170 Philadelphia high school freshman beginning the 2006-2007 school term will benefit from what is thought to be the first school in the world to combine the latest technology and teaching methods, housed in an environmentally friendly building.
Philadelphia’s Governor Rendell introduced the classrooms for the future program to donate $20 million to 100 high schools for the provision of laptop computers on every math, English, science and social studies classroom desk.
An additional $6 million in state and federal resources funded two days of teacher training, providing a technology coach for every two high schools and a teacher technology leader in each building.
The school of the future was created through a partnership between the school district and Microsoft. It will continue to add grades over the next few years until 2010, when it will have a full ninth to 12th grade student body.
Each student is provided a laptop or mobile personal computer and will have access to high-speed broadband internet connection. Eventually, through the ‘wireless Philadelphia’ initiative, students will also be able to connect to the internet and school from home.
The school also has an additional support structure in the form of a virtual teaching assistant. Through this computer software, teachers can distribute impromptu assessments during class to weigh students’ comprehension of the day’s lesson plan.
Chalk, blackboards and textbooks are still essential components for educating students today, but there is no question that in order to adequately prepare our students for life beyond the classroom that we must incorporate a greater level of technology into our schools, Secretary Zahorchak said. By introducing students to these resources, the school of the future is helping to ensure its students will be best prepared to grasp new technological trends and utilize them to their fullest advantage.
