Schools across the Valley are adding tablets and laptops to the classroom.
One Gilbert school hopes to speed up the process by allowing students to bring their own devices to class.
“I truly believe it will benefit across the board, whether you’re in an English class for the research aspect, whether you’re in science, we can do some virtual labs for the students,” said Nancy Diab Scott, principal at Higley High School.
Students will be able to bring their laptops and tablets to class after signing an Internet-use agreement and showing proof of an anti-virus program. The students will have to access the Internet through a separate student Wi-Fi connection.
“When they log onto the guest network, it automatically pouts them into one of the most stringent firewalls,” Scott said.
Scott was formerly the principal at Sossaman Middle School where every child is loaned an iPad.
When these students were promoted to high school, it was back to sharing a limited number of devices. She said the idea for the bring your own device program came from conversations last semester with students, parents and teachers.
“We do have several computer labs and computer carts that the students have access to,” Scott said. “I really wanted to start talking about how to bring that technology one to one to the high school.”
She said several Higley teachers already work with iPads in the classroom and know how to keep teens on task.
“If students are not using them, they are going to shut off, put away either in their backpack or underneath their desk.”
Scott said students who might not have their own devices will still be able to borrow from the school’s limited supply.
Parents can learn more about the pilot program at meeting Feb. 1 at 5:30 p.m. at the Higley Center for Performing Arts.
