The Classroom of the Future
More technology, more interaction
by Brian DiTullio

DVUSD – The classroom of the future will still have the basics: a teacher, some students. But it also will have a lot more technology.

Quinn Kellis, the director of accountability and technology for the Deer Valley Unified School District, said the recent passage of the capital override allowed the district to invest in technology and has begun training the teachers to integrate more technology into the classroom.

 Fifteen teachers already are fully trained with an additional two teachers from every campus slated to begin coursework on the new technology this fall. More teachers will be placed in the program throughout the year, Kellis said.

Stetson Hills Elementary School teacher Sharla LaBelle is one of the first 15 teachers trained as part of the pilot program. LaBelle said it was her advocacy for more technology that brought about her selection.

“I’m a real advocate for integrating technology into the classroom,” LaBelle said.

The course covers three semesters, with the first tier putting a digital projector in the classroom.

“It takes the image from a computer screen and puts it on the wall,” Kellis said.

The second tier moves into the more advanced technology, a digital whiteboard that is interactive and can be used by the teacher from anywhere in the classroom.

“Instead of walking up to the chalkboard and writing the lesson,” Kellis said. “The teacher will find what they need on the Internet and put it up on the wall with one click of the button,” adding The Discovery Channel has thousands of instructional programs available for use by school districts.

“The kids love it,” LaBelle said. “It’s interactive.”

The third tier incorporates a lot more digital technology, including a document camera, video camera, scanners and printers, among other gadgets.

“When a teacher finishes their coursework, they would have a class filled with all this technology,” Kellis said, indicating the technology builds upon existing classroom functions by using advanced methods.

LaBelle said it took her almost a full school year to complete the course, but that it was worth every minute.

“It’s everything I wanted it to be,” she said. “It’s instant access. You don’t have to go down to the library and request a video, it’s right there at your fingertips.”

The students also benefit from the technology as they can “show their work” by inputting the information on the digital whiteboard, and the teacher then can save it, like notes.

“The students then can get instant corrections and feedback,” Kellis said.

Additionally, everything originating from the new technology can be saved and transferred to the individual teacher’s Web sites and accessed remotely by students who may be sick or traveling.

“The classroom is no longer contained within the four walls,” Kellis said. “Through the Internet, they can go to a NASA space station, go to Iraq, anywhere in the world the lesson the teacher is trying to teach.”

“Used to its potential,” Kellis said. “It really does change the dynamics of a classroom.”

LaBelle agreed, saying the technology is just “icing on the cake” as far as classroom instruction aides go.

“It’s just something you can use to better instruction and excite the kids about being in the classroom,” LaBelle said.

LaBelle sees this technology as the future for every classroom at every level of education. With the advancements in technology weaving into every aspect of modern lifestyle, LaBelle said it’s essential children are familiar and comfortable with the machines.

“I think we have to do it,” she said.