a whole new meaning!
2018: Your child is in his or her 30s.Are you a grandparent? Retired?Planning a space shuttle trip?
a 0
Getting Around:Technology Will Move You
2007: Thanks to broadband, video-phones, and videoconferencing, muchbusiness travel will become virtual.
2009: Intelligent vehicle highwaysystems (IVHS) may somedaysqueeze more capacity out of existinglimited-access roads.
2010: Fuel-cell powered cars thatuse photons and advanced digitalsensors will appear on the market.
2019: High-speed railroads that usemagnets to levitate cars above thetracks ("maglev" trains) could linkmajor cities.
Superfast planes may go into orbitjust like the space shuttleto getpeople across the world in a few hours.
2020: Computer-managed vehicleswill bring about a different kind of dailycommute, as we leave the driving toself-driving cars. Yet telecommutingover the "Information Superhighway" willalso mean fewer people on the roads!
DON'T MISS. .
Your car will be safer, with clutches andbrakes that might be partially made ofmolasses-like liquid metal chainsthat could become more or less rigiddepending on what computer sensorsdirect it to do.
2025: Biotechnology may bring aboutself-cleaning ships with microorgan-isms that eat barnacles right off theside of the boat! Complex submersiblerobots could make remote underwaterinspections of ships' structures.
Transportation of goods, from food tofurniture may literally "go underground"with subterranean tubing systems.These networks could be inspectedand repaired by remote robots andmanaged by embedded microchips!Consequently, our surface roads maylast longer, traffic would probably bereduced, and streets could becomecleaner and quieter.
2029: A manned mission to Marswill probably begin shortly after apermanent moon base is estab-lished. Interestingly, space travel (the"final frontier")the way manyAmericans first became aware of tech-nologyis harder to forecast since it isa massive, expensive undertaking.Space travel and explorationevenstaffed outposts for living and experi-mentationall demand years of plan-ning and many millions of dollars foreven one trip.
The Encyclopedia of the Future, edited by George ThomasKurian and Graham T.T. Molitor. (Macmillan Library Reference,1996). The result of a five-year mission to explore future worldsfrom almost every angle, this two-volume set collects hundredsof predictions from every imaginable field.
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Staying Healthy:Computers That Know WhatHumans Are Made Of
The ability to use computers to mapgenes of chemicals, plants, animals,even ourselvesand then to manipu-late themwill be the major medicaldevelopment of the 21st century.
2001-2003: After decades of research,the Human Genome MappingProject will be completed. This project(the attempt to draw a map of all thegenomes that make up the humangenetic code) may be the biggest stepyet in eradicating inherited diseases.See www.ornl.gov/hgmis for more.
continued
more health decisions on their own.Already "telehealth" services help peo-ple in remote areas or those who arehousebound "visit" with doctors andnurses and get lab results to the hospi-tal. See www.telemedmag.com.
2008: New plants and animals willbe developed through genetic engineer-ing. Some of these new species ofplants may be "hyperaccumulators,"plants that can help clean up soilspolluted by heavy metals such as leadand cadmium.
Billions of tiny machines copied fromthe photosynthetic organs of plantscould scavenge excess carbon dioxide
from the air of agreenhouse-heated
planet and"metabolize" itinto free carbon,oxygen, and syn-
thetic petroleum.
"The first decade of the 21st century
will be one of the most remarkable and
productive in the history of medicine."
Cetron & Davies, Possible Tomorrows
High-speed computers have made theHuman Genome Mapping Project feasi-ble. There are so many millions ofgenomes (pieces of DNA informationthat compose a single human gene)that only incredibly fast calculationsand computer-based modeling systemscan make it possible to isolate andtest the functions of various genomecombinations.
2007: Expert computer systemsmay come into routine use as surro-gate doctors, lawyers, and other pro-fessionals. Computerized self-care willhelp people monitor their own healthas never before. People will make
Tec + SOCIETY
2012: Pesticidesand chemical
fertilizers will have declined to lessthan half of current usage due to tech-nologies that allow scientists and farm-ers to genetically engineer hardierplants.
