Osceola Middle scores high tech curriculum project
By KATHY FERGUSON
Article published on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006  |
SEMINOLE – Next fall, the 400-plus incoming sixth grade students at Osceola Middle School will each get a laptop computer to use as part of a new curriculum initiative, school officials announced.
Before the One-to-One Laptop Initiative moves forward, the school must add significant infrastructure, networked with Internet access.
“It’s fantastic,” said Bob Vicari, the school’s principal. “The students and staff will have an unlimited amount of resources at their fingertips.”
Being limited to books, overhead projectors and looking over teachers’ shoulders at computer screens will be a thing of the past at Osceola.
“From video tours to education links, there are so many opportunities to enrich learning,” Vicari said. About 30 teachers, mostly those educating about the basics like math, reading and science, will use the technology to strengthen their lessons.
Each middle school in the district had the chance to apply, said Andrea Zahn, communications coordinator. Out of 10 applications, three finalists were selected by a cross functional team of principals, supervisors and technical personnel.
The finalists made presentations, and Osceola Middle won the day.
“The staff did an incredible job,” said Vicari. Cindy Parramore, Marcy Juergens and Anne Todd along with Vicari prepared the school’s application.
To get ready for this enhanced educational landscape, training for the new computer-rich environment will begin this spring and wrap up in the summer. The infrastructure should be in place to kick off the new school year.
Judy Ambler, the district’s supervisor of curriculum and applications, is quick to point out that the project’s goal is not to just give each student a laptop computer to use at home and school.
“This is a curriculum project,” she said. The computers are another tool or resource that may create a different way of learning. “We want to see how technology can help in the teaching and learning process,” she added.
The district considers this project at Osceola a pilot. “We need to see what the issues will be,” said Ambler.
As an estimate, the total initiative package may cost about half a million dollars, but it’s far too early to put a final price tag on the deal. The funding is not being carved out of the district’s already strapped budget but rather is part of the technology referendum dollars approved by voters in November 2004.
Ambler said the project was in the planning stages so costs would be hard to nail down. “We are taking it one step at a time,” she said.
“This is something the superintendent has been suggesting for some time,” said Ambler. “This is a big thing happening all over the country.”
Indeed, an Internet review of top education trends reveals that laptop programs for public schools often rank in the top five initiatives to watch. Research adds that such resources are only truly influential if used as teaching assistants. Another benefit experts say is that if a teacher must stop to help one student, the lesson can continue for the others without interruption.
“These ‘boxes’ will open windows for many of our young people, from the classics to contemporary topics, but the technology is just a tool,” said Clayton Wilcox, superintendent of Pinellas County Schools.
“For young people who are struggling with concepts, the computer represents the opportunity to get additional assistance on key concepts at any time and from multiple sources,” Wilcox said. “For students who grasp topics easily, the laptops allow them to extend their experiences in the classroom.”
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Article published on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006
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