EDUCATI ONAL T E CHNOLOG Y A DVOCAC Y NEWS FROM WASHI NG T ON DC
B Y PAM S HO E MAK E R, JON M ARG E RUM-LEY S
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved a bipartisan version of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) re-authorization legislation on a 15-7 vote in mid-October. Educational technology advocates won one notable victory – the inclusion of the Achievement Through Technology and Innovation Act (ATTAIN) in the base bill – while other efforts to support educational technology by adding language and programs were deferred.
The ATTAIN Act supports technology professional development, technology-rich classrooms and student technology literacy. Given today’s competitive global economy and schools’ increased need for technology resources, it has never been more important for schools to have a separate, directed funding program based on improving education through technology such as ATTAIN.
Before this bill reaches the Senate floor, it will undergo a second round of negotiations on a final manager’s package, during which ATTAIN and other new educational technology language will be on the bargaining table. By the time this MACUL Journal arrives in your mailbox or on your computer screen, we should know whether ATTAIN survived throughout the Senate negotiations as a separately authorized program within the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Keep abreast of this situation and other matters relating to national educational technology policies by visiting the ETAN Website at
http://www.edtechactionnetwork.org/.
Students and Teachers Advocate for Ed Tech at the AT&T/ MACUL Student Technology Showcase at the Lansing State Capitol
From Ludington to St. Claire, kindergarten to high school, 12 |
students of all ages from 35 schools across Michigan showed legislators how they use technology to help them learn during the 11th annual AT&T/MACUL Student Technology Showcase. Teachers brought teams of students to share projects that were created incorporating a variety of technology. Students led the way on the presentations, eagerly showing their work to legislators, teachers, fellow students, and everyone walking the halls of the Capitol. The projects clearly show how technology impacts student learning in all areas of the curriculum.
Projects presented included the following:
● The Pledge of Allegiance figured prominently in two very different projects. Mrs. Felczak’s second grade students from Detroit Service Academy videotaped themselves saying the Pledge and assembled all of the students’ videos on iPads for viewing. At Maple Valley, students working online
Detroit Service Academy
through the Michigan Virtual High School are learning American Sign Language. They demonstrated the Pledge of Allegiance as it is communicated through ASL.
● Clarkston Junior High demonstrated their use of netbooks and Google applications to link core courses. All core courses are taught using the netbooks; teachers upload
Conference 2012 | MACULJOURNAL
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