PHOTOS: Technology Showcase Gives Glimpse into 21st Century Classrooms

When I was a journalism major in college in the late 80s, we literally cut and pasted articles in class that we had typed up on electric typwriters in the center of the room.

How amazing is it then that a scant 25 years later, children in kindergarten classrooms are working on laptops with programs like ToonDo and Storybirds to develop phonemic, writing and comprehension skills.

The showed off all the technolgy that students in both schools work with each day -- from Movie Maker and SMART Boards to Medibotics -- at the Technology Showcase on Feb. 28 at

Over 100 parents and students explored the many classrooms outfitted with equipment and manned by the district's teaching staff to learn how technology has been introduced into the district's curriculum and how those tools could be translated to be used at home

Here's a rundown of all that was on display:

1.    Home/School “Reading” Connection

• Reading Eggs - The Reading Eggs online program focuses on a core reading curriculum of phonics and sight words using skills and strategies  essential for sustained reading success.
• Raz Kids – Raz Kids is an online leveled library used to improve students’ reading skills by listening for modeled fluency, reading for practice, recording their reading, and checking comprehension with quizzes.
• Tumblebooks – TumbleBook Library is an online collection of animated, talking, picture books which teach young children the joys of reading in a format they love.

2.    Home/School “Study” Connection

• Study Island – This web-based program includes instruction, practice, assessment and reporting built from New Jersey’s standards. It also includes rigorous academic content that is both fun and engaging.
• Gmail - These email accounts allow 4th-8th grade students to work collaboratively on GoogleDocs. Gmail also enables online communication between students as well as between teachers and students.
• Spelling City - These online learning activities and games for elementary and middle school students develop spelling, vocabulary, grammar, etc.
• Destiny - This online library resource provides students and parents with at home access to our catalog of books for all students.

3. Gizmos

• Gizmos – This is an online repository of math and science simulations for grades 3-8.

4.    Presentation Creation

• Prezi – This cloud-based application has a zoomable canvas to introduce and present ideas.
• Glogster – This online, interactive, poster program can incorporate text, music and videos.
• Movie Maker – Students create original digital stories using various media elements.

5.    Game Shows with Senteos

• Senteo Clickers – This is an interactive response system whereby students anonymously key in answers to questions with their wireless remote. Responses are immediately tallied on the projection screen, whiteboard, or SMART board.

6.    Creative Connection

• Nursery Rhyme Creation – These online creations promote phonemic awareness skills.
• ToonDoo – With this program, students use their imagination to create online cartoons.
• Storybirds – With this online application, students create short, art-inspired stories to share, read, and print. They read them like books, play them like games, and send them like greeting cards.
• Wordle – This is an online program for generating “word clouds” from student typed text.

7.    SMART Boards

• SMART Board Applications – There are numerous interactive lessons to promote student engagement and
  achievement.

8.    Digital Revolution

• Digital Art Work – Middle School students take digital photographs and use a computer program to digitally enhance the pictures in unique and artistic ways. 4th grade digital photography will be showcased.

9. Medibotics 

• Medibotics – Students who are enrolled in this 8th grade class investigate and learn about engineering, robotics, and how this technology is used in the field of medicine. Students utilize the Engineering Design Process to create a robot that will perform a simulated surgery.