iPads Debut in Minnetonka Classrooms

Science teacher Karl Boberg’s fifth grade classroom at Minnetonka’s Deephaven Elementary was filled with anticipation this morning.

“I’ve just seen people use one before,” said 11-year-old Eric. “I never have used one.”

But at ten o’clock in the morning, it was Eric's and the rest of his classmates’ turn to use the school’s new iPads.

“It’s really cool!” said Ava, 10.

These new gadgets seemed to excite the adults as much as they excited the children.

“It’s a fun, powerful and engaging tool!” Kelli Whiteside, the school’s media specialist, said enthusiastically. 

Whiteside along with the Deephaven Parent Teacher Organization spearheaded this program, which will rotate the school’s five iPads through every classroom, Kindergarten through fifth grade.

“We’re going to make sure everybody gets their hands on it,” Whiteside said.

And antsy to get their hands on the iPads, the kids were. But before the work could begin, Mr. Boberg asked everyone to split into groups.

“Best friends don’t always make the best partners,” Boberg reminded his students.

Once in their groups, these fifth graders used the iPads to make a visual outline of pictures they had taken of small household objects. 

“They are using it to display their electron microscope pictures,” Boberg explained. Today’s exercise is the culmination of the class’ microscope unit.

The Deephaven PTO funded the project for about $2500. But according to Whiteside, the money spent was an investment in more than just the machines.

“We’re just always trying to stay in front of things, in front of the technology,” Whiteside said. “Print as we know it, is changing. More and more of the resources are going to be in a format like this. Allowing them to be familiar with the tool at school prepares them for independence later.”

Although Boberg gave the iPads, “a major thumbs up,” he said their use in the classroom does have its limits.

“You’ve got to get them in the kids hands enough and they need enough direction,” he said. 

However, he did concede-- with a smile, that the iPads aren’t without their merits either, “It doesn’t replace a pencil and learning that way, but it replaces the flashcards that my generation grew up with.”

And according to Whiteside, there is no doubt that this generation of fifth graders is very tech-savvy. During the exercise, Whitehall even pointed to one student, 11-year old Kate, and said, “She’s teaching me.”

“I know a lot,” Kate responded. Kate has an iPad at home. 

When their 30 minutes with the iPads was almost up, Boberg asked the students if they had thought of any other ways the new gadgets could be used. More than one fifth grader shouted out, “PowerPoint!”

The good news for these fifth graders is that today’s exercise was only the first of a two-part project. That means they will learn on the iPads tomorrow too. But that didn’t seem to make it any easier to round up the machines. 

“I’m going to have a hard time ripping them out of their hands,” Whitehall said. “It feels like it’s not enough to have just five.”

Once all five were collected, concluding the iPad project for today, Boberg let the class out for recess.

The kids quickly grabbed their coats and hustled towards the door.  And when asked on their way out, how the iPad compared to recess, many of the kids didn’t have to think twice before answering.

“Not by much,” Eric said.

His friend Jimmy agreed.  “I’d rather go outside."