Video gives students new opportunities

Published on Monday, April 16, 2007 12:09 PM MST

Distance learning allows for better education

By Jon Johnson, Assistant Editor

In the quest to provide better educational experiences, the Safford School District is offering unique “field trips” that not only take the children all over the world but also bring specialists in their field to Safford.

There is no travel cost, however, because these experiences are made possible by SUSD’s distance learning/videoconferencing program.

Safford offers students and teachers the ability to interact with an environment or educators who are thousands of miles away with its videoconferencing educational programs.

Technology Educator Carol Elders organizes program requests to make sure the programs are educationally sound and fit with the district’s curriculum requirements.

There are two types of programs for which the school district contracts. The first type is generally a paid program whereby a professional or expert in the field will give a presentation on a particular subject. The program is interactive - the instructor can see and hear the students. Students raise their hands, are chosen and have their questions answered just as if the speaker were in the room with them.

Programs usually range between $50 to $150.

Recently, the district contracted with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, for two programs. Safford is the first school district in Arizona to receive the Hall’s programs.

The first program was titled “Hip Hop Technolo-gy: From Turntables to Computers” and was taught to 25 Safford High School students by the Hall’s Educational Prog-ramming Director Dr. Jason Hanley.

The second program showed the history of rock and roll to 90 Dorothy Stinson Elementary School students.

“This interactivity is a vital part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” Hanley said. “It lets us bring the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to students who wouldn’t be able to visit.”

The Hall’s programs take the students on a tour of the museum directed by a curator and shows video clips and interviews with rock legends like Jimi Hendrix.

“I think the distance learners get better views of the artifacts than people who actually tour the museum,” Hanley said.

SUSD’s next programs will take the students on a dive to view Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and a tour through the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor.

The second type of program is a free collaborative session with other schools across the world. SUSD classes present material to other schools, which interacts and view the material as well.

One of the collaborative sessions, “Read Across the Planet,” enabled students to do reading activities with students from England, Canada, Michi-gan, New York and Texas at the same time.

Safford also has the ability to broadcast its own programs to other sites. The district is using the equipment for district business, as well, and has interviewed applicants through videoconferencing.

The district also offers several classes through Eastern Arizona College’s EACNet, which allows students to attend classes that are taking place at EAC without leaving their school. The students earn high school and college credit for the classes.

Safford’s videoconferencing programs cover K-12 educational requirements and are used by the entire district.

Safford has two rooms that contain the necessary equipment to conduct a videoconferencing session. One room is housed at the school’s district office, while the other is in the old theater arts room at Safford High School.

Safford Technology Co-ordinator Susan Lindsey developed the project for the district.

“This program will probably touch and affect kids more dramatically than anything else we can do,” Lindsey said. “Videoconferencing is allowing our kids to do things they could never have done without it.”

Print this story Email this story Post A Comment

Comments

14 comment(s)

Genevieve wrote on Oct 22, 2009 7:59 PM:

" I visited this spot in 2001 and had a wonderful time, in the two weeks I was there I greatly enjoyed the spring, the people and hiking in the surrounding area. The time I spent here was the highlight of my winter adventure. I played dominoes, drank tequila and picked up pretty rocks (and soaked in the spring of course!) It sounds like some terrible things have happened since and it's a shame that it's now closed. I would have loved to have seen it again. "

Tricia Wenzl wrote on Sep 20, 2008 4:32 PM:

" Re: Eve Batchelder murder-2006. I personally knew Eve as did many of my other co-workers and we were appalled that her confessed murderer was allowed to plead to a lesser charge (obviously) to escape the death penalty. This was a pre-meditated murder and kidnapping, resulting in the death of a wonderful, gentle soul not to mention leaving her two children without their mother! Jason Martinez does not deserve to live at the expense of the taxpayers with the chance that he could be paroled! Society cannot afford to be "soft" for the fear of peer pressure. "

ciara wrote on Jul 17, 2008 9:06 PM:

" hi i would like to know what time the pool opens "

Warnar Moll Amsterdam The Netherlands wrote on Jul 14, 2008 11:20 AM:

