Laptops in the Wellness Classroom

by Bruce Elliott, District Wellness Coordinator

As we enter the fourth month of the 1-1 laptop program I have been pleasantly surprised by the adaptation of this new tool by students. As a former university instructor, this resource has been a pleasant addition to my teaching and lesson delivery at the high school level.  The 1-1 program has so many possibilities and applications that I am very excited to see how students embrace this resource in class and at home. 

Currently, Wellness classes are involved in presenting mock-trails on underage drinking. The 1-1 program has been useful in connecting students to this issue in the "real world." Students have used their laptops to research legal terms, civil law, Massachusetts State Law, precedents, courtroom procedures, and awarding of damages. Legal information abounds on the Internet and students are getting first-hand experience in meeting the demands of a lawyer in case development. Students have commented on how extensive the prep time is and they cannot imagine doing this type of career without computers. As one 9th grader put it, “Mr. Elliott, this is not like what we see on TV. The amount of work and level of detail is overwhelming.” 

Within this unit, “Class Action,” students are given cases in which they represent plaintiffs or defendants involved in underage drinking. Students are asked to research Massachusetts' law with regards to legal drinking age and OUI, as well as what consequences await those who are convicted. This Internet research has been highly beneficial in utilizing resources to prepare their cases. In addition, our open source Learning Management System (LMS), Moodle, has been used for this assignment (as well as other units) to house data and stay organized. Moodle is an interactive system that is open to students to retrieve teacher documents, assignments, videos, and daily lessons.

As with any new system, using Moodle and other technology does take time to master. Moodle will become more interactive as I get to know the technology. On the Moodle horizon will be online quizzes/tests, blogs, and discussion boards to augment in-class assessments in Wellness. As a district, we are fortunate to have this resource and I believe the 1-1 environment will have a positive overall impact on student learning as they work to future endeavors.