North Carolina School District Has Success With MacBook Air Initiative

[MacRumors]

The Mooresville, North Carolina district is one of a handful in the country to issue laptops, the MacBook Air in this case, to each student. Mooresville is attempting to turn the public school education on its head, using technology to change the culture of instruction. The district was profiled in the New York Times on Monday.

The Times says the district has "quietly emerged as the de facto national model of the digital school."

[Superintendent of schools Mark] Edwards spoke on a White House panel in September, and federal Department of Education officials often cite Mooresville as a symbolic success. Overwhelmed by requests to view the programs in action, the district now herds visitors into groups of 60 for monthly demonstrations; the waiting list stretches to April. What they are looking for is an explanation for the steady gains Mooresville has made since issuing laptops three years ago to the 4,400 4th through 12th graders in five schools (three K-3 schools are not part of the program).

The district's graduation rate was 91 percent in 2011, up from 80 percent in 2008. On state tests in reading, math and science, an average of 88 percent of students across grades and subjects met proficiency standards, compared with 73 percent three years ago. Attendance is up, dropouts are down. Mooresville ranks 100th out of 115 districts in North Carolina in terms of dollars spent per student -- $7,415.89 a year -- but it is now third in test scores and second in graduation rates.

Each MacBook Air notebooks is leased from Apple for $215 per year, including warranty. The total cost for the computers is around $1 million per year, plus an additional $100K for software. Families pay a $50 fee

The Mooresville Graded School District paid for the initiative by eliminating 65 jobs, including 37 teaching positions, and accepting larger class sizes. At the same time, schools could get rid of computer labs and antiquated teaching materials like hanging wall maps.

Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson wrote about Jobs' feelings towards American public education. Jobs felt the system was "hopelessly antiquated and crippled by union work rules." Particularly galling to Jobs was that classrooms were led by teachers standing at a blackboard, using textbooks. He felt that "all books, learning materials, and assessments should be digital and interactive." Feedback should be tailored to each student and provided in real time.

Instead of simply throwing technology dollars at the problem, hoping it can fix itself, Mooresville is using technology as a tool to help students learn.

Mooresville frequently tests students in various subjects to inform teachers where each needs help. Every quarter, department heads and principals present summary data to Mr. Edwards, who uses it to assess where teachers need improvement. Special emphasis goes to identifying students who are only a few correct answers away from passing state proficiency standards. They are then told how close they are and, Mr. Edwards said, "You can, you can, you can."

Apple made its biggest stride yet into the digital classroom at an education-focused event last month. At that event, Apple launched a new digital textbook initiative for the iPad, plus easy-to-use authoring tools to help educators collaborate and share knowledge across school districts and disciplines.

Jobs' vision for the digital school may be turning to reality in Mooresville, North Carolina.

(Image via Jeremy M. Lange/New York Times)

Article Link: North Carolina School District Has Success With MacBook Air Initiative

 

[iVoid]

Interesting that the photo is not of Macbook Airs, but of black MacBooks.

 

[jlgolson]

Interesting that the photo is not of Macbook Airs, but of black MacBooks.

They're actually MacBook Airs with black Speck cases on them.

An excellent protective case.

 

[pjfanelli]

Interesting that the photo is not of Macbook Airs, but of black MacBooks.

look closer. they are MBAs with covers on.

 

[dashiel]

Well there we go. Lots of navel gazing lately from “pundits” about technology being unproven. Certainly only one instance (though the Khan Academy has some interesting data too), but good news.

 

[goodfellaNW]

Interesting that the photo is not of Macbook Airs, but of black MacBooks.

Actually, they appear to be macbook airs with black covers. You can see the keyboard is silver and I am pretty sure the black macbooks were completely black, if I remember correctly.

 

[CFreymarc]

Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson wrote about Jobs' feelings towards American public education. Jobs "hopelessly antiquated and crippled by union work rules." Particularly galling to Jobs was that classrooms were led by teachers standing at a blackboard, using textbooks. He felt that "all books, learning materials, and assessments should be digital and interactive." Feedback should be tailored to each student and provided in real time.

Steve has it right. Now after the computers come in, purge the Teachers Union, rehire all the teachers as independent contractors with a pay scale based on parental and supervisor feedback and not seniority. Also have the curriculum based on parental and industry survey and not academics.

 

[KrazyBear15]

Is it just me or does it look like that kid is wearing Shaq's shoes?

 

[TinkTude]

This isnt' Mark Edwards' first initiative. Over ten years ago, he began a similar one in Henrico County, Virginia for middle and high school students.

 

[Tilpots]

What an excellent investment. Not the computers, $ well spent on children.

 

[CFreymarc]

Actually, they appear to be macbook airs with black covers. You can see the keyboard is silver and I am pretty sure the black macbooks were completely black, if I remember correctly.

They are following the old tradition of the private labeled Apple ]['s that were for schools. There are also some very rare, black cased original Mac's out there when the Mac first launched in 1984.

