Welcome to the Tech Lab

Maureen Avery is the Technology Instructor at Holy Family School. She spent her childhood in a small Idaho ranching community of 400 people and then graduated from the University of Idaho with majors in English and Library Science. She also has a Masters in Educational Technology.

She and her husband of 40 years have three children and one very active grandson. When at home she likes to garden, read, knit, collect Russian stacking dolls and run her HO gauge train sets.

 



Technology is used four basic ways at Holy Family Parish School.

A. …. as a research tool.
          1. The World Wide Web is a massive information resource, offering a wide variety of information.
          2. CD /ROM based information. These include encyclopedias, atlases or curriculum software.

B. …. as a problem-solving tool.

A variety of software provides the opportunity for problem-solving activities, including spreadsheets for mathematical investigations, database data manipulation and analysis, and specific applications for a variety of activities.

C. …. as a creative tool.
          1. There are a growing number of programs that fit into this category.
          2. Digital Cameras, still and movie, robots.  
          3. Scanners

D. …. as a presentation tool.

1. Word processors are powerful tools that allows the student to create, edit and format text in a variety of ways. They also present a clean and tidy final copy. An added advantage is that the information can be stored electronically more or less forever, allowing one to revisit the information and change it whenever necessary.
2. Microsoft PowerPoint is used in many settings. It offers a variety of advantages over old methods of presenting information, including the ability to use pictures, clipart, video clips and sound. Presentation software allows the user to incorporate all the features into one presentation.
3. The web page – a creative canvas for presenting project work. The web page allows a high degree of manipulation with respect to images and text, including sound and video. It also allows one to provide links to related information – across the world in many cases. It is also easily updated, allowing the project to become dynamic rather than static.
In order to become proficient at using technology in these four major ways, HFK Technology Classes will include some or all of the following categories:
1. Basic Computer Operations
2. Keyboarding
3. Writing and Publishing
4. Graphics and Computer Art
5. Multimedia
6. Information Literacy and Research
7. Spreadsheets
8. Telecommunications and the Internet
9. Ethics and Safety