News
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
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District incorporates virtual reality into curriculum continued from page 1 As part of their space travel unit, Beaumont Elementary students also went to the moon, the planets and the International Space Station. In other units, Parrotta, Munger and other teachers are exploring how available Expeditions can supplement the diverse topics covered in the elementary school curriculum. While studying ancient China, students toured the Great Wall; while studying immigration, they visited Ellis Island. Next year, while studying prehistory, students will visit museums to see fossils and dinosaur skeletons. Parrotta believes virtual reality allows the students to learn material and concepts “in a way that print and 2D media can’t.” “I can read to them about the Statue of Liberty and how big it is, but when you’re looking at a book that’s this big, you can’t really get the scope of it,” Parrotta said. “But when they are standing at the base of it, and they have to really tilt their head back, they start to get an idea.” As advanced as virtual reality technology may seem to students at the high school— Milanek remembers SMART Boards and typing programs as the most modern features of his second grade class—Parrotta said his second graders “knew exactly what it was as soon as it came in.”
technology like this?” Munger said. “It may be more appealing to stay in a virtual world than a real one, and you may end up spending far more time ‘plugged in’ than you would otherwise.” Munger said that he hopes by cultivating such critical thinking now, students will use virtual reality more thoughtfully in the future. “They might just be wanting to play with the VR in the end, but maybe down the road, as they’re using it again, they’ll end up being a little more respectful of it. It’s not just a fun thing, a game, but it’s something to respect. It’s a new technology that could really change a lot in the world,” Munger said. As the technology improves, Parrotta expects the middle school and high school VR curricula to evolve and build on VR curricula at the elementary schools. He believes that virtual reality’s incorporation into the classroom will help students as the technology becomes more prevalent. “I’m really pleased that we went this way and that the school district sees the benefit in things like this,” Parrotta said. “It helps propel our kids into the jobs that will be available to them in some way, shape, or form. By them having the foundation now and here, I feel like it’s giving them the opportunity to go further with it later.”
Courtesy Joanne Reuschel
A new experience: At Beaumont Elementary, second grade teacher Dominic Parrotta guides his students through a lesson using virtual reality. As of this year, Beaumont has a permanent cart of VR viewers. The viewers are used to go on virtual trips to places like the Great Barrier Reef, Ellis Island and the moon. “They see (virtual reality) in TV or in commercials. They see it in magazines,” Parrotta said. “In our classrooms, we
have Dash and Dot robots, we have a Blue-Bot, we have Ozobots, we have the laptops, we have the iPads, we do coding.
I don’t think they’re surprised. They think it’s just what they assume is part of their learning environment.”
Munger encourages his students to be mindful of the negative possibilities that come with new technology.
“I do try to introduce them to think about where this could go. What are the good sides and the dark sides to
xpanding the horiz ns
SPOKE CONCEPT ART COCO KAMBAYASHI
School Board votes to pursue Atrium Design for addition Avery Maslowsky Co Editor-in-Chief
The Tredyffrin-Easttown School Board voted unanimously to pursue the Atrium Design Plan for Conestoga High School’s 2020-2022 expansion at its January meeting on Jan. 28. The Atrium Design, which adds 66,200 square feet to the building, will begin construction in April 2020. Currently, the expansion still is in its development stage. By 2024, the District’s projected enrollment for Conestoga High School is 2,512 students, com-
pared to the current enrollment of 2,217 students, with 89% of the existing space being utilized. The Facilities Committee considered two design possibilities: the Courtyard Design and Atrium Design. In the Courtyard Design, the district would construct a third outdoor common space in the school. But the main disadvantage would be the dependence on good weather for its usage. For this reason, and because of its adaptable learning spaces, the Facilities Committee selected the Atrium Design Plan. In the floor plans, the Atrium Design includes 26 new addi-
tions. The school will add nine regular classrooms and two special education classrooms, as well as four science labs. Specialized rooms, including an art room, kitchen classroom and fabrication lab, are included in the plans for students to explore specific interests. The school will also hold six differently sized flexible rooms, as well an atrium, a large learning space, that accounts for almost 20% of the addition. Other than the planned additions to the high school building, the plan details 27,000 square feet in renovation space, improving rooms that are strained by
the overcrowded building. Extra space will go to the existing fitness room, library, cafeteria, student services and nurse’s office. Currently, the School Board is focused on developing the design and budget of the planned additions and expansions. By early 2020, the Board hopes to finish township regulatory approvals with the project and create a formal plan for the design, as well as finalize the pricing. Construction of renovations will occur from 2020 to 2021, while the renovations will take place during the beginning and end of that time period.
Atrium Exterior View
Atrium Front View
Atrium Side View
PROPOSED ATRIUM DESIGN FOR 2020-2022 EXPANSION Design based on Jan. 28 School Board agenda materials. Designed by Avery Maslowsky, Co-Editor-in-Chief
PROPOSED FIRST FLOOR PLAN
NEW CLASSROOMS
NEW FABRICATION LABS
NEW SCIENCE LABS
NEW ART CLASSROOMS
UNEXCAVATED
FLEXIBLE INFORMAL LEARNING SPACE
CAFETERIA EXPANSION
RENOVATED SPACES
PROPOSED SECOND FLOOR PLAN
NEW CLASSROOMS
ATRIUM