Edina Teachers Honored for Technology Achievements

Editor's Note: The following article was written in part with information provided by the Edina Public Schools.

Edina teachers Jennifer Gross and Jason Szporn were recognized as exemplary teachers in technology at the K-12 education services provider TIES’s conference last week, honored during the annual meeting’s opening session on Dec. 11. TIES is the largest education trainer in the Midwest and active in approximately 47 school districts in Minnesota. Gross teaches third grade at Countryside Elementary, and Szporn teaches AP Economics at Edina High School.

Gross’s use of technology in the classroom includes the use of Google Apps to help her students create websites about classroom content. Students in her classroom additionally use video and other media to individualize their learning efforts. A lifelong learner herself, Gross recently completed a certificate in teaching and technology at Hamline University, and is credited with being a leader in technology among her peers.

Szporn was recognized by TIES for his development of a blended advanced placement (AP) economics course at Edina High School last year; after developing an elegant “no scroll” course in Moodle that included video lessons Szporn produced himself, the innovative instructor saw profound changes in his students’ test scores. 71 percent of his students received a four or higher on the AP macroeconomics exam following development of the new technology-dependent course, fully 28 percent higher than students the previous year. Globally only 37 percent of students taking the exam achieve a 4 score or higher.

Szporn credited much of the increase in scores to implementation of the new technology, which he said allowed students to move at their own pace. Szporn’s colleagues also credit him with being a technological leader at the high school.    

Like Edina Patch on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Sign up for our daily newsletter