After three years of research and planning and another three years of implementation into the classrooms, the Dodgeland School District is proud of its 1:1 (one-to-one) Learning Initiative. Each student at Dodgeland has access to an iPad in the classroom and can take their device home for extended learning opportunities.
The district believes that a 1:1 technology learning initiative is the model for education in the 21st century. Dodgeland also believes that because personal computing devices have become the norm, students should be prepared to properly use them.
Below you can find answers to questions you may have about Dodgeland's 1:1 Learning Initiative. Our hope is you get a better picture of our Dodgeland school community and how we utilize technology resources on a daily basis.
About the Initiative
1:1 iPads is pronounced 1 to 1 iPads, which means that our school has 1 iPad (WiFi enabled tablet) for every 1 student. The iPads may be kept in classrooms to be used during classes and charged at night or iPads may be taken home for students to use for assignments, projects, and research to be charge overnight at home. Either way, each student has access to a portable computer (iPad), WiFi (connection to the Internet without wires), and approved Apps (software that allows interaction between user and tablet).
What are the benefits a 1:1 learning environment for Dodgeland students?
Schools have evolved into facilities that mirror society's needs. Our school still has wonderful conventions for learning and now we integrate 21st Century learning through technology tools. Students still work on spelling words and vocabulary, but now they may have an App that makes puzzles for them to practice their words or an App where students can create drawings or videos for the definitions to words. Taking learning to a new level, students can now present their work in many forms to many people because learning isn't just between the student and teacher anymore.
How do teachers know what students should be learning with technology?
Teachers use standards to guide their teaching and assessments in the classroom. You may have heard of the Common Core Standards, but there are also Wisconsin Academic Standards and some Federal Academic Standards by content area that can be used. Teachers utilizing technology look to ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) for not only student expectations but also standards for themselves as professional educators.
How did we choose the hardware devices we are currently using for each student?
As with most organizations, Dodgeland created a team of mixed stakeholders to research the feasibility of going 1:1, keeping in mind that in this organization, students come first. The Dodgeland Technology Task Team (D3T) along with administration created the three-year plan focused on Apple products, training, and infrastructure changes.
Phase one concentrated on elementary classrooms: setting up devices, WiFi network, and teacher professional development. Phase two concentrated on the middle school and the final phase three concentrated on the high school where students received their devices starting the 2016 school year.
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