Technology Plan for Schools Seen as 'Big Leap Forward' in Barrington
Technology director is seeking a 1:1 ratio of computer devices to students so schools can 'stay relevant'; the plan will be presented to the Barrington School Committee next month.
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The technology director for Barrington’s schools will ask the School Committee to take what she says is a “big leap forward” in November.
“It’s a leap we need to consider to stay relevant,” said Katie Miller. “Our current numbers don’t support 21st century needs. We can’t achieve the goals we set with what we have.”
Miller is talking about the proposed Barrington Public Schools Technology Plan for 2012-2015. She described it as a plan that is “a work in progress” and very open to feedback from the community, such as the response made last week by a candidate for the School Committee, Paula Dominguez, who does not view it as particularly ambitious. See Patch story.
Miller disagrees because she said the plan she will present to the board next month suggests a 1:1 ratio of computer devices and equipment to students.
“It’s where we ought to be,” she said.
The current ratios in each school range from 11:1 at Primrose Hill to 4:1 at the middle school, according to the plan. The high school ratio is 5:1. Hampden Meadows is 6:1. Nayatt and Sowams schools have 9:1 ratios.
So, there is a long way to go to come close what is suggested in the proposed technology plan, Miller said, which will require a substantial investment.
Miller declined to put a price tag on the proposal until her presentation. But expect the price tag to far exceed the annual $200,000 or so the district spends on technology each year.
That is not to say the district is starting from scratch. A “robust foundation” for the technology plan does exist, said Miller.
“We have tended to technology over the years,” she said, usually in three-year cycles. But this time, she said: “We need to think differently. We need to look at educating students differently.”
Indeed, she says in the technology plan’s executive summary, the schools’ “readiness to move forward is at an all-time high.”
In short, said the Barrington native, the technology plan builds on this foundation, almost 700 surveys done for the schools’ Strategic Plan, and the 2010 National Education Technology Plan (NETP), she said.
The technology plan, in fact, closely resembles the NETP because of its focus on five essential areas:
- Learning: Engage and Empower
- Assessment: Measure What Matters
- Teaching: Prepare and Connect
- Infrastructure: Access and Enable
- Productivity: Redesign and Transform
Maintaining the network already in place and moving forward will require sustained funding and appropriate levels of human capital, the plan says. The network core, located at the middle school, may require migrating it to another location with adequate space and temperature control.
Having sufficient bandwidth down the road also is a concern, the plan states. Without a dramatic increase in bandwidth, the summary says, the district’s ability to expand digital learning will be stifled.
Substantial recent investments in wireless technology have been made in the schools, Miller said. But a dramatic increase in required nodes due to an increase in connected devices would require reevaluation.
cricket
8:06 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
A think a strong technology plan involves more than just buying more computers. I think this is a very supportive community when it comes to the school budget, but I don't think money should be spent until we know how the technology is being used. There are many ways to access educational programs that should save the school money, but I haven't seen any of those in a proposal.
Joyce
9:20 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
As most of the students in Barrington have access to the latest technolgy at home, it seems to me that this costly endeavor is not something that is really necessary in this community.
Scott Clark
10:14 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
I agree Joyce. I'm concerned we'll be asked to fund the purchase of consumer grade devices that will then have installed on them a battery of security software and other Town/State/Federally-required programs, as well as be "locked down" so they are used only for school purposes. That can double or triple the cost of a single computer alone, but then we need to factor in the additional Town and State IT support and administration of such an infrastructure.
Not everyone can afford to equip their teenage with their own laptop. And as hard as it has been for some corporations to adopt a "bring your own device" policy, I'm quite sure government programs like education won't be seeing it anytime soon :)
But I do wonder the value here. Is this about teaching students how to use MS Office programs? Or is there something fundamental that requires each student stare at their own screen like they would their own desk/paper rather than looking at a common presentation and be involved in a common conversation with the room and teacher(s).
I'm ok with the idea of private industry providing grant money to school districts embarking on paths like this. And I'm sure there are models of similar programs in other states and countries. Just need more info.
RIReader
10:18 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
PARCC assessments which will measure the Common Core will be done on computers. Having enough computers for students to test is an issue that is occurring all over the nation.
Gary Morse
3:45 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
The elephant in the room is that subjects that are repetitive in nature can be more effectively taught by high quality computer programs than by a warm body trying to maintain crowd control.
Take the Rosetta Stone language learning system as an example. This extends to all subjects short of gym, music, art, etc.
Thus the issue: will a 1:1 ratio allow a reduction in warm bodies standing in front of the room? Can kids take subjects from home, during summer breaks, etc?
Things to think about for taxpayers.
In the moment
8:35 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Happening at college level already as the likes of MIT and Harvard test the waters for on-line learning. Coming like a freight train, and the colleges know it but won't talk about it - just trying to collect top dollar while they can. "What does 'go to college' mean, honey? I know, that sounds like a very dated term. Why, back then, you actually had to physcially go to school - sometimes you even left town to go to college across the country - can you believe that?? That's the way it was done before online learning took over. Just like when Mom and I used to go to the office, before we began working out of the house in our bunny slippers. Boy, things have really changed, haven't they?"
Gary Morse
4:54 am on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Try "Calculus in 20 minutes" on YouTube if you are a non believer of on line training
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX_is9LzFSY
.
meredyth
9:14 pm on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
The learning that takes place in K-12, is more than just training--it includes socialization, discourse, relationships, debate, discussion, collaboration, creativity. Brains are growing. children are discovering things about themselves and the world--this is important stuff! Could the district save money by using computers instead of teachers? Maybe, but is online learning the best way to teach kids? I feel strongly that technology is over-rated and not the solution to economic problems in schools. Offering our students Rosetta Stone so they can learn a foreign language in isolation instead of being in a classroom with a teacher having conversations in Spanish, French or Chinese is nonsensical. At some point, the drive to use technology to make eduction cheaper will destroy schools and what is best about them--children together learning from a great teacher with great content. Technology is simply a delivery system. It doesn't replace or represent critical thinking. Let's not be too quick to move away from traditional teaching and learning, from bricks and mortar schools. An emphasis on writing and debate would do more than any amount of computers could ever do. How much technology do we need in the schools before we are basically paying taxes for schooling that could basically be delivered at home?
Gary Morse
7:01 am on Thursday, October 11, 2012
meredyth
This issue may be "debate-able", but it is certainly not "nonsensical".
There are many students who want the choice to take online courses. What you imply is that only teachers know best. That sounds like a position taken by an educator invested in the current system.
The hard sciences are best taught by visualization of the concepts which is best delivered by high quality computer graphics, not reading from a book, looking at chalkboard, or watching a teacher struggle with styrofoam models.
Computers deliver visualization of the sciences far better allowing a larger community of students to learn subjects they might never think of taking in a "keep up with the classroom" setting.
Computer technology is not "simply a delivery system". It is the perfection of the science of learning a specific thing developed by educators, and delivered en masse by computers.
"Critical thinking" is not absent simply because the delivery system is from a different media.
The best example of visualization superiority is how YouTube is revolutionizing delivery of instruction material through visualization, not written manuals. Many on-line computer companies are now including with the purchase of products an associated on-line video of how to install the product just purchased.
A video is superior simply because there is far more information in the video than can be captured by writing an instruction manual.
Joel Hellmann
11:47 am on Thursday, October 11, 2012
Nothing is a better system than a great classroom teacher. No computer or software program. And nothing is worse than a child getting a sub par teacher. It sets them back years. As long as we have a system that cannot let the sub par teachers go, online systems may be the answer.