11/1/2011 3:30:00 PMNooks replace textbooks with e-book technology

The seven-inch Nook Color tablets
provide touch-screen technology.

The Bookshelf Project, a pilot project designed to replace outdated printed textbooks with modern technology, will make accessing current information easy for students.

On Nov. 2, students in grades 6-8 at Mound School were the first CMSD students to receive Nook Color tablets, followed by students at Washington Park High School. Students at Slavic Village’s Mound and Washington Park schools will be able to use the e-book readers in and out of their classrooms.

Due to the expense of hardbound books, many students are unable to take home textbooks. Also, the textbooks become outdated and worn with every passing school year.

“We saw this as a significant opportunity to help our students and teachers embrace the technologies they have already been using outside the classroom,” said CEO Eric Gordon. “By using current technology, the students have the most updated information available, and we can further improve our use of both classroom and homework time.”

About 400, seven-inch Nooks, which include protective covers, were purchased at a discount from Barnes & Noble through a major grant from Third Federal Foundation. Educators have been training with the touch-screen Nook devices for nearly a month.

The Wi-Fi-enabled Nooks provide students with digital content provided by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, current textbook content, a touch-word dictionary and encyclopedia, access to hundreds of online video tutorials, book assignments and the ability to create electronic notes.

Third Federal Foundation, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, Barnes and Noble, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and other major partners worked with CMSD to launch the Bookshelf Project.

“The Bookshelf Project seeks to reach students where they are,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Duane Deskins, whose office was heavily involved in the Nook project. “This model recognizes that modern students relentlessly consume great quantities of information through technology.”
 
The Bookshelf Project is a pilot venture to secure a $3 million Investing in Innovation Development Track grant from the U.S. Department of Education. In Phase II, if awarded, 19,932 Nooks would be distributed throughout CMSD to all sixth- through 12th-grade students, teachers, assistant principals and principals. The Department of Education grant winners will be announced by Dec. 31, 2011.

                                                                                                                                                                 Teachers receive training on the Nooks prior to 
                                                                                                                                                                 the rollout at Mound and Washington Park schools.