Midvalley Elementary ready for new year with new computers
Midvalley Elementary students will be gaining more computer experience in 2012, thanks to an initiative aimed at putting more computers in schools.
As part of the Utah State Office of Education’s aim to have students perform 100 percent of their testing on computers this year, Canyons School District responded with using IT money and allotted state U-PASS funding to get more computers to schools.
Earlier this year, schools were invited to complete an application request and show that they were willing to contribute half of the funds. Midvalley, who committed about $12,000 through equipment and technology funding, learned in November that their application was selected.
In late December, 30 laptop Mac books were being configured for use in the elementary school, said Hal Sanderson, Canyons School District director of research and assessment.
“We asked how we could help schools as we transition to computer-based testing,” Sanderson said. “We realized this will be easier for more students to take tests and also help them every day in instruction.”
Midvalley Principal Jeff Nalwalker said this will help with test scheduling as about 300 third- through sixth-grade students are involved in test-taking each year. He anticipates fifth-graders will use the laptops with their direct writing assessments in late February and then, much of the rest of students will use them when end-of-the-year testing begins in April.
Between testing periods, Nalwalker anticipates that teachers will assign research reports about everything from animals to ancient Greece and incorporate the new technology into writing assignments, and power point presentations.
“We want students to be using the computers for real-world uses and practice, more than just games,” he said. “Ideally, it would be great to have computers on a one-to-one ratio, but realistically, that’s a lot of money. We’re just grateful for the support IT at the district has given us. They’ve done an amazing job to help these students be able to learn more.”
