Educational Technology
GRADE FIVE | GRADE SIX | GRADE SEVEN | GRADE EIGHT
The goal of the educational technology program is to improve students' computer skills and enable them to use the computer effectively in their schoolwork and homework. Students improve their keyboarding skills and learn how to use specific programs such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Computer skills are taught in the computer lab, which currently has twenty-two computers. The computer lab is located adjacent to the Middle School library, thereby enabling the library and educational technology staff to work in tandem with students in preparing their coursework and research papers. In addition to visiting the computer lab for their computer classes, students are encouraged to consult with the educational technology staff for individual assistance in conducting their research and editing their papers.
The educational technology staff also works with the faculty of each grade in order to integrate computer use in specific class projects. Most classrooms are equipped with three computers. Students are also brought to the computer lab for curriculum related projects. In both general and Judaic studies, the technology staff works in the classroom to incorporate computers into class projects. For example, students learn to use the computer to record science lab results in the science lab and then to analyze those results by creating spreadsheets and graphs. Students also use the research, editing and publishing skills learned in computer class in creating class projects and multimedia presentations.
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Grade Five
The fifth grade attends an intensive six-week computer skills class. During this period, fifth graders focus on improving their keyboarding skills. Specifically, they work on touch typing, proper posture, proper finger position and movement, and memorization of the keys. Students are encouraged to practice so that they will be able to use their typing skills in preparing their homework. Each student works at his or her own computer during class.
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Grade Six
The computer skills class focuses on word processing and beginning spread sheets. Students use Word and learn how to edit and format text as well as graphics. Students also learn desktop publishing skills and publish brochures, flyers and advertisements. In the unit on spreadsheets, students learn how to create spreadsheets using Excel. Students email their homework assignments to the teacher in this class.
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Grade Seven
Students create multimedia projects using PowerPoint. Students learn all the features of PowerPoint, including video editing, sound editing and picture editing. Seventh and eighth graders also learn web skills: how to search effectively, how to distinguish among search engines and directories, and how to evaluate web sites for content. Students learn how to determine whether information found on the web is reliable and whether it can be quoted or used for a research paper. They are also taught the concept of intellectual property and how to give proper credit for their web sources. Seventh and eighth grade projects are related to the curriculum in several subjects. Seventh grade final projects are related to the curriculum in several subjects.
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Grade Eight
Eighth grade students are taught web publishing skills in their weekly class. Their final project, building a class web, is related to various disciplines within the school day, both to the curricular and co-curricular activities. The student web site may be found at http://teach.ramaz.org/students.
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