iPads Go to School
Virtue Knowledge Faith
Using iPads, faculty guide their students up the conceptual ladder from enhancement to transformation
Stories From the Classroom
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Redefining Learning
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St. David’s
As the iPad has made its way into the St. David’s classroom, the implementation has been broad and varied
St. David’s Snapshot is a periodical publication that highlights the unique ways in which St. David’s School strives to fulfill its mission of preparing young men and women for college and life in the vital areas of faith, virtue, and knowledge.
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On the cover: third grader Luciana Kraus is engaged in a reading activity with first grader Kennedy Holmes.
The iPad Impact
Finding unique benefits with a unique tool
Faculty Perspective
“I
t is exciting to see the students’ enthusiasm for the iPads and how using the technology has dramatically improved the level of work they are creating,” said science teacher Melissa Osborne. “Their finished products are more polished and unique than what I previously would expect from a 5th grade student.” As the technology makes it fun for them, they don’t realize they are actually learning new concepts, and they are digging deeper than ever before. Mrs. Osborne finds it endearing how excited they are about the process; even a worksheet seems cooler when you can fill it out and turn it in digitally. “Since this iPad learning is new to me as well,” she explained, “I am constantly challenged to figure out how to
Student Perspective
“I
t’s not complicated,” explained senior James Hurst about his iPad. “And a lot of what I do is way more productive now.” James uses his iPad for AP Biology, AP Art History, and a host of other educational purposes. Writing a lab report where he needs to refer to other labs or studies? He uses his iPad. Accessing hundreds of pages of material without carrying around a massive textbook? He uses his iPad. Taking notes that include photos of class exercises, links to resources, and the ability to insert them into the textbook? He uses his iPad. This is just the tip of the iceberg. James appreciates the ability to immediately access information and resources, which helps him not just to study more fully, but to learn more deeply. The apps available on the iPad bring its capabilities to life. James uses Quizlet for Art
adapt prior year’s plans to the iPad.” One change this year that has helped her students is having them keep their entire science notebooks in the Notability app rather than an actual three-ring binder. They have also mastered going to the class page on the website, downloading content or assignments and saving them to their notebooks. It has been a great lesson on organization for them, though each one uniquely organizes and enhances their notes. They can go out to the web and find a photo to illustrate a point made in class, or add a website for future reference. Osborne also creates a repository of articles for them to read on the class page and have them answer questions about the articles for homework. An unexpected benefit
has surfaced -- at the end of the day, they already have everything they need for their science homework on the iPad. Where notebooks are sometimes forgotten at school, teachers have discovered that students don’t leave iPads in their lockers at the end of the day!
History, where he can pull up an image of a piece of artwork, and can flip it over to see all the information associated with it. Notability is another favorite. It’s not just note taking; it’s a place to collect all types of data and organize it the way he wants. Prezi is James’s presentation tool of choice. Now he can create professional presentations that can tap into the vast resources available on the web, and he can project them right from his seat to the SmartBoard. Then there are interactive activities -- like the DNA building app that the AP Bio class is using. James and his classmates are challenged to manipulate chromosomes, matching the correct genes and other components in the correct order. The goal is not to exceed the maximum number of mutations created by their mistakes. It deepens the
understanding of the human genome in a unique way that simply reading about it would never do. “Now I’m carrying so much more in such a small package,” said James. He can access his online class pages, watch review videos, get his assignments, submit his work, and check his grades. One, thin piece of technology has given him a huge window into the world of learning.
Melissa Osborne Middle School Science
James Hurst ’14
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Redefining Learning
iPads
Moving towards new horizons in learning
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eflector is fast becoming a staple tool in the St. David’s classroom that has impacted the flow of class participation and student collaboration. Sixth graders Tyler Bennett and Ka’von Benbow (above) prepare their Global Innovations project presentation on their iPads. Reflector is the tool by which students and faculty alike can remotely project their presentations (and anything else on their iPads) to the entire class. Technologically, it’s a wireless system that permits sharing from an iPad to the SmartBoard in any given classroom. Gone are the days when class ground to a halt while students and teachers fumbled with cables, flash drives, and compatibility issues while trying to present material to the class. Reflector provides a seamless workflow.
ew technology may be in vogue these days, but without a solid philosophical foundation, it is unlikely to impact learning in a substantive way. Following Dr. Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR model for technology integration -- Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition -St. David’s is challenging teachers and
students to integrate technology in a way that moves up the conceptual ladder towards a fundamental transformation of the educational experience. Substitutionary changes, like using the iPad instead of paper to take notes, familiarize students with the tool. Teachers then augment their tasks with iPads, using apps like Socrative, an interactive quiz program
First grader Lily Davis Horne and classmate Kennedy Holmes collect verbs for their grammar collage. The students used their iPads to collect images of each other acting out action words.
