District focuses on technology
The Klein Independent School District in Texas has adopted several technology initiatives to ensure its 42,000 students will thrive in today’s global, digital society.
Students are taught technology skills within core-content instruction and not as a separate stand-alone course, district officials explained at a Monday morning session. That means every teacher has to become a "technology teacher," so professional development is a priority.
The district's "technology baseline standard" initiative calls for each classroom to have a basic set of technology tools, including a Hitachi Starboard interactive whiteboard, an LCD projector, a document camera, an eInstruction assessment system, and five networked computer workstations.
The One-to-One Student Tablet PC program takes advantage of the expanding amount of education resources available online. Tablet PCs have a "scribing" function that is particularly useful in math, science, and the arts.
The Vistas High School Program, which focuses on dropout prevention, was the first site to provide every student and teacher with a Tablet PC laptop.
The Tablet PC program has since expanded to Krimmel Intermediate School, which opened in fall 2007 with about 1,200 students in grades 6-8. Every student and teacher received a Tablet PC, and the teachers have targeted instruction to maximize the potential of 24/7 access to instructional content and tools.
The district plans to extend the Tablet PC program to one additional high school every year for the next four years.
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