2008 Grant Proposal Details

SMART Board & AIRLINER (1 of 2)   Bertha Holt Elementary

Total: $1650

Description:  Bertha Holt Elementary is one of Eugene's largest elementary schools, with enrollment of 532 students. We currently are trying to raise funds to equip as many of our 24 classrooms as possible with SMART Boards(TM) and AIRLINER (TM) wireless slates. (Applying for two grants for this purpose). SMART Boards are touch-sensitive, interactive white boards, which are used in conjunction with our teacher's Macintosh laptop computers and digital projectors. The board takes the place, or is used as an adjunct to, the traditional classroom chalkboard. The board essentially becomes the computer screen allowing teachers and students to use special pens, or their finger to control the computer in a way that the whole class can visualize and participate simultaneously. As our children are now living in the "digital age," this is a new way to learn standard curricula while learning essential computer skills as well. The AIRLINER wireless slate enables you to teach from anywhere in the room, allowing students to interact with the SMART board from their seats.

Why is this important?  We currently have four SMART boards in use. The students and teachers, who are lucky enough to be in one of the classrooms that already have a SMART board in use, enjoy and embrace this essential learning tool. Much of the curriculum teachers now use is facilitated by use of their computers. This makes it so 30 students don't need to gather around the teacher's computer.

Who will be served?  Each SMART board serves all of the students that "cycle though" a given classroom on any given day. Our school uses "break-out" groups, where students leave their homeroom and participate in other classrooms for certain subjects to obtain the most appropriate level of learning possible. Our goal is to give children from every grade level the opportunity to participate using one of these learning tools.

How will this be evaluated?  Since we have four SMART boards in use, we know that this technology is an effective and efficient learning tool for our students.

Does this build on existing programs?  Our school, thanks largely to our parent group's fundraising efforts, now has mobile computers readily available to students on a personal level. What we are trying to do now, is allow teachers to take it a step further, using a single computer to help implement necessary curriculum for the entire class.

Budget:  Each SMART board costs $1200, and $150 to install. The AIRLINER remote slate costs $300 ($1650 Total).

Proposal #:  11