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Tech Clubs |
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| Tech Clubs |
Tech Clubs
Tech Clubs
Kids love technology, and kids love clubs. If you start any type of technology club, you will most likely have an overwhelming response of kids who want to join.
I have had technology clubs that met in the mornings before school, and clubs that met after school. This is a typical yearly club list for my school:
SWAT Team - Students install Windows updates and eliminate spyware on teacher
computers.
PROMOTE Georgia - Students create curriculum based web pages as part of a
state project.
News Show - Students plan and video the school news show.
Video Editors - Students edit videos for the news show and other projects.
GenYes - Students plan lessons and assist
teachers with learning how to integrate technology.
Shutterbugs - Students learn how to use digital cameras and set up and frame
photographs.
Teacher's Helpers - Students create technology resources for teachers to use.
There are lots of other activities that kids can do during club time. Be aware that clubs take more planning than class time.
To help you choose which students to include in your clubs, you may want to have some type of selection process. I've found it helpful to include these criteria: School attendance, references from teachers, technology skills, and enthusiasm. Verify attendance. You want to include students who are committed and responsible. You also need to consider parents' willingness to bring students to school early or pick students up late. Get brief references from teachers to determine if the student is a quick learner, or if he/she works well with a group of kids. Do a short inventory to judge technology skills. I will give a child a piece of paper that I've done in Word. This paper includes a title with font color changed, size changed, graphic added, and something centered. I ask the student to duplicate what I've done. I also ask that the student include a paragraph telling me why he/she wants to be in the club. If the student can duplicate my work, I know they have basic tech skills. I'm not as rigid when requiring skills, if the student's reason for wanting to be in the club is a good one. Some students may not have the skills, but can easily pick up the skills if their enthusiasm and dedication are high enough.
Once you choose your students, get a parent's permission. A simple letter explaining the purpose of the club, meeting dates, and times will suffice. You should also get the parent's phone number in case you have an after hours club and need to contact the parents to remind them to pick kids up.
Below are some links to other sites with club ideas, as well as ideas sent to me by other tech teachers. If you have any good tips, please let me know!
| I have a small group of
Grade 6 students who meet two lunch hours a week to prepare an entry for
the CyberFair 2003 competition. We call it "CyberFair". There are eight
terrific categories to choose from in the CyberFair competition- we
chose the "Historical Landmarks" category. Our school is situated on a
former Canadian Armed Forces base and we are researching the World War
One battles that the streets surrounding our school are named after.
Each student will be creating a web page (using FrontPage) to house the
writing for their particular battle. This has been a very interesting
topic for all of us.
We started early in January (I wish we had started somewhere around October) and it has been a great experience. The kids are working on something that has a distinct purpose and the competition part of the task seems to spur them on. We will be entering the Multimedia Mania competition with this work as well. I am keeping them motivated by adding some "perks" to the project. We will be visiting a military museum to enhance their battle research (during school time), the students will be recording WW One soldier diary entries (using their voices) and we will be embedding the sound files into their web page, we will have a work bee one evening after school (and will order in pizza) and if we need the time we might even have a CyberFair sleepover at the school so we can meet the March 21st deadline. I have a feeling that when I offer this club again next year, I will have a larger number of students respond! As participants in CyberFair
2003, the students will be required to evaluate several entries to this
competition. Over the past two years I have had my students do this (I
haven't ever entered the competition before this year) and it is a
really worthwhile exercise. Kids use the CyberFair rubric and it really
makes them think about what constitutes a quality web page. Last year I
wrote an article for Education World about this student evaluation
activity. if you'd like to read it, go to: Here is a link to the
CyberFair web site: We have done an on-line project that involved spreadsheets, and are currently working on Office basics and tricks. I am in the process of having them go to one of the sites out there that will let them play with telerobots and telescope manipulation...just for fun. We will be doing a bit of browser configuration on the lab computers this week. I am thinking of taking a different approach next year. I may use the club as a technology basics club that would meet for 12 weeks and then end. Then a new group of students could start for the next 12 weeks and so on. I would like to teach the basics of computing using the Office products and Inspiration which we have on the network here. Many of my students don't have the skills they need when we go to the lab, and we don't have tech classes during the day. I might also have some of that time for keyboarding since many can't type either. Our web site is: http://www.dowlingcentral.com/techteam.html Laura J. Dowling We have had several computer clubs over the past 2 years. We have had Computer Crafts, Intro to the Internet, Games, Games, & More Games, Science Fair Help, WebQuests, and Keyboarding (each session lasted six weeks). Jennifer Wagner I have had pretty good luck with some of the following topics. 1.) Create your own web site. Introduction to web design. Use various tools including Microsoft FrontPage, JASC Paint Shop Pro (also included Animation Shop) and Sonic Foundry's editing and music creation software programs. For the younger kids, Web Workshop Pro by Magic Mouse Productions, Flying Colors (by the same company) and Super Dooper Music Looper by Sonic Foundry. These three basic tools allow pupils to create a very rich site. 2.) 5th graders last year created a CD of original music created with Sonic Foundry's Acid Express music creation software (free). The software allows them to record their voice over the music so some pupils added voice tracks. I burned an audio CD when they were finished. We used Publisher to create CD covers and Stomper35 to create CD labels. 3.) I am a strong believer in Stagecast Creator (www.stagecast.com). This program allows children to create virtually any kind of computer game or simulation they can imagine. Combined with the graphics and sound programs mentioned above, they are able to create some very sophisticated programs. I guarantee you once the kids see this program you will have to get out of the way and let them do their thing. John Orban |
These pages
created by Lori
Howell,
the
AlienTeacher, copyright 2004.
Last updated June 28, 2011.
Ware County Email TVGuide SoapCentral Winona Park Golden Gator Band
These pages
created by Lori
Howell,
the
AlienTeacher, copyright 2004.
Last updated September 3, 2011.
Ware County Email TVGuide SoapCentral Winona Park Golden Gator Band
These pages
created by Lori
Howell,
the
AlienTeacher, copyright 2004.
Last updated September 3, 2011.
Ware County Email TVGuide SoapCentral Winona Park Golden Gator Band
|
These pages
created by Lori
Howell,
the
AlienTeacher, copyright 2004. |
These pages
created by Lori
Howell,
the
AlienTeacher, copyright 2004.
Last updated June 28, 2011.
Ware County Email TVGuide SoapCentral Winona Park Golden Gator Band
These pages
created by Lori
Howell,
the
AlienTeacher, copyright 2004.
Last updated September 3, 2011.
Ware County Email TVGuide SoapCentral Winona Park Golden Gator Band
These pages
created by Lori
Howell,
the
AlienTeacher, copyright 2004.
Last updated September 3, 2011.
Ware County Email TVGuide SoapCentral Winona Park Golden Gator Band
|
These pages
created by Lori
Howell,
the
AlienTeacher, copyright 2004. |