have now been outfitted with new technology systems in order to begin the process of creating 21st Century classrooms. According to the original November 2009 board of education project proposal, "A true 21st Century learning environment can accelerate change in the types of learning experience and can be a powerful catalyst for transforming how both students and teachers approach learning."
    The funding for the program was from eSplost, and all schools are being provided with the same pieces of equipment. Curt Cearley, Fayette County Board of Education Technology director, says, "The district manages the project and purchases the equipment and services from the vendor."
    Last week, round one was completed. Round one ensured that each classroom has a projector, screen, speakers, voice amplification system, and interactive pad. Also, each department received one set of student responders. When using this system, each student is assigned a device with which to answer questions, and the teacher can get the students’ responses through the computer software.
    At McIntosh, 51 classrooms were outfitted with a ceiling mounted InFocus DLP projector, which both shows video and projects computer information, a new screen, a microphone for each teacher, and an eInstruction Mobi pad, which can be used as a mouse or a writing tool. The school also got nine sets of student responders, in sets of 32.
    Shery Kearney says, "The classroom is more interactive with the InterwriteMOBI. I can give the pad to students to write notes and add to annotations of passages."
    All schools in the county are being provided with the new technology systems. Elementary schools were given the technology last spring, and middle schools were updated next. The high schools were last to get the installations and equipment. Cearley says, "The goal [of the project] is to bring every classroom to the same standard of technology availability."
    The cost for each 21st Century Classroom, including technology devices and installation, is $4751. Each set of responders is priced at $2399.99.
    Round two of the project will put the systems in areas such as school media centers, cafeterias, and gymnasiums. Classrooms with projectors and screens put in prior to round one will be updated and replaced as needed.
    Teachers have been prepared for the updates in various forms, including media such as video and websites, and a "train the trainer" model. A group of teachers from each school and the technology head learned the operation and maintenance first then assisted in training other school faculty. At McIntosh, Linda Wilson is the technology specialist in charge of the equipment.
    Although the technologies are new, many students are already benefitting from them. Junior Anna Howe says, "Having the new equipment has been really helpful in my classes, especially math and science. It is a lot easier for the teachers to explain what we are learning when they can draw diagrams or write formulas right on the notes or worksheet on the screen." Even though the updates are still fairly new, McIntosh is seeing and appreciating the perks of a 21st century classroom.