Anyone who’s ever bought technology, whether it’s a smartphone, tablet or laptop, knows the feeling: You’ve brought home the shiny new tool – or toy – unwrapped all the glossy components, and just when you’re figuring out how to work all the bells and whistles, the next version is released, and the world is telling you your purchase is obsolete.
As hard as it is for us as individuals to keep up, imagine what it’s like for Zach Mather, director of technology for Durango School District 9-R. He’s responsible for keeping students and staff members at seven elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools working at 21st-century tech levels.
Mather and 9-R Superintendent Dan Snowberger spoke Tuesday about the challenges of technology in 21st-century classrooms during the monthly Leadership 9-R series.
“It’s not just about buying a whole bunch of computers,” Mather said. “Across the board, we have challenges, including a lot of older infrastructure, in relative terms.”
The district tries to replace each computer every five years, he said, but that antiquated infrastructure – wiring, wireless access and switches – affects computer performance significantly.
“Schools are basically built like bomb shelters with concrete and bricks,” Mather said. “That’s detrimental to wireless performance. And a lot of wireless access points are spaced in not-so-convenient locations, mostly in hallways, with four classrooms sharing one access point. And we don’t instruct in hallways.”
The challenges are compounded by a global data explosion. In 2012, Google received more than 2 million search queries per minute. In just two years, that doubled to 4 million per minute, with more than 2.4 billion global Internet users.
The school district also supports Internet access for organizations that provide services to students in the district, such as the San Juan Board of Cooperative Services, Axis Health Systems and Head Start.
“It’s totally appropriate because they’re helping our kids,” Mather said, “but they’re using our system, which is already stretched.”
And the district encourages students and staff members to bring in their personal devices, he said.
“Last year, based on the number of (Internet protocol) addresses we were handing out,” Mather said, “every student at Durango High School had two devices.”
Staying up to date on technology helps meet the district’s goal of every student being prepared for college or work.
“We have to make sure kids aren’t behind when they graduate because all they’ve used is some arcane version of an operating system,” Mather said, “and not even doing that well because they were struggling all the time to get wireless access.”
abutler@durangoherald.com
If You Go
Durango School District 9-R is holding a monthly talk called Leadership 9-R about issues surrounding education in the modern age.
Admission to the talks is free.
Nov. 12 at Escalante Middle School: Colorado Academic Standards.
Jan. 11 at Riverview Elementary School: Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum – How Instruction Occurs.
Feb. 9 at Durango High School: Serving Special Populations of Students.
March 11 at Animas Valley Elementary School: 191 Teacher Evaluation System.
April 19 at Escalante: School Finance – Funding Sources.
May 19 at the Administration Building: School Finance – How Funds are Allocated.
For more information about 21st-century students, visit https://youtu.be/c0xa98cy-Rw and https://youtu.be/YmwwrGV_aiE.
