How Argo High School taps Surface to aid discovery in education

By Microsoft in Business Team

May 18, 2017

Tags
Education

Focus on: Empowering Educators, Engaging Students

The bell’s chime pierces the air, and nearly 2,000 students settle into their seats, filling the classrooms at Argo Community High School. In one English class, students wrap up their last lingering conversations before sliding their Surface devices onto their desks. The teacher asks the class to pull out last night’s homework, and students effortlessly pull up the assignment on their screens. There’s no riffling through backpacks or flipping through folders—no lone children sheepishly raising their hands to say they left their copy at home. With a few taps on their Surface devices, students access any document, presentation, or educational material they need.

Microsoft Surface technology transforms the classroom experience by increasing the accessibility and flexibility of education, while encouraging students to explore. At Argo Community High School, their One-2-One program puts Surface devices in the hands of every teacher and student, immediately expanding the possibilities of education in each academic subject and beyond.

This is a real story of digital transformation.
Welcome to a high school at the edge of Chicago

Located just off Chicago’s southwestern border in Summit, Illinois, Argo Community High School sits at the unique juncture of urban and suburban living. With Chicago’s city limits a mere two blocks away, Argo’s student population naturally reflects the richly diverse demographics of Chicago’s urban environment. Dr. Christopher Covino, Argo Community High School’s new principal, fondly describes the distinctly blended community as, “the most urban, suburban school” he’s ever worked in.

ACHS has a student population of 1,850 young people. The school’s multicultural student body is 45% Latino and 20% African American, in addition to having a large Polish population and a growing Middle Eastern population. The 125-member team of ACHS faculty and staff tackle the resulting language diversity with a sizeable English Learning program, offering 25 English Learning classes in Spanish, Arabic, Polish, and more. The combination of varying cultures and languages gives ACHS a vibrant, multi-cultural vibe, augmenting the school’s understanding of community and collaboration.

Argo Community High School’s surrounding city is primarily working class, with 67% of ACHS students qualifying for the state’s free and reduced lunch program. The district also struggles with low parent involvement—a challenge they’re hopeful the school’s One-2-One program, featuring Microsoft Surface devices, will help address. Incorporating Microsoft technology into the ACHS curriculum has established a community-focused, forward-thinking educational experience. With Microsoft Surface devices in each classroom, ACHS has been transformed into an educational community of the future.

Implementing the One-2-One Learning Project with Microsoft Surface

Argo Community High School’s digital transformation developed from a small-scale program with big digital aspirations into an impressive school-wide education experience for the entire ACHS community. The One-2-One Campaign began as an experiment to improve learning and teaching and explore how technology could enhance the traditional classroom experience.

The trial period included a group of teachers and approximately 200 students, each with their own school-issued Microsoft Surface device. Initially, several teachers were reluctant to participate in the transition. Some English teachers, for example, struggled to imagine classroom use beyond treating the devices as a mobile dictionary and Thesaurus, whereas many science teachers seemed energized by the possibility of using the devices to develop simulations, streamline experiments, data collection and more. The school’s Director of Technology, Nick Simov, decided to focus his energy on supporting “star teachers”—faculty members who adopted the technology well and used it to develop innovative lessons. “Whatever you give them, they’ll find use for it in the classroom, and then they’ll ask for more,” explained Nick Simov. Eventually, even the most hesitant teachers started requesting devices to enrich their classrooms, calling for the program’s expansion.

Unsurprisingly, the student response to the rollout was overwhelmingly positive. As the One-2-One Campaign grew, the devices became “a seamless part of the education experience without any negative side effects,” according to Dr. Covino, who observed students using their Surface devices in a number of different classroom settings. ACHS parents responded similarly, though a select few were initially skeptical of their children being trusted with expensive electronic devices—a reasonable concern for any parent. ACHS responded by providing cases for the devices, and as time passed, they found they had far fewer lost devices than expected. It’s quite likely that the engaging and dynamic educational experiences facilitated by Surface served as an effective incentive for students to take special care of them. As more classrooms were supplied with Surface devices, the possibilities for elevated and engaging education, collaboration, and academic exploration continued to expand at ACHS.

Transforming educational experiences inside and outside the classroom

At ACHS, Microsoft Surface devices allow for interactive and authentic lessons that optimize classroom experiences and empower students to take ownership of their education. Dr. Covino witnessed firsthand how the devices could be a catalyst for transformation.

In one particularly collaborative Physics lesson, students were broken up into teams and asked to develop a class definition for the word “momentum.” Utilizing the Surface devices, and a specific website designed for each group, the students explored knowledge production beyond their classroom boundaries, engaged with a range of resources and brought what they discovered back into the classroom. With the devices, students had the power to individualize and revolutionize their education.

Having options available for students isn’t just about preference; using tools that complement a student’s learning style has positive academic results. “I have two teachers from the Science department that flat out said, I have been able to prove that the same test issued to the same type of students actually yield better results with the One-2-One program,” recounted Simov. Anything that encourages better academic performance is always good news, and with the device’s capabilities, not having internet access at home is no longer a limitation to academic success. Approximately 7% of ACHS students don’t have internet access at home, according to the most recent survey. With Surface devices, students don’t have to rely on the internet to complete homework assignments. The devices allow students to sync with OneDrive and OneNote at school, bring the necessary materials home to complete their homework, and then sync back up to the programs when they return to school the next day.

The feature has had positive results across the board. As Dr. Covino explains, “More students are successful, fewer assignments are missing, more assignments are completed, and more homework is being done.” Having experience using the digital applications on the Surface devices also creates an opportunity for students to develop the digital skills they need to continue their education or begin their professional life after leaving Argo Community High School. Becoming acclimated to Microsoft technology prepares students for success in a world that is becoming more digitally-focused, and increasingly pushing the boundaries of innovation in tech.

ACHS teachers also benefit greatly from Surface devices and their straightforward usability. The technology gap that typically exists between generations is lessened with Surface devices, making it that much easier for students and teachers to communicate effectively. Not only are the devices easy to navigate for teachers with varying amounts of tech experience, but they also have access to multiple innovative teaching tools and Microsoft programs. Some ACHS teachers prefer OneNote, while others use Word or OneDrive. The device allows teachers to adjust their teaching and educational approach depending on their own skills and the strengths of a particular classroom, facilitating more authentic collaboration, and a more dynamic teaching and learning environment.

Encouraging students to bring their Surface devices home means that parents also have an opportunity to participate in the digital transformation happening at Argo Community High School. Each management system on the device has a parent component, inviting parents to be more engaged in their child’s education from the comfort of their homes. With the devices, parents and guardians can view their child’s progress, in addition to being able to use the technology to conveniently communicate with teachers. Whether parents were already involved or not, Microsoft Surface devices present a new opportunity to share in their child’s educational experience at ACHS.

Facilitating an empowered and engaged school community

Throughout the Surface rollout at Argo Community High School, administrators observed incredible transformations in countless learning possibilities and teaching styles, while simultaneously optimizing communication opportunities across the entire ACHS community. Academic lessons that incorporated the new technology brought information from outside the classroom walls into the classroom to be effectively synthesized with the curriculum. With Surface, students have the chance to expand their horizons in meaningful and authentic ways every day, translating into more engaging classroom experiences and a wealth of educational potential that enriches the entire ACHS community, putting them at the leading edge of tech and innovation in community-focused education.