Elementary Students Show Off Their Tech Tricks
Elementary students showed off their impressive technology skills at this year’s annual Technology Fair. Eason, Maple Grove, Shuler and Walnut Hills Elementary students in grades 3-5 spent a portion of their day sharing their latest technology projects with Waukee Community School District staff.
“Technology is meant to enrich student learning by helping them create content, research resources, and apply learned skills in meaningful ways,” said Eason Elementary computers teacher Beau Barrett. “Learning about technology is essential because it has increasingly become apart of our everyday lives.”
The event is not required but several students with a passion and interest in technology jumped at the opportunity. Staff members scored each creation based on a rubric and their different categories. Categories included Graphics and Publishing, Music and Sound Design, Video or Linear Presentation, 3D Rendering or Non-Linear Animation, Web Presence, Programming, and Innovation Technology Use.
“Technology Fair simply provides students with an opportunity to show what they know about technology. Often times their displayed knowledge within their project reflects learning that has happened outside of school,” said Barrett. “This makes the Tech Fair a learning experience for everyone, as well as a showcase of unique skills that every participating student should be proud of.”
“They have to have a plan and be willing to put first things first in order to get their project completed in time. If they are working with partners, they get to synergize, seek to understand and think win-win. They are sharpening their saw because it is a passion project of theirs that utilized technology,” said Maple Grove technology teacher Carrie Dirksen. “Along with the habits, they are using critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and creativity to complete their project.”
WCSD staff who were invited included the superintendent, instructional coaches and mentors, teachers and building administrators.
The projects with the highest score will attend the Central Iowa Technology Fair in Ames on May 8. If students receive a purple ribbon for their projects, they will present to teachers and educational leaders at the Iowa Technology in Education conference in October 2018.
Third-grade students Emery Lake and Olivia Berger, fourth-grade students Adithi Balaji and Sriya Munjuluri and fifth-grade students Brayden Walters, Sarah Jefferson, Beverly Zheng and Katelyn Retzlaff will all be attending the Central Iowa Technology Fair with their award-winning projects.
