Technology

Technology in the 21st Century

Technology is uniquely positioned to transform learning, foster critical thinking, creativity and innovation, and to prepare students to thrive in the global economy. As engaged digital learners, students are able to acquire and apply content knowledge and skills through active exploration, interaction and collaboration with others.

In the Morris School District at the K-2 grades we are fortunate to have computers in all homerooms as well as computer labs as part of our well stocked media centers. On our equipment various software support all areas of learning- electronic storybooks “read” stories in multiple languages, adventure games foster problem solving skills, story-making programs encourage literacy and creativity, and science activities promote classification and understanding of the world from a young child’s perspective. As early as Kindergarten, children become familiar with the use of pull-down menus to launch programs, negotiate menus and interfaces, and successfully use computers, digital cameras, create stories and look up facts. The use of technology is blended with face-to-face instruction and is in balance with other activities and routines. In the intermediate grades, with computers in every classroom as well as computer labs in all of our schools, students develop and understand the purpose of and are able to use various computer applications. They continue to develop information literacy skills and increasingly use technology to communicate with others to support and enhance content knowledge and skills while recognizing the need for cyber safety and acceptable use policy. In our middle and high schools, students expand their capacity to use operations and applications, apply information literacy skills and select the appropriate tools and resources to accomplish a variety of tasks as they develop digital citizenship. Students also investigate the impact of technology systems, understand the design process and use it for problem solving. Furthermore, participation in online learning communities builds understanding of the perspectives of other learners. Many of our students take part in specialized technology courses that forward the design process in the development of a product(s) and go on to solve design challenges and/or build prototypes using the design process.

Media Specialists and the Educational Technology Specialists of the Morris School District designed and composed our technology curriculum to comply with the Technology Literacy requirements of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. The design of our curriculum is more rigorous than that mandated by the state. Our technology curriculum is intended to be utilized and integrated with all the other approved curricula in order to meet our district’s technology goals.