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1. Crafting the 21st century school district
Using Tablets and Insight 360
to Inform and Instruct
September 2014
CHALLENGE
Dennis works with a team of nine technology
coaches that train and work with teachers to
implement educational technology into their
lessons. After passing a bond that enabled the
district to purchase tablets for their elementary
school students, Dennis was challenged with
finding a learning solution for their tablet initiative
that would also allow mobile presentation options
for the teachers.
SOLUTION
Dennis researched the options available and found
that only one solution would meet his needs -
Insight 360. Insight 360 provided the students
with the ability to respond and construct answers
with their tablets. Through the Insight 360
Student app, connecting to a class is both quick
and easy for the young learners. Students are able
to annotate and construct a full response with the
tablets, as opposed to just submitting a one letter
answer.
Insight 360’s Teacher app allows the instructor to
stay flexible throughout their lesson by providing
remote access to their desktop. Teachers are
provided with the ability to launch assessments
and view real-time results from students – all
on their teacher tablet. They gain immediate
feedback of what concepts students understood
or struggled to comprehend and can instantly
redirect instruction.
When visiting the classrooms and talking with the
teachers, Dennis says, “They like the interaction
and I see more engagement in the classroom
and with Insight 360, every student is engaged.
The user-friendliness for the teacher is the most
beneficial because they can pick up the tablet and
start teaching immediately. They love it.”
CONCLUSION
Dennis plans on expanding the Insight 360 use
through the entire 35-school district. Through
phase one of the adoption, grades K-6 (a mix of
over 7,200 students and 700 teachers) would
be using the tablets with Insight 360, daily. He
hopes that all 24,000 students and 1600 teachers
in the district will be using Insight 360 at some
point. With an adoption to that scale, network
planning must go into the implementation of the
devices and software. Dennis had a realistic idea
of the amount of broadband width needed and the
number of wireless access points required in order
to avoid system overload. They ran test cases and
would try different wireless scenarios to ensure
success. Dennis says, “We didn’t buy the product
first and test the network second. We tested
everything before the purchase.” He reiterates
that, “Infrastructure is a breaking point. Even
with high-dollar equipment, it must be configured
correctly and with enough access points to make
it work.” Dennis implemented and deployed his
district’s technology in the best way possible,
allowing their students and teachers to learn and
instruct in a 21st century classroom.
Dennis Haynie is the Director of Instructional Technology for the
Midland Independent School District, located in Midland, Texas.