Tech it to the Point

By: Nick Northup, Mason County Career Readiness Instructor/TIS In 1770, George Washington surveyed much of the land in which is present day Point Pleasant. He was so mesmerized and taken in by the beauty of the land where the confluences of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers meet that he simply referred to the area as a pleasant point. Little did he know that our fair county would be a county that is steeped in history, and shrouded in much mystery. Primarily known for the infamous winged and dubious beast that supposedly plagued the area in the 1960s, too few of people know that Point Pleasant, the county seat, played an integral part in American History. The Mason County SPOKES students had the opportunity to divulge themselves in that history while learning about technology. The first weekend in October is often referred to by locals as Battle Days. It is a time set aside for commemoration of those who fought in Lord Dunmores War, while at the same time, providing educational opportunities to many of the school children and citizens in the tri-county and tri-state area. Our students were given an assignment to tell the story of Point Pleasant. Our goal for them was to use technology to showcase Mason Countys rich history, while at the same time, learn various types of technology. Each student was given an iPad to archive their historical findings, and for use to create, enhance, and edit their story. As a class, they were given the opportunity to explore Tu-Endie-Wei state park, which was where the Battle of Point Pleasant took place. During their time at the park, they were able to view a historic encampment, visit historical re-enactors, view exhibits and ancient artifact, all while immersing themselves in the lifestyle of the colonial period. Prior to touring the park, they were taught how to properly use an iPad and how to archive their findings. In addition, they were taught how to edit, enhance and create their assignment/presentation. Once they had collected and compiled their information, they were taught how to upload information into various media outlets to convey their story. Once the students stories are completed, they are going to showcase their work to the Economic Director of Point Pleasant. From the colonial period until now, our world has grown by leaps and bounds. Technology has been one of the many forces that has changed our lives. Currently, technology is a vital instrument we use to enhance the education of our students and our lives. Teaching students how to use technology is giving them the ability to learn something new, where many of them might not have that opportunity. Also, not only it is a teaching/learning experience for them, but in the near future, those students can apply what they have learned in our class to help teach their children, or to use that technology in the workplace. I firmly believe as Adult Educators, it is our duty and of the upmost importance to educate our students with the latest technology to help enrich their lives and to inspire them to be students of continual learning. By doing this simple activity in our class, the students were inspired to create, write, and develop their project while using many other skills. Though it is simple assignment, I was astounded by the time, energy, and effort the students put into this project. I would like to issue each SPOKES/ABE class a technology challenge, which is to try to incorporate a piece of technology and watch your students beam with excitement.