Immersion - Program Examples
AL – ALEX - http://alex.state.al.us. ALEX is the newly-designed state educational Web portal created by the office of Technology Initiatives, Alabama Department of Education, and hosted by the Alabama Supercomputer Authority to provide a one-stop resource for Alabama educators to support teaching, learning, and leading. The all new ALEX targets and extends support for schools engaging in continuous school improvement, Special Education teachers, School Leadership, and English Language Learner (ELL) students, parents, and teachers. A new section is underway that will also provide exciting resources exclusively for use by Library Media Specialists. In response to needs expressed by teachers, parents, and school leaders, Alabama’s educators will be able to create their own Web page on ALEX to improve communication and improve student achievement. A majority of resources on ALEX have the Verizon Foundation’s stamp of excellence through the exclusive Thinkfinity (MarcoPolo) interactives, and high-quality learning activities linked to state and national standards. A panel of National Board Certified Teachers meets yearly to tag state standards that are identified as typical achievement gap areas, difficult to teach/learn areas, and frequently tested concepts. Tagged standards are then aligned to the best, most engaging resources on the Web through each ALEX Course of Study.
CA – Pleasanton Unified School District. Harvest Park Middle School in Pleasanton Unified School District created a laptop immersion program in 2001, representing 25% of the total enrollment in grades 6, 7, and 8. The district conducted a rigorous study on the impact of one-to-one learning on student achievement. The study compared the students with laptops to another matched group in the same school. Analyses indicate that students who participated in the immersion program earned significantly overall higher grades and test scores for a variety of subjects, including math and writing.
CO - Help with English Language Proficiency program “HELP Math” (
www.helpprogram.net).
HELP Math is a research-based, digital supplemental curriculum which addresses the specific issues of teaching mathematics to English language learners (ELLs) by removing language barriers from the learning of math skills and math content. The program is comprised of 44 lessons (over 100 hours of self-paced instruction) that comprehensively align to NCTM (National Council for Teachers of Mathematics) and key ELL state math standards for grades 6-8. HELP engages students through interactive multimedia lessons that break down mathematical terms and concepts, so that students can easily understand and retain the content. Unlike many curricula currently used with students receiving special services, HELP moves beyond basic skills to thoroughly engage students in advanced mathematical thinking and problem solving.
IN – Tech-Know-Build – The project provides wireless laptop computers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to over 3,000 students at select high schools and middle schools. The project focuses on problem-based learning with a strong professional development component for teachers and administrators. The professional development component is provided jointly by Indiana University (Indianapolis), Purdue University, and the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC). Some of the goals of this program are to develop a high-tech workforce, increase student achievement and improve student-parent relationship.
ME – Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI). (
http://www.maine.gov/mlti/index). MLTI provides laptops to seventh and eighth grade students and teachers. MLTI provides schools and teachers with technical assistance and professional development for integrating technology into the curriculum and instruction.
MI – Freedom to Learn (FTL). FTL provides middle and high school students with wireless laptop computers. Thus far, Michigan has provided over 12,000 students with wireless laptops in order to create a high-tech learning environment. The program is administered by the Michigan Department of Education and the Michigan Virtual University.
NH – Technology Promoting Student Excellence (TPSE). TPSE provides one-to-one wireless laptops to students in the neediest schools in New Hampshire. Initially, six schools participated in the program. TPSE provides wireless access in the classrooms, laptops for teachers, digital cameras, printers, video cameras, and a video conferencing camera. The program also requires teacher training.
Assembly and deployment of 12 media carts throughout middle and high school. The media cart is composed of a multimedia projector, a sound system, a double deck VHS/DVD, cable to connect to desktop/laptop, and mobile cart.
Governor Richardson proposed a Laptop Learning Initiative based on the premise that technology and innovation play key roles in New Mexico's economic future and in enhancing learning opportunities for students and teachers. One of the strategies proposed by the Governor is not only to prepare youth to be viable contributors to the state's economy but also to advance the ideals of substantive educational reform through a statewide program that provides seventh grade student and their teachers with laptop computers.
Classrooms for the Futureis about creating environments for deeper cognitive development through inquiry, real and relevant project-based learning, and differentiated instruction. In a Classroom for the Future, teachers are facilitators, guides, and co-investigators; students are producers, apprentices, and co-explorers. Classrooms for the Future are 21st century instructional settings using 21st century techniques to enable 21st century children to succeed. To support this reform, Classrooms for the Future is designed to ensure there are laptops in public high school English, math, science and social studies classrooms across Pennsylvania. A robust companion professional development program guarantees that high school teachers are prepared to integrate these and other technologies into their instructional practices.
TX - The
Texas Immersion Pilot (
www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/tip), TIP, provides every student and teacher on selected campuses with a wireless laptop, educational software, and productivity tools for use at school and at home. Texas is pioneering an entirely new concept in educational technology—total immersion of faculty and students in technology. TIP steps far beyond simple 1:1 computing experiments where computers are merely adjunct to the educational process, and instead completely envelops participants in technology. Teachers still facilitate learning, but they now have the technology to carry the act of learning beyond the classroom walls and beyond th
e school day. The primary goal of TIP is to increase the academic progress of students who are participating in the pilot project by immersing the campus with appropriate innovative technologies including, but not limited to, wireless mobile computing devices, software, online formative assessment tools, and online resources. TIP impacts 51 campuses and 38 districts with approximately 70% of the students economically disadvantaged.
VA – Henrico County Public Schools Technology and Learning Initiative. This one-to-one initiative provided 28,000 laptop computers to secondary school students and teachers. Henrico County established wireless network in the schools, invested in new hardware and software, and provided professional development to teachers. The goals of this project include closing the digital divide, preparing students for the 21st century, improving teaching and learning, and improving academic achievement.
VA – Henry County Schools One-to-One Initiative. The district provides several classroom sets of laptops for each of the district’s schools. This allows ubiquitous computing for every student in the district at some point during their education. In addition, teachers can check out laptop carts to use in the classroom. Students are provided network accounts which they can access from home. Students train parents to use the laptops and the technology is available to the community in the evenings. The goals of this project include closing the digital divide, preparing students for the 21st century, meeting the needs and maximizing the benefits of multiple learning styles, and enabling collaborative instruction using digital tools.
State Educational Technology Directors Association