HIT: Computer or "Multi-media" Club

[Kathy Ballard <kballard@HOMER.CNYRIC.ORG>]

Dear LM-NETTER's,

I only received two responses to the following request.  I have forwarded
the responses to the list, since I had several requests for a hit.  If
anyone out there missed the first posting and has information to share,
please send to me and I will post another hit.  Thank you.

Query:

We are starting a computer/multi-media club in our gr. 9-12 (850 students)
high school and plan to incorporate a number of activities, including web
design, multi-media production, rendering & animation, robotics, etc.
Several faculty members from different academic areas will act as advisors
for the group (including the computer teacher and myself, the library media
specialist).  My question is, do any of you have a similar club?  What has
worked well for you and what hasn't worked?  Any ideas or advice would be
welcome.

Responses:

At our high school, 10-12, we just today had a meeting of students who are
interested in being part of a  student technology team.  We really have no
guidelines and are making up the thing as we go.  I can't be any  help,
since we have not yet done anything, other than have the first interest
meeting with sophomores and  juniors.  Some of our plans are similar to
yours, such as web design and production.  We also will help  teachers and
other students with computer problems, assist in teacher training, and help
locate curriculum  resources for teachers.  I would appreciate any
information you could share.
---------------
My wife has some of these clubs and does very interesting things (you might
take a look at the International School of Tanganyika's pages on the web
for examples of real student-produced pages).

A timesaver I pass along is to ensure that the students are assigned to
specific computers, rather than going to whatever one is free at the time.
Why?  There'll be less tampering and putting inappropriate things onto them
if the students know that you will be able to identify who's sitting there.

Second, she uses brightly colored "Help!" (sheet of cardboard folded into a
triangle so that it can sit on top of the monitor) instead of running
around to a thousand (it seems) students at a time.

Take time to work with the other advisors so that everyone knows what is to
happen (and, what is NOT to happen)  Review lab rules, plan what the goals
are and how to get the students there, establish consequences, etc.

Do not assume every student has the same level of understanding and
motivation.  Take time to teach - and, start from the basics - do they know
how to turn on a computer?  do they know how to type?  virus check?
etc.......  Taking the time for teaching each skill will make for an
effective computer club and, by the way, eliminates the students who are
hackers, want to wreck the computer with viruses, etc.

Make them very aware of their responsibilities -  what about stealing
pictures and other people's programs?  banging on the keyboard?  etc.......

Thanks again,

Kathy Ballard, LMS
Homer HS
Homer, NY  13077
kballard@homer.cnyric.org

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