2013: Gene therapy will emergefrom genetics research. Tinynanocomputers may be able tointerfere chemically with faulty genes.See www.gene.com/ae/AB/.
2015: Organic or alternative farmingmethods will become more wide-spread and the majority of farmers willuse these methods.
4- 8BEST COPY AVAILABLE
HOW DO PEOPLE FORECASTTHE FUTURE?
The urge to predict the future is partof human nature. People have beendoing it from their front porches oraround boardroom tables for manyyears. But some people are special-ists at it; they're called "futurists."
Futurists use a combination of scien-tific methods and imagination to fore-cast what the next 20 to 2,000 yearswill be like. They gather and analyzeinformation from the fields of history,psychology, anthropology, economics,and other areas to build "scenarios"or descriptions of what the future maybe like.
According to researchers in GeorgeWashington University's Forecast ofEmerging Technologies, "forecasts ofthe next 5 to 10 years are often sopredictable that they fall into therealm of market research, whilethose more than 30 or 40 years awayare mostly speculation."
But no forecast is perfect. Why domany fail? Often, it's not becausepeople have gone too far with theirpredictions, but because they haven'tgone far enough. Most people don'ttry to look beyond the current,accepted uses of the technologiesaround them.
Futurists note that this would be asif the inventors of the engine thoughtonly of using it to make horse-drawncarriages go faster. In fact, it took"out of the box" thinkers to imagineusing the engine for innovations likemotorcycles and jet planes!
1949: "Computers in the future may have only 1,000
vacuum tubes and weigh perhaps 1.5 tons."
2018: It is likely that scientists will beable to grow genetically similar orcloned organs.
2026: Virus-size machines will tinkerwith the DNA of a single human cell,
while slightly larger machines will floatthrough the bloodstream to chiselcholesterol from the walls of plaque-clogged arteries.
Citizenship:Make a Difference Digitally
2005: Internet votingbecomes common among
industrialized nations.Because voting tal-lies can be compiledmore quickly, and
because people cansend their votes fromanywhere, electionsmay become more fre-quent and voter turnoutmay rise.
2010: Computer-based decisionmaking and futures modeling willbecome a common tool for policymak-ers. Some such "expert systems" arealready in use today. They're high-pow-
ered computers that contain databasesof many decisions, experts' analyses,
Popular Mechanics
and statistical programs that weigh var-ious factors of a problem. They're usedin some aspects of medicine and lawalready.
2012: MEMs, or tiny digital sensors(like the ones used in today's airbags)may be used to design supersensitivelie-detector tests and trackingsystems for prisoners on parole. Seehttp://csmt.jpl.nasa.gov/csmtpages/index.html.
2014: Faster-than-ever biochips andoptical computers that use pho-
tons rather than electronsto code information will
begin to simulate theway the human brainworks in sensoryrecognition and
thought processing.
2021-2030:Nations may find
their relative influencedeclining. Worldwide
consensus will be need-ed for progress on complex,
controversial problems of population,sustainability, space development, andhuman bioengineering. As a result,closer international relations and coop-eration will be necessary to accomplishglobal goals and needs.
2050: Will intelligent computers eventually learn how to evolve andreplicate themselvesa "survival of the digital fittest"? Somecomputer scientists think it's only a matter of time until "learningcomputers" program themselves to adapt to their environments.Imagine waking up in the morning to find your home computer hasbuilt an additional computer overnight!
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on eliev t e e?Technology Raises Some Tough
elf-cleaning houses, intelligentsoftware, gene therapy...so far,this millenium stuff sounds
great. But what about the not-so-greatstuff? The cloning debate, Internetcredit-card thieves, that evil computerhacker on last night's "X-Files"?
There's no doubt that digital deviceshave made life easier, more productive,
and more interesting for most of us.Yet you don't need to be a professionalfuturist to know that new technologiescan bring problems as well as progress.
The good news is that you can helpyour child tackle tough technologyissues, now and in the future. The trickis to know the hazards. Below, wehighlight seven of the top technologychallenges for the next 30 years.
