Introduction 
Michael Huff
Student Teacher
Redford Union High School
University of Michigan
 |
Received MCOATT Award |
- My name is Michael
Huff, and I have been preparing to be a secondary social studies teacher for the last four
years now at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
During this time, I have had much experience in using technology and teaching its
use to others. I have managed the School of Education's Computer
Lab, and I have
been a computer teacher for senior citizens in Westland.
- From January through
April 2002, my last semester at UM-D, I have been student teaching at Redford Union High
School in Redford, Michigan, a suburb just west of Detroit. I have been working with
Andy Christopherson, a veteran social
studies teacher who currently teaches 9th grade Civics and 10th grade Advanced United
States History. We have been participants in U of M's new MITTEN program for the promotion of
successfully integrating technology into the K-12 curriculum.
- Classroom
Environment:
Students - Most of our students come from a working class suburb of Detroit. In addition, Redford Union is a "Schools of Choice" district which has brought in a small population of students from our neighbor to the east the city of Detroit. While some students do not have access to the Internet at home, the majority do, with most students coming from such homes fairly proficient in basic computer use. No matter their home background, all students have access to computers and the Internet both before and after school in the high school library or through the public libraries in the area.
Technology - At the beginning of my student teaching, I used the CEO Forum's Interactive School Technology and Readiness Chart (STaR chart) to assess Redford Union's curricular technology integration. Overall, I found Redford Union to be at Mid Tech level. This was the breakdown in five specific areas:
- Hardware: Mid Tech
- Connectivity: Low Tech
- Content: Mid Tech
- Professional Development: Mid Tech
- Integration and Use: Low Tech
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