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New Jersey Educators at Work

ELEVATE: Enriched Learning Experiences via Applied Technology Education
By Amy Biasucci, Cranford High School, Milken Educator 2003

   

The Environmental Science classes in Cranford High School are pioneering a bicoastal, interdisciplinary, and technology based curriculum known as the ELEVATE program. In this program, Environmental Science from classes in New Jersey videoconference every week with Philosophy and Ethics classes in Millikan High School, Long Beach, California.

Both classes and school districts are benefiting from classes that are otherwise not offered to students. Besides learning environmental ethics, students are also gaining cultural awareness and empathy for people in different socio-economic communities. The ELEVATE program is great evidence of how technology in the class room can really raise the bar in education.

picture of videoconference

Videoconference in Action!

Real World Issues Special notes

Each week the students explore and dissect regional case studies centered around environmental ethics. A few examples of case studies tackled by the two schools were deer management methods in NJ, the threats to biodiversity in the Congo River Basin in Africa, and the proposed black bear hunt of NJ.

  • The Cranford students are responsible for teaching their cross country peers the scientific processes involved in each case study.
  • The Long Beach students contribute the beliefs of history's great philosophers.
  • All students then decipher how scientific decisions are based on certain philosophies and whether or not these decisions are ethical according to each philosopher's ideals.
  • Ultimately, the students are driven by the essential question, "What is my personal, social, ethical, and political responsibility to the environment in which I exist?"
 Students have turned their discussion into civic service by writing emails to NJ Acting Governor Codey and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley Campbell explaining positions on the bear hunt. The letter contained ethical concerns and references to great philosophers such as Emmanuel Kant, Thomas Aquinas, and Aristotle.
Technology Integration Special notes

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Videoconferencing equipment is right in each classroom.

• Laptop computers created PowerPoint presentations such as virtual tours; through Millikan High School (MHS), Long Beach, and Cranford High School (CHS) which were shared via videoconference during the getting to know you sessions.
• Concept maps were created by student groups using Inspiration software to analyze the essential question and relate it to a particular case study.
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Outside the classroom, the students from the two states communicate with each other and complete assignments using email. Each student was given an ePal in the beginning of the year, and several long distance friendships have evolved over the past months.
Videoconferencing and email technology bridge the distance between California and New Jersey. Two classes from each school are participating. CHS's period 4 class connects with MHS's period 1 class; and CHS's period 6 class connects with MHS 's period 3.
Teacher Collaboration Special notes

Every Monday, Amy Biasucci (NJ) and Nader Twal (CA) spend two hours together creating plans, schedules, and evaluations. For instance one Monday, they created a Jeopardy game using PowerPoint, to be used as a competitive assessment of the first semester’s progress. The Jeopardy game was played across the country! If one team did not know the correct answer, they could use their "life-line" in the other state for help.

Videoconferencing makes it possible for teachers who are not geographically close to team teach and perform innovative lessons.
Added Benefits

Videoconferencing is a great way to conduct student centered lessons and to evaluate the knowledge of students. There is no better way to assess whether or not a student has an authentic understanding of subject material than to observe her teaching others.