Louisiana Schools Deploy Tablets To Increase Student Performance

  • By Tim Sohn
  • 11/08/11

Jefferson Parish School District in New Orleans, LA has purchased 750 tablets to help students master Louisiana Content Standards.

Students in 20 charter schools will use Brainchild's Kineo tablets to provide filtered access to the Web, Flash multimedia, and e-reader programs. The tablets will be used for assessments and individualized and data driven instruction, and will allow teachers and administrators to track student progress through online reports.

Features of the Kineo include a 7-inch, 800p x 480p touch-screen display, 2 GB internal storage, 800 MHz dual core processor, 256 DDR RAM, 802.11b/g WiFi connectivity, Android 2.1 operating system, MP4 movie player, flash player, and a lithium polymer 4,500 mAh 10-hour battery. In addition, Brainchild's GlobalSync syncs Kineo tablets anytime it is near a WiFi connection.

The tablets use Achiever!, software that assesses standards-based performance and creates individualized lessons for each student.

Features of Achiever! include:

  • A pretest, given to all students based on each state performance standard;
  • The ability for students to review each incorrect answer and see the correct ones;
  • Multimedia instruction in areas where students are struggling;
  • Study mode, which provides questions and feedback right away; and
  • A post-test, which is kept in management reports.

The school district consists of 88 schools ranging from grades K through 12 and enrollment of almost 45,000. The school system has 6,239 employees in total and 3,494 teachers. The school board in September approved a contractor to build a new science and technology academy.

For more information, visit brainchild.com.

About the Author

Tim Sohn is a 10-year veteran of the news business, having served in capacities from reporter to editor-in-chief of a variety of publications including Web sites, daily and weekly newspapers, consumer and trade magazines, and wire services. He can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @editortim.

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