When teachers at Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona need help with technology, they know where to turn – their own students. For the past eight years, Debbie Kovesdy has been teaching a class called GenYES – where students learn to solve technology problems in their own school and community. Now, these students have helped design a new online system that will support other schools around the world take advantage of their own tech savvy students. The Shadow Mountain GenYES “Crue” as they like to be called, has been helping the non-profit Generation YES organization with design ideas and strategies to build the next generation online tool for student technology leaders and learners.
“GenYES students research how to implement cutting-edge ideas and design new tools for learning in all subjects and grade levels," said Kovesdy. "Using their tech expertise, critical thinking skills, and passion for technology, these students are the backbone of our school’s efforts to bring learning into the 21st Century and are eager to share their ideas with the world!"
Generation YES® has partnered with thousands of schools across the United States and around the world to teach young people how to help improve technology use in classrooms. GenYES students assist teachers, staff tech genius bars in the school library, and do tech support in their own schools, providing needed resources for busy teachers and IT staff while at the same time teaching students valuable 21st century skills.
The newly designed GenYES online tools will be available in Fall 2013 for all GenYES schools around the world. These tools offer a student-led tech support help desk, curriculum for student technology leaders, and resources for teachers and administrators to create a student tech club or class.
"We hope every school around the world can experience the leadership and learning opportunities GenYES has brought to Shadow Mountain," added Kovesdy. "Our program is expanding enormously every year, not just from our local students but students who transfer to our school specifically to be part of GenYES.”
