St Michael's Primary School introduced iPads into the Foundation to 6 classrooms after extensive research of many schools locally and overseas. We know that the introduction of electronic devices into the student's learning environment allows for more authentic learning experiences.  The iPad enables students to personalise their learning and incorporating it into their classroom learning. The small size of the iPad means that it does not take control of a student workspace; it becomes a tool on their desk as another resource, to be used with ease. The ability to turn it on and off instantly and its day-long battery life are vital to a modern classroom. The iPad connects to all types of computers, it backs up to the internet and does not add a massive weight to the school bag.

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All apps are available from one low cost site, the Apple App Store, which is a safe marketplace that can be filtered by parental controls placed on the iPad. With thousands of apps for education, the iPad can take the student beyond the four walls of the classroom.

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Renowned international advisor on education, Sir Ken Robinson says, 

“Creativity is as important now in education as literacy and we should treat it

with the same status.”

 

Incorporating the iPad into our classroom opens up this world of creativity in

subject areas that may not have been that creative in the past.

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The Department of Education and Training (DET)’s 2010-2011 iPads for Learning – In Their Hands Trial placed over 700 iPads in nine primary, secondary and special schools and the Royal Children’s Hospital Education Institute. During the trial students used their iPads with wireless internet access at school, and while at home were able to use their iPads with or without internet access. Students loaded their own apps onto the iPad to supplement the suite of specially selected apps.

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The trial investigated the capacity of iPads to:

• increase independent and self-initiated learning among students

• increase student motivation and active engagement in learning

• improve teachers’ capacity to plan for and meet individual student needs

• improve student learning outcomes

• extend students’ learning beyond the classroom and

• improve parental engagement in learning and strengthen home-school links.

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Lessons Learned

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The iPads for Learning Trial reinforced that quality of teaching, combined with purposeful and effective use of ICT contributes to improved learning. Below are the findings from the iPads for Learning Trial.

1. The iPad, as a device has functionality and features, that enhance its use as an effective and engaging      learning tool.

• The iPad is easy to use. It is intuitive and users of all ages and abilities (including children with learning difficulties), do not require special training or professional learning on how to turn it on, navigate through and use apps, and maintain the iPad (i.e. charge and sync the iPad, update apps).

• The touch-interactive flat screen tablet with pinch in/pinch out functionality provides students with autism, ADHD, Asperger’s, visual disabilities and poor fine and gross motor skills with more efficient access to effective learning opportunities.

• High speed access to online information enables more self-directed learning and rapid access to a fast-growing market of relevant and regularly updated educational apps.

• Portability enhances collaboration between students and communication between students and teachers, increases parental engagement in learning and strengthens home-school connections.

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2. The iPad is just a device. It is just another resource, albeit a powerful ‘anything anytime anywhere’          tool, in the teaching and learning toolkit.

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3. Quality teaching is the factor which enables the iPad to be used effectively to improve student                  motivation, engagement and learning outcomes.

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• Teachers used the iPad to meet the specific learning needs of students and support engaging, interesting and collaborative learning.

• Students used the iPad to take greater control of their learning, using a single device to search for information on the internet, practice specific skills with selected apps, create keynotes and multimedia presentations, and present and share their learning with their peers, teachers and family.

• Teachers found the iPad to be an especially valuable learning tool for students with special learning needs due to the combination of its design features, multi-functionality and access to specific purpose apps.

• Students used the iPad to improve their learning outcomes, especially in literacy, numeracy, communication and thinking skills.

• The iPad was used to extend learning beyond the classroom, facilitating learning wherever the student had the iPad (at home, at camp, on an excursion) and increasing parental engagement in learning.

• 4.90% of students said that learning was more fun when using the iPads.

• 76% of teachers said that students had (to a ‘great’ or ‘large’ extent) greater choice and flexibility in their learning.

• 85% of primary teachers and 90% of special school teachers thought that students were more motivated and engaged in learning, vs. 32% in secondary schools.

• 67% of teachers said that use of the iPad had improved their effectiveness as teachers, and 75% were using ICT more effectively in teaching and learning.

• 83% of primary teachers and 67% of special school teachers thought that using the iPad had improved students’ literacy outcomes vs. 16% in secondary schools.

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5. Teaching and learning success with iPads is more likely where they are used in a supportive school          and home environment.

• School leaders actively encouraged the purposeful use of iPads as a strategic support for improving student outcomes, and facilitated teacher access to pedagogically-focused professional learning opportunities.

• Students and teachers have timely access to quality technical advice and support. Once set up, the iPad requires less technical support than similar devices, but a 1-to-1 ICT roll out can put stress on a schools’ ICT infrastructure (e.g. network, bandwidth).

• Parents were informed about and understood the way in which the iPads were to be used to support their child’s learning; they participated as necessary in maintaining the device as ‘ready for learning’, and took an active interest in their child’s learning.

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6. iPads in the trial had a significantly greater educational impact and were more successfully                        implemented in primary and special school settings than in secondary schools.

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• This was in part related to structural differences between contemporary primary and secondary classes. That is, a primary teacher has a dedicated class of students and can more easily incorporate cross-curricular learning and inquiry based learning into everyday practice, with the iPad ever-present as a learning tool. Secondary students have multiple teachers timetabled to independently deliver specific subjects.

• Primary and special school teachers in the trial also demonstrated greater preparedness and capacity to incorporate the effective use of iPads into learning and assessment activities. They taught lessons where students could choose to use the iPad to facilitate, enhance and share their learning. Teachers in secondary schools were more likely to use the iPad as a simple substitution device (e.g. just to search the internet).

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For more information please visit the Department of Education and Training Website

iPads for Learning at https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/Resource/LandingPage?ObjectId=da17bd7e-7c63-4473-86ff-b029696a005e

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