New technology arrives
by BRIAN D
November 12, 2009
Last year the Dexter community passed a bond for 46 million dollars, for all the Dexter schools. A lot of this money went to new technology, such as the entire USB system. As we all know there have been a lot of problems, along with a lot of advancements.
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. Each student in fifth through twelfth grade was given a two gigabyte flash drive for school purposes. The USB drive hardware was embedded in a plastic flexible bracelet for each student to be able to log on to any computer in the school's network and to take files home. Nathan D, a 7th grade student at Mill Creek Middle School, says, "I think it's awesome. The USB drives are great." Students can still log on to the school's network and save their work on the servers without needing their USB bracelet.
All the new technology has been a success with most teachers and students. Mr. Fry, a 7th grade science teacher at Mill Creek Middle School, says, "I like the idea of students having a way to take work back and forth between home and school. The USB drives allow for this."
There are a lot of hardware upgrades to come such as Smartboards, ELMO and LED projectors. Some classrooms have already been equipped with this new technology, such as Mrs.Dutcher's classroom at Creekside Intermediate School. The installation of these new technologies at Mill Creek Middle School will occur during the students' winter break. Most classrooms have not been equipped with this technology yet.
ELMO is a digital camera that teachers can use like an overhead. Mrs. Berryman, a 7th grade English teacher at Mill Creek Middle School, says, "It will be much easier once the projectors are available in every room. I won't need an overhead. I am looking forward to having an ELMO which will make revision of student work easier and more meaningful to students."
There is some frustration with all these technology advancements and changes. Berryman says, "Not all documents transferred nicely into the new programs but we are learning to work with it." Also a lot of students have had problems logging on to computers in the system. Mrs. Risdon, the Information Systems Support person at Mill Creek Middle School, says that most of this is caused from students pulling out their USB drives too soon.
Berryman says, "I think once I get used to the new system things will be fine. There is always a learning curve with new anything."
by BRIAN D
November 12, 2009
Last year the Dexter community passed a bond for 46 million dollars, for all the Dexter schools. A lot of this money went to new technology, such as the entire USB system. As we all know there have been a lot of problems, along with a lot of advancements.
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. Each student in fifth through twelfth grade was given a two gigabyte flash drive for school purposes. The USB drive hardware was embedded in a plastic flexible bracelet for each student to be able to log on to any computer in the school's network and to take files home. Nathan D, a 7th grade student at Mill Creek Middle School, says, "I think it's awesome. The USB drives are great." Students can still log on to the school's network and save their work on the servers without needing their USB bracelet.
All the new technology has been a success with most teachers and students. Mr. Fry, a 7th grade science teacher at Mill Creek Middle School, says, "I like the idea of students having a way to take work back and forth between home and school. The USB drives allow for this."
There are a lot of hardware upgrades to come such as Smartboards, ELMO and LED projectors. Some classrooms have already been equipped with this new technology, such as Mrs.Dutcher's classroom at Creekside Intermediate School. The installation of these new technologies at Mill Creek Middle School will occur during the students' winter break. Most classrooms have not been equipped with this technology yet.
ELMO is a digital camera that teachers can use like an overhead. Mrs. Berryman, a 7th grade English teacher at Mill Creek Middle School, says, "It will be much easier once the projectors are available in every room. I won't need an overhead. I am looking forward to having an ELMO which will make revision of student work easier and more meaningful to students."
There is some frustration with all these technology advancements and changes. Berryman says, "Not all documents transferred nicely into the new programs but we are learning to work with it." Also a lot of students have had problems logging on to computers in the system. Mrs. Risdon, the Information Systems Support person at Mill Creek Middle School, says that most of this is caused from students pulling out their USB drives too soon.
Berryman says, "I think once I get used to the new system things will be fine. There is always a learning curve with new anything."
