http://eagletimes.villagesoup.com/p/river-valley-tech-center-students-create-posters-of-china/1277738
River Valley Tech Center students create posters of China
Dec 05, 2014
Photo by: Courtesy
The following River Valley Tech Center students created posters of China: Dani Marshall of Bellows Falls Union High School, Nick Heath of Fall Mountain Regional High School, Nate Godfrey of Springfield High School, Nick Lescord of Bellows Falls Union High School, Alex Antosiewicz of Springfield High School; Jasmine Goings of Springfield High School; Mason Muzzey of Bellows Falls Union High School; and Chris Josselyn, of Black River High School. Missing, Brooke Goodwin of Green Mountain Union High School and Will Adams, adult.
SPRINGFIELD — Students in the Information Technology program at the River Valley Technical Center in Springfield recently finished a project developing posters to depict areas of cultural significance in China. Instructor Gail Fletcher, who visited China for three weeks last summer as part of the University of Vermont Asian Studies Outreach Program, incorporated her experiences in her curriculum for the Technology Essentials class. Students used images she took in China along with online pictures to create posters for their unit in Photoshop and graphic design. Students researched their chosen topic to develop a presentation to share with the class. The posters and presentations will become part of their student portfolios.
Mrs. Fletcher was one of nine Vermont educators who received three graduate credits for this course which included sessions at UVM to learn about political and educational systems, and culture in China before the trip. The group spent time in China visiting schools, cultural sites and areas of historic significance. As part of her course of study, Mrs. Fletcher presented to the River Valley Technical Center school board using a photographic slide show, artifacts and the students posters to illustrate the experience.
As a degreed engineer with extensive involvement in manufacturing throughout Asia I find this story a bit troubling. One would assume syllabus for a course entitled, Technology Essentials would concentrate on math, materials, and physics. Bit perplexed that at a high school level, students in a technology program are producing grade school social studies work. May explain why so many Asian students excel in the technology sector.
ReplyDeleteI must say, I agree with you. I sometimes get the feeling the Tech Center is just a holding tank......
DeleteThis is a high school introductory course to computer applications, including Photoshop, as part of the more comprehensive curriculum. It's not a college engineering course. The purpose of the activity was not to create posters, but to learn the many intricacies of Adobe Suites, the product was just to help the students focus and give purpose to the learning activity. I think the teacher should be commended because she decided to enrich the curriculum by incorporating international studies.I can't tell from the photo if the final products are 'grade school' or Picassos, but I commend the kids for their hard work.
DeleteSo, "point and click" and "copy and paste" are what pass for education today in Springfield? From the looks of the posters, there is little actual educational content and my guess is that each student would be hard pressed to provide any substantial information regarding the pictures of "cultural significance" that they copied onto their posters. This is just another gratuitous, self-promotional story by a school system that has succumbed to symbolism over substance and is rendering these kids a great disservice.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about self esteem, so let's assign an impressive, buzz word for class name and have fun playing with computers. An entirely irresponsible action on the part of administration that's oblivious to the fate of these young people once they have to earn their own way. I'd be interested to learn exactly which regional employer has identified poster illustrating as an in-demand, technical skill.
ReplyDeleteSince these students' education is being sufficed to sustain union teaching jobs, wouldn't such limited academics put them on the road to becoming guidance counselors with less effort?
Post Secondary, global and regional employers are the target destination for the students. Via dual enrollment college credits, articulated college credits, industry certifications, apprenticeships, leadership and employability skills, industry advisories made up regional industry professionals is are just some of the ways students are learning to "earn their own way." If you are really interested in knowing.
ReplyDelete