The learning curve is much smoother when you have professionals like EdTech to guide you along the way. Faculty members LeeAnne Whitworth, Paige Bocanegra, Philip Boyne, and Jeremy Gardner continue to build their iPad skills during faculty training days, learning how to use apps and other resources in educationally effective ways.
that does more than just quiz, giving instant feedback, creating graphs from responses, and allowing audio, photos, and class-wide interaction. Today our students are Skyping with the authors of their books, collaboratively and simultaneously editing their writing online, creating videos of themselves virtually traveling to the various layers of the earth, and even participating in scientific field study that incorporates digital field guides and recognition software. As we climb the SAMR ladder, we are moving from simple substitution to redefinition. Along the way we are augmenting the learning experience for our students and modifying the way they are learning. Our students are beginning to use technology in ways we couldn’t even imagine just a few short years ago.
21st Century Skills Today’s world is about much more than technology. The term “21st Century Skills” certainly sounds techsavvy, but what exactly are they, and how does the iPad initiative relate to them? A casual glance at the work landscape reveals dramatic changes from even a decade ago. Social media explosions aside, the actual hard technology—that is, the devices—have changed dramatically, sometimes in a matter of months. How can St. David’s truly fulfill its mission (to prepare students for college and life) with such a dizzying array of change? iPads are not the answer to that question. Fostering 21st Century
Skills is. Essential components that educational researchers identify as being important in helping students address this change are 1) the ability to think analytically and problem solve creatively, 2) the ability to find and evaluate information, and 3) the ability to collaborate and communicate effectively. The iPad initiative is not the solution in itself, but it is a powerful
Sophomore Elizabeth Motter uses her iPad to work through Algebra problems.
tool in helping faculty address these essential skills. Jeanett Newsome’s United States History class is one place where students are using iPads to collaborate with the teacher and with one another on class assignments, research, and writing. Ms. Newsome noted that the eighth grade US History classes have been using an e-textbook for a few years now, and that the iPad facilitates that usage to a greater degree. “Students use text to speech, comprehension checks, highlighting tools, and other avenues that help them view the material more often. I have found that students are more willing to do reading comprehension checks online because the feedback is so fast.” This interactive model of reading helps solidify the 21st model of collaboration—in this case with the textbook author. The textbook features interactive maps, primary source analysis and videos that help bring history to life. While there are growing pains, the iPad is becoming a living, breathing textbook. The iPad also facilitates research and discovery. Newsome often has students ask a question about a historical figure in class. Without skipping a beat, students can take out their iPads and immediately uncover content on the subject from the St. David’s library, the Wake County library system, and sites used by colleges and universities. Students are then guided through the process of assessing the information for quality. “It has enhanced the research experience in our classroom,” said Newsome.
Training for Teaching
EdTech provides year-long support for faculty It began a half a year before the launch, and it continues today. St. David’s has always known that the move to a 1:1 iPad program had to include comprehensive training -- and not just a special speaker who said what could be done, but workshops where faculty actually did what could be done. So the school partnered with
EdTech, professional iPad trainers, in an ongoing, comprehensive training program. This program involves on-site, hands-on practical experience paired with educational philosophy and is designed to both prepare teachers for how to use the new tool, and to inspire them to use it effectively.
Elizabeth Feeney and Kali Oldacre, middle school faculty
iPads in Action: E
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t’s not just the smiles. It’s what they are smiling about. Learning from a master teacher brings joy to students. Like many in the lower school, third grade teachers have found the iPad to be a versatile tool to facilitate Third Graders Jack Wells, Olivia Brinson, Haley Stoltz differentiated learning that keeps students enthusiastically interested in what they are studying. The Multiply Whiz math app, for instance, not only keeps track of student progress but recognizes which skills need more training and adjusts to suit each learners’ needs. For deeper thinking, students assemble their research with Explain Everything and Educreations (an app with the tag line “Teach what you know, learn what you don’t”). “It’s like having your own personal Smart Board,” explained third grade teacher Amy Rogers. From the social studies states and capitals unit to the natural disasters unit in science, students recorded their findings using video, photos, audio, and maps. Using green-screen technology, they became field reporters in the geographical sites around the world that they chose to study. Their research was presented to the class, saved to their portfolio, and sent to their parents. “It’s much easier to assess their progress,” said Mrs. Rogers. Little by little, the possibilities keep expanding, opening new opportunities all the time. Rogers says the third grade team has found the iPad “an engaging, high-interest tool that offers interactive learning. It gives students more independence, allows them more creativity, and caters to their individual needs.”
