Arthur Jackman
Arthur Jackman, the Technology Director for the Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District, has been a leader in the field of educational technology since 1986 when he became Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Dean College. In 1998 he accepted his present position of Technology Director for the Blackstone Valley Vocational School District. There he has provided the vision and design for a pro-active and well-defined technology initiative. He has served on the District's leadership team and has made regular presentations to the School Committee regarding the status of the District's technological infrastructure.
While employed at Valley Tech, Arthur initiated many new technologies in the classrooms and vastly improved the efficiency of several administrative functions. He instituted electronic student admissions, scheduling, and attendance. With access controlled to maintain confidentiality, he gave teachers access to their students' Web-based, real-time databases including IEPs (Individual Education Plans) for special needs students who represent 25% of the student population. Using the JASON Project's comprehensive, multimedia approach to science, technology, math, geography, and associated disciplines, Arthur also provided students with access to exciting hands-on, inquiry based learning experiences as well as the ability to research and plan joint activities with other students from nearby elementary and middle schools around the annual themes of this technology-based initiative.
Beyond his work at Valley Tech, Arthur was instrumental in hosting regional teacher training on Test Wiz and VES (Virtual Education Space), and he was the driving force behind a year-long, grant-funded Bell Atlantic 2000 EdLink Award project that had educators from several neighboring schools collaborating on cross-curricular use of technology. This initiative culminated in student robotics teams competing in the national FIRST LEGO League Robotics Competition. On the state level Arthur is a member of the Information Technology Cluster Curriculum Committee, and he served as MassCUE's Treasurer and Board member from 1999 to 2002.