Ava Victory Academy recently received a donation of “gently used” computers from a business in Springfield that was updating their technology.
Jon Doane, along with several students, volunteered their time to install operating software on the computers and run cables to each classroom.
This donation has allowed each classroom to have a computer, whereas some classrooms only had a personal computer belonging to the teacher.
The computer lab received four new computers, the resource room received four computers, and the addition of 10 computers in the high school business class is allowing Mrs. Matlock to implement more technology in the classroom.
Mrs. Matlock is teaching business math, personal finance, and introduction to business in the high school department and is fully immersing the students in multiple forms of technology.
The students in all three of these courses are learning about the stock market and our economy by utilizing a virtual stock market simulation on the internet.
The business students are also using an online class website for electronic submission of assignments in an effort to stay more environmentally friendly and use less paper. This is also a place that they can find assignments if they are absent.
The other technology that these classes are being exposed to is blogging. Mrs. Matlock will post a subject from the class text or discussion and students are expected to comment on the post and support their position to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter and prove that they can apply the information being used.
Students are also sometimes asked to post their own questions on the blog site, and classmates will respond to them.
The intentions of adding these different types of technology in the classroom are to give the academy students an understanding of additional knowledge and resources available, outside of the textbook, as well as helping them to prepare for college courses expectations.
Senior Tyler LeClear stated that he enjoyed the classes and feels that they are very practical with concepts that he will use in life, adding that he had always had an interest in the stock market but not the knowledge to participate.
Senior Lee Schmidt likes the online class website for assignments but is glad that they haven’t totally done away with books.
