Woodland District 50 launches test for laptop initiative
Woodland Elementary District 50 in Gurnee has launched a test program in advance of an initiative to provide laptop computers to all middle school students in the 2016-17 academic season.
District 50 started the test Monday at the Gurnee school serving students in grades six through eight. A total of 16 teachers and about 400 students are participating in the program for the Chromebook laptops.
Interest in the test project was strong, officials said.
"We had an application process for the teachers," said Steve Thomas, District 50's assistant superintendent of teaching and learning.
Although Chromebooks are manufactured by Dell and several other companies, all use Google's Chrome operating system. Applications and other resources from Google for Education are used.
District 50 board members last fall agreed to spend about $256,000 to lease the Chromebook laptops for the middle school pupils starting in 2016-17. Roughly 2,180 Chromebooks will be leased for what educators call a "1:1 technology initiative," representing the computer-student ratio.
Thomas said the district will have a parent advisory committee for the Chromebook pilot meeting monthly. He said the evaluation process for district officials will include whether the Chromebooks enhance problem solving, durability of the devices and online safety for the students.
Woodland wants to wind up with what's becoming known as "tradigital" learning. "Traditional and digital blended," Thomas said.
District 50 officials said the school board's decision to provide the laptops to all middle school pupils culminated about 1½ years of work. A technology strategic plan committee performed the legwork and brought a recommendation on the Chromebooks to the board.