(Submitted by Terry McAteer, Inyo County Superintendent of Schools)
Inyo: Last Place to First in Four Short Years
Within a blink of a few years, Inyo County has gone from being the backwater of technology for students and staff to being the most technologically advanced county in the state. Five major events have occurred that have changed the nature of public education in Inyo for decades to come.
- Digital 395—The most important step of this process from last to first was the finalization this summer of the Digital 395 connection. Bandwidth increased ten-fold for all of our schools. The ability to have all students and staff on the computer network at the same time is now possible thanks to our new, low-cost, fiber connection. Many thanks to the County of Inyo for their pursuit of funding for this high speed connection.
- Wireless Schools—Throughout the past two years all of our schools have become completely wireless. This step forward allows all students and staff the ability to have access to a filtered internet network throughout the school day. This major advancement fosters the introduction of computers throughout all classrooms. Kudos to our school tech staffs for making this a reality.
- Laptops for All Students—One year from now all students in all grades will have their own personal computing device for use at school and at home. Currently, all K-2 students have an Ipod touch device to improve reading and math skills. Third thru 8th graders have their own laptops to improve writing, research and typing skills. Next year, all high school students will receive a laptop which will make Inyo the technological leader in the state. Great appreciation to our superb teaching staffs along with Lo Lyness, Ilissa Twomey and Pamela Jones from ICSOS for making this tech infusion a reality into the daily lives of our youth.
- Updated Public Libraries—Parents, students and community members are also benefitting by this technological blossoming in our schools. Our public libraries, under the fine leadership of Librarian Nancy Masters, have also joined the Digital 395 network becoming wireless and obtaining new and more computer work-stations. Our libraries remain a wonderful asset in our community for learning and accessing research tools.
- Wi-Fi Downtowns— Within the next few months, through the leadership of the Chambers, Bishop and Lone Pine will have their entire downtown corridors become free wi-fi hubs for use by residents, students, and tourists. These free wi-fi corridors will provide access to free internet 24/7. It will also provide visitors a reason to stop and shop in these two communities.
Due to these five events, Inyo will be the first county in state to provide laptop computers for all K-12 students and staff. Inyo will be the first county in the state to have all schools wireless and connected to a high speed internet connection. Inyo will be the first county in the state to have two of its largest business corridors with free wi-fi for residents, students and tourists.
Most importantly, these five technological changes are transforming the lives of our youth. They are providing our youth with the tools, the access and the instruction needed to be productive citizens of the 21st Century.
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Did they consider the safety of what they have done?
see http://www.magdahavas.com/open-letter-wi-fi-in-schools-3-2012/
also http://www.magdahavas.com/ for what you don’t know about cell and wi-fi dangers
exposure to constant wifi and cell signals is not safe. What happens when a kid is sensitive to these signals and can’t go to school?
Mongo, I hate a lot of the things that our computor age world is doing to our youth, but it has taken over and our schools are way to far behind already. All the top high schools have gone paperless seven to ten years ago. We are just know starting to introduce it to 2nd graders up here? We are on pace to be twenty years behind the times and our school superintendent is braging about it here.
The good news is our kids have figured this out without our help.
Being a teacher myself and seeing the impact of tech in the classroom, I agree much more with the points of the article linked below:
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2014/08/technology_in_the_classroom_patricia_greenfield_says_kids_don_t_need_it.html
If kids don’t learn how to communicate on some kind of wireless or paperless technology right, they might as will start training for some kind of cheep manual labor job right now.
Right on Trouble, power to the young people!
Also…
It is impossible to block all of the porn and potentially inappropriate content on the internet without also blocking good information on human sexuality, STD’s, birth control, breast feeding, and other very important and healthy aspects of sex education. Educated people are less likely to experience sexually related living problems such as untimely pregnancy.
It is also impossible to think up every word and phrase that leads to porn without also blocking Wikipedia or Sierra Wave.
If you don’t believe me I’d be happy to provide some terms that will get around your guidance software.
It is also impossible to block all content that parents, society, and the school board will find objectionable with anything but very specific url limited access. Even with url allowance, Wiki and other useful sites contain content many will find objectionable.
Without the restriction of information how will you
control and program your young people (jib-jab)?
Didn’t this super just fire a teacher involved in a free speech demonstration on the internet?
Is open mindedness and the willingness to explore all of life’s possibilities valuable or harmful, is it both? What are the costs and benefits?
This growth will come with significant pains which I believe are worthwhile due to the enormous benefit of giving young people access to information that will enable learning and growth without prejudiced restriction.
I suggest hiring someone to watch the history of the users, this way the students are on notice yet still have access.
I think this is a bad step for for a board that wants to teach kids in a conservative image. Computers without internet are not fun, not useful, and no more effective than pen with paper.
Don’t worry about your thumbs too much, these are just the thoughts of a helpful idiot.
Let the revolution begin. Still can’t figure out my VCR.
Pedro…..Know what you mean….speaking for myself,and at my age,way too much “new” technology for me to be learning now….Had to give-in and finally get a home computer a couple years ago to better keep up with my fantasy sports leagues….but still holding out,with no real need for a cell-phone or an I-pad or smart-phones,whatever they are or whatever they do..or a newer DVD player,fearing I wouldn’t be able to figure out how to hook it up and get it running….just seemed a lot easier in the days of cassette players,VCR’s,and push-button land-line telephones with an answering machine to screen the calls.
Just stick with what you need and get a twelve year old kid if you buy something new.
Ya right, and the day before school starts the school sends out a call to all parents saying that they will be cracking down on cell phone use. Smart phones are just as good as their iPads. And all the teachers us them.
I see this hurting a few locals business.