New initiative aims to expand students’ learning opportunities
The education technology movement has shifted from an experimental phase to the new norm. Standards are changing and teaching methods are evolving because students today are better enabled to not only understand technology in the classroom, but are the drivers for the change.
On Dec. 12, leaders from Samsung, NAF (National Academy Foundation), SOTI, and the Verizon Foundation are joining students in Omaha to roll out the National Academy Foundation Samsung School Solution Initiative. Each device has SOTI MobiControl installed to help students and faculty experience a classroom without walls.
Sitting with students, we witness the command and confidence they have when using technology, wanting to learn more. Teachers become facilitators and coaches; students direct their own learning. These students want to share their knowledge and collaborate more than ever before.
(Next page: More details on the learning program)
When we hear quotes like “Elearning has impacted my grades because whenever I need to turn in something I can have it right there. I don’t have to go to a computer or charge my computer at home to do it. I can just do it on tablets; it’s really easy it’s really convenient I can do it almost anywhere,” it helps us realize the true impact of what technology is making possible.
We sat down with several students to learn more about what benefits they get from the tablets. What we heard was eye opening. The confidence and pride they have in being able to utilize cutting-edge technology was great.
Teachers and administrators are tasked with bringing technology to students. A paradigm shift is taking place because traditional ideologies no longer seem to apply. For example, organizations such as NAF (National Academy Foundation), Samsung, the Verizon Foundation, and SOTI have partnered to deliver Samsung School’s digital classroom package to schools and students in inner-city communities.
The initiative delivers modern teaching with technology and devices combined, creating new possibilities for educators and their students. The program dynamically blends technology with educational content, increasing the impact of the curriculum. Teachers are co-learning with their students, redefining best practices and becoming better themselves. Participating schools, such as Omaha North High School, are riding the digital wave of this new-age educational experience, the first of its kind in this part of the Midwest.
This information originally appeared in a SOTI blog post [1].