The district has a large English Language Learner (ELL) population, and ELL students, along with economically disadvantaged and special-needs students, performed especially well.
Eighty-five percent of fourth graders said that using iPods to record and listen to themselves reading helped them become better readers, and 77 percent said they read for longer periods of time when they use an iPod Touch to listen to an audio book.
The district deploys mobile learning devices centrally, and schools manage them, with teachers stepping in to add apps and content from district-managed iTunes accounts.
“Teachers and students are fully engaged and the conversation is not about tech stuff, but about actual learning and content and interest,” said Joe Morelock, Canby’s director of technology and innovation.
The district plans to expand its one-to-one computing initiative to every K-12 classroom in the future.
Osseo School District ISD 270 in Maple Grove, Minn., has conducted Project Copernicus, its BYOD program, for the past three years.
Grades 5-12 in the 21,000-student district participate in the program, with students bringing in personal devices such as smart phones and laptops.
“We don’t have the funds to enact our own 1-to-1 program, but we believe that each student having access to an internet-connected device is essential,” said Osseo CIO Tim Wilson.
During the program’s first year, three of the district’s nine schools, and eight individual classrooms, participated. More than 30 classrooms participated during the second year, and 80 classrooms are participating in the program’s third year.
Wilson kept open communication with school leaders and teachers and invited them to discuss concerns and potential conflicts—such as theft or technology problems—that might arise as the program began.
As long as a student’s device is wireless and can connect to the internet, it is permitted to be used as part of the program.
A Wi-Fi connection is available in all instructional areas in participating schools.
In the program’s first year, equitable access was a large concern, and the district gave each participating class three netbooks and three iPod Touch devices. But over time, Wilson said those devices are less necessary because students are very willing to share their personal devices.
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