Fourier Outfits Illinois District with Mobile Learning Devices for Science

• By David Nagel
• 02/26/09

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Spring Valley Community Consolidated School District 99 in Illinois has been named the winner in Fourier Systems' Computing Science Exploration Grant Program for 2009. The district's will receive mobile technology and a voucher to purchase additional science equipment.

The grant program will provide Nova5000 mobile devices to the school for classroom and home use for the students. It also provides a $500 voucher to purchase scientific probeware for conducting experiments for math or science labs.

Spring Valley won for a proposal for a paperless classroom initiative called "Mathematics Goes Green!" In it, Spring Valley Technology Director Teri Rossman and John F. Kennedy School math teacher Mark Abbott will provide sixth-grade students with Nova5000 mobile devices, which they can take home to help them complete their work. Abbott will create a curriculum that will incorporate "Internet applications and software programs to reinforce and enhance lessons linked to Illinois state standards."

"We are thrilled to accept this grant from Fourier Systems to help build technology-rich classrooms and to help us expand educational opportunities for our students," Rossman said in a statement released this week. "Technology helps to decrease the digital divide by broadening experiences and providing 21st century learning tools to be part of daily instruction. The Nova5000 is the perfect match for a mathematics classroom. Through a collegial approach to staff relations, we plan to use a team effort to brainstorm and plan instruction based on student needs and to further our 'Mathematics Goes Green!' initiative. We are so thankful for this opportunity."

Three other schools were runners up in the grant program: Pine Ridge Middle School in West Columbia, SC; Thornton Township High School District 205 in Harvey, IL; and Cameron Middle School in Cameron, WI.

Further information about the grant program can be found here.