Fair is lesson in technology

The calendar shows that the 21st century is here, but school classrooms have some catching up to do.

• Photos

Annette M. Drowlette/Staff

Rickey Howard, 12, a sixth-grader at Riverside Elementary School in Evans, uses a student response system clicker in his science class.

Riverside Middle School held a technology fair Tuesday and Wednesday to introduce Columbia County school personnel to classroom technology.

"Technology is so vital," said Karen Hale, the Riverside technology support specialist. "We want a child to come from school and go into the work force with the same kind of tools."

Ms. Hale said the middle school is the only school in the county to offer fully equipped 21st century classrooms. The school purchased its latest technology, student response systems, this year.

These handheld devices, in which pupils press a clicker to answer questions that appear on whiteboards, give teachers real-time assessments of their pupils' understanding of a topic. A whiteboard is the digital equivalent of a blackboard, displaying things electronically instead of with chalk.

James Van Meter, the school system's technology director, said most of the newer facilities have projectors, and the system is retrofitting other schools as it can. He said he would like for all of the county schools to have state-of-the-art technology in the next three or four years.

"Technology allows for greater interaction between the student and the teacher," he said.

Ms. Hale said it costs about $3,500 per classroom to create a high-tech learning environment.

Nancy Morris, a sixth-grade language arts teacher at Columbia Middle School, said her pupils enjoy using interactive technology.

"It's very powerful. They love it," she said.

Ms. Hale said teaching technology is imperative for a generation that was reared with video games.

"You have to engage these kids and get their attention," she said.

Reach Betsy Gilliland at (706) 868-1222, ext. 113, or betsy.gilliland@augustachronicle.com.