Fairbanks teachers get wired
Technology Blueprint puts laptops, digital projectors in teachers’ hands
Published Tuesday, April 8, 2008
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Food, raffle prizes and 78 new MacBook laptops made Monday’s Lathrop High School staff meeting a little more lively than usual.
Providing laptops to all teachers in the district is part of Technology Blueprint, a program designed to put information technology into classrooms. Lathrop, Joy Elementary School and Ryan Middle School are part of the fourth and final MacBook rollout for the year. The teachers at Lathrop received MacBooks with 2 gigabyes of RAM and 13-inch screens.
Helen Clark, the district’s executive director of instructional technology, said students are a lot more technology savvy and school districts need to keep up with the students.
“It’s no longer a question of should we but when,” Clark said.
Clark said almost 600 MacBooks have been handed out this year, and more than 350 will be distributed in the fall. She also said the schools were chosen at random for the laptop program. The first batch of laptops were given out in January to University Park, Anne Wien and Arctic Light elementary schools.
English teacher Katherine Bouta said the laptop would allow her be more mobile and to keep her work on computer instead of splitting it between computers at school and home. She also said the addition of classroom projectors will allow her to display compositions for her classes.
“We’ll be able to talk about what’s on the screen instead of making copies,” Bouta said. “I’ll be more green.”
The Lathrop teachers will now meet with technology mentors to learn to use and set up their laptops. Clark said teachers will receive one-on-one training and small-group training. Bouta said the personal attention will be a plus because the teachers are at different knowledge levels when it comes to technology.
The Technology Blueprint program includes the instillation of multimedia projector in each classroom, educational software and the installation of infrastructure to support network and Internet access.
Clark said Technology Blueprint is an ongoing project to establish technology standards throughout the district.
“Technology is too expensive to address without a plan,” Clark said.
Contact staff writer Christi Hang at 459-7590.
Community Discussion
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Having increased technology in schools is a fine idea if you have the money to spend. The real emphasis on improved education, however, should be on small class sizes, particularly in elementary schools. Extensive, long-term research has demonstrated time and again that it is small class sizes (classes < 18 in 1st through 3rd grade and < 22 in 4th through 6th) and not extra computers that result in well educated kids. There is discussion of a 1st grade class of 32 next year at Pearl Creek Elementary!! Yet, the school district is still determined to lay off a Pearl Creek teacher to save money. To pay for laptops? Pearl Creek also received new laptops and enough overheads for every other classroom. I'd wager that those 32 1st graders will still finish the year undereducated and left behind even though their teacher has a shiny white MacBook.
But what if they're the black ones?
Akjak, if you read the article, you would've seen it's not all about laptops. The projectors will bring the classrooms out of the stone age (chalk and dry erase) and create a better learning environment. The laptops will improve the teacher's abilities to provide better illustrations and presentations. I just wonder if that research you speak of takes into account the passion for teaching by all those involved? Lower passion=lower education level;higher passion=excited, enthusiastic teachers=higher education level. God bless caring teachers who do the most important job there is...
Let's face it, the vast majority of jobs "of the future" (and right now), require computer literacy and proficiency.
I started my kiddo on the 'puter at the age of 2 with a point (no-click) Sesame Street alphabet game. Best learning tool in the world!
Personally, I think that each student should receive a laptop, not just the instructors. Once that's done and the curriculums are developed, the burden on the teacher will be greatly reduced. Each child will be receiving individual training (through software) with the teachers there mainly just to answer questions. That'll be cool!
I agree with, "God bless the teachers who do the most important job out there", we just want God to bless Pearl Creek with more teachers, and skip teachers having 2 and 3 grades in one classroom and 30+ class sizes!
My wife and I have four children at Pearl Creek, and our family, at home, has limits on how much time the kids can be on the computer, tv, ds, ipod, etc., etc., etc. Do you think for a minute we are concerned with gaining more technology?
I wonder what the state of affairs will be when our youngest two toddlers make it to Pearl Creek... Anyhow, please skip giving my six children a laptop, and do please use those monies for another teacher, thank you.
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