Chromebook 1:1 Initiative
Starting in January 2015, every Central Falls Public School student in grades 3 to 12 will be provided with a Chromebook. Students will have access to Chromebooks 24/7, and are permitted to use the device outside of the school building. Starting in Grade 3 classrooms will transform into 1:1 environments which support an equitable distribution and access to technology. In 1:1 classrooms the integration of technology is both intentional and spontaneously driven by personal inquiry. Technology ceases to be a scheduled event, freeing teachers and students to collaborate and create in real-time.
The district’s 1:1 Chromebook program is influenced by Rhode Island's adoption of the Common Core Standards and by the way information is exchanged in the Digital Age. Our students are expected to achieve the Common Core Standards. One significant difference between previous state standards and the Common Core, is the Common Core’s emphasis on technology. Technology is mentioned in 78 Common Core standards. Across the K-12 spectrum students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of technological systems in solving complex problems and expressing critical understandings. Providing constant access to technology both in and outside of the classroom is critical in meeting national standards.
Transitioning to the Common Core will further precipitate changes Rhode Island’s educational system. Current state exams such as the New England Common Assessment (NECAP) are being phased out. Starting in the 2014-15 school year students in grades 3-10 will sit for what is known as “PARCC’ exams. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is a consortium of states working together to develop a common set of K-12 assessments in English and Math anchored in what it takes to be ready for college and careers. PARCC exams will assess student growth towards addressing Common Core Standards. While aspects of the PARCC exams will resemble questions presented on current state exams, elements of future tests will assess informational literacy skills. On a section of a PARCC English Language Arts exam, high school students will have to search through a database to find relevant information. Students will next synthesize sourced information to address a prompt. This breed of task evaluates a student’s ability to filter information, determine the validity of a source, extract relevant content and synthesize coherent ideas from multiple streams of information. Consistent access and the ability to connect to the internet allows for teachers and students to engage in the research process and develop essential informational literacy skills.
A push for a 1:1 program is also a by-product of The Digital Age. The exchange of information has been redefined by an expanding global digital infrastructure and through the evolution of mobile technologies. In the 21st Century, information is produced and consumed at a rapid rate, facilitated via a range of media outlets and debated through complex social networks. In contrast to prior centuries where a select few managed the flow of media, the 21st Century has witnessed an explosion in sources of information.
The Central Falls School District recognizes these global changes and the resulting need to foster learning environments which reflect contemporary exchanges and interactions. With access to a Chromebook and the ability to connect via a wireless environment, students and teachers will actively participate in the consumption and production of media, build and contribute towards social networks, and be active participants in developing ideas that can be utilized to solve complex problems.