Creative Writing
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very Picture Tells a Story -- that’s the semester elective Mrs. Stephanie Widin offered middle schoolers this year. The students used iPads to create children’s books which would be presented to lower schoolJosh Baucom ’19 ers. The task was straightforward, but bringing it to fruition required considerable creativity. Every student was provided with photos of the same children’s book on their iPads -- but without the words. Then the fun began; each group then created a different story based on the images, weaving a tale of their own. The class used Explain Everything, a multimedia app, and Book Creator. Both the teacher and the students worked together, learning what worked and what didn’t, and discovered through the process the best way to use the tools for this sort of exercise. They used the iPad’s Air Drop feature to collaborate and write the stories in teams. They then connected through Reflector to wirelessly present their stories to their lower school audience. The students created a state fair story from NC State Fair images and a Christmas story where they took on the perspective of an ornament. The students not only enjoyed the experience, but they came to understand audience, perspective, imagery, and more. “They came to appreciate how the visuals and written word relate to each other,” said Mrs. Widin, and they were stretched creatively.”
Stories from the classroom he band program at St. David’s has used the iPad to help improve performance and change the way students practice and prepare for upcoming concerts. “One small way we use the iPad is for tuning our instruments,” said director Eric Terlizzi. “It’s great because now I Cole Deihl ’21 know each student has access to a tuner and can be prepared and in tune before class starts. It makes a big difference.” Other applications bring new ways of learning to the band program. Beginning band students in particular are benefitting from Smart Music, music education software that students can play along with. “The book for the Beginning Band program is all included in SmartMusic,” says Terlizzi. “It is great because they can play along with the recorded performance, and the software can tell them what notes they missed, where they need to improve pitch or rhythm, and other pointers they don’t get from rehearsing alone. It’s wonderful because I know they’re practicing the music correctly.” Older students are also getting an opportunity to use the technology through GarageBand. They record themselves and their classmates, manage audio tracks, and produce a final product. “This is great feedback for these young musicians,” Mr. Terlizzi says. You can really learn a lot about your music by listening to yourself play, and hearing where you can improve tone and technique.” Terlizzi is also using the software, coupled with Box, to have the students submit audio clips of themselves, which he reviews outside of class, saving valuable in-class rehearsal time.
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f you drive by St. David’s School during the school day on a regular basis, chances are you have seen our Aquatic Biology students emerging from the woods in their rubber boots and waders. But have you noticed their iPads, Sarah Dean Barbour’19, Andrew Wilmoth ’18, too? Katherine Holderness ’19 “Each student has a ‘spot’ in the woods they are assigned to observe,” explained science teacher Kelly White. “We visit these spots every couple of weeks where the students can enter their observations into their iPads, often including photos, video or commentary.” It’s a major step up from the past years and carrying paper and pen into the woods. “In the past, the students had to draw or diagram anything they wanted to remember, but the iPads allow them to create a more complete report.” In addition, the iPad contains all sorts of resources, like field guides with full color examples of the flora and fauna they are discovering and searchable indexes. “They also enjoy the process more,” White added. They don’t even mind some of the more mundane assignments... the iPad has made it more fun to learn.” “And, as a teacher, the iPad initiative forces me to innovate. Initially, the learning curve slowed us down a bit, but the ability to incorporate the technology into the curriculum makes the learning process more engaging for the students, and helps us get through some the material in a more efficient manner since the students are willing to go in-depth independently.”
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St. David’s School 3400 White Oak Road Raleigh, NC 27609
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Junior Gnomes Turned Geniuses
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Student leadership brings hands-on support to the student body
t all started with my independent study,” said senior Kashif Osman, head of the “Jr. Tech Gnomes”. While helping the technology department put cases on the lower school iPads, it dawned on Kashif that there was a lot of change on the horizon, and the tech department would need help supporting that change. Despite it being a last-minute adjustment, Kashif got his idea of creating a student technology support team approved as an independent study. Kashif sought out “techie minded” students who were interested in
helping just for the joy of working with technology. Once he assembled his team, Kashif established a “Genius Bar”, a walk-up technology service station. Students came by during lunch with issues relating to anything technical including connectivity or email problems, installing apps, iOS7 upgrades, backups, and iPad settings. The Jr. Tech Gnomes, in cooperation with the technology department, delivered hands-on assistance whenever it was needed -- which was a lot during the early days of the iPad initiative launch.
Kashif is currently working on an app that will provide some special student-oriented features. It includes not only the basics, like links to the St. David’s website and morning announcements, but also a countdown to graduation, a notification system for when your next class starts, and all the music used for chapel services. “I think it’s been a very fun experience, helping out my peers, sharing knowledge,” said Kashif, “and I’ve even helped teachers solve their technology problems. It’s been very rewarding.”
Eric Haeussler ’17, Trey Jeutter ’17, and Jennifer Koenig ’14 visit the Genius Bar for some iPad assistance from Kashif Osman ’14, and Nicole Stephenson ’16.