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  1. What are the District's Guidelines for Acceptable Use of Technology?
  2. What is the laptop project?
  3. Why is there a laptop project?
  4. What does each student receive?
  5. How much does it cost?
  6. Can the student take the laptop home?
  7. Is the student required to have Internet access at home?
  8. How will students get their work done if they do not have Internet access at home?
  9. Do I have to have wireless Internet?
  10. How do I get Internet access at home?
  11. Can parents use the student's laptop?
  12. Can parents and students install applications on the school laptop?
  13. If students have everything they need on the computer, why do they need teachers?
  14. How do computers change what happens in the classroom?
  15. What is Moodle?
  16. Can parents use the computer to check their student's grades?
 

FAQ Answers

  1. What are the District's Guidelines for Acceptable Use of Technology?
    Guidelines for Acceptable Use of Technology from CPS Board Policies.
  2. What is the laptop project?
    The laptop project began in 2008 for students in grades 9 through the 12. Each student has a laptop checked out to him or her for the entire school year.

    In March of 2010, Crescent Public Schools was one of nineteen Oklahoma schools receiving the Ed Tech ARRA, Title II, Part D Grant Awards! This is a Federal pilot project to promote and assess the value of 1:1 learning. Funding was provided to deploy a 1:1 take home program in Crescent Middle School grades 6 through 8 for the 2010/2011 school year.

  3. Why is there a laptop project?
    Crescent Public Schools wants to provide our students with an opportunity to move beyond the norm. Our goal is to develop 21st century skills. Those skills include becoming a self-directed learner that relies on critical thinking, communication, and problem solving as opposed to the traditional recalling of facts.

    Laptops in education are not something one can measure in traditional education. Laptops for each student provides a strong degree of equity providing each student an opportunity to participate on a level playing field.

    The laptop project provides a blended learning opportunity in which students work in a traditional classroom environment as well as an online environment. It is possible for motivated students to use the online environment, available 24/7, to finish the required curriculum AHEAD of the pace set in the traditional classroom. With teacher approval, students may use this environment to complete the required curriculum for more than one class in the time traditionally allotted for a single class.

    Finally, the laptop project is an exercise in collaboration. Collaboration with others next door or around the world is yet another opportunity to discover more, learn more, and reach that goal as a 21st century skilled individual.

  4. What does each student receive?
    Each student receives a Macbook, a charger with an extension cable, and a bag to protect and carry the laptop.
    Students are asked to use ONLY the bag provided with the computer. They are also asked to NOT carry books in the computer bag. Carrying books in the bag with the computer increases the possibility of damage to the computer!
  5. How much does it cost?
    The laptop is a resource made available, free of charge, to each student to use throughout the school day.
    The laptops and associated hardware/software is funded by a combination of grant and general fund monies.
  6. Can the student take the laptop home?
    The student may take the laptop home only after the purchase of a laptop insurance policy.
    This policy has a yearly fee of $70.00. There is no deductible and it is a comprehensive plan that covers accidents and theft − but NOT willful misuse.

    Every computer taken home MUST have its OWN insurance policy. One policy may NOT be shared by multiple computers.

    The District will provide an insurance payment plan for families with multiple student computers.

  7. Is the student required to have Internet access at home?
    The student is not required to have Internet access at home. This is entirely optional and that decision is to be made by each home.

    However, the school district believes that having Internet access at home does provide a valuable and educational opportunity for the home.

  8. How will students get their work done if they do not have Internet access at home?
    Students are given the traditional amount of time to do required work in class. In the situation to where a student needs Internet resources in order to complete an assignment, it will be the responsibility of the student to work with the instructor to gather those resources and download them to the students laptop before leaving campus for the day.

    Students may access the school wireless network from the parking lot after school hours in those situations when Internet connection is urgent.

  9. Do I have to have wireless Internet?
    Wireless Internet is not a must. Student MacBooks have both wireless and telphone modems. However, wireless Internet provides a greater freedom at school and at home. Wireless connectivity allows individuals to share the same connection from any location within range of the wireless access point.
  10. How do I get Internet access at home?
    Internet access is all about availability in your area. The District highly recommends high speed access instead of dial-up. Dial-up is adequate for basic functions, like checking email, but in order to access the interactivity of the Internet and media resources, a high speed or broad band connection is recommended.

    Pioneer Telephone Cooperative offers a variety of packages to choose from.

  11. Can parents use the student's laptop?
    YES! We want the laptop experience to include parents and guardians of our students. The laptop is an opportunity for all to get involved and to be part of the education experience. We want everyone to benefit.

    If you are experiencing difficulty acquiring a login from your student please contact the technology director, Michael Wininger, at the school and he will assist you with the information you need.

    ANYONE using the school laptop are expected to comply with the school's Acceptable Use Policy.

  12. Can parents and students install applications on the school laptop?
    In order to protect the district's investment in the laptop project there are NO unauthorized installations of applications.

    However, you may request an installation. Each request will be evaluated individually. Make your request to the technology director, Michael Wininger at the school.

  13. If students have everything they need on the computer, why do they need teachers?
    Teachers are more important than ever! It is true that students can find everything they need to learn on the Internet. But there is a whole lot more on the Internet as well.

    Teachers "shrink" the Internet − providing students with learning oportunities that focus their attention on State mandated learning objectives. Without the professional support of dedicated teachers, students can easily be overwhelmed and distracted by the amount of information on the Internet.

    Not all Websites are created equal. Some provide accurate, professional information. Others provide information that is totally inaccurate or slanted to fit some hidden agenda. Today's teachers help students learn to evaluate Websites and the information they contain.
  14. How do computers change what happens in the classroom?
    Good teaching practices are STILL good teaching practices! Knowledge acquisition by students is STILL important! However, computers provide teachers and students a learning "environment" in which teachers can provide the resources needed for students to practice the process of critical thinking.

    Memorization of facts with little understanding of the concept involved is no longer a major part of the students' learning experience.

    The teacher's role in the Digital Learning Environment is to support students as they become more effective learners.
    Traditional classes become "Blended" Classes − combining the best of face-to-face interactions with the best of Virtual Learning Environments, like Moodle.

    Developing a personalized curriculum for 1:1 Web-Based Instruction is a time-consuming process requiring teachers to learn new skills.

    This is the reason Crescent Public Schools uses Wednesday afternoons, from 2 pm to 4 pm, for Staff Development.
  15. What is Moodle?
    Moodle is a Course Management System (CMS) − also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

    While the CPS Moodle Site is available 24/7 on the Internt, it is also password-protected. Each student has an individual "login". Parents can use the same login to keep track of their student's classwork.

    Each Crescent High School and Middle School class has its own Moodle page, used for curriculum delivery and assignment scheduling. As textbooks are replaced with Web-based instruction, teachers are developing a custom curriculum for their students to access with Moodle.

    Teachers post their schedule of curriculum assignments in the "Upcoming Events" block, located in the upper right of the class Moodle page. The curriculum and assignments themselves are in blocks located in the middle of the page.

    Even when students miss school, they are able to use Moodle to stay current with what is happening in each of their classes.

  16. Can parents use the computer to check their student's grades?
    YES! CPS uses an online grade reporting system called InformationNOW, by STI. There is a link to this system on the left side of all major District Webpages.

    Each student is given a personal "login" to the system so they can stay abreast of their progress. Parents should use the same login to regularly check their student's progress. This may be done from ANY computer connected to the Internet!

    If you are experiencing difficulty acquiring this login from your student please contact the technology director, Michael Wininger, at the school and he will assist you with the information you need.