The Rules for Staying Privateand Safe Will Change. With somany digital technologies compilinginformation about our habits, our privacymay become harder to protect. On theother hand, cyberspace is a profoundly
anonymous place, as anyone who'slogged onto a chat room with a fakename can attest.
Both circumstances could create prob-lems. Our lawmakers might struggle toenforce laws to keep digital files andsearches confidential. Or people mighthave their online identities "stolen" bycomputer criminals.
We'll Be More Interdependent.As more and more systems are becom-ing "digitally intertwined," a breakdownin one machine could mean a meltdownfor many. Sophisticated computer viruses
or programming glitches may make usmore vulnerable to losing informationand services we rely on.
10 Tee + SOCIETY
uestions
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Treat the Internet like a real place. Your youngster is starting to go placesand do things independently. The Internet is just another of those places. It's
reasonable for you to know "where" your child is going online and "who" he
or she is hanging out witheven if you're not there yourself.
Keep your computer "public." Don't put computers in isolated rooms, where
kids may not have you around to guide them. Try high-traffic rooms instead.
Set dear privacy rules. Every family's rules are different. You may require
that you know your child's computer password. Or you may decide to visit the
sites your child visited by using your Web browser's "history" function.
Whatever you decide, be sure everyone knows the rules before logging on.
Emphasize good manners. Talk with your child about good taste and consid-
eration for others when they create Web pages or e-mail messages. Also
encourage your child to talk with you if they're concerned about something a
friend is doing online.
Road-test content blocking software. If you have content-blocking softwareon your compute; regularly try "forbidden" search items to make sure it'sworking.
Remind your child not to share identifying informationsuch as lastname, address, telephone number, school name, or credit card informationwithout your permission.
Help your child set boundaries. Tell children not to respond to online mes-sages that make them uncomfortable, and to come to you or an adult theytrust if they see something online that concerns them. Also remind them
never to meet someone they've met online unless they have permission and
go with a trusted adult.
To learn more, visit:
The Parents' Guide to the Information Superhighway, published by theChildren's Partnership, at www.childrenspartnership.org
The American Library Association's America Links Up! Project at www.ala.org
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's cybersafety resourcesat www.missingkids.com
"The future will offer more opportunity and less
security. Virtually every trend I see verifies this."
Richard Worzel, The Next 20 Years of Your Life
:;3;C S. Technology
gives us more information and morecontrol than ever before, which meanswe'll need to make more decisionsabout to how to use our new abilities.
Many ethical decisions will occur on thehealth front. For example, biotechnology
may enable doctors to alter a baby's
genes before it is born or even after-
wards. But should they? These issues,
and many others, will continue to be
controversial. The next century will
require thoughtful decisions about tech-
nology's ethical dimensions every day.
It Will Be Harder to SeparateWhat's "Real" From What'sNot. Wider access to virtual realitytechnology could make it hard formost of us to figure out if a digitalnews report is real or just the fictionof a clever computer artist.
In addition, as more people usetechnology to filter the informationthey get, many people may receiveunbalanced information about theworld around them. It will be impor-tant for your children to determinewho's creating the information thatcomes into their life, judge its reliability,and seek multiple perspectives.
We'll Keep Speeding Up.Nearly everyone these days feels atleast some strain trying to keep upwith the pace that technology sets. Injust a few short years, our society hasgone from expecting letters to bedelivered within a few weeks (traditional
mail) to overnight (Fed Ex) to same-day
(fax) to almost instantly (e-mail).
Emerging high-speed technologies willcontinue this trend. Technology's anytime, any where" benefits will be abun-dant. But this fast, information-heavylifestyle can be stressful, too.
We'll Work Harder to Balancethe Social Vs. the Solo.As technology brings more resourcesinto the home (for work or play), peoplewill continue to spend less face-to-facetime with each other. Yet humans arestill social beings; it's hard to knowwhat we gain and what we lose whenmore of our relationships becomevirtual. Your kids may need to workharder to ensure they spend enoughtime with "real" people.
