KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Kingsport City Schools are joining tens of thousands of educators, millions of students, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park in partnering with the Alliance for Excellent Education in the second annual national Digital Learning Day today, Feb. 6, 2013. This day celebrates teachers and shines a spotlight on successful instructional technology practice in the classroom.
Digital learning is instructional practices that effectively use technology to strengthen students' learning experiences. It encompasses a wide spectrum of tools and practices and emphasizes high-quality instruction. Digital learning provides access to challenging content, opportunities for learning anytime and anywhere, and individualized instruction to ensure all students reach their full potential to succeed in college and a career.
"We have numerous digital learning opportunities for our students, but we are only just beginning," said Dory Creech, assistant superintendent, Kingsport City Schools. "We have installed wireless access points in all of our schools and it will be fully available to our students and staff by Spring 2013. We also have many classrooms across the system that are already effectively using technology with our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program."
To date, Lincoln Elementary and Robinson and John Sevier Middle Schools have implemented successful BYOD programs that allows students to bring their own iPads, laptops or other mobile devices to school. Other teachers across the system are also using iPads in conjunction with technology already in place such as Smart Boards, document cameras and classroom response systems (clickers.) Robinson currently has 15 iPads that are used regularly within the art classrooms and Dobyns-Bennett High School offers an iPad Chemistry Class. Students who are bringing their own devices conduct research and complete assignments easily, fostering organizational skills and placing an importance on meeting assignment due dates. There are several other teachers across the system who are also utilizing BYOD in their classrooms with much success in the instructional process.
In addition to the above, Robinson and Dobyns-Bennett teachers are utilizing webcasting/recording/FaceTime for live streamed class instruction for students unable to attend class due to sickness or other reasons. Across the system, websites and web-based programs such as Planet High School, tenmarks.com, wonderopolis.org, Edvance360 and Study Island are encouraged resources within classrooms and for student use at home.
Adams Elementary fourth graders use various software to publish science projects and create mock product campaigns including student made commercials showcasing their products. While at Johnson Elementary their speech teacher records her vocabulary lessons and then saves them to the school's shared drive so teachers can access and view the lessons at their convenience.
For the first time, students were introduced this week (February 4 – 7) to online testing for the TCAP Writing Assessment at the middle and high school levels.
"Digital learning represents a launch pad for enormous educational innovation that will offer all children an excellent education with 21st Century skills," said Alliance for Excellent Education President and former West Virginia Governor Bob Wise. "All school districts, no matter what size or shape, stand to benefit from this teaching and learning technology revolution. That's why we're bringing together students, teachers, school leaders and many others to show the best practices in the use of classroom technology and move forward with a national digital learning agenda."
Visit www.DigitalLearningDay.org for ideas about how students, parents, administrators and others can participate.
Kingsport City Schools is a public school system located in Kingsport, Tenn., serving students in Sullivan and Hawkins county. The district is comprised of 13 schools, including a Pre-K, eight elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and an alternative school; with total enrollment reaching 6,500 students. The vision of Kingsport City Schools is to be, Student Focused … World Class.
For more information on Kingsport City Schools (KCS), visit k12k.com, listen live on, WCSK 90.3 FM, The Voice of KCS, watch KCS Today on Charter Channel 16 at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. or call (423) 378.2100. We're social too; follow us on Facebook, Kingsport City Schools and on Twitter, @KptSchools.
####
Digital learning is instructional practices that effectively use technology to strengthen students' learning experiences. It encompasses a wide spectrum of tools and practices and emphasizes high-quality instruction. Digital learning provides access to challenging content, opportunities for learning anytime and anywhere, and individualized instruction to ensure all students reach their full potential to succeed in college and a career.
"We have numerous digital learning opportunities for our students, but we are only just beginning," said Dory Creech, assistant superintendent, Kingsport City Schools. "We have installed wireless access points in all of our schools and it will be fully available to our students and staff by Spring 2013. We also have many classrooms across the system that are already effectively using technology with our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program."
To date, Lincoln Elementary and Robinson and John Sevier Middle Schools have implemented successful BYOD programs that allows students to bring their own iPads, laptops or other mobile devices to school. Other teachers across the system are also using iPads in conjunction with technology already in place such as Smart Boards, document cameras and classroom response systems (clickers.) Robinson currently has 15 iPads that are used regularly within the art classrooms and Dobyns-Bennett High School offers an iPad Chemistry Class. Students who are bringing their own devices conduct research and complete assignments easily, fostering organizational skills and placing an importance on meeting assignment due dates. There are several other teachers across the system who are also utilizing BYOD in their classrooms with much success in the instructional process.
In addition to the above, Robinson and Dobyns-Bennett teachers are utilizing webcasting/recording/FaceTime for live streamed class instruction for students unable to attend class due to sickness or other reasons. Across the system, websites and web-based programs such as Planet High School, tenmarks.com, wonderopolis.org, Edvance360 and Study Island are encouraged resources within classrooms and for student use at home.
Adams Elementary fourth graders use various software to publish science projects and create mock product campaigns including student made commercials showcasing their products. While at Johnson Elementary their speech teacher records her vocabulary lessons and then saves them to the school's shared drive so teachers can access and view the lessons at their convenience.
For the first time, students were introduced this week (February 4 – 7) to online testing for the TCAP Writing Assessment at the middle and high school levels.
"Digital learning represents a launch pad for enormous educational innovation that will offer all children an excellent education with 21st Century skills," said Alliance for Excellent Education President and former West Virginia Governor Bob Wise. "All school districts, no matter what size or shape, stand to benefit from this teaching and learning technology revolution. That's why we're bringing together students, teachers, school leaders and many others to show the best practices in the use of classroom technology and move forward with a national digital learning agenda."
Visit www.DigitalLearningDay.org for ideas about how students, parents, administrators and others can participate.
Kingsport City Schools is a public school system located in Kingsport, Tenn., serving students in Sullivan and Hawkins county. The district is comprised of 13 schools, including a Pre-K, eight elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and an alternative school; with total enrollment reaching 6,500 students. The vision of Kingsport City Schools is to be, Student Focused … World Class.
For more information on Kingsport City Schools (KCS), visit k12k.com, listen live on, WCSK 90.3 FM, The Voice of KCS, watch KCS Today on Charter Channel 16 at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. or call (423) 378.2100. We're social too; follow us on Facebook, Kingsport City Schools and on Twitter, @KptSchools.
####