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CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF THE AT&T CLASSROOM

Housed within the Â鶹´«Ã½ Research Center for Educational Technology (RCET), the AT&T Classroom stands as a unique and pioneering K-12 research laboratory. Its primary focus lies in exploring the potential of educational technologies while concurrently serving as a regional K-12 outreach and professional development center.

Founded in 1998, the AT&T Classroom owes its existence to the generous support of esteemed organizations such as the AT&T Foundation, the Ohio Board of Regents, and the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation. Since its inception, this classroom has been the host to a multitude of enriching experiences.

"The AT&T classroom provided an invaluable opportunity to reshape my laboratory research in a manner that could serve my own research interests in education, but more important, it provided a tsunami of inspiration that further stimulated my interests in conducting applied research that mattered. But, even though the classroom was an unbelievably valuable tool, in my mind, the true inspiration wasn’t the space itself, but how incredibly supportive everyone has been in helping me gain access to some of the most talented and enthusiastic teachers from the area. To put it bluntly, my experiences working with the staff, teachers, and students who attended the AT&T classroom was transformative to my career and who I eventually became as a scientist. Thanks for all the years of over-the-top support, and here’s to another 25 years!" John Dunlosky, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychological Sciences, Â鶹´«Ã½

This exceptional learning space has garnered significant national and international acclaim as a pioneering site for K-12 educators and students to explore teaching and learning through technology. Throughout the academic year, numerous K-12 classes from the Northeast Ohio region visit the AT&T Classroom to take advantage of its transformative resources.

Functioning as a K-12+ classroom, this facility offers teachers and their students direct access to an extensive array of educational technologies, including Chromebooks, 3D printers, circuits, robotics, and various tools for augmented and virtual reality.

During the AT&T Classroom experience, participating teachers are provided with just-in-time and contextualized professional development. Simultaneously, their students are exposed to engaging and cutting-edge tools as they delve into rigorous and interdisciplinary curricular content.

“As a teacher of more than 25 years, I have often seen technology as a way to engage and motivate my students and enhance their learning. In 2002 , I took my third grade class to the 'AT&T Classroom of the Future.' We learned how to take digital photographs, make PowerPoint presentations, and hyperlink text to communicate our research about local history. The end product was a CD-Rom we then shared with all the other third grade classrooms in our community. It was a meaningful project with lasting impact. It was the first time in my budding career when I wasn’t the expert. Kids learned how to use the technology, teach each other, and innovate their designs." Susan Louis, AT&T Classroom Teacher 2002, 2011, 2018

To participate in this professional development experience, teachers are nominated by their administration, allowing their classes to partake in daily extended sessions at the AT&T Classroom that spans several weeks. This immersive journey opens up a world of innovative possibilities for educators and students, promoting a culture of continuous growth and exploration within the realm of educational technology.

CONTACT ANNETTE KRATCOSKI TO PARTICIPATE

HISTORY OF THE AT&T CLASSROOM

The formation of RCET in January 1999, was preceded by the creation of the SBC Ameritech Classroom in the spring of 1998. During the summer of 1997, KSU President Carol Cartwright secured funding to renovate Moulton Hall and convert it into a Media & Technology hub for the University. Funding from the GAR Foundation established an endowed professorship--the Summit Professor for Learning Technology. Lyle Barton (SPED), who was already working with Don Tolliver and Rosemary DuMont on the renovation, asked if I was interested in the position. President Cartwright later appointed me to that role and suggested something be done with K-12 education and technology as part of the Moulton Hall renovation. So that’s what got us started. The vision and design for the Classroom was a combination of insights of colleagues, especially from my good friend and colleague Harold Johnson who was instrumental in sharing early ideas for the vision and implementation of the Classroom. The basic premise was to apply goals of community service, research and instruction with the K-12 teachers and students, as well as impact pre-service teacher education for faculty and students. The observation room was designed primarily for research purposes, but it also provided a means of professional development. RCET was founded less than a year later to provide a collegial network for university researchers and K-16 educators committed to studying the impact of technology on teaching and learning. The creation of the SBC Classroom and RCET was the result of collaborations with people representing a diverse group of institutions and organizations. In fact, if there’s a word that’s characterized the Classroom and RCET work throughout these past 25 years, it is that—collaboration— whether it’s working with faculty colleagues, students within and outside Kent State, or with teachers and students in the community.