Toby Ingleton |
The River Dell Regional School District in New Jersey, US, has adopted a series of new devices and Microsoft technologies to help enhance student productivity and enable personalised learning.
The school district has provided every student and teacher with a Windows 10 touch-enabled and pen-enabled laptop with Microsoft Office 365 and OneNote.
When looking to upgrade its technology, the district consulted with teachers and students. Having 24/7 access to files and a device that offered capabilities such as keyboard, touch and pen were highlighted as being key needs.
The district began to test which devices may meet the needs of both students and staff.
It was decided that staff would receive the Surface Pro 3 due to its ease of use, intuitive design and lightweight build. The flexibility and maneuverability of the Surface Pro 3 also allows teachers in the River Dell district to move around the classroom while teaching, helping to create better engagement with students.
The district also decided that its high school students would receive the HP EliteBook 820, while its middle school students would receive the HP ProBook 11 Education Edition due to their touchscreen capabilities, among other benefits.
Over the course of summer 2016, the district made the transition to Windows 10 across all devices. This allowed students to keep the productivity tools of Office 365 and harness digital inking features.
“We’re all-in with Surface, HP, Microsoft Office 365 and OneNote,” said Marianthe Williams, director of technology for the district. “It’s exciting to see how our teachers and students have taken OneNote Class Notebook to be their digital curriculum. The technology helps us to extend learning beyond the instructional period. Our students are finding new ways to collaborate and developing skills that will serve them well throughout their lives and careers.”
Microsoft OneNote Class Notebook lets teachers give support to students directly in their personal notebook. The shared space within the notebook also encourages collaborative learning with other students.
“The game changer is OneNote Class Notebook,” said Williams. “Our teachers have really embraced it. Teachers tell us that they are more efficient as they can check student progress at any time and that the students have higher homework completion rates.”