Mini-Laptops Improve Student Engagement

In July of 2008, Socorro Consolidated Schools boasted a very respectable count of 500 computers across the district. Based on our enrolment of about 1,700 or so students, we were at about a 3:1 ratio of students to computers. That’s not bad!

That number can be considered somewhat misleading. Although a goodly portion of those ‘puters were in the hands of staff, it is still one of the standards used in education to measure technology access. Silly technology folk like me think that the only number that should be acceptable is a 1:1 ratio of students to computers WITHOUT including staff computers (otherwise known as one-to-one computing initiatives). It happens in some places, but can it happen in Socorro?

In reality, SCSD is rapidly approaching a 1:1 ratio with over 1,500 computers district-wide! We are adding laptop carts in Zimmerly and Sarracino that have full-size HP laptops, and we already have carts at Parkview and SHS. Sarracino also has a laptop cart devoted to its Earobics program. A small lab is being added to the SHS art department to compliment the small lab in the SHS Music room, and Tech is looking to recycle some “use-’em-until-they-die” Mac-mini’s that are being removed from regular computer lab and staff use. You will even see administrators “going mobile” with HP tablets that cost far less than any computer or handheld mobile device.

Did I mention anything about mini-laptops? LOL!


Besides the mini-laptops that were purchased by schools and the Special Education Department, the Technology Department will be loaning teachers well over 100 mini-laptops for classroom use in 2011-2012 through a competitive application process. Why don’t we have an accurate count? Okay, how’s this: everytime Chris and Grabiel start counting the MOUNTAIN of mini-laptops, they get distracted. There are sooooooooo many. LOL!

By wandering to the Technology page on the SCSD web site, you will find the applications and the agreement that awardees must sign. The mini-laptops are a loan to teachers for the 2011-2012 school year. You should remember that applications will be reviewed by a committee and should be well-written. Renewal applications will be given first priority. All applications need to be submitted electronically … you may complete the document in the MS Word format available on the website or you may download it, complete it, scan it and then submit it.

Let’s talk about the one sticking point: during the year, awardees will need to submit five (5) technology-rich lesson plans that show how their students use the mini-laptops to problem-solve, create artifacts or develop presentations. The vast majority of the teachers who used mini-laptops last year did a great job with lesson plans, and our Technology Professional Learning Community reflects those efforts. The more we can help each other as educators, the more our students will be able to achieve.

We are all working hard and asking for five lessons plans can sound harsh, but aren’t we already writing lesson plans? Shouldn’t we be carefully planning how we are going to use this great technology? Your students deserve your coaching and encouragement, and a good lesson plan is important for helping us use technology as a tool and not as a crutch. We can all learn from reading each other’s lesson plans! Lesson plans are also an essential part of making sure that we are teaching to the standards.

Applications are due to Vern Smith no later than 5:00 PM on September 2. The goal is to deliver the mini-laptops no later than September 9. Please contact Vern or the Tech Team if you have any questions. Good luck!

Advertisement