KENNEBUNK — Leaning over to speak into their iMacs’ microphones, students in the Middle School of the Kennebunks’ computer class record introductions for their new podcast projects.
“Hi, this is (insert student’s name), and welcome to episode No. 1 of my podcast,” the sixth-grade students said in their recordings Tuesday, during a lesson from their computer literacy teacher, Nick Shuman.
On the forefront of technology advancements, the class exemplifies Regional School Unit 21’s overall mindset of supporting high-tech applications and gadgetry.
Thanks to the RSU’s willingness to take risks when it comes to electronics, it was ranked No. 4 on a national survey released last month recognizing excellence in district and school board technology use.
“I wasn’t surprised about us being on the list,” said Shuman, of the survey conducted by the Center for Digital Education and National School Boards Association.
The RSU competed against others all across the country in the “2011-12 Digital School Districts Survey,” in the “small population” category ”“ districts with 3,000 students or fewer enrolled. The main focus of the analysis was on public access to district information through technology, but it also recognized the incorporation of electronics in teaching and learning.
“The fact that you can record your voice and post it online is exciting,” said MSK sixth-grade student Max LeBlanc after the class.
LeBlanc’s classmates agreed.
“We use technology like this in our other classes and it’s really interesting,” said Evie Roop, another sixth-grade student.
Shuman’s class prepares students for when they enter seventh and eighth grade, where they will each be given a take-home laptop for school work. Shuman utilizes the latest computer applications, such as 99-cent Apple store software, GarageBand and iMovie.
“When I can see what the students can do with the programs, it’s great,” said Shuman.
Other than teachers, school administrators and staff support personnel brought about an initiative to bring the school system to their high rank for technology use nationally.
RSU 21 trailed in the survey behind Springville-Griffith Institute Central Schools in New York, Gooding Joint School District No. 231 in Idaho and Harrisburg School District in South Dakota.
The Center for Digital Education is a national research institute specializing in K-12 and higher education technology trends, according to its website. According to the NSBA website, it is a nonprofit organization advocating for excellence in public education.
Within the last few years, MSK and other schools in RSU 21 have taken large strides to make parents and locals more aware of meetings, sports games, events and accomplishments.
Typing in a couple short sentences, secretary Sandy Heinbach can update MSK’s Twitter page, letting visitors know everything from breaking news at the school to event reminders. The most recent post, as of Thursday, was a tweet announcing that yearbooks are on sale for $24.
Heinbach said besides Twitter, the school’s AlertNow system, which sends emails to all of the school’s parents at once, gives them another option to receive messages if they don’t check MSK’s website on a regular basis.
“I can’t imagine operating without it,” she said.
While the district’s elementary schools don’t have Twitter pages, they do have slick, easy-to-read websites. Viewers can look under the categories of general news, future facility projects and school-specific calendars for information on any upcoming event.
The website also streams audio and live video podcasts for those who can’t make it to school board and district committee meetings.
“People want to have immediate access to information and be connected to the schools,” said RSU 21 Information Technology Director Jason Saltmarsh, in a prepared statement last week. “We provide the digital tools to make that possible.”
According to the survey’s website, 75 percent of its responding school districts have one or more social networking websites, with 43 percent of them creating the pages within the last year and a half.
In addition, the survey found nearly 65 percent of its responding districts have digital content in their curriculums, including e-textbooks, instructional games, podcasts and music lectures.
For more information about the technology survey, visit centerdigitaled.com.
— Staff Writer Matt Kiernan can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 326 or mkiernan@journaltribune.com.
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