Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 25, 1994 TAG: 9410010026
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S17 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: NANCY BELL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Now it's called synergistics, and the Northside Middle School students eagerly work in clean, quiet, computer-integrated laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment and the growing ability to use it.
School officials say there is a need - to the tune of about $7 million - for technological improvements for all levels of students enrolled in Roanoke County schools.
Garland Kidd, director of vocational and adult education, said the development of the $100,000 synergistics lab at Northside Middle is an important first step. The lab eventually will be duplicated in each of the county's middle schools, he said.
Northside's synergistics curriculum centers around technological systems, including robotics, graphic communications, flight technology and engineering.
Students work in pairs and spend seven days in each of 14 modules developing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Kidd said the sixth- and seventh-grade students who use the lab have a variety of abilities. College-bound students and those seeking trade careers solve the same problems.
``The student no longer can say, `I'm going to work, so I don't need the academic background,''' Kidd said. "Now, this is not at all the case. To be prepared for a career in a technological field the student needs more math and strong academics, definitely with a focus on computers."
He pointed out that a career in auto mechanics now requires computer skills. "The typical manual has 400,000 pages and the technician has access to them by computer."
While he is encouraged by the opportunities for county students in these middle school synergistics labs, Kidd said the challenge will be to keep up with technology.
"County schools must evolve with technology education statewide and nationwide," he said.
Garland Life, director of instruction for county schools, agrees that the synergistics program is the most popular technology program offered by the school system. But he believes more technology is needed for students at other levels.
"Here in the county we realize we are not where we need to be, but we are progressing to meet the needs of all our students."
Glen Cove Elementary School uses a pilot program that teaches the latest computer technology. It is directed by teacher and doctoral candidate Cheryl Turner.
Called "hypercard studio," the program hass fourth-grade students design computer instructions to help themselves and other students learn complicated lessons.
"These fourth-grade children are doing computer operations many adults are afraid to touch. They are writing stories with graphics and sound, and working in groups with others to make great technological advances," Life said.
Dave Wymer's daughter is one of the students who participated in the hypercard program last year. He said the students at Glen Cove developed a system for learning a complicated science lesson - classification of plant and animal species.
"They developed a product for presentation to other students, and in the process learned important organizational skills," said Wymer, superintendent of social studies for the county. "I think the most important thing to come out of it is that they trained other students in their pods."
On the high school level, computer-aided drafting systems are the most popular technological features, said Life, but he hopes to see more opportunities for students at this level.
"These are the things that we eventually need to bring before the public," said Wymer, especially as the county approaches a six-year plan for education that will involve much more money for computer curriculum.
by CNB