TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS

20 SMART Boards – Tools for Interactive learning

 
Description:
This is a request for the purchase, installation and training for the use of 20 electronic SMART boards in Elyria High School classrooms. At present, there are approximately 20 of the boards in use and there is a high demand by teachers to increase that number by at least four in each of the four core academic areas. SMART boards allow students to interact with the Internet as a class or in groups, connect to on-line activities and sources of information, participate in videoconferencing, calculate, manipulate information and data and much more. Teachers can display charts and graphs, help students prepare for the Ohio Achievement Test, conduct classroom assessments and make presentations to students using the boards. 
 
A September 2007 evaluation of the Elyria City School District’s SMART board initiative found that overall, Elyria teachers cited using their SMART boards about three times per week for a variety of purposes. When measured on the Ohio Achievement Tests, Elyria students in classes with SMART boards performed better than students in classes without SMART boards in four of six grades on the reading test and five of six grades on the mathematics test. 
 
Benefits of SMART Boards Include:
 
  • One-computer classrooms can maximize the use of limited computer access;
  • Learners show increased motivation and enjoy the interaction the technology offers;
  • Teachers can use multi-media resources, and the Internet with the whole class;
  • The interactive white board allows for demonstrations that accommodate different learning styles;
  • Teacher and students engage in the subject together and learn collectively from one another;
  • Students demonstrate some increase in performance in the areas of mathematics and reading.
 
Projected Cost: $42,000 ($2,100 per board)
(Includes: SMART boards and training for 20 teachers)