There Will Always Be
Unexpected Consequences.It would be nice to be able to predictevery change that every new technolo-gies will bring into our lives. But forbetter or worse, life isn't that way. Newtechnologies always bring changes wecan't anticipate.
For example, when the radio was firstinvented, most people thought it wouldbe used just like the telegraph hadbeen: to send and receive urgent infor-mation between two parties. But itwasn't long before radio had becomea totally different, mass-mediaresourceand totally transformedour society.
Science fiction and science fact aresometimes eerily similar. As we learnfrom the past, we get better at forecast-ing the possible benefits and problemsof the future. Yet 21st-century citizenswill still need to look out for the unex-pected uses and unforeseen results ofeach new technological development.
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hat am I supposed to do aboutall this?" is likely to be racing
through your mind. After all, you can'tteach your child to use computerprograms that haven't even beeninvented yet!
The good news, say many futurists, isthat you don't need to. What we need,they say, are lifelong learning skills.
"Lifelong learning." You've probablyheard that phrase before. It soundscatchy, but what does it really mean?On the simplest level, it means that inorder for your child to be successful inthis ever-changing, high-tech world, he
or she can't stop learningever.
Yet lifelong learning skills aren't newskills or ones that only a "chosen few"can understand. In fact, you may besurprised to learn that these skills attheir most basic level aren't "technologyskills" at all. Why? Because technolo-gies are changing so fast and there isno "one-size-fits-all" body of technologyknowledge.
To help get you started, here's anoverview of 21st-century, lifelonglearning skills.
The first skill is information literacy.To master this skill, your child will needto know how to:
Find information using many resourcesThere's a lot of information out thereand many different places to find it.Lifelong learners search in books,CD-ROMs, databases, videos, theInternet, and one very valuableresourceother people. They knowthe importance of using a variety ofresources.
12 'real + SOCIETY
nt ryAssess, analyze, andinterpret informationLifelong learners know they needto rely on more than just their gutfeelings to help them make gooddecisions. New technologies mayhelp them quickly gather hugeamounts of data, but they determinewhich information is most important.Then they ask themselves, Whatdoes this information really mean?How will I use it to make this deci-sion? Are the sources accurate?
Understand information presentedin numbersThese learners aren't Einsteins;they're just good at interpretingnumbersan increasingly importantskill in a statistic-heavy age. Whetherthey're using pocket calculators ornumber-crunching computers, theyare comfortable using technology toobtain data and statistics.
See behind the "techno-hype" todecide if information is validInformed learners are like detectives,carefully examining each source tofigure out whether the information isaccurate. They don't get sidetrackedby slick words or fancy graphics.And they recognize when informationis one-sided or misleading.
The second skill has to do with some-thing we deal with every dayproblemsolving. You'll need to teach yourchild to:
Identify and analyze problemsWith technologies changing virtuallyevery day, good problem solvers haveto think "outside the box." Once theyidentify a problem, they can take itapart to figure out the various piecesand solutions.
86
Make decisions based onsound reasoning, relevant data,and ethical principlesNew technologies provide manybenefits; however, when a problemarises, it's often one that nobody hasever had to solve before. Good prob-lem solvers examine an issue carefullyfrom all angles, asking themselves,Do I have enough information? Is thisthe right decision to make?
Skill three, collaboration, requiresthat your child can:
Work well with a variety of peoplewho have different views, opinions,and stylesTechnology is truly making our world a"global village." People who are goodcollaborators respect and welcomedifferent opinions, backgrounds,beliefs, learning styles, and workingstyles of others. They determinethe strengths and talents of eachteam member. They also help othersuse technology to shore up weak-nesses and work together over timeand distance.
Skill four, good communication,means that your child needs to be"fluent" in three communication stylesto get their message across:
WrittenGood writers organize their thoughtsclearly and are concise in presentingtheir ideas, whether writing a letteron a word processor or sending ane-mail message.
VerbalGood speakers talk clearly to others,whether it's in person or throughsome form of technology, such asdistance learning or videoconferencing.
