Willow Springs tests computers in classroom

Last year, third-grade Willow Springs teacher Julie McFarland jumped at the opportunity to participate in a pilot program through the Canyons School District that would give students netbook computers to use in the classroom.

“The goal is to increase student learning and performance,” McFarland said, adding that before learning about the pilot program, she was already thinking of ways to reduce paper use in her classroom. “Imagine the benefits and knowledge the children will gain by working on a computer every day.”

The computers arrived early this school year, but not without some issues, McFarland said. Willow Springs, like most elementaries, use Macintosh-based computers, so there were some issues that needed to be sorted as students adjusted to PCs. They also learned that the battery-life was only two to three hours, so again adjustments were made.

McFarland said the district IT department also worked with wiring, passwords, student identification numbers, headphones, access to the school network and other concerns.

“Even with this being a learning year, I wouldn’t trade this opportunity. We’re working on stories on the computers, writing our journals and doing activities that reinforce our learning,” she said. “All these activities reinforce our keyboarding skills.”

McFarland hopes through the use of the computers this year, students will be introduced to and learn Excel and Power Point, as well as video editing software and audio file recorder and editor programs.

“We’re hoping this translates to better academics in language arts, math, writing and their test scores will improve,” she said.

McFarland, and other teachers who were selected to pilot similar programs, receive training from the district, said Director of Technology Support Dean Glanville. This allows McFarland to communicate with teachers from Sandy’s Bellview and Sprucewood elementary schools about progress they’re making in the classrooms.

“These schools were chosen to step out of their day-to-day world and help us learn what we don’t know about the benefits of students using computers every day for their assignments,” he said. “We want to know how these netbooks improve academics for students.”

Glanville also said two Sandy schools, Sunrise and Brighton, are testing iPads in the classroom, as well.

“We’re having more blogs and wikis at the schools, more wireless and high-speed connections into the classrooms as students and teachers do more and more on computers and multimedia platforms,” he said. “This is part of the ever-changing technical process in education.”