Students at North Vista Elementary school in Florence are embracing learning in a new way. They've got new technology in the classrooms - technology that teachers hope will improve end of the year test results.
The day students in Mrs. Wellington's second grade class got laptops, she noticed students getting more involved in classroom assignments.
"It makes me more excited to learn because the first day we got them, we were so excited," said Deandre Archie, a student in Mrs. Wellington's class.
"I have seen just a big improvement and excitement towards learning. It's just a new way to teach," said Mrs. Wellington.
Tuesday's lesson allows the second graders to record themselves on their laptops reading their favorite book. When the students finish, they can go back and listen to themselves. The assignment is fun, but there is a purpose behind it.
"That's such a powerful tool, listening to themselves, listening to the mistakes that they're making. Are they stopping at the end of a sentence with a period? It's just amazing for them to be able to see," Mrs. Wellington explained.
The students can access the internet on the computers and collaborate on classroom projects. Many of the students in Mrs. Wellington's class say they cherish their laptops.
"I never had a laptop in my life, but I have a V-Smile now. I'm gonna give that to my baby brother, but this one right here makes me so happy," said Archie.
North Vista got the computers through the "One Laptop per Child" program. That's a partnership between Blue Cross Blue Shield and the South Carolina Department of Education.