 

[PracticalMac]

*Mileage will vary.

Its not just the hardware and software, but the enthusiasm of those involved.


....
I do know of a 15 Yo girl who is frustrated becuase she has very limited computer access, due to poor parents.

 

[Mal]

The Mooresville Graded School District paid for the initiative by eliminating 65 jobs, including 37 teaching positions, and accepting larger class sizes.

This, I have a significant problem with. Not a worthwhile tradeoff, in my opinion.

jW

 

[millarj]

Just out of curiosity, how many kids look back fondly on the technology that inspired them to push themselves to excel, to do more than society expected of them, to move the human race forward?

I'd question how many of those laid-off teachers would have inspired the next generation. Instead they are (hopefully) working at other schools or districts that *aren't* relying entirely on technology to fix their problems.

I would have been much more impressed if they had taken a more balanced approach to create and encourage excellent teachers AND provide them with cutting edge technology.

But that's just me. I chose my path not because of the computer I had in school, but because of the excellent teacher who showed me what it could do. It was an Apple computer by the way.

j

 

[ouimetnick]

Beverly High School (BHS) has the MacBook. We call it 1 to 1. Its been a great start, and some of the Elementary schools are piloting iPads. Not liking iPads though. Too limited imo.

 

[deggs37]

The Mooresville Graded School District paid for the initiative by eliminating 65 jobs, including 37 teaching positions, and accepting larger class sizes.

Wonderful, let's make our education system worse. But hey you get a temporarily leased laptop!!! WOOHOO!!!

 

[Tilpots]

This, I have a significant problem with. Not a worthwhile tradeoff, in my opinion.

jW

It's hard to argue with success. If it cost that many jobs to to finally getting hundreds of kids learning, it was well worth it, IMHO.

 

[smellalot]

Haha! Those poor kids are getting computers instead of teachers. This is really really sad.

 

[anonApple]

Wonderful, let's make our education system worse. But hey you get a temporarily leased laptop!!! WOOHOO!!!

"- The district's graduation rate was 91 percent in 2011, up from 80 percent in 2008.
- On state tests in reading, math and science, an average of 88 percent of students across grades and subjects met proficiency standards, compared with 73 percent three years ago.
- Attendance is up, dropouts are down.
- Mooresville ranks 100th out of 115 districts in North Carolina in terms of dollars spent per student -- $7,415.89 a year -- but it is now third in test scores and second in graduation rates."


Yes, such a terrible shame the education system was made so much worse by these laptops.

----------

 

[St. Germain]

"- The district's graduation rate was 91 percent in 2011, up from 80 percent in 2008.
- On state tests in reading, math and science, an average of 88 percent of students across grades and subjects met proficiency standards, compared with 73 percent three years ago.
- Attendance is up, dropouts are down.
- Mooresville ranks 100th out of 115 districts in North Carolina in terms of dollars spent per student -- $7,415.89 a year -- but it is now third in test scores and second in graduation rates."


Yes, such a terrible shame the education system was made so much worse by these laptops.

Interesting. A friend of mine just launched an Tech-Ed product for teachers that was featured on Mashable today. It is a classroom learning tool for students equipped with smartphones or laptops. It's definitely an emerging market.

http://mashable.com/2012/02/14/gosoapbox/

 

[nwcs]

The educational system's troubles won't be cured with technology. They won't be cured with hiring/firing teachers. They are only cured by parents who care and who insist that their children put in hard work to learn. All the money in the world can't eliminate the one barrier to actual learning: hard work.

If a computer supports hard work, great. If it doesn't, it should be ignored.

 

[ossifer]

Eliminating 37 teachers?!?

I've been in computers and education nearly my entire life. This is ridiculous. Rail against unions as much as you like, but I'd rather have my children on a dirt floor in front of a teacher with only a slate blackboard and chalk, if it means more teachers and more interaction between teachers and children.

Computers replacing teachers has been a stupid idea for decades that has never shown truly sustained results.

 

[anonApple]

Haha! Those poor kids are getting computers instead of teachers. This is really really sad.

This, I have a significant problem with. Not a worthwhile tradeoff, in my opinion.

Wonderful, let's make our education system worse. But hey you get a temporarily leased laptop!!! WOOHOO!!!

This is a major part of the problem with education. Too many people are willing to completely ignore the significantly better results because they would rather stick with the status quo.

In case you haven't noticed the status quo isn't cutting it.

 

[Peace]

I've been in computers and education nearly my entire life. This is ridiculous. Rail against unions as much as you like, but I'd rather have my children on a dirt floor in front of a teacher with only a slate blackboard and chalk, if it means more teachers and more interaction between teachers and children.

Computers replacing teachers has been a stupid idea for decades that has never shown truly sustained results.

That may or may not be true but removing interaction between humans is a bad idea.

 

[shartypants]

Love to see this!