Small California District Grows Into 1-to-1 Program
A
school district in the Central Valley of
California is gradually working its way toward a district-wide 1-to-1
program.
The
recent acquisition of 1,000 Chromebooks means
the Newman-Crows
Landing Unified School District in Newman, CA will put
devices in the hands of every student in grades 1-8.
Students at Orestimba High School, one of the district's nine schools,
had
already received computers earlier in the school year.
District
Superintendent Randy Fillpot said the
gradual distribution of devices as they became available and could be
configured had made for some interesting logistical challenges.
"We
had issued about 10 Chromebooks per classroom
in grades 3-8," Fillpot said in a report for westsideconnect.com. "Teachers would find that
it was
difficult planning things where they needed 30 at a time. I think this
will
solve a logistics issue."
Another
interesting challenge Fillpot pointed out
that he had not expected: The evolution in students' technological
expertise. For
instance, a teacher who might have taught students how to use a webcam
and
keyboard one year might find students in the same grade the following
year
already have developed those skills.
"We
have very creative students," Fillpot said. "Teachers
know that what they taught this year may not be what they are going to
teach
next year. I think getting them devices earlier opens a lot of doors
for them
later on."
District
Finance Director Caralyn Mendoza said
providing devices for each of the district's nearly 3,000 students cost
about
$200 apiece, a cost that was eased by a California state program to
provide
technology to all schools.
About the Author
Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.