Technology in After School Programs Not Just Surfing… REALLY Using Computers

1. Technology in After School ProgramsNot Just Surfing… REALLY Using Computers Andrew Sears Executive Director TechMission www.techmission.org 617.282.9798

2. Outline • About TechMission and AC4 • Technology Training Activities • Computers Supporting Academics • Additional Resources

3. TechMission, Inc. • TechMission, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) with the goal of supporting Christian computer centers through two program areas: • Association of Christian Community Computer Centers (AC4): supporting Christian CTCs across the world through an association model (currently with over 600 member organizations) • TechMission Boston Program: supporting Christian Community Technology Centers (CTCs) in the greater Boston area through direct program support with plans to replicate in other cities (LA and Chicago)

4. Our Mission • Mission: to support Christian community computer centers across the world as they address the Digital Divide by providing others with computer skills to make a living and a spiritual foundation to make a life

5. Locations of AC4 Members

6. TechMission Boston Program • Program operated by TechMission and partners across six sites in Boston • Provides at-risk high school students with: • SAT preparation class to over 200 students • MCAS preparation class to 175 students • Academic tutoring and support • College planning and preparation • Computer classes to over 350 adults

7. Technology Training Activitiesfor After School Programs

8. How Learning Occurs • People Remember… • 10% of what they read • 20% of what they hear • 30% of what they see • 50% of what they see and hear • 70% of what they discuss with others • 80% of what they experience personally • 90% of what they teach to someone else From psychologist William Glasser

9. After School “Tech Time” • Project based learning works best • Teaching software does not work without a goal • Integrate computers with other activities in after school program • Black History Month, Scan in Art, Themes • Need to split age groups (k-8 into 2 or 3 age groups)

10. Lesson Plan: Encarta Africana Heroes • Step 1: Students find a hero using Encarta Africana. They answer questions on worksheet.

11. Step 2: Students use Microsoft Word to make posters of their heroes. Posters include details from worksheet and pictures of heroes (copy & paste is learned!).

12. Lesson Plan: Poetry Step 1: Students find a poet in Encarta Africana or Internet

13. Step 2: Students search for their poets on the Internet. They print out poems written by their poets. Step 3: Students take one line of their poem. They write their own poems using that line.

14. Lesson Plan: WebQuest on the History of Hip Hop • Step 1: Students learn some Hip Hop history using specified web sites. They answer worksheet questions.

15. History of Hip Hop • Step 2: Students find a Hip Hop musician on the Internet. They print out the lyrics of three of their songs. Students think about what these songs say and their deeper message. • Step 3: Students summarize their research (history and lyrics) with analysis in a six slide PowerPoint presentation. Students present their slide show to the class.

16. Sample Projects:Digital Art Self-Portraits using Photoshop

17. Music Mixing • Acid Music (www.acidplanet.com) • Easy to Use “Loops” Tool for 2nd Grade Up • Free download at download.acidplanet.com/acidxpress.exe • Pro Tools (www.protools.com) • Advanced Music Mixing Capabilities (Mac & PC) for 7 grade and up • Free version at: http://www.protools.com/ptfree/

19. Using Technology to Assist in Academic Learning

20. Ways Computers Can Assist Academic Learning in After School Programs • Computerized Assessment • Diagnose areas of need for individuals • Supporting Tutors with Online Tools • Provide tutors with diagnostics, curriculum, lesson plans and rubrics to improve tutoring • Computerized Tutorials • Educational and “Edutainment” Software • Measuring Performance, Reporting and Aligning with School Standards

27. Performance Measurement, Reporting and Alignment with Standards • Can quantify measurable improvement using pre and post diagnostic tests • Curriculum is aligned with Department of Education Standards • Can report results for individual students and for whole program • Identify areas of strength and weakness • Report to funders

30. Web-based Curriculum Providers • Plato Learning (www.plato.com) • Market leader • Lightspan (www.lightspan.com) • Good assessment, integration with standards (subdivision of Plato) • Compass Learning (compasslearning.com) • Good assessment, integration with standards and fun learning tools • Riverdeep (www.riverdeep.com) • Best source for fun learning tools • Pearson (www.pearsondigital.com) • Good assessment and integration with standards

31. Educational and “Edutainment” Software • Jumpstart Series • Provides educational games for kids ages k-6 • Web-Based Educational Games • http://www.eduplace.com/kids/ • Encyclopedia Africana • Provides the most complete encyclopedia of African and African American information

