A history student at Chesapeake High School in Essex could take a virtual view of the Gettysburg battlefield and plot a course of action. An English student could adopt the persona of a soldier and write a letter home, or prepare a news account of the events.
The interactive technology that math, science and engineering students at the school have experienced for the past two years in Chesapeake High's $2 million virtual learning environment will soon be expanded to social studies and language arts courses.
On the surrounding 10 large screens, students could, for example, replicate the terrain at Gettysburg so that they would be looking at the exact vistas that Civil War soldiers faced more than 150 years ago.
"They could be standing on the mountaintops with a 360-degree view of the battleground," said Mike Crispens, a social studies teacher. "They could determine the advantages for both the North and South. This is truly living curriculum."
Teachers, who trained on the equipment last month, would be able to recreate historical events, such as the Battle of Gettysburg, and animate characters that students know only from textbooks. The goal is to introduce English and history students to virtual learning in March and use it for the entirety of next year, Crispens said.
The school teamed up with universities, defense contractors and even a video game developer to design the high-tech program, which became available to students in the fall of 2009. Teachers use simulations of real-life situations, such as an emergency evacuation, to help students apply their classroom and textbook knowledge. The classroom of three-screen computer workstations and an adjoining lab with a wall of large screens for group lessons is believed to be the first in the area.
"It takes us to the 21st century in learning skills," Crispens said. "It moves this generation from the standard classroom."
The program started with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math, but Joe A. Hairston, Baltimore County schools superintendent, said he always intended to expand it.
"If you look at the state of affairs globally and the instant access to information, the technology you see at Chesapeake is the same technology in use worldwide," Hairston said. "Why not engage more students in this technology? Many have already taken to it so well and so naturally."
One Chesapeake student is designing software that his peers will soon be using in the classroom, a development that does not surprise educators.
"This is the millennial generation, who cut their teeth on digital media," Hairston said. "This is enhancing the quality of their lives and helping them to manage their time better."
Tracey Fried-Kasofsky, English department chair, said such virtual-learning activities spark creative thinking and collaboration, encouraging students to work as a group to solve problems.
This semester, a freshman geometry class is developing a rescue plan for residents living near an about-to-erupt Mount St. Helens in Washington state. The students map evacuation routes, plot distances to fuel stations and shelters, and study the landscape from ground and air.
"It is easier on the computer," said freshman Alex Dillon. "It's more hands-on and there is always something going on. It was not hard to get used to, especially since I grew up playing video games."
His classmate, Nicholas Wenczkowski, likes the three-screen approach to problem solving.
"You can input data and do your calculations on screen," he said. "This is so much better than sitting in a classroom and staring at books."
Freshman Brittany Benner said, "It makes you be the teacher to yourself and holds your attention."
Ideas for applications in other areas came readily to the teachers.
"You could have students determine how effectively government reacted to the crisis," said Janine Holmes, social studies department chair.
English classes could write news stories and create videos from the events surrounding the eruption. They could argue persuasively to those refusing to leave the mountain and write eulogies for the victims.
"High school departments can be isolated," said PJ Cayo, English teacher. "With this technology, we can all come together and work on critical problems on a big screen."
The possibilities for scenarios are endless from, outer space to the Chesapeake Bay, an ideal background especially for students who live so close to its many tributaries.
"This is a huge motivational tool for our students," Principal Maria Lowry said. "This technology literally reels them in."
It is reeling in teachers, too.
"Many longtime teachers started out with overhead projectors and one computer on our desks," said Holmes. "Now, look at us. We are high-tech."
"And brainstorming ideas to implement it on a larger scale," said Corinne Roche, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) coordinator. "Eventually, the VLE [virtual learning environment] will be embedded in every program. The sky is the limit."