Logansport HS getting 'clicked in'

LOGANSPORT, Ind. (WLFI) - Students at Logansport High School are getting "clicked" in with 21st-century technology inside the classrooms.

The days of paper and pens in the classroom are just about over as every student now has their own laptop.

From turning in homework to taking quizzes, students at Logansport High School are doing it all on their own personal laptops.

"The students use them in the classroom and they do take them home. We want a digital experience for our students at Logansport High School," Principal Matt Jones said.

Jones said making the transition from the analog to the digital world is just the first step in making sure students are ready to enter the real world when they graduate high school.

"Our students need to have 21st-century digital learning skills of problem solving, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, technological skills," Jones said. "Those are all critical for them to be college- and career-ready."

Speech class teacher Jessica Kranz said making the decision to go paperless will make learning fun and easy for the students.

"Our kids are well versed in technology, and all of the technology in the world involves around things that they know: Facebook and gaming," Kranz said. "So paper and pencils for school seems a bit archaic so this gives us an edge."

An edge students said they can't wait to be a part of.

"I think it makes a big learning opportunity. It makes it easier and a lot of students are more comfortable with it and have a lot more fun doing it," Logansport freshman Lacey Henry said.

While all text books will eventually be downloaded to the laptops, students and teachers are already connecting through a free online social learning site called "Edmodo."

They said it's similar to Facebook. Instead, it's only used for educational purposes.

"It will definitely make it easier just because it's instant and you get notifications and stuff," Logansport freshman Kaleb Overway said. "You can tell right when the teacher posts something or when an assignment is due. It will be a lot easier and make it fun."

More fun and for most students, easier to stay interested and "clicked in" to the class work.

Students pay a "textbook" fee of about $140 a year in order to cover the costs of the laptops.