Technology @ Topanga
Topanga Elementary Charter School is committed to teaching its students to become technologically literate. Students, upon culmination, will feel comfortable and confident in keyboarding skills as well as how to accurately and successfully maneuver the Internet for information and communication as well as manipulate popular software such as PowerPoint, excel, iPhoto, and iMovie. Our school continues to expand and update our school wide technology hardware. Each classroom is equipped with and average of 3 well-functioning computers in each classroom. In October 2008, we updated our technology lab with 24 iMac computers. Our Developmental Kindergarten classroom has a prototype mini-computer lab enabling our youngest students to access the curriculum digitally. Computer time is integrated into the daily curriculum and students are instructed in computer skills.
Many classrooms have LCD projectors and document readers to enhance learning opportunities. In addition, forty iBook laptop computers are in use with the fourth, fifth and sixth graders. Kindergarten through sixth grade will work to learn basic skills and receive scaffolded lessons to build technological competence and exposure to technology. The technology committee has developed technology standards, incorporating State Technology Standards, for our school. In conjunction with this new infrastructure, Topanga is committed to be of service to its community by providing a school website. The website, already in existence, provides vital information on: who we are as a school, important scheduled events, biographies on each teacher, important and pertinent links to web sites that can provide vital information for research projects, as well as the Folett system which allows students to browse our own library for books from home. In addition to this, the web site provides a venue for students to create electronic projects as an alternative way of showing what they are learning in all areas of the curriculum.
In the future, Topanga students will have the opportunity to create an electronic portfolio that can follow them through their tenure at this school and upon culmination take home a CD containing important work that will provide unique opportunities to show growth and progress. In the classroom, teachers have been trained how to enhance their teaching with lessons from the Internet. Teachers have the capacity to use LCD projectors and document cameras. Teachers use web sites, such as BrainPop, Henry Anker Tests, spelling.com which provide other teaching dimensions that support all areas of the curriculum. Teachers will be trained on an ongoing basis as to how best to systematically teach their students the great things technology has to offer. With the advent of great technology, we also are fortunate to have a professional computer consultant group, ARC Designs, to maintain our infrastructure and provide professional development for our staff.
