Alfond praises MooseTech; turnout strong despite weather

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    DEXTER — Even in the high-tech world, some things are out of human control — like the weather.
    But last week’s snowstorm and subsequent slippery roads didn’t stop an estimated 500 educators from converging on Ridge View Community School in Dexter for the 2nd annual MooseTech.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    SMILE — One of the MooseTech classes focused on taking better pictures, and these three Ridge View teachers are shown practicing their skills. Pictured, from left, are Vicki McCarron, Angie Roberts (seated) and Linda Watson.

    The all-day program was a joint professional development day where educators learned new ways of integrating technology into their classrooms, whether it’s art, social studies, math or any of a dozen different curricula.
    Participants and presenters included staff from School Union 60, SAD 4, AOS 94/SAD 46, Foxcroft Academy, RSU 68 and SAD 41.
    Keynote speaker Justin Alfond, the Maine Senate president, recalled his middle school days in the 1980s “when we had old IBM computers with floppy discs. They were usually used for typing papers or playing games.”
    “With major advances in technology in recent years, it would be easy to forget that we’ve been working on ways to get computers into the classroom and training teachers for more than four decades,” he said. “In the 1970s, Apple began donating 2Es to schools across America; and to many teachers and students, this was their first exposure to computers,” Alfond said.
    But back then, students learned how to operate the PCs in a separate computer lab, taught by a specialized teacher. “Today, every class is somehow connected to technology,” he added.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    TECHNOLOGY TRAIL — Jordan Demillo presented a class on iPad apps for high school social studies at MooseTech, pointing out the advantages of using Google maps. For example, students can get a closer look at the trail of the Lewis and Clark Expedition complete with terrain features and elevation.

    In 1996, President Bill Clinton announced an initiative to connect every public school in America to the Internet. “This was an incredible and innovative decision, and the effects are still felt today,” Alfond said.
    Maine made national headlines four years later when then-Gov. Angus King announced plans to put a laptop in the hands of every high school student in the state. “That’s when Maine had a $71 million surplus,” Alfond said. “Today, I wish we had a $10 million budget surplus.”
    Alfond urged the attendees to ponder the hard questions about the impact of the Internet, however. “Does technology reduce or increase the number of skills students need to learn? If a student can access Google or Wikipedia, does he really need to learn history? Does Spellcheck make learning the fundamentals of grammar irrelevant?” Alfond asked.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    ALFOND ADDRESS — Maine Senate President Justin Alfond, a former Dexter Regional High School student, was the keynote speaker at MooseTech.

    The keynote speaker also took a mild swipe at the virtual charter schools being promoted at the Legislature. “Some would like to replace brick and mortar schools with a keyboard and a mouse,” he said.
    But the big difference, he explained, is “not having a teacher there to instruct, guide support and answer questions … There are no peers to interact, study or grow with.”
    Alfond concluded his remarks by emphasizing that “among all the laptops, Smartphones and iPads, the most powerful force in the classroom is you, the teacher. The strength and connection between a student and a great teacher cannot be overstated.”

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    GOOGLE IT — Theresa Sinclair led a hands-on workshop on setting up a free Google website, a feature many teachers are taking advantage of. The setup is relatively easy, once a template and format is chosen, she pointed out.