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SALT LAKE CITY — An educational technology company from Utah is getting attention from all over the country. A lot of it is thanks to a contract it's entered into with the state of Utah.
The people at iSchool Campus do not set curriculum or make lesson plans. Instead, they provide networks and devices to students and teachers to make the lessons more effective.
Company COO David Nilsson said, "Those devices, typically, are iPads, but we also provide iMac Labs and other laptops depending on the age (of the students) and the need of the school."
Nilsson says teachers can be more flexible in how they present the curriculum to their students by better understanding each kid's level of understanding.
"She may teach a concept, and then she can push out a quiz to all of the students. While they're taking that quiz, she can watch and see how they're doing, whether they're missing certain questions or getting them right," Nilsson said.
- Puts iPads in the hands of every student and teacher
- Created by iSchool Campus, a Park City-based education technology company
- Involves a flat-screen TV and an Apple TV box that networks all of the devices.
- School-wide.
- Includes Internet security to protect students from harmful material.
Using the right technology, the teacher can assign different tasks for different students.
"This way, it allows (the teacher) to be much more flexible and adjust to the student's needs," Nilsson said.
The company has been running a pilot program with three schools in the state -- Gunnison Elementary in Sanpete County, Dixon Middle School in Provo and North Sevier High School. But, it's getting a lot of outside attention based on the contract it made with the state.
"We're starting to get calls from other states, from superintendents and legislators from different states asking us to come present to them," Nilsson said.
He says the company also has relationships with educators in China, as well as connections to international private schools.
He says state officials will monitor the progress the pilot program makes within Utah before expanding it into other schools.
