OKCPS reflects on technology leaps and bounds in classrooms over last decade
The district says it has technology for students in pre-K and up
The district says it has technology for students in pre-K and up
The district says it has technology for students in pre-K and up
As kids and families get back in the swing of school, technology in the classroom is an important thing that will help them.
Oklahoma City Public Schools explained how allowing students to use certain devices in class can help and how technology in the classroom has changed over the last decade.
“With technology and the Internet today, kids can go beyond the two covers of a textbook,” said Eric Hileman, executive director of IT services for OKCPS.
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From textbooks to tablets, technology is taking the main stage for many school districts. At OKCPS, students as early as pre-K have access to electronics.
“Today, we have approximately 11,000 iPads for grades pre-K to two and we have approximately that many, maybe a little more than that, for grades three through 12 — we have Chromebooks for those grades,” Hileman said.
In every classroom, OKCPS has interactive, movable panels.
Hileman demonstrated how the different technologies work and explained where the district was 10 years ago.
“We had some iPads in our schools and we had windows Dell laptop PCs,” he said.
He said the devices cost the district from $1,000 to $1,200 each. Now, prices are lower.
“Today, with the Chromebook, you're looking at $429 with a case; an Ipad, you're looking at the same cost,” he said.
The pandemic pushed the district over the hurdle of getting every student connected.
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“Because of the pandemic, we are now one-on-one across the board,” he said.
A 2021 study from Edweek Research Center showed 90% of educations said every middle- and high-schooler had at least one device by March of that year. Eighty-four percent said the same about elementary students.
Hileman said the technology can take students past the six hours they’re in the classroom.
“So they can literally learn anytime, anywhere,” he said.
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As for next steps, the district hopes students start creating – not just consuming – information, taking the products they make and sharing them with the global community.