Back to School 8.17.25 - Flipbook - Page 6
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A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Sunday, August 17, 2025
5 Questions to Ask Your Child’s Teacher Regarding Technology
By Lisa Baldino, Contributing Writer
R
emember overhead projectors? When
you saw one in the classroom, you
knew something special was afoot for
your class that day. For those under
40 who are scratching their heads with curiosity, the overhead projector (OHP) was just that:
the use of light overhead to project images or
text on a screen. Although it was “portable,” it
was still cumbersome and unwieldy with its
giraffe neck light and heavy square base. Nonetheless, it was simple, convenient and intuitive
in its own way. Visuals were put on a transparency and projected onto the wall or the pulldown screen. Edits could be made right on the
transparency.
OHPs evolved to today’s sleek document
cameras that join a host of other advanced digital hardware products and digital curriculum
support programs in classrooms. Every school
has its tech-ed plans, some more extensive, others just enough to get by. How does your child’s
school stack up? Here are five questions to ask
your child’s teacher at your Back-to-School
Night, along with some nuggets of information
on why classroom technology makes a difference.
1. Is there a STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, Mathematics) program for
students?
You’ll want to know what it entails (especially the technology part), how your child gets
selected and what the curriculum will be like.
Most schools in the state of Maryland have a
STEM program. Students are required to take
a technology education course before graduating from high school, and they can choose
from a course selection of computer science,
engineering or technology education credit.
Median.com, a technical research company
publishing online, says its most recent report
on technology in schools concludes that most
students choose computer science as their
tech-ed, available in 89 percent of Maryland
high schools. This translates to 96.5 percent of
Maryland students acquiring basic technology
experience.
2. What are the requirements for student
devices/materials during the year? Does the
student need to have a personal laptop
computer?
The required items may include some new
electronic devices – but don’t panic. You will
find that elementary-aged students, in Kindergarten through at least third grade (sometimes
through fifth) do not need their own computers. But this stance begs these additional
questions. Do students have access to laptops
or desktops in the classroom? Are there parental blocks on these computers? What software
and digital education tools will be used? The
options are endless and confusing, so it’s best
to trust the teacher’s judgment and choices. See
next question.
3. What programs do you use to present the
curriculum?
Names like News-o-matic, Noodle Toodle,
Kahoota, Gizmo, GeoGebra can make your
head spin. Digital curricula are part of the
crowded space to support teachers in creating
digital lessons. Don’t worry, you’ll hear traditional names that are also on the list, like Google and Google Drive, along with Cisco. Whew!
These companies are helping teachers to adapt
their teaching styles to take full advantage of
the technology.
In Baltimore County Public Schools, the
Innovation Hub is the teacher’s one-stop site
for all things related to the digital curriculum.
An intuitive site, the Innovation Hub offers
digital tools for enhancing lessons and engaging students. A special section offers a number of educational programs like ScreenCare,
Promethean Nickel ActivPanel, NoodleTools,
Google drives and BCPS-licensed digital content like BrainPop, Discovery, and Gale. Wait!
NoodleTools – that sounds familiar!
According to the BCPS website, “Innovation Hub offers Lesson Planning with Ed Tech
Tools, designed to provide teachers with considerations, which are presented in question
format to help teachers reflect and choose the
most appropriate digital tools that align with
learning outcomes and student needs.”
4. What kinds of technology besides computers will the students be using in the classroom? How will these items and programs help
my student to learn?
Depending on the size of the school and
the curriculum, answers to these questions
will span the spectrum. Products will range
from document cameras to videoconferencing
equipment to smart whiteboards. You’ll probably be able to see if there’s a smart screen or
whiteboard in the classroom, or if there are
large monitors in key spots. You’ll be able to
determine how personalized the curriculum
can be.
5. What are some of the challenges your class
will face when using technology in the
classroom?
This is an open question, which will allow
the teacher to express where she might need
help, and it will indicate some of the frustration
the students may bring home along with their
homework.
The upshot is: Our children are growing up
in a computer-driven world. They feel comfortable with technology because they are learning
it in innovative, hands-on ways. You can be
confident that if your children attend school in
the state of Maryland, they will be tech-savvy.
How do we know? Maryland’s position among
all states for developing the highest number
of students for computing jobs: Number One.
That’s right. In 2020, according to a Median.
com online report, adjusting for population
size, Maryland had more students pass the
Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles exam than any other state. It also ranked
fifth in the nation for the number of students
passing the Advanced Placement Computer
Science A exam. Maryland is also the only state
in the nation requiring middle schools to provide “computational learning” opportunities.
We are set up to help students lay the foundation for their own success.
You have to admit, classroom technology
has come a long way from that overhead projector.
Photos: Adobe Stock
