Technology in the classroom becoming the norm

A survey last year by the Indiana Department of Education indicated 40 percent of school districts are exploring ways to provide a one-to-one digital educational environment for students.

One-to-one refers to the ratio between students and computers or other digital devices.The School Town of Munster initiated a program this year to provide take-home computers to students. The School City of East Chicago established the program in January for middle and high school students, but then required students to keep those computers at school, citing safety issues after reported theft problems and one armed robbery.

John Keller, assistant state superintendent for technology, said more and more learning opportunities are offered digitally.

"We are in a place where, not just in Indiana but nationally, you are going to see fewer textbooks going home with students and accessing digital content and school materials through laptop programs will become the norm," he said. 

Last year was the first time the state conducted a technology survey, asking if districts were exploring some type of one-to-one initiative. Even though only 40 percent were reviewing options, some talked about a New Tech model while others reported a grade-level based approach, Keller said.

Locally, Calumet High School in Lake Ridge Schools successfully implemented a New Tech model in which every student has a computer, though they don't take them home. Roosevelt Career and Technical Academy in Gary implemented a New Tech model for 100 freshmen at the high school this year.

The survey also indicated:

• While 94 percent of Indiana schools report having cellphone policies, only 10 percent allow phones to be used during instructional time.
• 70 percent of Indiana report no formal use of social media, but some schools are taking steps to incorporate tools such as Facebook (18 percent) and Twitter (11 percent).
• Schools implementing one-to-one devices using a grade-level approach are more likely to send the devices home with students than schools approaching one-on-one in other ways.

Students in the School City of Hobart are using iPads, responders, tablets and notebooks, and buildings have been wireless for three years. In Kouts, which is in the East Porter County School Corp., PalmPilots are used to assess reading readiness, an eighth-grade math skills assessment is done in the computer lab and handheld devices are used to take, store and manipulate scientific data.

Keller said there are different ways of creating a one-to-one environment and almost all require some local investment. Most require the use of instructional materials or textbook dollars or some form of parent fees.

Keller said schools are at the beginning of a new norm, and teachers also will be expected to be fluent in their ability to instruct in that environment.

English teachers Diana Gill and Rachel Blythe are using wiki and blogs with Chesterton High School freshmen as a way for students to communicate, post questions and do assignments.

Though it's an independent project, Blythe said students are willing to write more on a computer. Gill said it's important to "engage students, and using the computer allows students to be much more engaged."