Keystone Oaks’s New Year’s Resolution
Every year, people vow to renew themselves with the turn of the new year, however, fail to keep those promises within the first week. Whether they plan on renewing their mind or body, starting a new work ethic, or just becoming more productive, New Year’s is an easy excuse for people to remake themselves.
In 2016, Keystone Oaks has some exciting new things ahead of them, including the release of the Bring Your Own Device (B.Y.O.D.) program. Starting at the beginning of the second semester, Dr. Hartbauer has given the go ahead to teachers and staff to allow students to use their own tablets, laptops, or smartphones in classrooms when appropriate. This new setup can lessen the amount of papers and books students require to complete their classwork and homework.
“My backpack went from close to impossible to carry to something manageable. Now, I just bring my laptop or tablet with me, and all my work is saved. It saves time, energy, and the stress of remembering to bring everything home with you and then back again to school the next morning,” said junior Laura Funk.
The new change comes along with the new Google servers being set up for each student. No longer can the excuse of leaving a project on your home computer be valid, because all projects, homework assignments, and activities should be completed on the student’s Google server. Teachers have also begun setting up Google Classrooms for many of their classes so students won’t have to venture across the internet to find their teacher’s website where once in a blue-moon the homework is posted.
The new policy of allowing students their precious technology in classrooms is helping Keystone Oaks enter the new, tech-y generation. Other schools in the county have begun these types of policies, even going as far as providing students with tablets or laptops. It’s way to allow students to properly learn how to use the resources they are given appropriately, as well as being a cost-effective way for students to have the availability of tech in a lower-budgeted school.
“Students are already familiar and comfortable using their own technology so they can focus on actually learning with them than learning how to use the device,” wrote an employee from SecureEdge Networks, a local company working to provide information and installation of the B.Y.O.D. policy.
“The majority of students and adults already own the devices necessary for BYOD. Students have the privilege to use the devices they have to complete their classroom activities, and are therefore more likely to do them.”
Keystone Oaks is making some big changes to their ‘appearance’ in the year of 2016; 2015 brought new personnel who are now bringing in new age policies that will revolutionize how students at Keystone Oaks schools will learn.
Posted: Friday, January 8, 2016