White Plains, New York--
As children across the country return to school, familiar scenes come to mind: the yellow bus pick-up, the corridors are crowded and noisy, and students drag their backpacks full of heavy textbooks to class.
At least at the last point, that wouldn't be the case with Archbishop Stepinac High School, where students are starting to use all-
Library of digital textbooks.
Stepinac, a suburb of White Plains in New York, is touted as the first school in the United States. S.
The digital textbook library is adopted to allow students to access all textbooks online.
"Students can reach any level of any textbook we offer," says Patricia Murphy, technical director --
Private boys school
"If they are in grade 11 and need to review the quadratic equation, they can go back to the textbook for grade 9.
"After returning to school, more principals wanted to use Oprah's $500,000 donation to fund the" restorative "program, and after the billionaire canceled the student loan, the town of Colorado used marijuana sales tax to fund the-
Bullying is part of a small group of steinac teachers and administrators who brought the idea of the library to Pearson, a partner of Education Press, more than three years ago
Together, the team created a way for students to access the digital versions of all textbooks on their computers and tablets.
There are about 40 textbooks in the digital library.
"In social studies books, there are practical speeches so that students do not have to listen to the teacher to repeat any famous speeches in a dry manner," Murphy said . ".
"They can actually see the doctor.
"I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King.
When you hear it from him, it will be more appealing than hearing all these abstract ideas.
"Each student pays $150 for access to the digital textbook library for the core subjects for one year, and the additional cost per textbook for elective courses is about $15.
Since traditional textbooks cost between $80 and $200 each, students can save hundreds of dollars through digital versions.
While Murphy can't say how much each student spends on a laptop or tablet, she says the options available range from a $179 tablet to a $1,500 laptop.
Murphy also said the school provides technical support for any device that best suits the needs of the home.
Senior student Joe desancins is skeptical about losing the connection and feeling of traditional textbooks, but says he now prefers digital versions that automatically update new information and annual revisions.
He said: "Not only because of my backpack, my back is under literally pressure, but it's easier on your computer screen.
"The integration of digital assets such as reference books, videos, virtual lectures and notes creates a sense of convenience that his classmates share.
"I love that it's all there," said James Mitchell, a junior.
"I don't need to turn the textbook over to the textbook, leave one at school, leave one at home, switch from something like my locker, and carry a huge backpack full of books.
"But in addition to convenience, the school has seen some academic progress since it was transferred to the digital textbook library.
Based on limited samplesjust one year -
Stepinac found that the proportion of students who failed the grade was reduced by half.
"I really feel like I'm learning more with it," Mitchell said . ".
"I actually understand.
I can certainly prove this with my grades.
"The shift in schools to numbers has caught the attention of companies like Amplify, an educational technology company based in Brooklyn, New York.
After four years of development and testing, Amplify is now rolling out all its features
Digital courses in 40 to 50 public secondary schools across the country.
It also sells tablets pre-
Classes and educational games that students and teachers can use in classrooms and at home.
Larry Berger, president of Amplify Learning, said that although the content meets the "age"
"Amplify creates a more engaging classroom environment to meet the needs of modern students.
"In a new digital world, children must be digital citizens," Berger said . ".
"They have to be able to learn using social tools.
They must be able to interact with content in a different way than 20 years ago.
"Amplify's classes include assignments for students to build story visual scenes --
Lines, watch the actor's dramatic reading of the text and travel through human cells.
"This is not only an unusual collaboration between educators and editors who produce course materials, but also a truly leading expert in all walks of life," Berger said . ".
"Many times these people don't help to make school exciting.
"Currently, the cost of each student's course per year is $45, including an e-library that uses more than 300 books, including fiction and non-fiction.
The Amplify tablet system, which includes hardware, courses and support, costs $359.
Amplify's project also provides analytical tools for teachers who use their courses.
Depending on the student's performance in practice and in the game, the teacher can provide additional assistance to students in need.
This personalized-
It is also a result of Stepinac's digital textbook library ---
It is one of the main commitments of the school to use technology.
"We know that students learn differently and we need to reach their level today," said Ulrich Boser, a senior researcher at the Center for American Progress, based in Washington. C.
"We know that these technologies are more interactive and informative today, so that students can really think deeply about problems.
Boser, who wrote a study on how American students use technology in schools, believes that the use of tablets and similar devices in classrooms is inevitable, with the popularity of the Internet and the machine itself.
But so far, the success of technology in promoting achievement in schools has been mixed.
Problems in the implementation process-
A school district in North Carolina, after suspending the program last year due to security concerns, is restarting the distribution of more than 19,000 zoom-ins-
Boser's research found that many schools use technology for simple "drills and practices" rather than more hands-on operations.
Immersive activities.
Boser also questioned whether electronic devices were suitable for all subjects.
For example, reading requires deep attention.
"Learning to Read is a key exercise for students," Boser said . ".
"We need to make sure that technology doesn't distract them, but really helps them.
According to Boser, "two middle school students tested to amplify the math game CBS. The effectiveness of digital tools depends in part on the teachers who use them.
Back at Stepinac, Murphy said one of the school's goals this year is to encourage all teachers to better integrate the media in the digital teaching library into lesson plans.
"It's hard [teachers]
To accommodate the fact that they don't have to stand in front of the room, "she said.
"They don't need to be posted just on the board and on the podium.
There will now be more circulation, more collective work, and more apprenticeship learning.
Murphy calls it a "flip" classroom: Students can use their digital textbooks and accompanying media to learn the basics of a subject at home.
During class time, teachers can work oneon-
Do homework and experiment with students.
Additional upgrades planned by Stepinac this year include 40 new charging stations and 10 additional "leased" tablets for students who forget the device at home or find it unavailable at school.
Over the past two years, Stepinac has invested $1 million in infrastructure to support its digital library, such as increasing the number of WiFi hotspots in schools.
Not all schools in America. S.
This year will be able to replicate the success of Stepinac, but there is consensus that this possibility ---
And potential--
Digital learning is already here.
"When we consider the technology of the school today, I think we have gone beyond access," Boser said . ".
"The problem now is to use.
How do students use computers?
Do they do it in a new way?
"This is the question that Stepinac and Amplify's educators and others around the world are taking steps to answer.