DPSchools: 40,000 kids to get laptops from stimulus funds

[ejames01]

By CHASTITY PRATT DAWSEY
Free Press Education Writer

Detroit Public Schools will spend $49 million in federal money to push technology in the district, including distributing 40,000 new laptop computers to students in grades 6-12 for use in class, as well as more than 5,000 new desktop computers.

Each DPS teacher also will get a laptop.

The computers are being funded by stimulus money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Details are to be announced this morning by DPS emergency financial manager Robert Bobb.

The district already has started distributing the computers and expects to deliver them all by the end of this school year, said Kisha Verdusco, a DPS spokeswoman.

The massive technology infusion totals 50,000 pieces of equipment -- including 4,300 printer/scanners and more than 500 HP desktop computers for the 138 early childhood classrooms in the district.

The announcement about the infusion of new computers will be made at 9 a.m. at Davis Aerospace High School, 10200 Erwin St. School personnel also will demonstrate anti-theft features that will be used to safeguard and track the computers.



http://www.freep.com/article/20110104/NEWS05/101040378/

[English]

This is wonderful news. It's too bad that every DPS kid can't have their own laptop, but this is still phenomenal. I'm already thinking about the kinds of activities, lessons, and assessments creative teachers could design with this level of technology access.

[smogboy]

Hopefully we can also have the qualified instructors to teach the kids how to use them as well. It's always my fear that with any new educational innovation is that the people in place to teach don't know how to use the equipment.

[RickBeall]

So that $49 million of stimulous money going to China and overseas for those laptops. Cool!

[fryar]

Fair enough. But this is still an opportunity that we can hope they will make the most of.

This is another one of those examples where conceivably the money may have been better spent [[as some assert when complaining about the light rail). Didn't they get netbooks recently, or is this that same grant? I don't even have a netbook, but if I did, it would still be fine for nearly everything I do, which is probably true for them as well. But hey, it's a grant, so let's spend it, and move on. Even if I'm right about those netbooks, this is not an egregious example of anything.

Is Detroit actually competitive when it comes to building cars, at all, or not *at all* because of the unions or high wages or whatever? Seems to me if we can compete, at all, with Hyundai, in any way, we can possibly compete with building computers. Silly, I know.

[DetroitTeacher]

The only thing I am worried about is theft...I will be responsible for each of the Netbooks in my room and I see a hundred or so kids a day. I do have to use the bathroom at some point and I am really afraid that they might walk away while I am taking care of business. It's more time out of instruction for me to count the little things and make sure they are locked up before the next class comes in and then repeat the process 5x a day.

Other than that small detail, I am pretty excited that each kid will have their own computer to use during class. We can take virtual field trips [[as long as it's not blocked by the school's server), we can blog about the readings, we can do powerpoint presentations and group work, and I can provide for online assessment and tests [[so much easier to grade). I use RESA's Blackboard and am excited because the kids can download things, respond to them and then email me back their work. I am also having issues with my LED projector for powerpoints...like it's ancient and pooping out on me [[and I have no chalkboard) so the kids can access the powerpoints/handouts on their Netbooks and follow along individually [[which provides for better understanding and individualized instruction). The school's server won't let the kids access anything weird [[we tried to look up chicken breast once and it said we were denied...we were just testing the waters and chicken breast had nothing to do with anything). Facebook, Myspace, and Youtube [[one of the all time great teaching tools) can't even be accessed.

Overall, I am excited and I just hope they provide for a secure nesting place for these little buggers or I'll be carting 35 Netbooks home with me each night and bringing them back in the morning [[what a pain that will be).

Smogboy: Each teacher was supposed to be trained on the Netbooks [[although none of us ever had an opportunity to be trained). The teachers that know how to use them will use them with the kids. The teachers who are technologically inept won't even try...

[Gistok]

My sister is a computer lab instructor in a suburban Detroit school... and she often mentions how "computer UNsavvy" some of the teachers in her school are [[in a highly regarded district). Some teachers can't even post student grades onto the districts computer...

But I hope the best for Detroit's students....

