Building Learning Communities 2014

Providing students with the opportunities to be involved in all stages of a district or school 1:1 plan and implementation allows for high levels of ownership and engagement. Community Consolidated School District 21 in Wheeling, Illinois included students in all stages of the process of identifying which device would best serve the District’s needs--from having students, first, select a platform to then meet with experts, decide on a device, outline their rationale for the staff committee simultaneously working on the same project, and then presenting alongside staff members to the Board of Education. Following the decision to proceed with the purchase of Chromebooks, students have continued to maintain ownership for the process by participating in other projects, including identifying locations in the community that provide free access to the Internet and creating policies and guidelines for other students.