April 16, 2018 at 5:46 p.m.
Elementary pilot
Program is part of preparation to have Chromebooks in elementary schools next year
Elementary pilot
Jay School Corporation has taken a deliberate approach to incorporating technology in the classroom.
It began renting Chromebooks to freshmen in 2014 and has since expanded the one-to-one laptop program to all middle- and high-school students. In the fall, the elementary schools will be added to the list.
In preparation, East and General Shanks elementary schools have been taking part in a pilot program this semester.
“We weren’t the first to do it because we wanted to sit back and see how it went and be very smart about the way we implemented the devices,” said Jay Schools librarian Katie Clark, who is part of the corporation’s technology integration team. “It’s expanding the learning minutes of our students, and it’s expanding outside of these walls. It gives them access to so much more.
“It’s not about having Chromebooks because the rest of the state has them, it’s about empowering learners.”
East and General Shanks were chosen for the pilot program because those schools will no longer have computer labs for the 2018-19 school year as part of the process of consolidating with Judge Haynes Elementary. Teachers applied to be part of the pilot, which began in February, and nine were selected.
A big part of the reason for the pilot involved logistics.
Teachers and administrators had to figure out how the devices could best be stored and charged. Corporation technology leaders wanted to ensure that the infrastructure at the elementary schools could handle 30 or more students watching a video for class at the same time.
“From a network standpoint, you’ve got to have the backbone in order to support all that,” said Ryan Wellman, technical and network support analyst for the corporation. “That adds up to a lot of streaming.”
For students, it came down to the little things.
They needed to be taught procedures for how to use them in class — how to get them out, where to put them, how to close them, how to log in, etc.
“Those are minor things, but they become things we are concerned about,” said East Elementary principal Rex Pinkerton.
Teachers have been able to take introduction of the Chromebooks into their classrooms at their own pace and have used them in a variety of ways.
Judy Knapke’s second grade class at General Shanks used the computers to do animal research projects. They then presented the projects to their classmates and principal Julie Gregg.
East fifth grade teacher Kayla Nietfeld has used the Chromebooks for her class to read articles and then answer comprehension questions, with a program that then grades those quizzes for her.
It began renting Chromebooks to freshmen in 2014 and has since expanded the one-to-one laptop program to all middle- and high-school students. In the fall, the elementary schools will be added to the list.
In preparation, East and General Shanks elementary schools have been taking part in a pilot program this semester.
“We weren’t the first to do it because we wanted to sit back and see how it went and be very smart about the way we implemented the devices,” said Jay Schools librarian Katie Clark, who is part of the corporation’s technology integration team. “It’s expanding the learning minutes of our students, and it’s expanding outside of these walls. It gives them access to so much more.
“It’s not about having Chromebooks because the rest of the state has them, it’s about empowering learners.”
East and General Shanks were chosen for the pilot program because those schools will no longer have computer labs for the 2018-19 school year as part of the process of consolidating with Judge Haynes Elementary. Teachers applied to be part of the pilot, which began in February, and nine were selected.
A big part of the reason for the pilot involved logistics.
Teachers and administrators had to figure out how the devices could best be stored and charged. Corporation technology leaders wanted to ensure that the infrastructure at the elementary schools could handle 30 or more students watching a video for class at the same time.
“From a network standpoint, you’ve got to have the backbone in order to support all that,” said Ryan Wellman, technical and network support analyst for the corporation. “That adds up to a lot of streaming.”
For students, it came down to the little things.
They needed to be taught procedures for how to use them in class — how to get them out, where to put them, how to close them, how to log in, etc.
“Those are minor things, but they become things we are concerned about,” said East Elementary principal Rex Pinkerton.
Teachers have been able to take introduction of the Chromebooks into their classrooms at their own pace and have used them in a variety of ways.
Judy Knapke’s second grade class at General Shanks used the computers to do animal research projects. They then presented the projects to their classmates and principal Julie Gregg.
East fifth grade teacher Kayla Nietfeld has used the Chromebooks for her class to read articles and then answer comprehension questions, with a program that then grades those quizzes for her.
She also uses it to help with spelling assignments.
The computers have helped East third grade teacher Hilarie Muhlenkamp expand a postcard exchange her class has been doing this year. The class receives postcards from all over the country, with Muhlenkamp then taking pictures and attaching them to the proper location through Google’s My Maps app to give students a visual of where the postcards came from. Later in the year, they will be assigned a research project based on the state’s from which the postcards were sent.
“It’s added to what we’re doing,” said Muhlenkamp. “I think the kids enjoy having that extra element to the classroom.”
“The kids love it,” agreed Nietfeld. “They’re all about it and super excited.”
The school corporation tracks how the Chromebooks are being used through weekly reflections that the teachers send to Clark. They let her know how they have implemented the computers in the classroom and how they plan to use them in the future.
“Our teachers have now moved from the device being for consumption where they give the kids something to read to production or creation,” Clark said. “They are now using our Google tools to … collaborate with each other.”
The pilot program isn’t the first time elementary students have had devices in the classroom.
Pennville Elementary had Chromebooks in its third, fourth and fifth grade classes before closing last year, some classrooms at other elementary schools have gotten devices through grants or support from parent-teacher organizations and preschools have Clevertouch devices. But the pilot is the step toward corporation-wide implementation at the elementary level.
The teachers who have had Chromebooks in their class this semester will get the chance to share what they’ve learned during the corporation’s technology conference this summer. In order to help facilitate that collaboration, this year’s conference will be split into two days — one for middle/high school staff and another for elementary staff.
Ultimately, the goal is to expand what students are able to do in the classroom.
“We’re never looking to replace (teachers), only to enhance what we’re doing at the student level,” said Pinkerton. “The opportunities that they have with those things are just kind of endless.”
The computers have helped East third grade teacher Hilarie Muhlenkamp expand a postcard exchange her class has been doing this year. The class receives postcards from all over the country, with Muhlenkamp then taking pictures and attaching them to the proper location through Google’s My Maps app to give students a visual of where the postcards came from. Later in the year, they will be assigned a research project based on the state’s from which the postcards were sent.
“It’s added to what we’re doing,” said Muhlenkamp. “I think the kids enjoy having that extra element to the classroom.”
“The kids love it,” agreed Nietfeld. “They’re all about it and super excited.”
The school corporation tracks how the Chromebooks are being used through weekly reflections that the teachers send to Clark. They let her know how they have implemented the computers in the classroom and how they plan to use them in the future.
“Our teachers have now moved from the device being for consumption where they give the kids something to read to production or creation,” Clark said. “They are now using our Google tools to … collaborate with each other.”
The pilot program isn’t the first time elementary students have had devices in the classroom.
Pennville Elementary had Chromebooks in its third, fourth and fifth grade classes before closing last year, some classrooms at other elementary schools have gotten devices through grants or support from parent-teacher organizations and preschools have Clevertouch devices. But the pilot is the step toward corporation-wide implementation at the elementary level.
The teachers who have had Chromebooks in their class this semester will get the chance to share what they’ve learned during the corporation’s technology conference this summer. In order to help facilitate that collaboration, this year’s conference will be split into two days — one for middle/high school staff and another for elementary staff.
Ultimately, the goal is to expand what students are able to do in the classroom.
“We’re never looking to replace (teachers), only to enhance what we’re doing at the student level,” said Pinkerton. “The opportunities that they have with those things are just kind of endless.”
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD