THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 14, 1994 TAG: 9412140442
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CURRITUCK LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Last year a state audit team lauded Currituck County public school curriculum for high achievement in many areas.
But the use of technology wasn't among them.
In fact, the auditors noted that the rural Northeastern North Carolina county was decades behind the times in using computers and audiovisual aids in classrooms and administrative offices.
On Monday evening, a committee of educators and private citizens unveiled a draft of a long-range technology plan to bring Currituck schools up to date and better prepare its pupils for life in the 21st century.
``I think this is going to get us in the door. . . and hopefully put us ahead of other school systems,'' Currituck Board of Education member John Barnes said.
The plan is divided into six phases and should ultimately enhance student learning and staff effectiveness at a time when communicating through an ``information superhighway'' is becoming as commonplace as handwritten letters once were.
The school system currently has about 500 computers, mostly IBM or Apple models, available for student use in five schools.
That number averages one computer for every 5.8 students systemwide. The computer-to-student ratio is worst at Moyock Elementary School (1 to 10) and best at Currituck County High School (1 to 4.4).
The proposed plan would make better use of computer networking and provide a teacher work station and four student computer work stations in each classroom.
Lap-top computers could be checked out by students and staff for home use, according to the draft plan.
Each classroom also would be equipped with a television and videocassette recorder and a telephone, intercom and media retrieval system.
Software selections would be based on recommendations from teachers, administrators and the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction.
Currently, staff members receive basic computer training in August, with additional instruction sometimes offered at various schools.
But there are still some who remained resistant to change.
``Some staff members are very anxious about technology,'' the plan states. ``Skilled staff members in the area of technology are in short supply.''
To quell the fears of computer phobics, an ``instructional technologist'' would be employed at each school.
The cost of adding more computer hardware and software, video equipment and properly trained teachers to each classroom within the 2,944-student system has not been determined.
``This is a draft. This is not a complete plan,'' Linda Wardle, co-chairwoman of the 31-member committee, told the school board Monday. ``We hope to have a finished product by January.'' by CNB