Written by Michael Depasquale, Director of Technology Integration for Portage Township Schools
Schools have become so much more than the three "R's." Education today reflects the needs of its community and develops the skills of today's modern student so that they are prepared for post high school learning.
The use of technology has become a much-needed aspect of learning and Portage Township Schools has recently made a quantitative step forward towards serving those needs.
Last school year, Portage Township Schools began to outline a 1:1 learning experience for students, guided by the Technology Design Committee under the direction of Dr. Jay Drew, Director of Technology. The 1:1 concept attempts to bring an individual electronic device, in this current situation an Apple iPad, to all students.
By doing this, students are able to learn in a way that has never been available to students in the past. Students are able to use the most current information to collaborate, develop assignments at a higher level of engagement, be mobile learners, and organize their learning.
Knowing that this process would take a measurable amount of time to fully "roll out," Portage Township Schools chose to develop a plan that made technology available to as many students as possible while deploying in a controlled fashion.
Currently, Portage Township Schools is providing every English/Language Arts and Math classroom in grades 6 through 12 iPads for students to use. This powerful tool not only has the ability to provide applications to write papers, create presentations, and build spreadsheets, but also is also able to allow students to conduct research via the Internet.
Students can view videos that are based upon the content they are learning in the class, or even create videos themselves to present to the class. Within each classroom, instructional technology was put in place to enhance the digital experience. Teachers received a digital projector, speaker, and an Apple TV. Apple TVs make the learning in the classroom even more exciting, allowing students and teachers to present and exchange information wirelessly.
Portage Township Schools is also piloting a true 1:1 experience with a team of sixth grade students from Fegely Middle School. Two teachers, Mindy Malaski and Lisa Norman, will be working with 57 students who will have the opportunity to use the available iPads for all of their classes throughout the day. This pilot will help the district collect valuable data as we continue to move forward in our goal.
With great power comes great responsibility. Portage Township Schools continues to develop policies and tools that educate students on the rules of digital citizenship. Digital citizenship is the process of educating students to be good stewards of technology, encompassing topics from the etiquette of technology use to how to protect one's self from online issues.
This is a very exciting time for our students and staff. All of us continue to grow together using technology in the classroom to enhance learning and prepare our students for today's demands while preparing them for the future.