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First iSchool opening in Texas
5 Comments
POSTED: Monday, July 19, 2010 - 6:45pm
UPDATED: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 12:37pm
Tyler-- This year at one Tyler school, kids as young as kindergartners are learning to use technology for their schoolwork.
At the corner of Shiloh Road and Chad Drive, the new Cumberland Academy is being built. It will be the first iSchool in Texas, and the second iSchool in America.
Administrators recently purchased over 400 iPod Touches, and more than 200 MacBook computers. Every student will have his or her own iPod Touch to use for homework.
Network Administrator Galen Manning says the technology is to keep the students engaged in learning.
However, the classic learning methods are not forgotten. Manning says, "We'll still have paper, we'll still have pencils, we'll still have books. We're just going to add another component to engage the students on their level."
Principal James Moyers says the enrollment from last year has doubled, and kids are still on the waiting list.
Apple is buying all of the technology for the students and teachers.
Comments News Comments
kimmbake July 21, 2010
at 12:37pm
Upkeep for the technology will be budgeted like any other expense.Cumberland Academy is a charter school,and therefore, does not receive local tax dollars.Charter schools typically receive $1500 less per student per year than regular public schools.
Cumberland Academy's Board and Administrators are able to offer this incredible opportunity to the students of East Texas by carefully and wisely planning how every dollar is spent.
kimmbake July 21, 2010
at 12:20pm
As Mr. Manning and Mr. Moyers, stated, technology is just another tool the school will be using in order to engage the students. The students will continue to read classics and use paper and pencils.
In addition, the school will focus on science and performing arts. By conducting classes for every grade in a fully equipped state-of-art lab, students will learn science concepts in hands-on experiments. And students will have the opportunity to learn violin, voice, dance, and musical theatre.
Yes reading skills are indeed important.Everyone knows you have to have them to function in this world, but you have to use technology and have to have the skills to do so. i think its wonderful that my daughter who has gone to cumberland since she was in kindergarden and will be going into the 4th grade this year to be able to advance her computer skills in school and not just at home. The laptop and Itouch is a great componet to add to her daily environment to keep up wih growing technology.
This is the future not a fad! I forsee alot more schools becoming more technologically advanced. Pencil & paper will soon be as obsolete as the 8 track. Technology is constantly emerging & changing everywhere you turn. It's great that children have access to this method of learning because this is prepearing them for their tomorrow... "writing comes from the head", so does using a computer. Enter the incorrect information, you will get an incorrect answer. A computer is only as smart as the user
Katie007 July 19, 2010
at 6:59pm
Yes, you can have all of the technology in the world, but writing comes from the head not a computer or other gadgets. Who is going to pay for all of the upkeep on this technology? Apple may for a while, but eventually it will come out of parent's pockets.
Reading the classics is directly related to writing and communication skills. This looks to me to be only a passing fad. Sooner or later it comes back to reading skills.
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