Beginning in 2009, the Newton Schools Foundation in collaboration with Newton Public Schools began a high impact initiative to support the 21st Century Classroom and to digitally enable every classroom in Newton. This campaign to advance the learning experience through technology will ensure that our students develop 21st century skills and teachers have the necessary tools and training to make this possible.

What is a 21st Century Classroom?

  • Integrated and interdisciplinary education
  • Classrooms with global reach and resources
  • 21st Century learning, team-making and knowledge-based skills
  • Relevant, rigorous and real-world educationally-based learning modules
  • Student-centered technology
  • Project-based & research-driven
  • Technology and classrooms that can adapt to fast paced personal and social change, and the need for creating lifelong students
  • Bringing technologies & media to new problems and the ability to look at old problems in a new way

Our goal is to outfit all Newton Public School classrooms with an interactive white board and teacher tablet with individual student response systems over the next 3 to 5 years. The 2009/10 school year will serve as a pilot year for this project. Each middle school currently has installed at least one 21st century classroom. We hope to outfit an additional 5th grade classroom with 21st century technology at each elementary school before the end of the year.

Professional development for teachers and curriculum development are also integral parts of the 21st Century Classroom initiative. In a joint venture among the Newton Schools Foundation, the Newton Public School system and Boston College, a professor from the BC School of Education will run a comprehensive outcome study to ensure this Pilot is delivering on its promise. At the end of the year a full research white paper will be produced with recommendations for software, hardware, teacher development and training modules so the Newton Schools Foundation can plan for complete integration in ALL of our schools.

To learn more:
Visit one of the Middle School “Pilot” Classrooms

Web information:

Email us at nsfinfo@newton.k12.ma.us

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