June 05, 2018
Earlier this month, I wrote about how an end-of-year device collection policy may be an unnecessary drain on IT resources. With the support of endpoint tools, districts can perform remote device maintenance, keep track of device inventory and automatically enforce compliance with student privacy regulations such as the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). With these tools in place, it also becomes possible to support a year-round 1:1 program that can be instrumental in supporting student's education and the inevitable “Summer Brain Drain.”
On average, students lose 2 months of reading skills and 2.6 months of math skills over the summer. Teachers spend up to six weeks of fall class time re-teaching old materials to make up for this loss. The good news is, it doesn’t take much to prevent this loss - as little as 2 or 3 hours per week. School districts looking to reduce the impact of Summer Brain Drain can take a two-pronged approach:
Let’s unpack that second point. Recognizing that teachers spend a significant amount of time helping students re-learn materials from the previous year, an up-front investment in time can be made to support autonomous summer learning programs that prevent this loss. With student access to 1:1 devices during the summer months, students can be prompted to maintain a base level of weekly reading and can work through approved curriculum via education apps or an online lesson plan developed by teachers.
Unlike summer book reports which held little accountability over the summer months, classroom management programs can monitor student progress throughout the summer with no involvement from the teacher. With engaging applications, kids will love the excuse to use them (i.e. Hey Mom, I have to play this game!) and school districts can get a jump start on back to school.
Need help getting your school’s device program set up for year-round support? Drop us a line and we’d be happy to help.
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