VisualGood communicators use technologyto create presentations, Web pages,and 3-D simulations to make theirmessages-visually-appealing_and__to help get complex points across.
The fifth skill is self-directed learn-ingbeing responsible for yourself.Your lifelong learner should be
learning to:
student learns by watching a video ore-mailing questions to a roboticsengineer.
Assess whether they've mettheirgoals-These learners can assess howwell they've learned something andwhether or not they need to do moreexploring. They ask themselves, Did Imeet my goals? What should I do
better next time?
"In a time of drastic change, it is thelearners who will inherit the future."
Prioritize what they want to learnGood learners know in order to getanything accomplished, they haveto look at their tasks and goals toidentify what they need to learn now.With all the advances in technology,trying to learn too many new skills atonce can make your child a jack of alltrades, but a master of none.
Take initiative for learning new thingsDistance learning, online courses,and interactive technologies give usmore control than ever over what wecan learn. Self-directed learners don'twait for a teacher or boss to tell themwhat they need to know.
Organize multiple tasksSelf-directed learners are good atorganizing tasks, projects, andinformation to avoid becoming over-whelmed. They may use calendar soft-ware or hand-held digital organizers tokeep track of their appointments anddeadlines. They use technology tomake the most of the time theyhave, wherever they are.
Use the best learning style fordifferent circumstancesSelf-directed learners recognize howand when they learn best. For example,two students decide to learn aboutrobots. They each choose a technologydesigned to meet their individuallearning needs. One of the studentsmay use a CD-ROM while the other
Eric Hoffer
The sixth skill yourchild needs to learn inthis rapidly changingworld is adaptability.The smart learnerknows that you have
to keep trying new things. Adaptablelearners should be:
Willing to try new technologies andlearning experiencesLike the Boy Scouts, adaptablelearners like to be pre-pared." They keep an eyeon the future so thatthey're ready when newtechnologies or learningexperiences come along.They're always asking,How can this help me? Howwill it change my life? What'snext?
PersistentPersistent learners take after TheLittle Engine That Could. When theytry to learn a new skill or information,they don't stop when they meet withfailure. They are patient when learn-ing new technologies and realize thatpractice makes perfect.
Flexible. creative and open-mindedthinkersAdaptable learners always want toknow "How?" and "What if'?" Theyhave a great sense of curiosity thatencourages them to examine thingsfrom many angles and not just theones that seem most obvious. Theylike to think ahead and imagine whatnew technologies could be justaround the corner.
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st Forward. .
Parents and 'uturists Talk About What WorksFascinated by computers?Baffled by fuel cells? Captivatedby CAT scans and MRIs?
Nervous about cloning experiments?
According to Bill Halal, a futurist atGeorge Washington University, "You
haven't seen anything yet. This is just
the beginning of what is to come."
No doubt about it. It's a different worldout there than it was when we grew up.
Whether you find that exciting or
unnerving may depend upon how your
family "gets a grip" on the technologyin our lives.
When Chicagoan Greg Paraschos was in
high school, computers were just being
considered. Indiana resident Maria
Pimentel-Gannon remembers taking
computer programming in college. Now
both are parents of middle schoolers
who perceive technology (whether it's a
cordless phone, TV, or a computer) as a
way of life. Greg's kids can't imaginelife without it. "They seem to think thatwe were raised in the stone age,"laughs Greg. His two middle schoolers
(one boy, one girl) are just getting into
computers while Maria's daughters have
been using them for some time now.
But no matter what the level of theirkids' computer expertise, these parentsrecognize the importance of technology
in their children's lives and their needto support that learning. "I don't thinkthere is any question that the mostimportant thing to do is to learn how touse computers," remarks futuristGraham Molitor. "That is so critical forbeing able to cope in the information-
dominated environment that our young-
sters are going to be looking at in the
years ahead."
