Tyler Johnson
[email protected]
ROCK SPRINGS, WYOMING (September 14, 2020) – Sweetwater County School District No. 1 has received an abundance of iPads and camera swivels to assist teachers in administering their classes in person and online simultaneously.
During Monday’s board meeting, Stephanie Tolman, who is the chief information officer for the school district, demonstrated the device and how it could be used in the classroom.
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The camera swivel goes onto a tripod, which is attached to an iPad. There is a remote charger on the back. The remote will then go onto the teacher, either clipped on or hanging around their neck on a lanyard.
In order to start the device, the teacher must start a Google Meet. Then, sign into the swivel, open the swivel application, start a live stream, select Google Meet, join the meeting and enter a code that is given.
The device will allow teachers to walk freely around the classroom while the camera on the swivel follows. It gives the teacher the freedom to conduct their classrooms as normal as possible.
“We are really, really excited to get this out to all of our teachers tomorrow (Tuesday, Sept. 15),” Tolman said. “We’ll be working in groups of threes to train our staff over the next four days, making sure the teacher has all the equipment they need and being available in the school to offer assistance.
“I think it’s going to make it a lot easier.”
How were they purchased? Where did the funding for the swivel cameras come from?
Superintendent Kelly McGovern said the money to pay for the cameras did not come from the general fund, which pays for salaries.
Some of the funds came from the school district’s federal cares grant and the other part came from the school district’s capital projects fund, which is slated for infrastructure.
“I know the intent when we purchased the swivel cameras was to make things easier for the virtual, as well as the in-classroom students, and make it easier for the teachers. Hopefully this makes things easier for our staff,” said Carol Jelaco, chairman of the school board.
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