Going Digital 6: 1 to 1 Learning - Share your Thoughts!

As WBAIS continues its evolution into a 21st century school, it is important that students have access to the tools that will build their digital literacy skills and prepare them for a 21st century workforce. 1 to 1 learning with the use of a mobile digital device is an initiative that WBAIS has implemented as part of this evolution. Family owned laptops used by all students in high school, school owned laptops used by all students in middle school, and sets of 1 to 1 laptops in upper elementary school will strive to meet the following objectives for WBAIS students:

• Create virtual work spaces
• Explore and develop 21st century skills
• Improve student organizational skills
• Build digital literacy skills
• Practice digital citizenship skills
• Create a culture of academic and productive users
• Increase student engagement in learning activities

Learning activities which benefit from anywhere/anytime computer access include, but are not limited to:

• Production of video and audio for assignments
• Use of multimedia resources
• Reading and writing blogs, journals and wikis
• Creating and listening to podcasts of class notes and assignments
• Online collaboration, sharing and communication
• Digital word processing, analyzing and diagramming
• Management and storage of files online
• Researching and presenting online

School suggested Open Source software suite and Web Apps will provide students consistent access to word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, movie making, sound recording, basic photo editing, and Internet access to a wide variety of resources and digital tools. Some course specific software may be added as needed.

Technology support is shared by users and the school. The technology department provides Internet access to all school community users who agree to follow the school's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). Students and parents are responsible for the proper care and maintenance of school laptops as they are with band instruments, athletic uniforms and any other expensive equipment. Laptop maintenance and support depends upon ownership, warranty, configuration and usage and is provided accordingly by the tech support team.

As the use of digital tools in education increases to enhance teaching and learning, we continually seek the input of our community members to assist us in planning, clarification and use of technology at WBAIS. We would like to answer your questions and are interested in hearing what you have to say about our 1 to 1 program! Please visit our ongoing WBAIS Community Technology Survey (http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=cEdBY2N6R3JaSmhsdzE4SHY4U21oTHc6MA) to communicate with the tech team on this topic.

Please submit each of your questions, recommendations and commendations separately . Feel free to return to this site as often as you like. Thank you for your input.

As stated in an earlier Tech Talk article, we believe “as so eloquently conveyed in The World is Flat, there is no turning back. New technologies will constantly emerge—and, with them, will come social, political, educational, and civic change. One-to-one learning ensures that students will be ready to seize such opportunities competently, intelligently, and with social conscience.” (From “One-to-One Learning, A Review Analysis” by the Metiri Group).