Project Description

2008-2009
Hopkins School

Primary Applicant: Sue Anderson
Student Population: 4th and 5th grade students
Amount: $4,296

This grant funded a pilot study using interactive whiteboard technology (Smart Board) to enhance and support learning in the areas of math and science. It allowed students and teachers to engage in hands-on activities that model independent investigation and provided the opportunity for small group cooperative learning as well as whole class discussion. Two teachers took part in off-site curriculum training and served as lead trainers for their peers.

Impact: Smart Board technology was shown, through this grant, to be extremely effective in engaging students in new ways. The technology was particularly effective in supporting visual, kinesthetic, and tactile learners. Based on the results of this pilot, the district began working toward a goal to incorporate interactive whiteboard technologies into all elementary classrooms. That goal has been achieved.

“The EMC grant provided seed money to the schools to examine the impact of using the Smart Board to teach math and science. This pilot program helped to highlight the effectiveness of using this technology to enhance the delivery of the Math and Science Curriculum. We have since funded pilot programs using Smart technologies throughout the District. Today each elementary school classroom is equipped with Smart Board technology.”
Kim Pucci, past President Ed Foundation, Hopkins Students get “SMARTer”, 2008-2009