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Chromebooks delivered to Leyden high schools
Updated: August 27, 2012 6:17AM
FRANKLIN PARK — A game changer in education arrived on plastic pallets at West Leyden High School the morning of July 19.
A forklift driver moved 1,600 laptop computers off a truck and into the building.
In early August every student in the district — 3,300 — will receive a Chromebook computer.
“We’re giving them the power and freedom of the Web to use when appropriate for their classes,” said Bryan Weinert, director of technology for Leyden District 212.
Teachers are undergoing professional development in how to incorporate computers into their lesson plans.
“As in any school, you have varying degrees of responsiveness to new projects,” Weinert said. “Some teachers are chomping at the bit. Other teachers are learning and growing more confident. There are those who are going to sit back a bit and see how their colleagues are doing.”
While Weinert emphasizes that teacher will still be teaching their area of expertise — English, math, science, etc — and not computers, he expects the laptops to create options.
“Teachers before had to schedule time to go to a computer lab or the library,” Weinert said. “(Laptops) allows teachers to access technology that they can plan with or for those spontaneous moments in class where a question is asked.”
While there are plenty of ideas floating around about how to use the computers, no one knows exactly how it will play out.
“There are so many things that are going to happen that we’re not even dreaming about now,” Weinert said.
