Great Falls school district piloting new technology

The Great Falls school district is piloting a new technology program this year, using Chromebook computers during the next school year.

Tom Hering, director of information technology for Great Falls Public Schools, said the district evaluated the pros and cons of using Chromebooks since he doesn’t anticipated increased technology funding and the need for new technology tools.

Hering detailed the findings for the Board of Trustees on Monday and said up to 1,200 students will be impacted during the pilot.

The Chromebooks are low end processors and can only access cloud based data on the web, making them cheaper than normal desktop or laptop computers, Hering said.

The district chose Chromebooks that cost $220 per unit and come with a 3-year warranty. The project cost is estimated at $156,213 and funding comes from several funds, Hering said. So far, 524 Chromebooks and 15 carts have been purchased.

The Chromebooks use Google Applications for education and are widely used nationally and in Montana by educational institutions, Hering said. The technology also requires less infrastructure, management and staff support, he said.

Since they are web based devices, Chromebooks can’t run Windows applications that are used in schools, such as AutoCad and video production programs. Hering said they are not advocating use of Chromebooks at the high school level since those students will need to be proficient with Windows applications when they enter the job market.

Using web based devices might also require that the district increase its internet bandwidth, Hering said, but that’s something the IT department has already been considering.

Cloud data storage will also require district staff to ensure high levels of privacy and security for the GFPS students, programs and data, Hering said.

The Chromebooks are intended for 2nd through 8th grade students, but for now the pilot will focus on students in 5th through 7th grade.

Each elementary school will get one fully complete Chromebook mobile cart and teachers had to apply either as individuals or teams to use the carts at their school. Elementary teachers applied to use the technology.

At North Middle School, there will be three carts for teaching teams.