PROGRESSION: The exclusive League of Innovative Schools rewards Riverside Unified School District’s efforts to integrate technology into education.
By Matt Kaye
The Riverside Unified School District shows its leadership as it joins a national group of districts that incorporates technology to better education. This group, the League of Innovative Schools, is a coalition of 40 public school districts across the nation. All of these districts have shown that they are innovators dedicated to creating a new world of education with technology at the forefront. They immerse themselves in a technological world.
While the League of Innovative Schools highlights these 40 school districts for their efforts to support the continuation of technological advancement and ignite the process for other schools, it also encourages a nationwide change in education. The league wants to involve all innovative schools in order to find the best methods for integrating technology so it can spread them to all educational institutions.
This entire initiative came from a non-profit organization called Digital Promise which is dedicated to moving forward and increasing technologic opportunities. In 2008, the organization received support to research and advance digital technology as part of the Higher Education Act. Formal government support came in 2011 and today the league is supported by the U.S. Department of Education and other private charities.
This league is relatively new, but it possesses clear potential. One of the few pioneers in technology, RUSD has a great opportunity to bring new ideas to the forefront of educational reform. “We are excited about Riverside’s dedication to provide both students and teachers with a range of choices for learning environments, devices, and digital curricula,” the league said as it introduced its eight new members this past month. RUSD’s teachers, administrators and students alike have a rare chance to spur progress within their schools and even to schools across the nation. The leaders of this league will be able to consider the technological advancements of RUSD as a national example of technology integration.
What makes RUSD such an innovative district? The innovation is clear in the classroom: students take advantage of Smartboard technology to solve math problems, and use smart devices to access textbooks.
The world is moving forward, and the unique opportunity to experience the growth first-hand is right before everyone at RUSD.