[DetroitTeacher]

Gistok: It's kind of funny you say that. I see it every day. Some teachers are so unsavvy it's not funny. I must say, I had no idea how to work my Smartboard and i'm pretty tech savvy [[I just got it this year and never had the opportunity to be trained on it since it was a spur of the moment install in my room). Some of the kids said they knew how to work it. I had THEM teach a lesson on what you can do with a Smartboard [[to me and the rest of the class) and how to go about doing all the neat stuff. It worked wonders. I'm not so high and mighty that I can't have the kids teach me things. They LOVED doing it and the other kids loved being taught by their peers. The kids gave me [[and the other kids) a project to do to check for understanding. It was probably the best time I've had...being taught by my kids and having the kids realize that I do not know everything and I am more than willing to have them teach me.

[English]

Gistok, if ancient university professors can learn [[most higher ed systems are online), so too can K-12 teachers! We've got folks at WSU in their 70s and 80s who have had to learn email. Be optimistic.

DT, will you guys be provided with locking laptop carts? I hope the district doesn't skimp and includes those. Not only are they great for security, but for charging as well -- students plug their laptop back into the designated space, and then you plug in the entire cart. Had no idea such a thing existed until I taught in the 'burbs, then at U-M -- it provides a convenient way to keep up with a classroom set of laptops, because each one is assigned a space and a number. The cart itself can be stolen, of course, but if it's locked down, it takes a lot more effort [[they are made of metal and are extremely heavy).

According to the reports, each student in grades 6-12 will have one, but can't take them home. It might be better if each teacher gets a set to keep in his/her room, instead of letting individual kids carry them between classes. I'm thinking about adolescent clumsiness, roughhousing in the halls, even food/drink spills in the cafeteria.

I used the laptop cart at my post-DPS high school, as well as the computer lab, many times more than a lot of my colleagues. I can't imagine how things would be if I'd had one all to myself for each period of the day -- I only had one semester with a smart board and an LCD projector before I left K-12, and that was definitely some of my best teaching. The instantaneous ability to have the Web at your fingertips when a student asks a question was incredible.

One more thing: the district servers may block YouTube [[which I use extensively in my college teaching), but I love schooltube.com and teachertube.com! The laptops in my old district had Office and iLife uploaded, and my suburban students taught me iMovie 5-6 years ago -- but in 2011, students can make their own videos online. There's grammar and language tutorials, you can bring ANY of the classics to life, poetry and great speeches recited by the original authors, the old "newspaper article" assignment explodes now that news is so interactive, there are writing websites, and ways to Skype authors into the classroom...

That's it! I want my job back!

[Magnatomicflux]

This is kind of O/T I think.....but I had seen a news report a while back saying some schools were starting to encourage kids to start bringing in and using I phones/pads and whatnot in class to help further education via the internet. I'm concerned about what happens to the kids that can't afford them? Do they just fall behind? Does the school board pick up the slack?

[fryar]

The only thing I am worried about is theft

LOL, well yes, that goes without saying. Somebody call the Pawn Shop!
If it happens to you, you might just want to finagle one from one of the technologically inept teachers. They won't miss them, and as all attentive lurkers of DY know, DPS does not make it a habit to track who has what pc equipment and then demand it back at the end of its service life, so no blood, no foul. I'm being facetious, of course, that sucks.

I use RESA's Blackboard...

Wait, what do you mean *you* use RESA's Blackboard? That's not organized centrally? As in, where I work, we all use MS Live Meeting [[something entirely different), we don't bring our own favorites to the table.

That and the rest of your post sound like this is being handled kind of ineptly, but then again, I do remember someone posting about how they couldn't even assemble a proper schedule this summer.

[DetroitTeacher]

English...the plan is to have lockdown carts [[I HOPE they follow through with that one). I hope I can lock it in my "spare room with the steel door". Makes it easier on me. My class is the band room [[no band) and doing anything on those tiers is close to impossible. I use Yahoo video for most things [[they have basically the same thing as Youtube). I've been using tech in my class for quite some time [[2 stolen personal laptops later) and am pretty excited about kids having access to their own tech in the class. Right now, it's just me using it...because of logistics. Windows also has movie maker software and I've had kids do presentations using it, in the past. I can't wait to get these things in my room. It will make my teaching much more interactive and interesting [[I admit that even I can't listen to me drone on for too long). I'm already planning all the neat things we can do...and the places we can go! I just wish I had my seniors back so I could take them to London during the time of Hank the 8th!!

[fryar]

This is kind of O/T I think.....but I had seen a news report a while back saying some schools were starting to encourage kids to start bringing in and using I phones/pads and whatnot in class to help further education via the internet. I'm concerned about what happens to the kids that can't afford them? Do they just fall behind? Does the school board pick up the slack?

