November 2005 — Software/Courseware

Print this article

Click here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal

The Power of Digital Integration

by Mark Erb

In addition to using Macromedia software, teachers are using the company’s project-based curriculum in the Web design class. The curriculum is also available in the library, enabling students who are not enrolled in the class to learn how to use the applications, as well. Even ninth-graders are teaching themselves to use programs like Flash, and building animations that they can add to iMovie and other multimedia projects. All high school students can check out a range of digital equipment to use for their projects, such as video and digital cameras, scanners, and sound equipment.

The library. The high school library and its accompanying Web site have become a focal point for all students, offering an extensive array of reference resources, 24/7, to help students complete their assignments. Student use of online resources, such as the Pennsylvania Online World of Electronic Resources (POWER) library system (http://www.powerlibrary.net), has soared. Access to more and more online journals and reference materials is being added each summer throughout the implementation process. These reference materials are instrumental in the success of student projects, whether they are multimedia in nature or of a more traditional construction. Still, having the tools is one thing; having easy access to the reference materials in order to complete a quality assignment is essential to the success of the program.

Gaining an Edge
The use of digital applications has given Kutztown students a real advantage over their peers by opening up their options. Many students are using Macromedia digital tools as well as the iLife suite to put together their senior projects, previously presented mostly as research papers before the launch of the laptop program. The students are now preparing electronic portfolios when applying to colleges in order to give a better, broader presentation of their academic and extracurricular achievements.

The response from parents in the district, some of whom work in multimedia design or teach at the local university, has been great, too. Parents appreciate the boost their children are getting by having access to industry-standard software from Macromedia right on their laptops. James Sposto is one of those parents. As managing partner and creative director for his Web design firm, Sposto Interactive (

http://www.sposto.com), he was a great resource in selecting software for the high school. “As an employer, I need people with digital communication skills,” Sposto says. “The type of thinking that’s involved when developing multimedia projects translates well to any type of creative thinking. Digital skills are part of the palette that young people will need for communicating in the future. Macromedia tools hold a solid grounding in those arts and thinking skills.”

Our Vision
The district continues to encourage teachers to provide an interactive educational environment. We believe that when students learn new digital communications skills and teachers integrate technology into the curriculum in a meaningful and practical manner, students will develop important critical- thinking and collaborative skills simultaneously.