Coding Club students from Clarkston Community Schools were among nearly 30 schools in Michigan participating in the 14th annual Student Technology Showcase on Dec. 3 at the State Capitol Building in Lansing.
Students used computers and other electronic devices to show elected members of the Michigan State Senate and the House of Representatives how technology is being used in the classroom to facilitate learning. Projects covered a wide variety of learning areas including science, mathematics, social studies and language arts.
Taking part in the demonstrations locally were Pine Knob Elementary students Abigail Kurniawan and Trent Schmeling, and Sashabaw Middle School students Gracie Sielinski and Nathan Dimmer. Lori Banaszak, technology integration specialist, Lisa Drew, Pine Knob Elementary teacher, and Dennis Klenow, Independence Elementary teacher, led the group to Lansing to highlight the importance of elementary coding clubs and showcase their coding projects.
The showcase was sponsored by AT&T, TRIG, Michigan Department of Education, and the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL), an organization bringing educators from all levels together to share knowledge and concerns regarding educational uses of computers and technology.
‘Surveys show students enjoy using computers so they tend to get more involved with their projects and often do much better in school as a result,? said Mark Smith, MACUL executive director.
For more information about the event, visit the MACUL website at www.macul.org.