Teacher uses national award money to bring technology to the classroom

Coarsegold Elementary School teacher Jon Corippo was selected last spring by the Foundation for Rural Education Development (FRED) as its outstanding educator to represent classroom teachers throughout rural America.

This prestigious national award recognized him as an “innovative teacher,” who has begun “to find new ways to stimulate learning to meet the wide range of students’ needs.”

The award included $5,000 for technology upgrades and expansions at Coarsegold School, part of which was used to purchase Palm personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other wireless equipment to allow printing and management of these devices.

Portable keyboards allow students to use word processing software as well as other computer applications de-signed for the PDA.

Students are using the handheld computers for daily work, and are able to print out their homework from across the room with a tap on the device’s screen. They are able to “beam” files which include great works of literature formatted to be read on a PDA.

Students are also learning skills for the world of work as they manage their time with electronic planners and prepare presentation using handheld applications. Students are excited about this technology, and are already finding innovative ways to apply this great new tool to meet their leaning needs, Corippo says.

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