By Kaitlyn Resline

Staff Writer

Red Lion Area Senior High School made a new addition to its education system: one-on-one personal Chromebooks.

Mr. Timothy Smith, the Supervisor of Instructional Practice and Technology Integration for the school district, explained that the district had been considering giving students devices for about four or five years in order to limit computer availability problems for use in and out of the classroom.

Last year, the devices were given to Red Lion Area Junior High School students and they were introduced to the high school this fall for the 2018-2019 school year.

“I’d say it’s affected my learning by allowing me to work on things whenever,” said sophomore student, Allison LeGore. “I like being able to make up snow days at home, work in the car or bus, and use the laptop in study halls.”

LeGore talked about the flexibility computers provide in her learning, letting her make up snow days at home and complete more work outside of school.

Ms. Allyson Ayres, the school media specialist, also noted some general benefits the devices bring, like their ability to save class time with quick logins and online homework assignments.

The computers are also teaching students to become versatile in using computer programs.

“It helps and it hinders,” said Ayres. “The students that always do their homework and what they’re required to do, it helps them. The kids that maybe slack off a little bit, it probably hinders them more because I feel like teachers are assigning more things to do at home than they did in the past.”

For the most part, LeGore felt that the integration of the devices has been straightforward. However, she did note how she felt she was spending a lot of the time on the devices.

“My least favorite thing about them is that I can sometimes get headaches when I’m using it in every class and then have to go home and use it some more,” said Legore.

Smith claims that adding the devices was ultimately worthwhile. He spoke about how teachers are using the computers to go with lessons, but encourage to not let the computers take over. The computers are mixing traditional and modern learning styles together in a way that makes sense.

“More and more teachers are using them to supplement the lesson,” Smith said. “Not to replace.”