32. Additional Resources

33. Importance of Online Safety • 9 in 10 kids ages 8-16 yrs have viewed porn online, mostly unintentionally, and when using the Internet to do homework (UK: News Telegraph, NOP Research Group, 1/17/02) • Danger of Chat Rooms • 1 in 5 children who use Chat rooms have been approached by a pedophile online (Telegraph.co.uk. 1/02) • 89% of sexual solicitations were made in either Chat rooms or Instant Messages (Pew Study reported in JAMA, 2001) • 2 in 5 of all abductions ages 15-17 are due to contact through the Internet (San Diego Police Department)

34. Recommendations for Online Safety • All CTC’s should have Internet filtering software installed • All Christian CTC should not allow IM and Chat Rooms • All CTC’s should have online safety programs to educate children of online dangers

35. Web Site Filtering Software • We Blocker • Free at www.we-blocker.com • Filtering Service by Promise Keepers (pkfamily.com) • Filtered dial-up Internet access for $15.95 • Filtering Server or Client Software • CleanWeb (www.cleanweb.net) • CyberPatrol (www.microsys.com) • Cybersitter (www.solidoak.com) • CyberSnoop (www.pearlsw.com) • Net Nanny (www.netnanny.com) • Net Shepherd (www.netshepherd.com) • Safesurf (www.safesurf.com) • Watchdog (www.sarna.com) • X-Stop (www.xstop.com)

37. Search Engines for Kids • Ask Jeeves for Kids: http://www.ajkids.com/ • Yahooligans: http://www.yahooligans.com/ • Lycos SafetyNet http://personal.lycos.com/safetynet/safetynet.asp • OneKey http://www.onekey.com/live/index.htm • Education World:http://www.education-world.com/ • Classroom Connect http://www2.classroom.net/searchus/ • Study Web http://www.studyweb.com/ • Kids Click http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/KidsClick!/ List provided by AC4 Member, Guy Yasika

39. Other Resources in TechMission Manual • Includes Material on: • Getting Software Donations • Getting Hardware Donations • Getting Grants • Managing Tech Volunteers • Providing Computer Certifications • Curriculum for Computer Classes • More detail on materials covered in this presentation

40. Benefits of AC4 Membership: Training • Training through our national and regional tech conferences, workshops and conference calls • TechMission Manual: 60+ page manual for operating Tech Programs including curriculum and capacity building materials • Information and curriculum available to members only on our Website • Free electronic subscription to Christian Computing Magazine

41. Benefits of AC4 Membership: Community • Conferences: regional and national • Regional Chapters for regional collaboration • Volunteer Network: recruit volunteers for members through AC4’s website • E-mail List with over 700 participants • Contact List of Christian Computer Centers

42. Benefits of AC4 Membership: Resources • Subgrants and Intensive Technical Assistance totaling $750,000 (through the C4T Project in CA, IL and MA) • Discounted Gifts in Kind Membership providing access to over $800 million in product donations • Advocacy for members to foundations, corporations and government initiatives • Equipment: Assistance in securing computer and hardware donations • Consulting on starting and growing a computer center and Web Design

43. How to Join AC4 • Sign up for membership at www.techmission.org • Membership cost • $20 per year for organizations with budgets over $500,000 • $50 per year for organizations with budgets over $500,000

44. TechMission Conferences • TechMission National Technology and Ministry Conference: October 27-28, 2004 in Atlanta • TechMission West Coast Regional Technology and Ministry Conference: June 5, 2004 in Los Angeles • TechMission Northeast Regional Technology and Ministry Conference: March 2005 in Boston

45. Helpful Sites for Youth Ministers in General • http://www.uywi.org • http://www.youthpartnersnet.org/ • Sponsors of the Compassionworks Urban Youth Ministry Conference • http://www.youthpastor.com • Provides good material for youth pastors • http://www.xxxchurch.org • Good Christian anti-pornography educational site • http://www.youthbuilders.com • General Youth Ministry Website • http://www.reach-out.org • Purchase materials for youth ministry • http://www.funattic.com • Get ideas for games for youth ministry

46. Appendix

47. Digital Divide

48. Computer Industry*** Manufacturing Jobs Down 55-65%* Jobs Grown to 7.4 million & Increasing 6.5% per year Once provided 52% of jobs to some groups, but now only 28%** 65% of all jobs use computers 90% of all jobs use computer- related technologies * In a range of Northern cities between 1967-1987, When Work Disappears ** Statistics are for inner-city black men in Chicago *** Other sources include Bureau of Labor Statistics and Department of Commerce Computer Literacy and Jobs