[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he digital revolution is in full swing and it’s changing the face of education.
Jamie Locklin, Hays CISD Director of Digital Learning, said technology is not only changing the way teachers teach, but also the way students learn as well, promoting the use of devices to enhance the learning experience.
The traditional model of schooling can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution, when the school day and school operations closely resembled factory operations of the time.
Traditionally, students sat in desks that were in straight parallel lines in a classroom – a set-up that resembles assembly lines of a factory. Another parallel to the factory mentality was the bell dictating the start and end of class or the school day.
“Hays CISD is filled with innovative teaching methods and traditional teaching methods through the district ... Teachers across every campus are adopting digital learning technology into their classrooms on a more frequent basis.” Jamie Locklin, Hays CISD Director of Digital Learning
Locklin said in today’s classroom, teachers are putting the pace of learning in the hands of students and are “becoming more of a guide to the learning process,” rather than using the traditional lecture methods.
Locklin said the number one barrier for technology-based learning is what kind of access students have to technology.
Hays CISD has tried to address this issue by implementing the Drive Your Own Device (DYOD) program, which allows students to bring their own devices from home and use them for learning activities in the classroom.
“Over the last three years, the technology department has installed and upgraded the entire wifi network district-wide in order to provide filtered internet access to all students who can bring a device,” Locklin said.
Locklin also said that, after the passage of the district’s 2014 bond initiative, Hays CISD purchased “multiple carts” of devices that include iPads, Chromebooks and MacBooks for every campus across the district. Following the 2014 bond, Hays CISD had a 2-to-1 student-to-device ratio.
Locklin said the learning environment has reached the digital frontier and schools must adapt to the times in order to remain effective for tomorrow’s students.
“Technology now allows teachers to record lessons with checks for understanding that students can watch individually, or in small groups while the teacher is working with other students at the same time to provide differentiated support,” Locklin said.
While teachers across the district have embraced innovative methods using technology, Locklin didn’t discount the traditional methods that some teachers still employ.
“Hays CISD is filled with innovative teaching methods and traditional teaching methods through the district,” Locklin said. “Teachers across every campus are adopting digital learning technology into their classrooms on a more frequent basis.”
