Technology

St. Mary's continues to use the most up-to-date technology in order to provide our students with the edge in an ever increasingly technological world. For the 2010/2011 school year we have updated our systems to Office 2007, accompanied by an update to the newest version of the TechnoKids computer curriculum. To increase typing accuracy and speed we have updated to the latest Type to Learn software: Type to Learn 4 - Agents of Information. In addition to our computer labs, we have laptops for the middle school and netbooks for the elementary school. This allows teachers to use computers in the classroom along side the SMARTBoard; which is especially useful if the lab is unavailable.

Since 2009, every classroom has a SMART Board. A SMART Board is an interactive whiteboard connected to a computer and a projector. It functions much like a giant touch screen for the computer and a digital white board. Teachers can display notes just like on a white board. However, very much unlike a typical dry-erase white board teachers can also display pictures, documents, websites, animations, and use interactive applications to make learning more fun as well as more meaningful to the students. The possibilities for interaction with the SMART Board are endless!

St. Mary's School continues to use TECHNOkids to educate students on the subject of computer science, and help students become better prepared for the increasingly technological world. TECHNOkids runs on a project-based learning approach. Instead of teaching third grade students an "Introduction to Microsoft Word" lesson, the TECHNOkids projects integrate computer programs such as the Microsoft Office family into a project that can be semi-customized by the teachers to follow or fit into other subjects. Kids will, for example,  learn about mummies and computers at the same time! And since some projects use word processing programs, students will get to practice typing, grammar, spelling, and writing skills as well. But it doesn't stop there! Children are also influenced to use their imaginations and make their projects as creative as they want. Using programs such as drawing programs, digital video programs, and desktop publishing programs children will learn how to do much more than just use Word or Excel. Learning other subjects will be enhanced while learning how to use computers.

There are many things that you can do with computers these days. You can publish a family newsletter, take and edit digital pictures, and even create your own movies. Here you will find many different activities you can do on your home computer.

  • Using a Program such as Microsoft Word or Publisher or even programs such as OpenOffice.org or Word Perfect you can create a Family Newsletter. Instead of just taking a family picture at Christmas time, write a newsletter full of information about what your family is up to. Let your family and friends know what you do all year long with pictures and a couple of stories.
  • Pick a week. All week long have each member of your family browse an encyclopedia web site such as Microsoft Encarta or WikiPedia and find an article about something they've never heard of. At the end of the week, gather all your articles and everyone else's articles, too. Read your articles to each other and learn about things you've never heard of before. You might find something interesting.
  • If you have a digital camera: Have one person from your family take the digital camera for the whole day. This person will document their day by taking pictures of all the things they did, places they went, or other things that interested them. Download the pictures onto the computer and hand the camera off to the next person. After everyone has had a chance with the camera, use a slideshow program such as Microsoft Power Point, or the OpenOffice.org presentation software, and make a slide show that tells the story of your day. use the pictures (obviously), sounds, colors, clip art, shapes, etc. Really tell your story. When you're all done, get together and view each other's slide show.
  • Using Microsoft Word and some label paper, you can print colorful labels for your school notebooks. Place not just the words on the label, but a picture that symbolizes the class as well.
  • Microsoft Excel can be used for more than keeping track of expenses. You can place any type of information into the spreadsheets. For example, use Excel to keep track of how long you can run each day, how many sit-ups you can do each week, or even how much time you spend watching TV or playing on the computer. You can then make a graph out of this information and see your progress... or how much time you waste on television. Excel, like many of the other programs, can be used for anything you can come up with. Be creative and just have fun!
  • Do you draw comics? Would you like to bring them to life? Do you think you can do that using Microsoft Power Point? Well, you can! Draw a comic, or pick one you have already drawn. Scan the comic into the computer if it's not already there. Place the different cells on different slides. Using the narration and timing options, record your characters voices and setup when the slides should progress. Voila! You have your very own (low budget) cartoon!

Here are some of my favorite web sites. I hope you can enjoy them. Many of these sites require Internet Explorer 9, Google Chrome, or Firefox 3 and above to operate. You can use this website to find out what browser you are using, as well as learn a little bit about web browsers.

Click on the Heading (the folders) to open the list of links for that Heading.

Expand All | Contract All
SMSAlton.com and all of its contents are CopyRight St. Mary's School, Alton, IL
SMSAlton.com © 2010