ORANGE : High-Tech Laserdiscs Tested by Educators

Say goodby to dull educational filmstrips and talky documentaries. Teachers in the Orange Unified School District, like educators throughout the country, are aiming to bring “Star Wars into the classroom.”

At a recent teacher-training session at El Rancho Middle School in Anaheim Hills, two representatives from each of the district’s 10 middle schools sat in the darkened library for an introduction to interactive laserdisc technology.

Eyes riveted to a large screen, the group watched as a demonstrator passed a pen-sized “wand” over a code in a textbook--the lesson was mammals--that was teamed with a laserdisc. Suddenly, a film clip of a cuddly koala popped up on the screen.

This selective use of media is a dream come true for teachers who love showing film and video but who feel they waste class time screening a 30-minute show to illustrate a single point, according to Jane Dill, staff development officer for El Modena High School.

The training at El Rancho also showed teachers how they can design their own lessons and bar codes, using a personal computer and a laserdisc player.

“I see chalkboards becoming obsolete,” said El Modena Principal Gail Seal.

Even better, said Gwen Davis, a presenter of the El Rancho training, students can be taught to use the technology for reports and other class work. Soon, she predicted, “instead of turning in a term paper, they’ll be turning in a disc.”

“The more different ways you present material, the more active they are in their learning, the more they remember,” Davis said. “The more they remember, the more they learn.”

El Rancho has already ordered a laserdisc player, Davis said. “Our goal is to have two masters in multimedia at each (Orange Unified middle school) by Christmas,” she said.

The problem may be raising funds. One media station or unit--consisting of a personal computer, monitor, laserdisc player and bar code “wand”--costs about $5,000.

Jack Fox, Canyon High School’s principal, said he will seek funds from the district, state, lottery, business partnerships and parent groups.

“When students leave our school, they should know a computer as well as they know a telephone,” Fox said. “That’s our goal.”