Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

3 must-haves for a mobile learning environment

Gary Lambert: Wi-fi at home and on the bus

Beekmantown (NY) Central School District, a rural district of 2,070 students, was on a mission to be the most progressive educational institution in the area. When funds were earmarked for school wi-fi, we wanted to harness the Internet to provide a world-class education for every student in this district.

Our initiative to address digital equity issues began with the rollout of Kajeet SmartSpots for students who needed home Internet access. In the four years since we had started our 1:1 program, the number of students without Internet has dropped from 30 percent to 10 percent because parents saw the benefit for their kids and made it a priority to get connected. For that 10 percent who still don’t have Internet, we had an easy-to-use solution.…Read More

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7 steps for a smooth technology deployment

As the director of student learning at a pre-K-12 school district, my job is to deploy technology that will prepare students for college and career readiness. So, when my district’s 1:1 computer environment had fallen behind others in our area, it was up to me and my team to roll out something new—something better—that would position our students for future success.

Here’s how we pulled it off and steps you can take to replicate success in your schools.

1. Do your research.
Most of the schools in our region use Chromebooks, but we wanted technology that would grow with us—something with staying power in math and science, especially. To make the most informed decision, we:…Read More

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10 conversations about digital equity

Educators universally agree that equity should be one of the top priorities in every school and in every district across the country.

Addressing equity issues is more difficult for some districts than others due to factors such as funding, parental involvement, and policy.

According to new Speak Up data from Project Tomorrow, 43 percent of school site administrators say implementing digital content is an effective tool for ensuring equity across classrooms, throughout the school, and within their district. A majority of school principals say instruction in their classrooms regularly includes digital games, online textbooks, and online videos, animations and simulations.…Read More

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Here’s how 4 schools are supporting wireless internet needs

As wireless internet needs become more important for students and instructors, many schools are bolstering their connectivity to ensure smooth learning experiences.

Schools and campuses must support 1:1 online learning initiatives, artificial intelligence/virtual reality (AI/VR) use, BYOD, shared resources, and on-campus surveillance–these efforts require reliable and cost-effective wireless connections that support collaborative digital-learning environments.

And at a time when internet access is of the utmost importance for effective teaching and learning, IT leaders must ensure consistent access and reliable connectivity.…Read More

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District Technology Specialist: These are the critical success factors for 1:1

At Banks County Schools, a rural school district in the mountains of northeast Georgia, it feels like we’re at the end and also the beginning of a very exciting journey. With around 2,850 students in pre-k to grade 12, technology plays an increasingly important role in learning outcomes across all age groups.

While we launched a district-wide 1:1 initiative this year, our journey actually began four years ago when we kicked off discussions about supplementing our aging hardware which, at the time, consisted solely of desktop and laptop PCs. With the full backing of our board, we introduced five iPad carts that teachers had to apply to use.

As classroom technology increased, these five carts quickly grew into 16 and discussions evolved into the viability of rolling out a full 1:1 program.…Read More

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School district invents custom charging solution for all schools

As Denton Independent School District (ISD) prepares for future ready classrooms with technology and builds new schools, the Texas district is partnering with LocknCharge to create a new mobile device charging cabinet – the Carrier 15 Charging Station™.

“There were no solutions designed to fit the unique needs of Denton ISD,” said Judy Bush technology manager. “LocknCharge stepped in and constructed a new charging station to fit the vision of the curriculum and technology team to incorporate Chromebooks into classrooms.”

This customized solution will store, charge and deploy up to 20,000 devices in the school district.…Read More

Why BYOD makes sense: Thinking beyond a standardized 1:1

I was recently asked, “Why are you giving the teachers choice of a laptop? Why not just go all in with one device?” My answer, simply stated, is that homogenization of any tool is never a good idea in a context that is intended to foster creativity, Edutopia reports. The same argument is underway with the Common Core. Many fear that we are homogenizing educational standards and limiting opportunity for creativity, hacking and boundless exploration. That explains the viral popularity of Ethan Young, a Tennessee student who, at a school board meeting, provided an eloquent breakdown of what the Common Core really is and how it is affecting teachers. His points are valid, but the same points have been raised for years in education only to fall upon the deaf ears of bureaucrats…

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