Wi-Fi is an expectation for many of us when we go into a coffee shop, restaurant and even our own homes. It’s so common now, that if we walk into an establishment and can’t connect our iPhones or tablet devices to the network, we get frustrated.
We suppose the same goes for school districts. The frustration is more so with the teachers and faculty members- although we’re sure that the students don’t appreciate it either- simply because it adds an extra step to the routine when a teacher uses a specific device for a lesson, like a projector or tablet.
In a recent article by ComputerWorld, they detailed how a school district in Plano,Texas has transformed its way of teaching and interaction with the students, while keeping cost and technology conflicts low.
What the Plano Independent School District noticed was that many of their students across 82 schools and offices, are bringing their own wi-fi ready devices to help them in the classroom. So the question was, how can we adopt what they are using, keep them on track while avoiding promotion for surfing the internet and playing on Facebook?
While the budget was high dollar, they will see the savings for years. The Plano Independent School District initiated a 4 million dollar Wi-Fi plan that finished in 2010 and has already reported major benefits within instructional styles, the way the students send and receive information and it has eliminated the need for cable lines and phone costs for internet connection.
In order to make the technology work for the school, rather than drive the students away, they created “collaboration stations.” This is an open space that is like an added extension of the classroom. It allows small groups of students to collaborate and work together on projects, while the others in the classroom continue to work. This creates a cohesive environment that allows for students to work at the pace that is right for them, while tapping into the gadgets that they are used to using. Now, the lure of pulling out an iPhone to text a friend is dying, because the device doesn’t have to remain a secret.
There are several ways that your school district can benefit from a technology change, like this. If you’re interested in learning how to save money on your school’s technology, give us a call today at 620-665-2854.
