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Today's Technology Education Trends
Issue: 14 Oct. 15, 2009
Jen Morack

Franchisee Highlight:
Jennifer Morack

Jen Morack is the founder of the Princeton Area COMPUTER EXPLORERS Franchise. An expert in educational technology, she has been teaching for over twenty years. Jen has a bachelor's degree in education from Rider University and a master's degree in corporate training and development from The College of New Jersey.She trains preschool and elementary educators in developmentally appropriate practices using technology to teach young children in COMPUTER EXPLORERS classes.
 
Q: What drew you to COMPUTER EXPLORERS?

A: It was a long time ago, back in December of 1989, when practically no one owned PCs for their homes. Teaching children how to use computers was an intriguing concept to me and something I knew I would enjoy with my education background. It's funny because now we refer to technology education; back when I started, it was just computers, we didn't have all the peripherals such as digital cameras, digital microscopes and robotics. I'm looking forward to celebrating 20 years with COMPUTER EXPLORERS.
 
Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A: I love working with my staff. My staff members are dedicated and take pride in teaching children technology. We truly are a team here and there is nothing more rewarding to us than to see children's faces light up when they succeed, use new technology, or simply have fun.
 
Q: What's the most challenging part of your job?

A: As a franchisee you wear several hats. It's not the easiest thing to be both an educator and a business owner. Dealing with the unexpected is tough. It's also very rewarding, meaning when a day's work is done - you know you've provided an environment where children learn life skills by adding in fun.
 
Q: How do your COMPUTER EXPLORERS classes increase student interest in technology and in learning in general?

A: The classes we offer with COMPUTER EXPLORERS allow us to introduce concepts in a new, fun, and exciting manner. In this time of our COMPUTER EXPLORERS life cycle, we focus more on teaching technology as a learning tool that makes learning fun, when we began 20 years ago the heart of our program was teaching technology skills.
 
Q: What feedback do you most frequently hear from parents and administrators about COMPUTER EXPLORERS and how does it make you feel as an educator?

A: I do hear often from clients that my staff is excellent at spreading energy in their classes. Kids want to come to learn and enjoy themselves in our programs because of our teachers. Parents often tell me when their kids wake up and get ready for their day, they ask "Is today COMPUTERTOTS (preschool COMPUTER EXPLORERS program) day?"
 
Q: What is the most popular class you offer at your franchise?

A: We offer a number of popular classes, particularly video game animation and engineering classes. In all of our classes not only are students enthusiastic, but the parents are too. Parents truly see the value of their children participating in our programs.
 
Q: What is your favorite story to tell about your experience with a COMPUTER EXPLORERS student?

A: There are many! One mom stopped me the other day and reminded me of all six of her children. All six were in my classes with the youngest still currently taking classes with us and the oldest going off to college this year. It's wonderful to know we can impact an entire family with our programs.
 
Another favorite of mine is our participation with Princeton University Community House and their summer academic programs. Princeton Community House offers academic programs for underprivileged children and we teach the technology portion of the program for their middle schoolers. One of my favorite parts of the program is seeing the children's faces when they make their own documentary in our movie making class. Children take current events they research and develop their own documentary story utilizing our wonderful movie making curriculum. The children don't want to leave and can't wait to come back to the next day - that puts a big smile on my face.

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The name of the technology education game: Keep kids engaged
Today, children all over the world grow up with technology in their lives. From computers to cell phones, kids not only have plenty of access to family technologies, they have their own personal devices, too. According to an article on Geek.com, the trend has been moving away from children using desktop computers to working on laptops, commonly their own.
 
Cell phone use among children is also climbing. The Pew Internet and American Life Project reports that nearly 71 percent of teens ages 12 to 17 had a cell phone in 2008 - up 26 percent from just four years earlier.
 
So what's the takeaway? Students are not going to be impressed by a The name of the technology gamecouple of computers lined up in a computer lab; a computer alone will not excite them enough to pay attention in class or do their homework. It's what you do with the computers and other technologies that can really engage your students in the classroom and blow parents and other educators away.
 
"The common assumption is that hardware is the most important factor when integrating technology into the classroom. However, it's often the software and the real-life application of it that drive great technology education programs because they reinforce what students learn in their existing curricula," says Alan Oppenheimer, a COMPUTER EXPLORERS franchisee since 1990. "We build curriculums based around technology to enhance the way students learn. We also make sure to include interesting and fun technologies that kids don't normally have at home, like robotics and digital microscopes."
 
According to Oppenheimer, the key when integrating technology into curricula is to help students see the bigger picture. A computer can help a student add two numbers together, but it's not going to teach them to manage a budget. "Children also take great pride in the new skills they learn on computers and when they see results," he says. "They are excited to show friends and family a colorful PowerPoint presentation with sound, animation, and clip art." 
 
While kids might not notice they are learning, they are certainly impressed by and engaged in the new things they are exposed to in the classroom. Parents are also amazed at the high-end projects their children produce, and it's common for schools to renew their contracts multiple times because of the strong value they see in the COMPUTER EXPLORERS program.
Technology's potential to make a difference
Today technology should be a key component of any education program. Children who are exposed to technology in the classroom have a clear advantage and are better prepared for the future. However, not all children are fortunate enough to have access to these resources in their schools or homes.
 
Technology's potential

Two new reports, "Leveraging Title I and Title IID: Maximizing the Impact of Technology in Education," and "A Resource Guide Identifying Technology Tools for Schools," explore the potential for technology to bridge the gap between low income and high income student education. The articles discuss how school districts and their leaders can make the most of technology resources and why technology education needs to be a priority, particularly in low income schools.

The reports are summarized in a recent eSchool News article, "How tech drives success in Title I schools."  The article points to successful technology integrations in schools with significant low income student populations.  Here are some of the results:

  • The Technology Rich Classrooms program in Kansas saw a 10.4 percent increase in third grade state reading scores.
  • The Technology Integration in the Elementary Classroom project in Arkansas saw third graders' literacy proficiency increase from 67 percent to 84 percent and fourth graders from 47 percent to 69 percent.
In lower income schools, creativity is also important, as technology isn't just about computers. As the article explains, students, even those coming from low income families, are exposed to a variety of technology devices and this provides new opportunities to reinforce learning. In fact, according to the Project Tomorrow Speak Up survey referenced in the article:

  • Sixty-seven percent of students in Title I schools have access to a cell phone outside of the classroom.
  • Seventy-nine percent have a music or video device.
  • Forty-six percent have access to a computer.
A program doesn't have to be about formal technology training; in fact, it should find ways to tie in the technology children are exposed to everyday. You can get children excited about using the devices they have at home or in the school to learn and find information. For instance, you can teach children to use a cell phone to conduct research or a computer to learn new skills or even complete a job search.
 
Technology education should not be a luxury; it's a necessity in today's world. Offering programs tailored to students and applicable to real-life situations, prepares them for the opportunities of tomorrow.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
 
For general inquiries about COMPUTER EXPLORERS and other technology education trends, please contact Deb Evans, president and CEO of COMPUTER EXPLORERS at 1-800-531-5053 or DEvans@ICED.net. 
 
If you are a member of the media and want more information on the people and programs profiled in this month's issue of Today's Technology Education Trends, please contact Tanya Flynn at 312-787-7249 or TFlynn@armentdietrich.com.