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Freedom to Learn Project . . . Fourth and seventh grade students in the Flint and Bendle school districts won't have to head to the library or computer lab to do a variety of tasks. Instead, they can do research or practice typing skills at their desks using wireless laptop computers.

A recently announced $1.1 million grant will put laptop computers into the hands of students in some Flint and Bendle schools.  The project, called "Freedom to Learn" (formerly LWL), goes beyond just providing laptops.  The selected schools will convert to a wireless system. UM-Flint has been selected as the professional development partner in the grant. ITS, Education, and the Office of Extended learning will participate in implementing the wireless networks in the selected schools. The departments will also prepare teachers to use the technology and assist in developing curriculum. The grant for the program is through Michigan Virtual University and the State Board of Education.  Statewide, the first phase of "Freedom to Learn" will put computers in the hands of 10,000 students in 150 school buildings.

In 2004, ITS continues to assist the Flint Community School District with a major laptop initiative in which their district was awarded about $2 million from the state to purchase laptops for the K-12 students. Due to the limitation in the number of Flint School District technical staff, they have contracted our UM-Flint ITS department to manage delivery of the laptops, unbox/image/tag them, and assist with the distribution. In 2003, we assisted with 700 laptops. This year, we are helping with 2,600 laptops!!!  On July 8, 2004, 1700 laptops were delivered to UM-Flint, unexpectedly ahead of schedule. In October 2005, ITS assisted the Flint Community School District with checking the laptop batteries during a recall.  ITS collected over 3,000 batteries and scanned the UPC code so that they could be checked for the recall.   Pictures  |  UM-Flint Today Article  |  Michigan Freedom to Learn

 . . . November 14, 2005

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