14 Neel + SOCIETY
One thing parents probably shouldn'tdo is worry too much about how com-fortable their kids will be with comput-ers. The kids certainly don't worry. "Thekids I see all take to computers likefish to water," says Halal. "Most kidsnow have access to computers andunderstand and use the Internet. Youdon't have to do much to get them toadapt to that. Just provide them theequipment and they pick it up fromtheir friends and courses in theirschools. They thrive on it."
That doesn't mean that kids don'tneed their parents when it comes tocomputers. On the contrary, there areextra steps only parents can take tostart preparing their children for ahigh-tech future.
Step 1:Use Technology to Connect
When the Pimentel-Gannons team upto use the computer, they get to dis-cover more about their common inter-ests. "We all love to learn, and wespend a lot of time sharing knowledgewith each other." What Maria's doingwhen she works with her daughters onthe computer is modeling collaboration.And modeling is one of the mosteffective parenting strategies you canusewith or without technology!
Greg Paraschos notes,"Even when ourfamily's just playing computer games,I try to show my kids I recognize howwell they're learning to use technology."Gene Roth, professor of education atNorthern Illinois University, thinks it'svitally important for parents to dothings that help their kids recognizethat they are capable learners in andout of school. An expert on lifelonglearning, Gene feels that often "we
'1, Yti 88
tend to overlook all of the times peoplelearn in family, in community, in church,at play, and at work. Parents can helptheir children broaden their concepts ofthemselves as learners so that theyrealize that they are already successfullearners."
Finally, if you're feeling daunted bycomputers, Halal suggests it can behelpful to connect with other parentswho also want to learn about technology.
Step 2:Hands-On Opportunities Help
The Paraschos's don't have a computerat home, but that doesn't stop themfrom giving their kids opportunities forhands-on learning. According to Greg's
wife, Theresa, the kids are the firstones out the door when she heads tothe library. While she looks for books,they head straight for the computers.Greg remembers, "My parents alwaystold me, 'If you can read and write, youcan do anything.' Today maybe it's, 'Youcan do anything if you can read, write,and use a computer."
The younger Paraschos's don't mindgoing to work with Theresa onSaturdays. They know they can use hercomputer to log onto the Internet whileshe's working. And the Paraschos's aremindful of how important it is to takeadvantage of learning opportunitieswhere the whole family can participate.They regularly take their kids to muse-ums, the zoo, forest preserves, andthe aquarium.
Step 3:Talk About Ethical Issues
Is science fiction becoming non-fiction?As advances in technology take placeworldwide, today's parents have toconfront issues their parents nevereven imagined. For a lot of families,this means spending time exploring thekinds of ethical and spiritual dimen-sions the future may hold. Technologyhas brought about many unexpectedchanges: cloning, "designer babies,"and life support for ill patients.
Maria uses topics her daughters areinterested in to discuss importantissues. "We've talked a lot about themovie Armageddon," remarks Maria."We talk about those kinds of moviesfrom a spiritual point of view. We'vealso discussed cloning and whether ornot mankind should have the capabili-ties of determining which humanbeings will live." At theParaschos's house, bothTheresa and Greg talkwith their children about"the darker side" of theInternetsafety issues,mostly.
"Knowledge increases when shared."
Step 4:Start With What'sMost Interesting to You
It's a lifelong learning fact: peoplelearn best when they're learning thingsthat are directly relevant to their lives.So, start by learning about future tech-nologies that are most interesting toyour family. Don't force yourself tolearn every new technology justbecause someone else tells you it'simportant or you'll get overwhelmed.
Greg and Theresa's family is interestedin outer space, so they look for educa-tional television programs about spacetravel and visit museums that haveexhibits on the space program. Qn theother hand, Maria says her daughtersare "very artisticthey love to createbeautiful greeting cards and poetrywith the computer, so we do that mostoften when the girls aren't using thecomputer for homework."
As these parents have found, it may bea different world out there, but thatdoesn't make it something to fear. Ifwe're prepared and willing to keeplearning, we can look forward to suc-cessful and fulfilling lives.
