Video: iPad rollout starts new academic age at Shepard

District 218 started a new academic age this fall with the distribution of iPads to more than 1,700 freshmen. Next fall, all students in District 218 will receive the tablet computers to keep with them.

Access to the iPads – freshmen will keep them all four years, returning them each summer – will transform what students experience in classrooms.

In recent months Apple staff members specializing in educational applications have trained District 218 teachers on how to best employ iPads in their classes.

“The students were extremely cooperative and patient as we guided them through the setup steps. With a rollout of this size, there will always be some technical issues. However, we resolved them quickly and kept the rollout moving along,” said District 218 Director of Educational Technology Tim Prost of the week’s work.

Here's how the iPad registration and orientation looked and sounded at Shepard: