APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL
A PPLE D ISTINGUISHED S CHOOL
Location New Hampton, NH Introduction We are very pleased to present you with a virtual site visit of our school and our iPad program.
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Visionary Leadership
V ISIONARY L EADERSHIP 1. Shared Leadership—School leaders take collective ownership of the initiative. 2. Individual Leadership—A credible and inspirational thought leader sets and articulates the vision. 3. Community Engagement—Broad community sponsorship supports the institution’s initiatives.
Shared Leadership When New Hampton School developed a Strategic Plan in 2006, Head of School, the Administration, and Board of Trustees set out to improve everything the school does with intention. A critical aspect of this plan was to look at the necessary resources and philosophies that inspire faculty and staff to deliver the most relevant education possible. In addition to a mission that strives “to cultivate lifelong learners who serve as active global citizens,” we made it our vision to “innovatively prepare students for 21st-century leadership.” As a school that was an early adopter of campus-wide wireless, provided access to iMacs in state-of-the-art computer labs, and brought 2
interactive white boards into classrooms, we believed strongly that technology could improve and enhance learning in and outside New Hampton School classrooms. So the introduction of iPads at New Hampton School was an incredibly deliberate and highly detailed process, borne out of conversations with the Board of Trustees and supported by a gift from the Class of 1960. The Pilot Program that ensued in 2010-2011 was the product of a strategic vision, support from the Board of Trustees, and the creative thinking of administrators and faculty. The Pilot Program produced the necessary results and data that drove thoughtful discussions about the evolution of technology integration at New Hampton School and the School’s beliefs regarding the connection between education and technology. As school leaders, we have taken the necessary steps, including training and surveys, to ensure that the iPad in our school is not merely a device but a vehicle for our students to become better independent learners and our teachers to differentiate their pedagogy. Individual Leadership Will the iPad change education? We are frequently asked this question by teachers and parents out of a mixture of excitement and fear. Our vision of iPad use in the classroom, developed by our Director of Technology Integration, fundamentally shifts the dialog of technology integration from a product-centered approach to a values-driven approach.
A product-centered approach to technology integration is reactive. As new products are released, each must be considered for adoption. As more and more devices, services, and social media sites are released, the pace of change accelerates and schools may feel they are being left behind. A values-driven approach begins with a conversation about what the institution believes about students, learning, and the future. Based on this high-level conversation about values, we consider what we should teach and how we should teach it. Finally, specific tools are evaluated to find the best match for course objectives. As any good institution should, we re-evaluate our values from time to time, but by focusing on what we believe as an institution we are able to make decisions about technology from a position of confidence. Community Engagement Our iPad initiative is supported throughout the School community starting with a comprehensive orientation program engaging the teaching faculty as well as the students at the beginning of the school year. For example during our “Husky Weekend,� organized by our Dean of Students, faculty and students come together in small workshops to share knowledge of the iPad. This allows the community members to gain confidence and basic abilities to enable the integration of the technology into the daily workings of the school. Many of our teachers and all the 3
freshmen and sophomores in the School have been using the iPad in the Pilot Phase of the initiative thus creating a foundation of community members to build the full integration of the iPad Program into the curriculum and classrooms. Within the classroom, it has been the experience of many faculty to become the learner, taught by their very own students whose natural affinity to the technology reverses the hierarchy of student and teacher. In addition, the faculty has a solid source of technology support from staff trained for the purpose of mentoring and trouble-shooting. Building an institutional culture of innovation is difficult but worthwhile. Starting with shared leadership from the Board of Trustees, Head of School, and administration allowed us the mandate to move forward. Individual thought leaders articulated a vision of what successful technology integration looks like in the classroom. Broad community support ensures that the ideal vision meets the reality on the ground. Find Out More • Strategic Plan • Mission & Core Values • iPad Program
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Innovative Learning and Teaching
I NNOVATIVE L EARNING AND T EACHING 1. Student Learning—Learning is a personal experience for every student. 2. Instructional Practices—Faculty are master learners who expertly guide their students through difficult and complex tasks. 3. Curriculum Design—Innovative and rigorous curriculum is designed to leverage technology.
Student Learning Learning is a personal experience for every student, which is a challenge when we try to make our teaching more individualized. However, our iPad Program has given students the freedom and ability to explore how they learn best through the use of a multitude of different apps. Teachers can help students be more active in their learning by choosing to read and highlight an iBook or use Notability for writing, recording, and interacting with others. The iPad Program has brought about an improvement in how students and teachers communicate with each other, and has led to our push to eliminate the necessity of using paper at our school. Students can respond to an assignment through the 5
use of an app, submit a document electronically to their teacher, and then have it returned with comments.
students are taught how to edit video to create projects that present multiple perspectives on current events.
Students can access an assignment through a class web page and then download it to the iPad. As well, teachers have worked to transfer their textbooks to electronic copies that provide for either e-texts or online access that then enhances students’ abilities to use the Internet to broaden their learning experience.
Our instructional practice at New Hampton is to provide students with opportunities to shape their learning experience. This is seen in “jigsaw” activities where students learn to synthesize knowledge and explain it to others, and in the science department, where teachers guide students to create their own, experientially based research project that they design from start to finish.
But student learning isn’t about the iPad for its own sake. Rather, the device is used where and when it is appropriate to enhance the educational objectives of a course. Instructional Practices We value innovative teaching in the classroom. Through training, support, modeling, and frequent dialog teachers consider their course objectives and the most compelling methods of achieving those goals. Leadership from Department Heads is critical to these efforts. Last May, students in the Introduction to Engineering course developed a business plan through the website Kickstarter to fund construction of a wind turbine. Students in IB History use social media to learn about history by tweeting their reactions to Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and creating Facebook pages for historical figures. In another class, students enter into a back-channel discussion on their iPads as they view documentaries. And in World History class,
Whether it’s learning how to debate the causes of WWI in history class, or being taught how to use technology to analyze the results of lab investigations in science class, teachers are using innovative instructional practices that provide students with opportunities to master complex skills. Curriculum Design Under the leadership of the Director of Studies, New Hampton School has developed an innovative and rigorous curriculum which leverages technology both in and out of the classroom. Curriculum development occurs through the work of the Curriculum Committee, a group assembled for and devoted to curricular progress at New Hampton School. Since its inception in 2009, the committee has implemented the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and approved more than 40 new courses. In concert with the relevant content these new courses provide is the School's Foundations of Learning: A Continuum 6
of Skills for 21st-Century Learners (FOL). This document is used in curriculum planning and is posted in every classroom on campus to assure students of a strong academic foundation and to support the School's skills-based, globally relevant curriculum. While the acquisition of the traditional skills of reading, writing, problem-solving, note-taking and speaking remain integral to a New Hampton School student's success, the FOL provides 21st-century proficiencies in new and underexplored areas of technology, organization, awareness, research, and creativity. As we designed our iPad program, we found natural connection points to existing teaching practices, learning objectives, and design processes. Our iPad program thus became an extension of our overall school rather than a standalone initiative. Find Out More • • • • •
Engineering students launch Kickstarter project International Baccalaureate at New Hampton School Foundations of Learning Academic Curriculum Guide Jigsaw Teaching
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Ongoing Professional Learning
O NGOING P ROFESSIONAL L EARNING 1. Relevant and Timely Professional Development窶認aculty engage in a cycle of inquiry that promotes reflection, experimentation, and sharing.
Relevant and Timely Professional Development New Hampton School is focused on enhancing the culture of teaching and learning through professional development investment. Professional development programs, coordinated by the Dean of Faculty, engender an atmosphere of innovation, intellectual stimulation, and collegiality. We believe an inspired teacher leads to inspired students. Through professional development, New Hampton School is able to fund thoughtful and engaging opportunities that promote reflection, experimentation, and sharing. These funds are used in a strategic way, informed by individual interest, our teacher evaluation process, and leadership recommendations in order to help our faculty grow in all 8
areas of their professional lives to best serve our student population. NHS encourages faculty to continue their education, professional development, and training. Faculty who wish to enroll in courses, conferences, seminars, or trainings discuss opportunities with their department head.
iPad and Technology Training Our technology and iPad professional development efforts take a number of forms targeted to different kinds of learners and situations. These efforts include our wiki “resource room,” iBook series, and teacher training workshops during the school year and summer.
Examples of recently funded external training include: • International Baccalaureate Workshops • Advanced Placement Workshops • Graduate study at the following institutions: Middlebury; University of New Hampshire; Plymouth State University; and Dartmouth College • Regional Association Workshops and Conferences: ISANNE (Independent School Associate of Northern New England) and AISNE (Association of Independent Schools New England) • National Association Workshops and Conferences: NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) and TABS (The Association of Boarding Schools) Examples of recent guest speakers on campus: • Dr. Tony Wagner - Professor of Education at Harvard University and author of Creating Innovators • Laura Porter - Research for Better Teaching • Blaine Harden - New York Times and Washington Post columnist and author of Escape from Camp 14 • Dr. Marcel LeBrun - Professor of Education at Plymouth State University
G ALLERY 1.1 Teacher Training
Organizing complex concepts using a visual mind-map is easy on the iPad.
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Just as our students are a diverse group of learners, we acknowledge that our teachers may prefer different methods of professional development. We have developed a series of online training resources for frequently asked questions and core skills on our resource room wiki. To supplement these materials, provide access to information without internet access, and to organize content for specific purposes, we’ve also created an iBook series for teachers.
A teacher with a diverse tool-kit can help students reach their full personal and academic potential. Our professional development strategy includes speakers, graduate coursework, written materials, outside conferences, and internal workshops.
G ALLERY 1.2 iBook Series
By providing these teacher-directed opportunities for learning in a variety of formats and modalities, we support the face-toface training that is also very important. This teacher training takes a variety of forms, from informal sharing sessions by department, to peer workshops, and formal multi-day trainings open to other schools. We’ve conducted trainings and peer workshops on the following iPad topics so far this year: • • • • • • • • • • •
Basic setup and use Philosophy Core student & teacher tasks Content creation Classroom expectations eBooks & iBooksAuthor Preparing for 1:1 iPad rollout Notes & the notebook check Keynote / Numbers / Pages iCloud Flip teaching
We helped our teachers prepare for the iPad with an iBook that included this chapter on some of the useful apps they would need.
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Find Out More • • • •
Teaching with the iPad (iBook download) Learning with the iPad (iBook download) iPad Teacher Training Technology resource room wiki
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Compelling Evidence of Success
K EYNOTE 1.1 iPad Statistics
C OMPELLING E VIDENCE OF S UCCESS 1. Quantitative—Data is routinely collected and analyzed to inform progress and success. 2. Qualitative—Narrative, reflective, or anecdotal evidence is collected and shared. Supporting data from student surveys conducted between 2010 - 2012. Quantitative We embarked on our iPad program in the fall of 2010, acutely aware of the newness of this technology. Would the iPad enhance teaching and learning? Would students become distracted by social media rather than pay attention to the teacher? We set out to answer these questions by framing how we expected the iPad to be used in the classroom, training teachers and students on these tasks, and then measuring outcomes. 12
To establish a baseline, we surveyed every student in the program on the first day of school about their use of technology and level of mastery across core academic skills. After four months we surveyed the students again to track progress.
Qualitative
M OVIE 1.1 The Student Experience
Some data was very encouraging. Students reported they used technology more often to complete their homework, communicate with their teachers, and stay organized. Not only were students using technology more often, but they were also improving their level of skill. Students reported increased mastery in important 21st-century skills like internet safety, source credibility, and electronic honesty. But we didn’t want to work on the iPad program in an echo chamber, and our data gave us important feedback on what we needed to improve. Teachers weren’t adopting eBooks at the rate we were expecting even though students preferred them to print and read more per night on the iPad. Students also told us they struggled to keep all their academic work organized. As we came into the 2012-2013 school year we developed strategies to specifically address these concerns. Collecting quantitative data is an important part of our iPad program. By articulating the expectations of iPad use in the classroom, training on these skills, and measuring outcomes we can identify areas to improve and celebrate our successes.
Voice-over by Emily, Class of 2015. It is important to collect hard data, train teachers, and assess how the program is progressing. In many important ways, however, we believe that educators are not completely qualified to make claims about the success of our iPad program. Students use the devices on a daily basis in the classroom and it is important to listen to their voices. When the internet experiences a glitch they express their frustration, and when learning becomes more personal and interconnected they express their excitement. We regularly ask students how the program is working for them, what tasks are cumbersome, and which apps are particularly useful. In the video above we 13
hear from Emily, Class of 2015, who shares her thoughts about the program as a part of a class exercise using the GarageBand app. Launching a 1:1 iPad initiative is not a small undertaking. It has the potential to affect not only teaching and learning, but also school culture in important ways. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis we are able to accurately assess the effectiveness of the program to make adjustments and celebrate successes. Find Out More • See the most recent version of the student survey
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Flexible Learning Environment
F LEXIBLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT 1. School Design and Facilities—Facilities and schedules are designed to maximize learning opportunities that technology provides. 2. Information Technology (IT)—IT infrastructure supports innovation in teaching and learning.
School Design and Facilities Our teachers create flexible learning environments to meet the students’ wide range of learning styles. Because technology is a significant factor in creating these learning environments, our facilities and schedules are intentionally designed to maximize learning opportunities that technology provides. Our class schedule consists of 70-minute blocks. Students typically take six courses that meet 3-4 times per week. These longer blocks maximize the face time our teachers have with students and minimize transitions. We also provide time in the schedule for students to seek extra help, complete
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coursework, collaborate with their peers, or to just relax through scheduled open blocks and office hours. The highlight of our current capital campaign was the opening of the Pilalas Math and Science Center in 2008. This state of the art building houses math and science classrooms and laboratories, all of which are outfitted with built-in speaker systems, ceiling mounted projectors, and interactive white boards. Our Meservey building, which houses the history department, will be similarly renovated next year. We recognize that valuable learning takes place outside of the classroom. Therefore, we provide an opportunity for our students to pursue an experiential learning project during Project Week. Our regular academic, athletic, and student life schedules are suspended so that students can investigate a single essential question using experiential methods. Students use technology both to enhance their learning, as well as share their experiences on a school blog. Everyone has individually customized access to class groups, our learning management system. For each class, teachers maintain a page on which they can post a variety of content, including syllabi, announcements, assignment calendars, videos, podcasts, downloads, links, and message boards. Our teachers use this space to provide required and supplemental resources that our students can access any time.
Information Technology (IT) Under the guidance of the Director of Technology, the focal components of our technology plan revolve around the iPad Program: providing Internet access, projecting content with Apple TVs, and ensuring innovative uses of technology can occur. In advance of deploying iPads to our entire community, we knew we needed a ubiquitously accessible and robust network. By giving each community member an iPad, we would increase, the demand for wireless network access and Internet bandwidth. During our iPad Pilot Program, we increased our bandwidth by seven times to a total of 115 Mbps. Additionally, we have grown our wireless network capacity by about 30% since our iPad pilot program began, and we have plans to increase an additional 30% within the coming year. It’s important to remove any obstacles to the natural flow of movement and learning in the classroom. The Apple TV allows us to project wirelessly from our iPads and MacBook Air laptops, so the teacher is no longer anchored to a desk or a wall. Students can also present right from their desks with this transformative technology. Given that our students are of high school age, we also perform reasonable filtering of Internet content by category. Our filter can be bypassed upon request of a faculty member for example if a webpage categorized as social network has a 16
classroom application. The filter is also more strict during designated study hours. Also of great assistance to us is Profile Manager in Lion Server, which has enabled us to assist students with passcode resets and app installation. Since we know which apps are installed on student iPads, we can proactively seek out students who may need assistance. The iPad is a very flexible tool for teaching and learning, but the device alone is not enough. We have found that robust wireless, Apple TV equipped projectors and screens, and a flexible daily class schedule, have truly enabled us to get the most out of our 1:1 iPad program. Find Out More • Daily Class Schedule (PDF) • Pilalas Center for Math and Science
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Contribution and Credits
The school liaison and the following people are willing and able to address these areas. 1. Visionary Leadership Mr. Andrew Menke Head of School amenke@newhampton.org
C ONTRIBUTION AND C REDITS 1. List of people willing to address 5 areas of best practices.
2. Innovative Learning and Teaching Ms. Jennifer Berry Director of Studies jberry@newhampton.org
3. Relevant and Timely Professional Development The administration and a majority of the faculty possess the ability and are willing to articulate how they use Apple products in alignment with the five best practices as it applies to our school’s technology implementation program.
Mr. Dan Love Dean of Faculty dlove@newhampton.org
School Liaison Mr. Hans Mundahl Director of Technology Integration hmundahl@newhampton.org
4. Compelling Evidence of Success Mr. Hans Mundahl Director of Technology Integration hmundahl@newhampton.org
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5. Flexible Learning Environment Mr. Eric LaCroix Director of Technology elacroix@newhampton.org
serve as active global citizens. Students benefit from an average class size of eleven and a student-faculty ratio of five to one. For more information, please visit www.newhampton.org/iPad.
Additional Contributors The following people contributed their writing, photographs and other media to this document: • Will McCulloch - Director of Communications • Peg Frame - Science instructor • Stephen Freeborn - English instructor • Matt Fisk - History Department Chair • Justin Joslin - Math & Science instructor • Emily George - Class of 2015 • Students in Foundations of Learning classes Media credits: • Principle photography by Chip Riegel • Additional photography by Hans Mundahl and Will McCulloch • Stock audio purchased from Pond5.com Founded in 1821, New Hampton School is an independent, co-educational, college preparatory secondary school of 305 students who come from over twenty states and 24 countries. New Hampton School, which is an International Baccalaureate School, cultivates lifelong learners who will 19