Students in Ms. Caren Lettofsky’s computer science classes, at Indianapolis Public School’s Harshman Middle School, learn about computers by reassemble their own computer.
First, Ms. Lettofsky first has the students build a virtual computer, using a website created by Cisco. This site walks students through various steps to build a desktop computer. This part of the website gives hints and guidance as to what to do. Once the students has completed this part of the website, the students then move to the next phase of the website and build the computer without any added help. Ms. Lettofsky also has the students complete a worksheet where the students must explain, in their own words, what the various parts of a computer does.
Learning then becomes very real for the students. Students, in teams of two, work on computers provided by Net Literacy. First, each team completely disassembles the computer. Then the hard work begins as each team reassembles their computer.
When each team believes they have reassembled the computer correctly, the team presents the reassembled computer to Ms. Lettofsky. The computer is then connected to a keyboard, mouse, and monitor and powered on to make certain that it was correctly reassembled and properly works!
Finally, then the hard work begins as each team reassembles their computer and presents the reassembled computer to Ms. Lettofsky to make certain that it was correctly reassembled and properly works! Now for some of the students, here’s the best part!
Students whose family doesn’t have a computer at home gets to take the computer they just reassembled (together with a monitor, mouse, keyboard, and cables) home! Students can now use their computer for homework and learning. This is very important because students with a computer at home are 7% more likely to graduate from high school.
Quotes:
“It’s fun!” – J. D.
“I couldn’t believe it when my computer worked! I didn’t think I could do it.” – J. G.
“He’s been talking about this all week! He hasn’t been this excited about school for years!” – Grandfather of R. S.
“I really love seeing the kids go from ‘I can’t’ or ‘This is too hard” to ‘Look what I did!!’ It’s a real confidence booster!” – Ms. Lettofsky
Click on the link letters to Net Lit to read the students’ thank you notes to us!
Net Literacy congratulates Harshman Middle School and Ms. Caren Lettofsky for teaching in an innovative and engaging real world manner!