Yeah, that's a valid concern [[but off topic ). It probably needs to be treated like books are, for purposes of means-based financial assistance and such.

[DetroitTeacher]

Fryar: I am the only teacher in the building who uses RESA's Blackboard with my kids. I've been doing it for years and years and am usually the only one who does so. My kids love it because they can access things [[and I post all handouts and notes on it) and don't need to worry about missed assignments since I also post my lesson plans to it. Yes...I mean "me", not the district and not the building...just lil ol me. The district has nothing of the sort in place [[although they did try and make Bb available to everyone, not many people used it so they stopped). Now, individual teachers can use it, if they want. DPS is trying to implement Zangle but it doesn't have the same capabilities as Bb.

[fryar]

Wow. Good luck to you and your colleagues in navigating all of that all by your lonesomes.

[DetroitTeacher]

Thanks. We somehow manage. It seems to be teacher preference, although it would help the kids if we were all on the same page. The kids need an online learning experience in order to graduate. Bb provides them with that. I am also trying to get an independent study class going for those kids who need to make up a class [[elective, English or History). It would be totally online with class meetings once a month after school. It would probably be more rigorous than a regular class in the after school program but would accommodate those kids who either can't stay after school or need a class not offered in the AS program.

[English]

DT, you are a true gem! Thanks for all that you do... it makes me feel better knowing there are people like you still working hard for DPS. You are truly doing God's work.

And thanks for introducing your students to Blackboard. At many universities, you have to use it. You are giving them a leg up.

[DetroitTeacher]

[quote=English;212460
And thanks for introducing your students to Blackboard. At many universities, you have to use it. You are giving them a leg up.[/quote]

Hehe, that's what I tell them! Many former students have come back to me and thanked me for using it because they didn't feel lost when they went to college and needed to use it [[or something similar).

I'm not all that wonderful but thanks for the kind words. I do what I do because I love the kids.

[Gistok]

I'm already planning all the neat things we can do...and the places we can go! I just wish I had my seniors back so I could take them to London during the time of Hank the 8th!!

LOL... DetroitTeacher... your seniors probably watched THE TUDORS, the 4 year [[lavish and sexy) 1/4 billion dollar miniseries on Showtime... [[awesome!)

There they learned English History... and Sex Ed all in one series!

[jtw]

Ugh, Blackboard? Wayne State uses it and I found it to be mostly a mess. But I don't know any of the alternatives, aside from the good system we had at UofM. I suppose if it's the best available, or if you're preparing students for WSU then more power to you.

[Zacha341]

Good the get the kids oriented to Blackboard and staff as well. I use Ucompass at one of the community colleges I work and Blackboard another place from time to time at and prefer it to Ucompass. It's a great teaching, tracking and reference tool and portions of it can be archived, copied and revised per each semester.

Hehe, that's what I tell them! Many former students have come back to me and thanked me for using it because they didn't feel lost when they went to college and needed to use it [[or something similar).

I'm not all that wonderful but thanks for the kind words. I do what I do because I love the kids.

[English]

Ugh, Blackboard? Wayne State uses it and I found it to be mostly a mess. But I don't know any of the alternatives, aside from the good system we had at UofM. I suppose if it's the best available, or if you're preparing students for WSU then more power to you.

Having taught at both schools, I'm familiar with CTools and WSU's Blackboard. From an instructional point of view, I like Blackboard much better.

[Zacha341]

The look and integrity of Blackboard can be controlled somewhat by how the instructor sets it up. I try to make my set up as intuitive as possible. I noted set up and content variations when taking classes at WSU compared when I set it up for classes I've taught at CCS... I find BB easier to customize and more image/ file upload friendly than Ucompass for the administrator or teacher.

Having taught at both schools, I'm familiar with CTools and WSU's Blackboard. From an instructional point of view, I like Blackboard much better.

[Zacha341]

WSU is not only institution that uses blackboard. Though I found there particular set up of it to pretty cumbersome. Alot of it has to do with the how the instructor sets it up and maintains the content and student-use options.

Ugh, Blackboard? Wayne State uses it and I found it to be mostly a mess. But I don't know any of the alternatives, aside from the good system we had at UofM. I suppose if it's the best available, or if you're preparing students for WSU then more power to you.

[English]

^Maybe that's it. Mine is super customized. I handle few papers, and students get comments back as MS Word Track Changes and sticky-note comments. They seemed to love it, and the couple who were career changers were a quick study.