MOUNT DORA BUZZ
  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Real Estate
    • Outdoor Life
    • Government & Education
    • Profiles
    • Newsworthy
    • What's Hot...
    • Development Buzz
    • Who Knew?
  • Calendar
  • Festivals & Events
    • Holiday Event Guide
    • Annual Festivals
    • Monthly Events
  • The Best of....
    • Best of Mount Dora
    • Best of Eustis
    • Best of Tavares
    • Best of Mount Dora Take-out
  • Things to Do
  • Dining
  • Live Music
  • Lodging
  • Photos
    • Doors of Mount Dora
    • City Scenes
    • Colorful Cottages of Mount Dora
    • Holiday Lights
    • Views from Above
    • Palm Island Boardwalk
    • July 4th Americana
    • Vintage Photos
    • Donnelly House
    • Sydonie Mansion
    • The Howey Mansion
  • History
  • Mobile App
  • Contact
    • News Desk
    • Advertising Inquiries
    • Writing Services & Content Marketing
    • Design Services
    • Social Media Services
    • Suggest a Restaurant Visit
    • Submit Pic of the Day
  • Subscribe

Government & Education

Lake County Schools to Provide Students Computers for School and Home

6/14/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Lake County Schools is making technology more accessible for students in classrooms and at home. ​

The 2018-19 school year will be the start of a five-year plan that will provide every student in grades 3 through 12 use of a Chromebook that will provide access to online textbooks, homework assignments and organizational tools.

Tavares High School will be the first to go all digital, with Chromebooks issued to every Tavares High student. Another high school will follow in November, and two more will be added the second semester. The process will continue over the next five years until all schools are digitally enhanced.

The district piloted the use of Chromebooks in classrooms in the 2017-18 school year. Every AP Human Geography class was given a set for classroom use. Lessons were uploaded to the computers, and students used Google Apps for Education to complete assignments, collaborate and create. Teachers were able to monitor their work, give feedback and assess each student’s contribution to a project.

The Digital Discovery Classroom pilot was so successful that schools began to purchase Chromebooks for other classrooms. The district went from a purchase of 300 Chromebooks in December to having more than 5,000 in June.

“We are not trying to replace instruction by the teacher, we’re trying to amplify it,’’ said Duane Weeks, the district’s supervisor of Instructional Technology. “We are giving a technological advantage to the teacher. There is no computer program going along with this to teach kids. Instead, this is a way to engage students, to allow them to work better together using contemporary tools to solve real world problems.”

Under the old plan, computers stayed in the classroom. With this next level of digital accessibility, students will be assigned a Chromebook to use in classes and at home.

Students will have many helpful resources in one location. From the portal, they will be able to access all of their Google classrooms, textbooks and Skyward so they can keep track of their grades. They will be able to complete and submit assignments electronically. They also will have access to the Google calendar and a to-do list to help with time management.

Another benefit will be realized during standardized testing time. Currently, students take turns using a limited number of computers at each school to complete standardized tests. The new Chromebooks, however, are assessment ready with a touchscreen model available for younger students. “We will reclaim instructional time through this,’’ Weeks said. “We won’t have to shut down media centers and computer labs for months to get through the testing cycle. More students can test at once and this will give more time back to the teacher for instruction.”

Protections will be put in place and every student will be required to complete a Digital Citizenship course to help support safe internet use.

The district will pay $230 for each standard model Chromebook and $270 for the touchscreen version with the use of state Digital Classroom Plan funds and district capital funds.  A technology fee of $32 per student will be assessed for schools that implement the program during the 2018-19 school year. The fee will assist in the refresh and maintenance needed due to normal wear and tear.  Schools with existing take-home-technology programs may charge a different fee depending on the models they currently use. Financial assistance will be available for students in need.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get area's news in your inbox once a month, subscribe to the free month issue of Mount Dora Buzz here.  Keep the news and events handy by downloading the area's free mobile .

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Terms of Use
Copyright Mount Dora Buzz 2021



  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Real Estate
    • Outdoor Life
    • Government & Education
    • Profiles
    • Newsworthy
    • What's Hot...
    • Development Buzz
    • Who Knew?
  • Calendar
  • Festivals & Events
    • Holiday Event Guide
    • Annual Festivals
    • Monthly Events
  • The Best of....
    • Best of Mount Dora
    • Best of Eustis
    • Best of Tavares
    • Best of Mount Dora Take-out
  • Things to Do
  • Dining
  • Live Music
  • Lodging
  • Photos
    • Doors of Mount Dora
    • City Scenes
    • Colorful Cottages of Mount Dora
    • Holiday Lights
    • Views from Above
    • Palm Island Boardwalk
    • July 4th Americana
    • Vintage Photos
    • Donnelly House
    • Sydonie Mansion
    • The Howey Mansion
  • History
  • Mobile App
  • Contact
    • News Desk
    • Advertising Inquiries
    • Writing Services & Content Marketing
    • Design Services
    • Social Media Services
    • Suggest a Restaurant Visit
    • Submit Pic of the Day
  • Subscribe