Round Rock ISD rolls out expanded technology
Round Rock ISD's administration is investing in new digitally focused initiatives this year to modernize students' experiences at school, including a technology pilot program with incubator classrooms, a freshly designed website and a new online bus tracking system.
Voters paved the way for the technology upgrades by passing a $299 million bond package in May. Two of the three bond propositions expand students' access to technology and upgrade outdated equipment.
Director of instructional technology Lannon Heflin, said the three-year-long pilot program will broaden the scope of student learning.
"[Incubator classrooms are] a virtual, redefined space where you can move and manipulate things that you couldn't afford to have in the classroom, or it might be too dangerous or that are just not practical," Heflin said. "It's bringing the world they have outside of our schools video games and the things that they choose to participate in when they are not with us—we're bringing that to the classroom. And suddenly the desire to be here is skyrocketing."
Digitizing student learning
The Next Generation Digital Classroom pilot program provides all 51 campuses in the district with one designated incubator classroom, which is a space in which new devices and approaches to instruction are tested, Heflin said. Each classroom includes 32 tablets and an interactive projector, said Mark Gabehart, executive director of technology and information services.
"One of the things that is really exciting about the structure [of] this project is we didn't restrict the content areas or the subjects," Heflin said.
Subjects taught in incubator classrooms include fine arts, choir, English and math.
"We've asked that the [teacher] pilot participants stay with us and focused for three years," Heflin said. "Some of the research that we have done has shown that lasting change takes time."
Gabehart said that by Labor Day, nearly $2 million worth of devices will be used throughout the district — all funded through the May bond election.
In addition to the classrooms, 15 campus libraries will receive up to 32 tablets each as well as interactive LCD panels. Libraries at McNeil, Round Rock and Westwood high schools; Walsh and Deerpark middle schools; and Bluebonnet and Teravista elementary schools are included in those that will receive new technology upgrades.
Adding devices in classrooms and libraries, Heflin said, will be considered annually.
"The really fortunate thing about a developmental pilot project is that we can be future-oriented but also responsible so that we don't say that we're going to double or triple the numbers of [devices]," Heflin said. "Our capacity and funding will dictate how it grows year after year."
In fall 2013 the district assembled a committee to assess incorporating the use of tablets in classrooms. The committee was responsible for assessing the district's needs for various departments, Gabehart said.
The committee considered cost in the review and recommended the NextGen pilot to the board of trustees in spring 2014. After the trustees approved the pilot program for the 2014–15 school year, RRISD representatives visited several schools that were using Apple Inc. and Dell Inc. tablets in the Clear Creek and Grapevine–Colleyville ISDs. Heflin attended all site visits to guide the rollout of NextGen at RRISD. He also solicited feedback from students about how tablets should be used.
"That research and information gave us a lot of insight into how students want to learn and personally be productive and how teachers want to differentiate for their students in ways that the traditional setting doesn't allow," Heflin said.
This summer RRISD commissioned four student interns to redesign the district's website to give them hands-on experience with web development. Sameel Mawani, a spring graduate of Westwood High School, spent more than a month working with the other interns on the new site, which features more photos and a mobile-friendly layout.
"The main things I learned were teamwork, leadership skills and a lot of main communication skills," Mawani said. "I started realizing that computer science is the future."
Online bus tracking
Another feature on the newly designed website is a link to the online bus-tracking system, Transfinder.
As of Aug. 18 guardians and students can look up bus routes and pickup and drop-off times on the Transfinder website by visiting www.roundrockisd.org/busroutes.
Website users should first enter a home address and the school the student attends to view routes and bus times.
"[Transfinder] really maximizes our student ridership on the routes, which creates a lot of efficiency," Director of Transportation Fritz Klabunde said.
The website offers real-time updates for weather as well as a notification tab for parents to view messages from the district.
District administrators are asking parents to check their child's route information regularly because bus times could fluctuate as new students enroll. Students should arrive at least five minutes prior to the bus's arrival or departure time, according to administration.
