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Home > Blogs > Lakota Schools News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > August > 08 > Entry
Classrooms of the future
When I was in the first-grade, I had this fascination with the sound chalk made on the chalk board. I had this teacher with a chalk pen, and I did everything I could to replicate it on my own easel at home. One of the most thrilling game to me was coming up with nouns and verbs to write on the board. I would write and write, listening to the perfect, non-squeaky sliding of chalk. I don’t think I was a normal child. ;) Later, I would dream of playing with an overhead projector or writing on the dry erase white board.
Anyway, I got to thinking about how I doubt there is a single chalk board in schools around the area (unless you count the classrooms of Miami University). Instead, you now find interactive white boards. Classrooms have gone high tech. The Lakota Local School District has said so long to Channel 1 televisions and bulky overhead projectors. With high tech pens, when they touch the screen, it responds to commands, such as writing, surfing the internet or playing movie clips. There are endless possibilities for teachers to use these machines. Lakota has piloted these 3M projectors and now has one in just about every classroom. Check out my story below to see some of the other high-tech teaching tools used in the district.
By Lindsey Hilty
Staff Writer
Technology is the buzz word around Lakota this year as officials try to anticipate the district’s needs years down the road.
Executive Director of Technology, John Laws said this is a challenge, because technology is constantly changing.
When he came to Lakota from the industry side of information technology five years ago, he said he was armed with ideas to develop a plan for five to 10 years, knowing the district would double in size.
Laws chose Microsoft as the standard platform, not because it was the cheapest at the time, but because all the venders the district worked on Microsoft as well. He said that decision has proven cost effective in the long run.
This is the last year of a three-year refresh program to convert all Lakota buildings from Macintosh to Dells. With a four-year service agreement with Dell, Laws said the district saves manpower when parts or computers malfunction.
His team also has installed 1,800 thin client computers across the district in the past four years; the first district in Ohio to use the units. These computers run from a main server and use basic Windows. It is cheaper, he said, and more durable than purchasing regular computers. Dozens of districts across the state have toured Lakota to observe this technology, he said. “We actually lead the state in that right now.”
The average life span of a thin client is seven to nine years compared to five years for desk tops or lap tops. The units, smaller than cell phones, cost $500 each and operate with a flat panel monitor.
“Really to the user, it doesn’t appear different,” he said.
The machines, which require less maintenance, are updated each night through a series of commands from the main server. By 6 a.m. all are back up and running.
Other technology includes the 3M projector, which is now in nearly all classrooms across the district. These interactive white boards with internet connection eliminate the need for other technology, like televisions, Laws said.
Also, because these projectors are closer to the wall than other brands, the $300 bulbs burn out at a slower rate, lasting about 3,000 hours, he said. A refresh plan has been created for the projectors, which last between five to seven years. The replacement plan will be built into the 2011 budget.
There have been more additions of AVerMedia, a machine that projects any object placed in front of the camera, including text and images from books. Also, clicker technology has been growing in popularity, he said. A dozen sets are spread between the high schools and junior schools. Students can interact with the teacher by keying in answers to questions for assessments as well as review sessions.
“The students of today are just going to have even deeper needs and uses for technology,” said Board President Jamie Green. “Technology’s only going to increase in life.”
The challenge for districts is to balance the financial implications of different technology to make sure dollars are spent wisely to support teaching and learning, she said.
“You don’t want to rush,” Green said. “You want to make sure every dollar you are spending makes sense in the long term plan.”Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5067 or lhilty@coxohio.com.
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