Technology

1:1 Laptop Learning

Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart was one of the first schools in the United States to participate in the "Anytime, Anywhere Learning" program through a partnership with Microsoft and Toshiba. Implementation of these learning tools provides students and faculty with instant and continuous access to previously unimaginable resources to enrich learning, deepen problem-solving skills and connect users with the larger global community.

Standardized Resources

During 12 years of experience with 1:1 learning, the school has rediscovered the economy-of-scale principle. As an institution the size of a small business (two full time support staff) with a large client base (450 full time users), the standardizing of the laptop model and software bundle allows for maximized efficiency when addressing hardware or software issues.

With only four models on campus (one per grade level for the four years of Middle School or High School), the faculty and staff are familiar with the laptops and the location of the ports, buttons, switches and idiosyncrasies of particular laptops. The tech support office (Matrix) also has a pool of loaner laptops identical to the student models; and often a user's hard drive can be placed in a loaner laptop in the event that physical repairs to the hardware are necessary.

Ideally, within a few minutes a student or teacher can be "up and running" with no extra configuration necessary. The standardized software package provides consistency of programs which facilitates and maximizes instructional time for content rather than software implementation or instruction. It also greatly improves response in software troubleshooting.

With the vision of using technology as a tool to facilitate learning, keeping the tool as seamless as possible provides the most favorable conditions for a successful experience.

Software Policies

Software for Forest Ridge computers is purchased through site license agreements. When a student graduates or replaces her computer, all Forest Ridge software is removed as per licensing requirements.