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Taking The Curriculum One Click
at a Time
By: Heather Lavers, SNN Reporter
Roncalli Central High
Port Saunders, NF
Imagine one central database
where teachers can immediately access the standard curriculum
outcomes for every course in every grade. Well you don't have
to imagine any more, thanks to Leon Cooper and the division of
program development in the Department of Education. They have
developed a software entitled, The Curriculum Outcomes Database
Project.
"In laymen terms this project
is software that contains the entire curriculum in a searchable
format and allows individual teachers to add their own activities
or ideas", remarks Leon Cooper from the Department of Education.
He presented this new software to 10 teachers at the Stem- Net
conference on Tuesday, June 27th 2000.
When asked about the presentation,
Don Dunphy, a technology education teacher said, "It was
a great presentation and very informative. I'm looking forward
to using this software for my class. I believe this software
will be simple to operate and will benefit all teachers."
Despite this glowing report not all teachers walked away with
the same impression. Bonnie Lane-McCarthy, a program specialist
for high school noted, "I thought it was an informative
session because of how it organized the curriculum and how the
software is based for cross-curriculum. I understand how it will
help others and I think I will use it when it comes out, however,
I don't believe it will be easy to operate. The Department of
Education should come out with an inservice in order for teachers
to become comfortable with the program."
The program is not perfect yet,
there are certain glitches that need to be worked out. Some examples
that Mr. Cooper pointed out in his presentation were, the fact
that the program out now is already 50 megabites of space and
it is still only about 50 percent completed. He said, "
Right now to download it from the internet you need a high speed
connection or be prepared to wait it out over a night or several
nights for your software to finish downloading." According
to Mr. Cooper we have a good idea but it will take many years
and a lot of teacher cooperation to make this venture a success
but once it is complete the entire curriculum will be one combined
network, for all teachers, throughout the province.
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