What is digital learning?
In Dickson County Schools, digital learning is utilizing a variety of electronic equipment, applications and online resources for classroom instruction. It is a priority in Dickson County Schools to equip students with a variety of 21st century skills to ensure preparation for real-world applications.
At the beginning of each school year, every student in Dickson County Schools is issued a district owned Chromebook for classroom learning. Teachers are provided various digital programs and online learning applications to broaden student access to information and knowledge.
Goals
The goals of instructional technology and digital learning include:
- Give students greater access to a variety of learning opportunities, skills, and differentiated individual learning.
- Teach digital literacy and citizenship and how to use technology responsibly.
- Engage students in projects and assignments that reflect real-world situations.
- Equip students for employment or post-secondary continued learning.
Student 1:1 Chromebook Program
Dickson County Schools issues Chromebooks, a small laptop computer, to all students at the beginning of the school year. All students will be responsible for the care and use of their device, similar to textbook care expectations.
Chromebooks have now become a necessary part of student education. For students who are allowed to take their device home, it is very important that students bring their Chromebooks to school everyday charged and in proper working condition.
Students and parents are expected to know and comply with all guidelines and expectations regarding technology and online learning. All parents/guardians will need to sign the Portable Device Agreement in their child's Skyward Family Access portal, 1 per student. If parents have any questions, please contact your child's school.
Device Protection Plan
Parents can choose to participate in a device protection plan that will help cover expenses due to damage, theft or misuse. The protection plan is a one-time fee of $40 and will follow the student throughout their school career.
The protection plan will cover things such as:
- Device has noticeable physical damage and has become non-functional. Ex. Cracked screen, broken keys/keyboard, cracked plastic shell, etc.
- Device has been stolen.
- Device malfunction is directly related to misuse. Ex. Liquid is spilled onto the device and it will no longer boot up. Food or other substances have fallen into the keyboard causing keyboard failure.
- Lost charging cable. NOTE: A parent can choose to personally buy a replacement charging cable online due to the lower cost (charging cables are currently less than $40 on Amazon.com), therefore retaining the protection plan coverage for potentially more expensive incidents such as repair and replacement of the device. If you have questions on this, contact your child’s school for more information.
In the event the protection plan is used to repair or replace the device or it’s charging cable, parents will need to opt back in to the protection plan to cover the newly issued device or accessory. If parents choose not to opt-in, they will be responsible for total device replacement costs should future damage, loss or theft occur.
If a device malfunctions and it is determined to be a flaw in the device not related to misuse, neglect or intentional damage, the student will receive a replacement device without needing to use the protection plan.
Learning Applications and Websites
Dickson County Schools uses a variety of digital resources to support student learning. The primary learning management system is Google Workspace for Education, which allows students to communicate and collaborate with teachers, as well as enhance learning using a centralized suite of productivity tools. Google also utilizes the latest security practices to ensure student data is safe and protected.
Students also access digital resources using Classlink, a secure online platform for digital application access. With Classlink's LaunchPad, digital learning resources are all in one place, accessible from anywhere, and protected by additional layers of security.
Other resources used can be found on this list of approved learning applications. The digital resources listed have been reviewed and approved for use within Dickson County schools. Signatures for apps that require parental consent are gathered every year during the online enrollment process in Skyward, More information about each resource can be found by clicking the resource name.