By Stephanie Bickel

Lakin is a town in far western Kansas with slightly more than 2,000 residents and an even smaller high school. Future Farmers of America is the biggest club. But in the midst of this rural town, each student has an iPad. The local school district gives students iPads for the duration of their high school careers.

In schools like Lakin High School, technology is necessary for everyday learning. According to a 2011 Wakefield Research study, 73 percent of students claimed they would not be able to study without technology of some sort.

Rural schools using technology?

Rural communities rank behind urban communities in access to technology. According to a 2011 report by the US Department of Commerce, 57 percent of rural households have broadband internet, in comparison to 72 percent of urban households. Rural schools have to make up for what their communities lack.

In addition to the iPads, other technology at Lakin High School is used. Each classroom has an Apple TV. Students also check out computers from the library. Teachers run their own webpages. Math teacher, Catelyn Manly, said that she posts videos from each lesson, which really helps students working on homework.

Lakin teachers’ use of technology puts them in the minority of teachers across the country. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 2009, only 28 percent of teachers ran a website for students’ purposes.

Rather than just using the iPads on special occasions, Lakin High is working on integrating them into everyday classroom situations. For example, instead of just memorizing formulas in math class, students can use them on the iPads. Manly said this new surge of technology benefits both students and faculty.

“I think that it helps students because they can keep everything together, all of the info for their classes,” Manly said.

No iPads, no problem

Although not all schools can provide their students with iPads, technology is an important instrument in learning, across the state.

At Free State High School in Lawrence, technology is being implemented through online portals. Students and parents access grades at any time of the day through an online portal called Skyward. Such portals are common in schools, according to NCES. In 2009, 92 percent of teachers entered grades online. Every Free State teacher also maintains a webpage with syllabi and all assignments.

Each math and science teacher uses interactive whiteboards, called Smartboards. Much like Lakin, Free State leads in technology, compared to the rest of the nation.  According to NCES, in 2009 only 23 percent of teachers used a Smartboard in their classroom every day.

Principal Ed West said that although this technology isn’t new, it is vital for the student’s learning experience.

“This allows for a more seamless, interactive teaching and learning experience,” West said.

Older methods are still being used

However, some schools are not as technology-rich as others. Due to budget issues, library and online tools are some schools’ only technology options. Iva Powers, librarian at Bonner Springs High School, said that she hopes the school will be able to expand its technology offerings, such as e-readers.

“It is much easier and more convenient to have one device that allows access to an unlimited amount of reading materials,” Powers said. “The easier we make it for kids to read, the more likely they are to do so.”

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Here is information on rural public schools leading city schools in technology.


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