The South Lewis Central School District in Turin, New York, recently received a $363,157 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which it will use to expand its videoconferencing technology, the Watertown Daily Times reports.
According to the news provider, Adirondack, General Brown and Copenhagen school districts will also share the grant, which aims at improving distance learning in rural school through technology.
South Lewis will use the grant to purchase new laptops, video cameras and Apple mobile devices to enhance the school district's videoconferencing capabilities.
Videoconferencing can be an important tool for expanding the learning experience beyond the classroom, particularly for rural schools, where the costs of travel can be significant. Educators have found they can use the technology in conjunction with an HD-TV, LED monitor or HDMI projector to introduce a new element to an educational environment.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded distance learning grants to several schools around the country through its Rural Utilities Services Grant program. According to a Kennebec Journal report, the department will fund more than 100 projects in 38 states through the program.
