In recent news, the shortage of
teachers throughout the State of South Dakota has really been on the radar. Jim
Holbeck, a Harrisburg School District Superintendent explains, “People might
tell you that it’s not real. It’s real. There’s a teacher shortage in South
Dakota and it’s serious.”
In the midst of such a
crisis, one BIT service may be able to
offer an alternative solution. Who should you ask? The Digital Dakota Network
(DDN) staff.
For those of you who aren’t
familiar with them, Digital Dakota Network is a statewide interactive video
communications system that uses compressed digital technology to provide a
“meeting pipeline” across the State of South Dakota and the global community.
DDN services a wide variety of cliental, ranging from executive, legislative
and judicial branches of state government all the way to K-12 schools
throughout the State of South Dakota.
So…How does this relate to the
crisis?
One of the features that DDN
offers is the ability for students to receive virtual interactive courses that
they otherwise wouldn’t have access. With visual and audio components at both
the student’s location and the teacher’s location, students are able to
interact with their virtual teacher in just the same way as they would in any
typical classroom setting.
New this year, Digital Dakota
Network has teamed up with the Great Plains Zoo. One of the classes offered
allows kids the opportunity to be introduced to a zookeeper and indulge in an
animal chat with animals from the zoo! Not one for animals? Another program
lets students partake in virtual tours of the historical Badlands, exploring
the layers of sedimentary rock and the fossils they may discover buried within
them!
[Take a brief pause to pout about
the fact that they didn’t have classes like this when we were in school!]
Now for the kicker? The equipment
and network is provided by DDN and it’s free! To the 200+ K12 schools who are already
a part of the Digital Dakota Network, this is a resource they can utilize at no
cost to them! The only part of the equation that the schools need to take care
of is selecting and covering the cost of classes. Rather than not being able to
offer a class due to lack of staffing, K12 schools within the network are able to purchase
the courses online and then utilize the equipment and network for free!
Jay Etzkorn, a Technology
Engineer Manager for DDN, explained, “Now more than ever is the time for
schools to really take advantage of this great resource they already have. A
wide variety of courses are offered and we are committed to delivering high
quality programing via distance learning to meet needs throughout the state. My
hope is that in the midst of this shortage, schools would be able to look at us as an
alternative solution.”
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