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Principal’s Corner by John Mahal

 

In our current reality, technology is not only important to what students work on at school but also at home. Technology plays an important role in our students’ education through the various platforms (SeeSaw or Google Classroom, to name a couple) or apps (IXL, Kahoot!, Google Drive, etc.)  that are used to supplement the core curriculum being instructed in class. We have used technology for quite some time now, and our students have become quite savvy on how to utilize this tool to enhance their education as well. Here are reasons why students need to utilize technology in schools:

• Technology allows students to enhance their interaction and learning of various concepts.

• Technology allows students to reach their full potential based on their learning style and encourages collaboration.

• Using technology allows teachers to help students with their digital citizenship skills so that they can use the technology safely and correctly.

• Technology allows the learning experience to transform! These new opportunities, coding for example, allows teams or individuals to collaborate with their teachers and also be super creative.

• Technology also helps students prepare for the “real world” and the jobs or careers they may work in some day. 

• Technology is also a way that helps students stay engaged. Many students are currently using technology at home like tablets and smartphones to play and learn with so being able to align today’s classrooms with the way students want to learn makes sense.

As a school district, we are very fortunate to have technology in the hands of our students whether it be in person at the elementary level or hybrid at the secondary level. In either scenario, every student is provided with a laptop or iPad to work from here at school or even at home for when they need to work virtually. 

On Nov. 3, Albert Lea Area Schools district residents will be asked to increase our voter approved operating levy by $140.93 per pupil.Technology has allowed us the flexibility to meet the needs of our students during the pandemic. The increased use of thousands of technology devices is putting a strain on our district’s resources. The pandemic has shown us the importance of reliable technology for our staff and students. We know technology will be part of our education plan moving forward and that these devices require a substantial financial investment. If you have questions about the upcoming referendum, visit www.alschools.org/refeendum or email welisten@alschools.org.

John Mahal is the principal of Hawthorne Elementary School.