High-Tech Edge — Grants Allow Upgrade of Schools’ Computer Programs
By Jimmie Covington
DeSoto County school officials on Wednesday announced $250,000 in grants from area donors that will provide a major boost in the use of computer technology and interactive white boards in classrooms across the district.
“With these funds, we are going to purchase 100 Mimio or SMART boards for our schools,” said Jennifer Weeks, associate superintendent for academic programs.
Supplies also will be purchased to allow the equipment to be portable so that each system or set can be shifted and used in all classrooms rather than just being assigned to one teacher in one room.
In addition, training will be provided for teachers.
Teachers, students and technology
company representatives demonstrated the use of the equipment and software at the announcement at Homer Skelton Ford in Olive Branch.
The Skelton Foundation, a longtime supporter of DeSoto schools, provided $110,000 of the total.
Skelton said he and his wife, Cathy, wish they had had the opportunity to use the technology when they were growing up. Skelton said he knows very little about computers but is learning more each day.
The other donors are the Assisi Foundation, a $50,000 challenge grant; the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi, $40,000 provided by an anonymous donor; Alcoa Foundation, $10,000; Wal- Mart, $5,000; and parent-teacher organizations, the remainder.
The foundation’s donor gave the district a $90,620 technology grant last year.
The Mimio equipment allows regular white boards in classrooms (which are used now rather than the old blackboards) to become interactive through the use of a computer, software and a projector.
The board in effect becomes a large computer screen on which the teacher can call up various exercises, problems and other activities. Using digital pens or wands, students and teachers can select answers, move items around and write or draw on the boards.
Also, the exercises can be saved and stored.
The SMART board units have their own interactive screens and extensive software for instructional activities.
Also Wednesday, six elementary school students from across the district demonstrated the use of NEO 2 laptop computers that use software to provide writing instruction but are not connected to the Internet.
Students can “beam” their writing activities to each other and to the teacher.
Karen Hatch, an algebra teacher at Southaven High School, demonstrated how she has used the Mimio equipment and software to involve students in graphing, which she said is a major activity in algebra instruction.
Hatch said she can save the activities on the screen to a PDF file and place it on her individual Web page provided at the school. She also places her instruction notes on the page, and students who do not understand something from a class can check the page from home and see what was done.
Outlining the use of SMART technology, Kristy Dunning, a second- grade teacher at Center Hill Elementary School, said, “Technology has just re-invented the classroom. The days of chalk and lecturing are done.
“They are over because students have Wiis, and they have cell phones and iPods. We have to incorporate technology into the classroom to have their attention.”
Stacey Allen, a first-grade teacher at Olive Branch Elementary, said, “Last year, I got a SMART board. I remember the very first lesson I did. I integrated some songs and games into one lesson. That was the most exciting thing I have ever done. …
“The students heard the song, they saw the pictures, and they got to come up and match the letters. I just saw their reading just improve and improve.”
Praising the grant donors, Supt. Milton Kuykendall said, “One reason that DeSoto County Schools are so successful is that we have strong support from the community. The real winners are our kids.”
– Jimmie Covington: (662) 996-1406
Originally published by Jimmie Covington covington@desotoappeal.com .
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