Dive Brief:
- School districts that serve primarily low-income students have turned to one-to-one programs as a way to give students important experience with technology that will help prepare them for the jobs of the future.
- EdTech reports that, beyond access to Chromebooks, for example, the best of these schools are focusing on using technology strategically and giving students collaborative and innovative experiences.
- Key to the long-term success of tech programs in schools is a plan to pay for and support maintenance and upgrades beyond the initial deployment, and schools have gotten creative with E-Rate money, grants, and funding from capital budgets.
Dive Insight:
Educators have reached a level of consensus on the importance of teaching children to be comfortable with technology. It prepares them for work, but also for modern school systems. Students now need to know how to use technology to learn and to prove their knowledge.
Computer-based assessments have come with numerous glitches as they have been rolled out in states across the country tied to the Common Core State Standards. But improving access to technology is seen as key to giving students the experiences they need in K-12 to prepare for life after high school.
Many schools are also exploring the promise of individualized instruction with adaptive software and competency-based programs. Classrooms that have students at a range of learning levels can use tech tools to help students progress at the pace that is right for them.