Not convinced yet? Well, if you're notsure you want to take our word for it,take futurist Bill Halal's instead: "There
are no limits to what you can dotoday....Anybody can gain
access to knowledge thatthey need to accomplishwhatever they want....The limits are only theones in your imagina-tion, skills, and personal
commitment. It is impor-tant that kids understand
that, literally, they canachieve their dreams."
89
rvlov M/All 8RI *F
Bill Halal, futurist
FIVE WAYS TECHNOLOGY CANHELP YOUR FAMILY GET CLOSER
InformationYou can learn a lotabout parenting, the teen years,and education through Web sites,educational CD-ROMs (available atcomputer and book stores), andthrough e-mail listservs on parent-ing. (Visit www.topica.com's compre-hensive index of e-mail listservs).
CommunicationTechnology canhelp busy families connect with eachother via e-mail, voice mail, pagers,or Web pages, especially if extendedfamilies live at a distance or somemembers of the family work oddhours.
Common GroundComputers can beone of your common interests, whereyou and your child learn together,and a tool you can each use inways that are relevant to you.
Time TogetherSimply spendingtime in front of the computertogether, shopping for a computer,or discussing what you've foundonline provides you and your childwith valuable time together, whichis particularly important during themiddle school years.
Fast ForwardingUsing and talkingabout technology with your child isa good starting point for discussingthe future: What do they want to do?How does technology fit into theirdreams? What do they need to learnor experience to make thosedreams come true?
SOCIETY + Tee, 15
milt' Fun Page...Just a Little More
47% of today's teens are going online. While they're there, 83%use e-mail; 51% play games; 38% have their own Web pages.
Newsweek magazine, May 10, 1999
Questions for Reflection...S
Our family's visions for using technologyto learn over the next few years...
1.
2.
3.
Our "family rules" for using technology safely and intelligently...
1.
2.
3.
How we will get access to technologies that interest us ...
1.
2.
3.
Our favorite Web sites (this week!)...
1.
2.
3.
Run, FascinatiWish SoF,so ng
www.yahoo.comMaintains
an extensive"Millen
lum" Indexwith tons of sites on the year 2000and the future in general.
Thinkwww. thinkquest.org
educQuest is an internationalational initiative
for kidsages 12-19.Think Quest challenges
kidsinnovative,educational to. create
Web sites.
Gadzillion/ThikhtmYou think
you havemind alread enough
on yourto Thin y? Wll, A Gadallon
Things-k Ato ponder.
bout really givesYoU somethingThis Web site features
over5,000 questionson topics suchas technology,
health, sports,and morethan 100 others.
Great Sitwww.ala.org
es lists hundredsof kid-friendlysites selected
by theAmericanLibrary Association.
ww.techtales.comTechnology
can be Just for laughs!. Visit this site to readthe funniesttech support storieson the Internet."
You probably see and hear lots of "techterms" in the news, at work, and at yourchild's school. Want the low-down on whatthose high-falutin' words really mean?Here's a quick primer ...
Applications see "Software."
Bandwidth refers to how much data canbe transferred over your Internet connectionin a specific amount of time. Think ofbandwith as the "pipe" or "highway" thatdata travels on from one computer toanother...the greater the bandwith, thefaster your connection.
Browsers or Web Browsers are softwareprograms that let you find, see, and hearmaterial on the World Wide Web, includingtext, pictures, sound, and video. NetscapeNavigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer arepopular browsers.
A CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read OnlyMemory) is a computer disk that can storelarge amounts of informationmuch morethan a floppy disk can. Everything fromcomputer games to entire encyclopediascan be found on CD-ROMs.
The Central Processing Unit, or CPU,can be considered the "brains" of yourcomputer. It consists of one or more circuitboards inside a computer that do most ofyour computer's work.
A Chat Room is a location on the Internetor Web that allows users anywhere to com-municate almost instantaneously by typing,sending, and reading messages.
Domain Name see "URL."
To Download means to copy a file fromone computer system to another.
E-mail (electronic mail) refers to a way ofsending messages electronically from onecomputer to another, generally through amodem and telephone line that areconnected to a computer.
