This past summer, many improvements were made at Antioch Community High School to prepare for the upcoming school year, but one of the largest changes is the replacement of outdated technology.
According to the District 117 website, about 1,000 Windows PC’s were updated from Windows XP to Windows 7 this summer. Throughout the district, about 250 PC’s were exchanged for about 600 Google Chromebooks. These new portable, Internet based laptops are equipped with a Chrome operating system and cloud storage to get work done more efficiently. Cloud storage makes it possible to access data and documents from anything that has Internet capability. Instead of putting documents on a flash drive or emailing them home, students can save them onto Google’s storage infrastructure and access them anywhere Internet is available.
ACHS junior Jamie Huber said, “The new technology will benefit students because it will be easier to access documents at home.”
Documents are saved automatically and frequently to the cloud, so students will never lose an essay or assignment. Additionally, Google Drive provides students with a variety of tools to get projects done efficiently.
ACHS social studies teacher Grant Murray said, “Student creativity and imagination will not be stifled by a lack of technology. Our students who want to embrace active learning will have more resources available to them than one could imagine.”
Google’s productivity applications will help students achieve more this school year.
In addition to Windows 7 and Chromebooks, everyone in the district now has new Google email addresses. Address endings have changed from sequoits.com, lakeseagles.com and D117.org to chsd117.org. Now, everyone’s email address is [email protected], which makes it easier to contact anyone in District 117. Since the district is working on consolidating passwords, all students were given new passwords to log into Infinite Campus and computer workstations.
Although adjusting to the district’s new technology is difficult at first, it will be very useful once it is learned by everyone. Means of communication between students and teachers is much more organized and efficient.
“Once all the kinks are worked out the technology is only going to make the educational process better. Educational efficiency still revolves around effective instruction and student learning,” said Murray. “Technology gives teachers and students new options to be able to be more efficient.”
The transition brings excitement for students, but an understanding that change takes time.
ACHS senior Dana Legg said, “I think that right now, everything is still a little bit messy but once all the bugs are fixed the changes will be really beneficial.”
District 117’s technology improvements will continue to benefit students for many years to come.
