The Rome City School District in New York will use a $125,000 grant to invest in new laptops for student and extensive technology training for teachers, the Observer-Dispatch reports.
According to the Observer-Dispatch, the Lyndon H. Strough Upper Middle School will receive funds from Enhancing Education Through Technology grant to purchase 30 Apple MacBooks for students and provide 10 teachers with professional development.
Rome City School District director of information technology Pam Mazzaferro said the technology engages not only students but teachers as well. Teachers can connect the laptops to an HD-TV, an LED monitor or an HDMI projector to create learning experiences that provide students with skills they will use in the future.
"If you look at the standards we have for technology integration … in eighth grade, New York state expects students to be proficient in technology," Mazzaferro said, according to the Observer-Dispatch.
The teachers participating in the professional development course will receive 80 hours of training. Mazzaferro said it is important that teachers understand the technology and how to integrate it into their lessons.
