Educational Innovation -- The Bottom Line is LearningWhen it comes to infusing 21st century innovation into the classroom, the West Bend Public Schools Foundation thoughtfully considers how a proposed innovation will support the true mission of student learning in the West Bend Joint School District #1. We believe that by using various technologies, in combination with other time-tested tools for learning, our students will engage and excel during the learning process. How then will the Foundation determine what innovations will be rich enough to support? There are combinations of several criteria that will be contemplated in determining appropriate technology.
- Does the innovation have a proven track record in either education or in business?
- Does the school district support the innovation?
- Will the innovation be sustainable?
- Will the innovation reach all of the intended audience(s) of students?
- Does the necessary infrastructure exist in the school district to implement or support the innovation?
- Will the innovation improve the pace of learning, defray costs, or provide an improved learning experience over traditional methods? At least two of the three should be apparent.
- Will the innovation provide a relevant learning experience?
- How quickly will the innovation make a positive impact on learning?
- Is the innovation about improving learning or just about the technology itself?
More now than ever there are powerful and innovative learning tools available for use in the classroom. However, the same holds true for not so powerful tools that should not make their way into our classrooms. The West Bend Public Schools Foundation hopes to place only treasured resources into the hands of our students and teachers that will fulfill the district’s mission of providing a successful learning experience. We love it when our gifts inspire teachers and students to comment, "How did I ever learn this before without this innovation?"
Elmo document cameras in middle school classrooms —21 Projection systems in middle school classrooms — 21 Elmo document cameras in high school classrooms — 68 Projection systems in high school classrooms — 68
Innovation Items Purchased (as of September 8, 2008)