Fiber Optics are little plastic or glass"threads" that use light to send digitalinformation even more quickly thanelectrical wires or cables can.
A Floppy Disk is a small, plastic diskcoated in a magnetic substance; it's used tostore computer data.
Hardware is a term for the nuts, bolts,and wires of computer equipment. Centralprocessing units, monitors, and modemsare common pieces of hardware.
GlossarA Home Page is the starting point on aparticular group or organization's WorldWide Web site (which typically consists ofmultiple "pages").
A Hypertext Link is a way to connect aWeb page to other pages that have relatedcontent. A link is usually underlined, andwhen you click on it you connect to the sitewithout having to know or type its Webaddress (or URL).
HTML (Hypertext Mark-up Language) is aset of commands that tells a Web browserprogram how the Web page currently beingviewed should look on your computer'sscreen.
The Internet is a worldwide network ofcomputers people can use to gather anddisplay information, and to communicatewith one another. Using the World Wide Webis a popular way to explore the Internet.
Information Technology is the field of workand study that deals with processing andmanaging information and data using com-puters and related technology. It includeseverything from Web design to computerprogramming.
Interactive Programs give you individual-ized results from your computer, dependingon what information or action you enter intothe program. Computer games and chatrooms are interactive programs.
Internet Service Provider (ISP) is ageneric term for a company that connectsyou directly to the Internet through itsserver. You use an ISP to connect onto theInternet every time you log on.
The Keyboard refers to the part of thecomputer that resembles a typewriter. Youuse it to enter and change information.
A Microprocessor or Microchip is asmall, integrated electronic circuit thatcan perform all the tasks of a centralprocessing unit (CPU)store information,do calculations, etc.
A Modem is a device that allows computersto transmit information to one another viaan ordinary telephone line by changingdigital (electronic) signals to telephone("analog" or soundwave) signals and thenback to digital signals.
A Monitor is the part of the computer thatresembles a television screen; it's whereyou see your work.
A Mouse is a small device attached to thecomputer by a cord that lets you give yourcomputer directions by moving a pointeraround your computer screen.
Multimedia refers to programs that cancombine text with pictures, sounds, andvideo. The World Wide Web is the multimediaversion of the Internet.
A Network refers to two or more computersthat are connected and can share informa-tion. Those in the same or nearby buildingsare called local area networks or intranets;those that are farther away are called widearea networks. The Internet is a result ofconnecting networks all over the world.
Online Services are companies that offermembers partial or full Internet/Web access."Subscriber services" offer their membersspecial services in addition to internetaccess.
Operating System see "Software."
Peripheral Devices refer to any part of acomputer other than the central processingunit (CPU). Disks, keyboards, monitors, andprinters are all peripheral devices.
A Program is a sequence of instructionsthat tells a computer how to perform a taskor function. Also see "Software."
Search Engines are Web pages that makeit easy for you to find things on the Internetby allowing you to search for information bytyping in keywords or topic areas.
A Server is a powerful networked computerthat can send and receive information to andfrom many different computers at once.
Software refers to a computer programor set of instructions. Operating systemsoftware operates the computer hardwareitself and is invisible to you. Applicationsoftware performs specific activities, suchas word processing, games, Web pages, orspreadsheets.
Telecommunications is the science thatdeals with sending and receiving digitalsignals over large distances so people cancommunicate. Telecommunications includeseverything from e-mail to digital cellularphones.
The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) refersto the address of a site on the Internet. Italso is called a domain name.
The World Wide Web (Web or WWVV) isa hypertext-based network of Internet sitesand browsers that provide multimedia, notjust text. These pages have "www" at thefront of their URLs (e.g., www.parentech.org). Most Internet sites these days areWeb pages.
[T'erenTech is about...
The way we learn... Technoio + Education
The way we work.. Technology + Careers
The way we live... Technology + Society
A Partnership of Ameritech and NCREL
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
1900 Spring Road, Suite 300
Oak Brook, IL 60523-1480 -NCRELNorth Central Regional Educellonal Lebo...tory
'Applying Research and Technology to Loaning'
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