No more. If you dropped into a CUSD classroom today you might see students working together to design a website, collaborating online on a history project, making an infographic, or looking for evidence to support an argument. Students might be poring over a Chromebook or an iPad to complete a Math assignment, or displaying their DNA presentations on a screen in front of the room. And chalk dust doesn’t cut it
Teachers across the District are working hard to implement the new State Standards in English Language Arts and Math in their classrooms, and the use of student learning data to drive instructional practices. Science teachers are grappling with the new frameworks for the Next Generation Science Standards. Others are learning about Project-Based Learning, Visible Learning, and Project Lead The Way. Students are learning coding, creating videos on current health issues, and communicating with peers across the globe. Registration, assignments and grades are online, library resources are internet-based, and students are even taking their state SBAC tests online.
Not many years ago, schools would build a computer lab by purchasing 35 desktop computers and specialized software, hard-wire them into computer desks, and snake cables along the floor and up the walls. A $50,000 investment.
Today we purchase a cart containing 40 wireless, adaptable chromebooks for $15,000. These can be kept in the corner of a classroom or rolled down the hallway into the Science lab.
Technology is no longer an add-on in a classroom--it is now an integral part of the instructional program. CUSD has made a commitment to purchasing technology for the classroom, ramping up to meet the technological needs of students and teachers in this exciting and challenging time.
Last year CUSD had about 1700 chromebooks and 500 ipads in classrooms across the District. So far this year we have added an additional 1800 chromebooks and another 500 ipads, for a current total of 3500 chromebooks and 1000 ipads. We also added another 160 desktop computers to our existing 3000, which brings our grand total of devices to over 7500 districtwide.
Some of our current challenges:
1- The “digital divide”--Not every CUSD student lives in a home that has easy access to technology, so we will soon be piloting a take-home Chromebook program for some of our English-learning students. Students without WiFi at home will have a cellular hot spot device so they can connect their take-home Chromebook to do their assigned homework;
2- Managing growth-- We are creating new systems (internal and external) to manage the growing number of devices with the same staffing. For instance, we are launching a new MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution to help with the management of iPads. Also, many of our older student machines are being converted to a new system called CloudReady, which essentially revitalizes these older computers by turning them into chromeboxes.
3- The human touch--We are providing teachers and classified staff with training on Google and the many new systems in place for testing, data collection, and other purposes.
4- Passwords-- We rolled out a Single Sign On portal called Clever for all staff and students, a “one-stop-shop” for all the relevant links a user might need, reducing the need for users to remember so many usernames and passwords.
We educators must learn not to try to compete with the iphone, but to embrace new technology as our new normal. Our challenge is to prepare our students for the new technologies, new opportunities and new careers to come, with the judgement and analytical skills that will guide them to success.
