by James Cross
As the "age of information" heads into the 21st century, technologies of all sorts are transforming classrooms and curricula throughout American education. During this 1997-98 school year, St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif., has taken steps to put the newest lap-top technology into the hands of its students.
The "eMate lap-top pilot program" has 34 Freshmen particpants. They earned this privilege due to high scores on a computer skills and literary test taken last March. The students learn about the eMate itself, a lap-top computer that contains a word processing program, a spreadsheet program, a graphic calculator, and a drawing pad. Information can be entered into the electronic notebook either by keyboard or by writing directly on the screen with a stylus. The eMate has the ability to send and receive information via an infrared beam. This has allowed these students to be "beamed back to school" through a doorway into the future.
"The eMate has helped me take notes a lot faster and more accurately," remarked Nikolas Aizpurk, a student in the program. Freshman Jed Padre concurred: "It's easier to take notes and do essays rather than writing. It has helped because it is portable. I've done work at home, in the car and in friends' houses."
The new pilot program is another attempt by St. John Bosco High School to introduce its students to computer technology. From an Apple lIe lab in 1980 to an IBM lab, the remodeled traditional library is a state-of-the-art Macintosh and Internet center. In 1991, Bosco hired Jim McFall as its technology specialist who, with principal Bill Goodman and the school community, developed, wrote, and adopted its Technology Vision. For this long-range plan the school was commended by the 1997 WASC visiting committee.
The new eMate lap-top pilot program is just one phase in the "Vision's" comprehensive plan. More specific lesson plans, teaching strategies, learning activities, and assessment methods have been developed through meetings with McFaIl, assistant principal Jim Cross, and the seven eMate teachers: Brian Breslin, Jim Crofut, Allen Eccles, Walt Wippler, Marisa Passinisi, Steve Breslin, and Monty McDermott.
Mr. James Cross is assistant principal at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California.