When New Manchester High School opens its doors for the first time Aug. 4, students will be encouraged to bring their own smart phones, iPads, netbooks and other Internet access devices.
Douglas County School System is launching a pilot “Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT)” program at the newly built school.
“This is a changing mindset in education,” said Todd Hindmon, county information technology director, who helped develop the program. “If they have them (technology devices), why not use them for learning?”
“We know students already have a natural affinity with technology,” said New Manchester High Principal Connie Craft. “We want to harness that energy for instructional use.”
"This is a really good opportunity and we have a principal who is willing to do something outside the box and a new facility that's suited for it," said School Superintendent Gordon Pritz.
Craft said that during the first two days, administrators will meet with all students, by grade level, to give them guidelines for the new program.
“Teachers in the individual classrooms will go over their expectations and how they will incorporate the devices in their classes,” she said.
Craft said one challenge will be bringing teachers up to speed on the technology that most students are using daily.
“We’re going to survey the entire faculty to see where they are on the learning curve,” she said. “Once we know that, we’ll provide staff development.”
Hindmon said the WiFi wireless network at the school will be a secure connection and students won’t have access to anything on the school administration servers.
“Everything will go through an Internet filter, so students can’t access pornography or other inappropriate sites,” he said. “Each teacher will have discretion when the devices will be allowed.”
Craft said teachers will closely watch students to make sure the technology is used for learning and not texting with friends or playing video games.
Craft said she and her staff have been visiting other schools with BYOT and found many interesting uses.
“One school had students using cell phones to go online and find answers to questions,” she said. “Some teachers were using online chatrooms, where all students had a chance to respond to the teachers. Some used blended technologies where instruction was done verbally and testing was done online.”
Hindmon said students who don’t have their own technology devices can use those supplied by the school. However, he believes most students already have some type “smart” device.
“I took an informal survey at a recent open house, asking every kid who came in the door, if he or she had anything to connect to the Internet,” he said. “I asked well over 100 kids and only one had no such device.”
Craft said there should be no problem with having enough devices to go around.
“We’re not asking anybody to go out and purchase one to bring to school,” she said. “We have plenty available here.”
Hindmon said if the New Manchester pilot project goes well, plans are already underway to launch similar programs at other county schools.
“Stewart Middle School already has a wireless network and we’re looking at an elementary school,” he said. “What we learn at New Manchester can be easily replicated at other schools.”
Last Monday night, the Douglas County Board of Education took a simple legal step that many school systems have overlooked. The board approved a waiver request to the State Board of Education to allow smart devices in the schools. The state has a policy, O.C.G.A. 20-2-1183, that prohibits students from having electronic communication devices in school.
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