07/29/2008, 12:45pm, EDT
Tuesday, July 29th
Wyoming school adds 3000 Macs in $3.8m education deal
Kelly Walsh High School in Natrona County, Wyoming, starts school in August with 1400 new Macs, in a one-to-one initiative placing a computer in every teacher and student's hands. The Casper Star-Tribune reported the computers are part of a 3000 computer, $3.8 million lease-purchase agreement between Natrona County's school board and Apple, which was approved by the board in June. The remaining 1600 computers will be distributed among other elementary, junior high and high schools in the county.
The one-to-one initiative began three years ago in the district, focusing on computer-aided learning, putting computers into the hands of every student, then exploiting the opportunities for enhanced learning. "I guess the analogy I would use is, if you're a great English teacher before you had a computer, you're still going to be a great English teacher [now that you have one]," Kelly Walsh High teacher Duane Reimer said. "The question is, how are you going to use that tool to motivate, to entice?"
Reimer likes the always-connected aspects of computer learning, explaining that students have more accountability in their assignments, and fewer excuses. "You can't leave it at school if it's on the Web," he said. "You can't lose it if it's on the Web. You can't leave it at home if it's on the Web."
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Impressive.
It sounds to me like they're going to be heavily dependent on web services. If they're using Apple servers to host them, I'd be interested to find out what kind and size of support staff this takes to make it all run smoothly.
Anecdote: Back in the day (almost 10 years ago), in a HS of 500 ppl, all our machines were Macs and it only took 1 person to support them all. I'm just wondering how that translates today when school are hosting more network and servers storage space functions.
of course!
Because having a computer for every student has been proven to fix the problems in American schools!
re: of course!
It sure does help. First in reducing the massive back problems for students that have to carry around their entire course load of books in a backpack the entire day. Second because, if used correctly, then the overcrowded classrooms with computer used correctly, can enable students at different levels of understanding to progress at their own rate with slowing down faster students nor being slowed down by slower students. Then the teacher can spend the time with the students that needs it when they need it. As opposed to slowing down the entire class to the speed of the slowest students that the teacher will allow.
And…I certainly find this to be a better investment than the $30M high school football stadiums I see popping up all over the place.