Pencil, paper ... and now Chromebook
POST FALLS - Technology just took a huge leap forward at two Post Falls elementary schools.
Ponderosa received a grant for $249,909.60 and Mullan Trail for $204,464.80.
The schools are among 15 statewide - and the only ones in Kootenai County - to share $3 million in technology grants appropriated by the Idaho Legislature.
The Idaho State Department of Education received applications from 99 schools across Idaho, totaling more than $26 million in requests for grant funding.
The goal for the schools that received the grants is to pilot innovative technologies which, if successful, might later be duplicated in every school across the state to give teachers tools to improve academic achievement.
"The odds of getting even one of these grants were extremely high, let alone two," said Post Falls Superintendent Jerry Keane, whose district submitted six applications.
Ponderosa will purchase Chromebook laptop computers for all 560 of its students. Mullan Trail will purchase Chromebooks for all 295 students in grades two through five.
This is the second year of the awards called the Idaho Technology Pilot Program. Funds will go to schools to implement the technology projects in the 2014-2015 school year.
The Ponderosa pilot project is called "G.A.M.E. ON!" for Going Another Mile to Educate. The intent is to capitalize on today's students' familiarity with digital games and game mechanics.
"Our staff knew that we could not continue to conduct business in the same way and expect different results," said Kathy Baker, Ponderosa principal. "We knew that we must do something different to engage, inspire and prepare our young learners for the future."
Baker said the project does not mean students will be playing video games at school.
"Gamification is the craft of deriving all of the fun and engaging elements of games and applying them to real-world situations and productive activities - or in our case, the standards," Baker said. "As students master content they can earn digital badges and level up to more challenging curriculum. These changes will be intentionally incremental over the next two years and include on-site training and on-demand support. "
Mullan Trail wants to become Idaho's first "Google School."
The goal of the project is to assist teachers in improving student achievement and engagement by utilizing technology to deliver unique, authentic and challenging lessons specific to their students' interests, learning styles and abilities.
Mullan Trail also intends to use some of the pilot grant funding to install and enhance wireless infrastructure to ensure sustainability.
"This project is about putting technology in the hands of students," said Mullan Trail Principal Katrina Kelly. "Our Google School concept is based on the idea that students will be collaborating with their teachers and each other on projects utilizing Google for education apps. Students can be working on the same document, slideshow or spreadsheet at the same time."
Grant applications were reviewed by a committee of educational stakeholders in a "blind" process. The schools represent a broad cross-section of schools as they are composed of all different grade levels, demographics and are from different regions of the state.
"It's clear that educators, students and schools are hungry for the learning opportunities that technology provides," said Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna. "While these 15 schools are ecstatic today for the opportunity to enhance the educational programs for all their students, the students in the 84 other schools are left without the same opportunity.
"We must have a statewide technology solution for all of Idaho's schools. A parent shouldn't have to hope that their child is lucky enough to attend a school that was fortunate enough to receive a technology grant."