UW News

October 9, 1996

UW, Seattle Public Schools host in-service day and build ongoing partnerships

News and Information

On Friday, Oct. 11, the University of Washington will host an in-service day, “Education for the 21st Century,” which will give Seattle Public School educators an opportunity to explore ways to use instructional technology and service learning in the curriculum to prepare students to be effective citizens and meet the challenges of our changing world. The in-service day also is designed to foster collaboration between the Seattle schools and UW faculty and programs.

More than 300 teachers, librarians and administrators from Seattle and 50 UW presenters will participate in the in-service day; attendees will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of workshops and demonstrations. Topics will range from “Search Strategies and Critical Thinking on the World Wide Web” to “Media Literacy” and “Important Elements of Integrating Community Service with the Curriculum.”

UW President Richard L. McCormick and Seattle Public Schools Superintendent John Stanford are continuing their efforts to build a comprehensive K-20 educational partnership that draws on the collective resources of educators. McCormick and Stanford have been strong advocates for increased collaboration between K-12 and higher education. In one of their recent meetings, the two leaders produced a videotape for the in-service’s opening plenary, to share their joint commitment to strengthen both the UW and local schools, and their capacity to provide leadership in shaping the future of education.

Stanford’s recent announcement of a $7 million technology grant award to increase Seattle students’ access to the Internet and the World Wide Web underscores the importance of helping teachers identify new ways of incorporating technology into teaching . Stanford has said he wants the UW to play a significant role in helping the local schools increase the use and thoughtful application of technology in classrooms.

The in-service program will focus on how educators can employ emerging instructional technologies and service learning in the classroom to help students learn to navigate exponentially increasing amounts of information, think critically, exercise ethical judgment, and engage in increasingly complex and dynamic environments. Ed Lazowska, chair of the UW’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering, will give the keynote address, “Technology in the Service of Teaching and Learning,” and will discuss access to information, the impact of technology on learning, and technologies of the future. Allen Glenn, dean of the UW’s College of Education, will provide opening remarks, and UW students will staff the program and be available to talk with participants about ways to build collaboration beyond the in-service day. The program begins at 8 a.m. in Meany Hall on the UW’s Seattle campus.

For more information, contact:

Louis Fox, associate vice provost, UW Office of Undergraduate Education, 685-4745
Les Foltos, director of educational technology, Seattle Public Schools, 281-6465
Ed Lazowska, chair, UW Department of Computer Science and Engineering, 543-4755