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The semester-long Tech Support Expedition was instituted at the start of
the 1999-00 school year. This expedition was open to eighth grade students
who wanted to learn more about repairing and maintaining computer-related
technologies and providing students and staff members at Winnequah with
assistance in using various technological applications. These students
performed many tasks during their semester-long expedition. Projects and
other activities in this expedition are described in the chart below. (More
Tech Support Photos Here.)
Topic
Guiding Questions
Learning Goals
Project Descriptions
Assessment
Resources
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Topic
Tech Support |
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Guiding
Questions
Will students in Tech Support be able to:
1. Repair and maintain computers?
2. Offer software support to students and staff
members?
3. Use various technologies (digital still/video
cameras, PowerPoint, FrontPage 2000, Vegas Video, Acid Pro, etc.) to do ongoing documentation of
Learning Expeditions?
4. Present information about Leaning Expeditions
to interested groups and/or visitors to Winnequah? |
Learning
Goals
Refer to state and district
standards when creating Learning Goals.
Learning activities in this expedition meet State of
Wisconsin, Department of Public Instruction standards for Computer and
Technology related instruction for eighth grade students. A copy of
these standards are available from the Department of Public Instruction or
the office at Winnequah Middle School.
Students will: 1.
Demonstrate how to use the following software applications:
2. Demonstrate how to install software and system
operations applications.
3. Remove and install various hardware boards
including:
4. Test and repair computers, printers, fax
machines, and audio visual equipment when appropriate.
5. Demonstrate use multi-media production and
presentation using software applications such as PowerPoint..
6. Evaluate and edit multi-media presentations
before presenting to audiences such as:
7. Use PowerPoint and Sony Pictures
Digital's media tools to design and log a multimedia journal of
reflections regarding this expedition. Student journals will
demonstrate:
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A working knowledge of English spelling,
punctuation, correct grammatical usage & form.
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Include design layouts that effectively communicate
the student's reflections.
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Project
Descriptions
A Learning Expedition may
include one major, or a few smaller, projects.
The process for designing activities is based on
requests from staff and students at Winnequah. The requests are
stated on a work order form available in the school's IMC. The
types of projects include computer repair, software installations, tech
assistance to staff and students when using various technologies and
software packages, documenting school expeditions using digital
still/video cameras, and designing presentations using PowerPoint, Sony
Pictures Digital software, and FrontPage 2000. |
Assessment:
Describe assessment of group
or individual projects such as debates, galleries, exhibits of work, oral
presentations of portfolios of project work, play performances, or final
essays and research papers.
1. Staff members reported on the status of tech
assistance offered by students.
2. The Tech Support instructor for Winnequah
tested computers and related equipment as they were repaired.
3. Multi-media presentations of Winnequah's
Learning Expeditions are made to the Board of Education, Optimists
Club, Winnequah student body, parents at the 8th grade recognition,
GWETC Conference, and journalist from the Community Herald newspaper
4. Tech Support students have also made presentations
to project evaluators from Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound, Wisconsin
Department of Public Instruction, and the Office of Governor James Doyle. |
Resources
Develop a list of resources that
will anchor the content of the expedition, including books, speakers,
"experts," fieldwork sites, project materials, and so on.
Resources included Bill Herman (MGSD Director of
Technology), John Keefe (MGSD Technical Support), Vic Yonash ( MGSD Computer Applications
Instructor).
Winnequah also benefits from and is
extremely grateful for its past school/business relationship with Sonic Foundry.
Other resources included software hardware manuals,
computer tool repair kits, and the Internet.
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Back to Learning Expeditions page.
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