Blackboard technology lets teachers post lessons online

The next lesson for the 12th grade business economics class at Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School is a bit different from the last.

For the “World without Oil,” lesson, the students are charged with going to the Blackboard website where they will watch a video, visit a few websites provided by teacher Kathleen DeKalb, and then post what they have learned on a discussion board. And at the end of the lesson, the students will complete a discussion piece.

The Blackboard site – an electronic course management system – gives teachers a place to post lessons, lectures and other information that students can access from anywhere. Mrs. DeKalb and four other teachers in the district plan to make it a regular part of their classes.

She says it gives students a chance to experience the online world. Also, if they’re absent, they can still see the lesson from home.

“It’s as if they’re in college taking an online course,” she said. “Our goal is to prepare them for work or college because one of the biggest hurdles in college is getting through the technology portion of it.”

Mrs. DeKalb trained using the website during the summer after learning more at a technology conference. In October, the five teachers in the district plan more training after school.

The district has revamped its technology plan in recent years and during its recent capital project, it upgraded the technology infrastructure. Superintendent Douglas C. Burton said implementing new technologies continues to be one of the district’s goals as it prepares students for college and the working world.

“We’re focused on giving students the tools they need to succeed in a 21st century global economy,” Mr. Burton said.

Global and social studies teacher Kolby Gray said she used a website similar to Blackboard in college and sees it as an important step before students graduate.

“I did my whole master’s program online,” she said.

“With this, the students can access class material from anywhere. I mentioned using it to my eighth grade students and they seemed excited.”