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“It’s a matter of educating the students for the future or the way we were,” said Superintendent Dan Decker.
He and Kevin Kultgen, principal of the high school talked about the One-to-One Technology Initiative program under way in the Aurora R-8 School District to put computers into the hands of each high school student.
The program includes similar arrangements for iPads for first through sixth grades but at the ratio of one for every five students.
In addition, the computers in the labs at the high school will go to the junior high school. The additional computers there will make the ratio close to one for every two students.
Adoption of the program begins with equiping all staff members with Apple MacAir laptops. Staff members will begin training for the effective use of integrating technology into student learning, according to a report from the school board. Training will continue into the summer and through the next school year. Plans call for the program to be fully operational in August of 2013.
The district will enter into a three-year lease for the program. Cost is estimated at close to $300,000 per year for the computers, network upgrades, staff development, etc., according to Decker.
At the end of the three-year lease, the district can purchase the laptops for $1 each, which, Decker noted, officials plan to do. In the fourth year, the lease money will be used for more technology in the lower grades.
Eventually, the first laptops will go to junior high students before starting a new rotation/lease program, reported Decker.
“This will not make kids smarter, but put a tool in their hands to make them stay and prepare for the world they live in,” added Decker.
“Currently, students ‘power down’ to come to school,” said Kultgen.
The principal went on to explain most students have access to a variety of technological equipment in their world outside of school and have to “power down” and not have access to that equipment at school.
Decker pointed out the district’s motto is to “make all student successful learners.”
“We want to make them successful for where they go in life,” said Decker, referring to the technoloy in today’s world.
The superintendent said the district’s technology committee has checked with other schools and found Apple to have a quality product, access to professional development and a strong partnership with education.
Additionally, research indicates iPads are more effective for students in grades one through six than full computers.
In a similar program, each of the administrators received an iPad at the beginning of the school year for ease in communication.
Kultgen noted he makes about 1,700 “walk throughs” of classrooms through the year to evaluate educational procedures. In the classroom, he records the appropriate information into his iPad. As soon as he leaves a classroom, he can send the report to the teacher for immediate feedback.
Both educators acknowledged the Monett School District started a similar technology program this year. In addition, several others across the Ozarks are evaluating and researching about doing the same.
Decker noted some parents may want limited Internet access for their children, and teachers can limit access. Likewise, some parents may not want their children to take the equipment home. In those cases, the students can check the equipment in and out as appropriate.
Decker noted the technology team will be able to filter equipment after it leaves a district building.
“I’m excited for the opportunity for the high school to move forward with technology and change the look of the classroom to the 21st Century,” said Kultgen.
“We hope to increase student achievement and increase engagement in the classroom as each student has access to technology at the same time,” added Decker.
“It’s a matter of educating the students for the future or the way we were,” said Superintendent Dan Decker.
He and Kevin Kultgen, principal of the high school talked about the One-to-One Technology Initiative program under way in the Aurora R-8 School District to put computers into the hands of each high school student.
The program includes similar arrangements for iPads for first through sixth grades but at the ratio of one for every five students.
In addition, the computers in the labs at the high school will go to the junior high school. The additional computers there will make the ratio close to one for every two students.
Adoption of the program begins with equiping all staff members with Apple MacAir laptops. Staff members will begin training for the effective use of integrating technology into student learning, according to a report from the school board. Training will continue into the summer and through the next school year. Plans call for the program to be fully operational in August of 2013.
The district will enter into a three-year lease for the program. Cost is estimated at close to $300,000 per year for the computers, network upgrades, staff development, etc., according to Decker.
At the end of the three-year lease, the district can purchase the laptops for $1 each, which, Decker noted, officials plan to do. In the fourth year, the lease money will be used for more technology in the lower grades.
Eventually, the first laptops will go to junior high students before starting a new rotation/lease program, reported Decker.
“This will not make kids smarter, but put a tool in their hands to make them stay and prepare for the world they live in,” added Decker.
“Currently, students ‘power down’ to come to school,” said Kultgen.
The principal went on to explain most students have access to a variety of technological equipment in their world outside of school and have to “power down” and not have access to that equipment at school.
Decker pointed out the district’s motto is to “make all student successful learners.”
“We want to make them successful for where they go in life,” said Decker, referring to the technoloy in today’s world.
The superintendent said the district’s technology committee has checked with other schools and found Apple to have a quality product, access to professional development and a strong partnership with education.
Additionally, research indicates iPads are more effective for students in grades one through six than full computers.
In a similar program, each of the administrators received an iPad at the beginning of the school year for ease in communication.
Kultgen noted he makes about 1,700 “walk throughs” of classrooms through the year to evaluate educational procedures. In the classroom, he records the appropriate information into his iPad. As soon as he leaves a classroom, he can send the report to the teacher for immediate feedback.
Both educators acknowledged the Monett School District started a similar technology program this year. In addition, several others across the Ozarks are evaluating and researching about doing the same.
Decker noted some parents may want limited Internet access for their children, and teachers can limit access. Likewise, some parents may not want their children to take the equipment home. In those cases, the students can check the equipment in and out as appropriate.
Decker noted the technology team will be able to filter equipment after it leaves a district building.
“I’m excited for the opportunity for the high school to move forward with technology and change the look of the classroom to the 21st Century,” said Kultgen.
“We hope to increase student achievement and increase engagement in the classroom as each student has access to technology at the same time,” added Decker.
