Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

2.3.10 | When it comes to learning about technology, the best teachers are sometimes already in the classroom, facing the front of the class.

Microsoft Corp. and the Corporation for National and Community Service have teamed up on an initiative to recognize students’ skills and to support service-learning programs that focus on technology.

Six schools from California, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia were selected to participate in the Service & Technology Academic Resource Team (START).

The goal, according to the release, “is to utilize the technology skills of students to partner with teachers and determine where technology best fits into the learning environment. The selected schools will receive grants and serve as national laboratory sites and as examples of how schools can integrate service-learning and technology into the classroom.”

“At first I wasn’t sure how a project like this could work and how it could improve my students’ academic outcomes,” said Linda Clifton, principal at Tupelo Middle School. “After I stepped back and let my students teach me about technology, I realized the tremendous benefits of these service-learning projects.

“Teachers have been amazed at the things students can do with technology,” Clifton adds, “and by integrating students’ expertise in technology into the learning process, you give them the opportunity to expand their learning opportunities, while creating a much-needed technology support system for the teachers.”

For a look at what START students are doing at Tupelo Middle School, check out the video below. View more video documentaries about START programs at other schools.

Plus: If you’re trying to stay up on the latest tools—but don’t have a team of students—you might want to sign up for this webcast on gadgets, tools and apps. Sponsored by Polaris Library Systems and Library Journal, the webcast will take place Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 3 p.m. EST. Two tech-savvy librarians, one public and one academic, will share some of their favorite tools and discuss updates on search, communication and graphics applications. The webcast will be archived and available for on-demand viewing for 72 hours after the event.