November 20, 2004
Colleges have been doing it for a while now, some of them, and now high schools are starting, using technology for much more precise and immediate communication with families. That tops this week's Technology Tuesday.
Some teachers in some schools have created their own websites, but at Hudson High School, officials are creating an overall system so all teachers can have their own websites and all parents and students can access records
[Jeremy Tschudin, teacher] "The teachers post grades, usually once every week or two, so what we have is close to a real time report card. Parents can access the site from any computer connected to the Internet at any time."
It [Edline] provides for nearly instant communications with students and families, and avoids some of the complaints from parents that come after report cards or during parent-teacher conferences.
[Jeremy Tschudin, teacher] "Teachers have, from time to time, been asked by parents, 'Why didn't you tell me he was doing so poorly?' Well, now they can find out."
Parents were at Hudson High School recently, learning about the system, learning about all of the different records and progress reports they can access, and setting up their own access codes so they get the records for their children, and no others.
[Laura Mortefolio, parent] "I think it's great, I can get an overall picture more current and more frequently than just when I have report cards or if I contact a teacher. It [Edline] kind of keeps me abreast of what's happening."
And teachers like the idea, too, because it gives them the opportunity for more frequent communication with parents, and they hope parents will become more involved in their children's education.
[Bob Perry, teacher] "I put an individualized report for every one of my students on line every Saturday morning. Parents log on Saturday afternoon, and they know what their child's been doing in my class that weekend."
Tschudin is working through a Troy-based non-profit called Ed21 [an Edline partner], which helps educational institutions incorporate technology.