" I agree with Rustom Kevala.
In literature there are many scientific indications that the preparation of the sacred liquid (Haoma),could not contain a Hallucinogen-Entheogen drug (cf publications of Harry Falk, Jan Houben, Frits Staal and the late Mary Boyce).
As a plant-physiologist and toxicologian, I did some study about the preparation of Parahom (as described in Avesta). From the scientic point of view it is impossible that the sacred drink is hallucinogen.
I do not understand the arguments of the Pima's Church of Cognizance.
It is as stupid as the assert: Jesus used Marihuana. "

tom wrote on Apr 19, 2008 3:15 PM:

" if having someone go through something like especially a child is not an invasion of privacy then nothing is but then thats the 9th circus for you "

F THE SYSTEM!!! wrote on Feb 14, 2008 9:15 AM:

" Who cares about ibuprofen anyways! its just a pill that peopel take for headaches and aches who cares about what the school system. If someone suffers from chronic headaches and stuff like that they should be allowed to carry it around. IT was a bad thing to distribute it around to others, but they should be able to keep it anyway. Its not like teachers are all that willing to let students out of the classroom just because of a headache!!! SMS should be sued. Strip searching a student like that should NOT BE ALLOWED!!!! "

LaVae McClellan wrote on Feb 5, 2008 1:51 PM:

" Eric and Kevin Yazzie are my brothers, they always will be. Yeah its true they had a history of fighting, but thats all u see. The Eric and Kevin i know are happy and fun loving, make everybody laugh. I miss kevin, but theres nothing we can do for him now. As for Eric they need to let my brother go already "

joe tapia wrote on Dec 9, 2007 8:05 PM:

" I have spent half of my life in this canyon along with my cusion juan luepke and I would like to know what threats to the public that our gate is causing. there is another way into the canyon then through our property. Just before you get to the cobra guest ranch on klondyke rd take the tully springs\old aravaipa town turn follow for about 4 miles there is a side road just after the second cattle guard the road turns east you have to open a few gates but there not locked. "

JOE TAPIA wrote on Dec 9, 2007 12:11 AM:

" THE ROAD THAT EVERY ONE HAS USED FOR THE LAST 20-30 YEARS, Is owned by my family. as I have been told to me by my father that the b.l.m and nature conseverency asked to use our road because their easement down by the river kept getting washed out by floods.So when norma put the gate up the b.l.m asked the conservency to redo the road by the river again conservency said no way. By,joe tapia "

Katelynn Nichols wrote on Dec 7, 2007 5:34 PM:

" Clifford Bea Fowler is My uncle ans my cousin Kelci's dad he may be a white supremeist but he still loves his daughter.But he should be held responsible for his actions. "

Stephen wrote on Nov 30, 2007 8:57 AM:

" My thoughts and prayer's go out to the late Bobby Bell's family. "

SMSmom wrote on Nov 9, 2007 12:11 PM:

" I will be notified if my child is in so much trouble that he may need to be stripped searched. "Depending on circumstances"--NO I WILL BE NOTIFIED!!! TRY ME!!! "

Keisha wrote on Oct 27, 2007 8:03 PM:

" I'm sure if these guys were a threat to society action would of been taken. I'm not condoning such behavior but Linda sounds like she's up to no good. "

linda wrote on Oct 26, 2007 11:59 AM:

" Is there any way to post the photos of these molesters "in" the schools so that the children and school staff may detect any possible molesters? After all they are the ones who would most likely see them. "

WRITE A COMMENT

READER COMMENTS
* Be respectful of others, the writer and the subjects in the story.

* Be relevant. Keep your comments pertinent to the story that is being discussed.

Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All reader comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. The Eastern Arizona Courier is not liable for messages from third parties. IP addresses can be subpoenaed and your identity established by individuals who have been hurt by your comments.

DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity: You can be prosecuted for identity theft.
* Comments unrelated to the story.

Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in www.eacourier.com reader comments represent the individual's own views and not those of the Eastern Arizona Courier. The Courier does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than Eastern Arizona Courier spokespersons.

Thank you for your comments!