EG High School Teachers Use iPads In Classroom

The entrance, the football field and track are not the only novelties at East Greenwich High School this fall. In the hallways, some teachers have been seen walking around, busily tapping away on their iPads. 

Is this a fad or the start of a new direction in embracing modern technology in the high school?   If these teachers have their way, iPads could well be the new staple of schools everywhere.   

As we become a more networked society, there are many new technologies being created, with the potential to revolutionize learning in the classroom. These include the growth of mobile computing, advances in hardware and software, and the adoption of cloud computing. Among these, Apple’s iPad, introduced to great fanfare in January of this year, promises to be a key stepping stone for enhancing the learning experience at schools everywhere.

Many students and faculty members in the East Greenwich school district generally feel that technology at the high school has not kept pace with recent advancements.  Nicholas Rath, who heads the Science Department at the High School and is an advisor to the Student Council, is a strong advocate for the introduction of new technology at the school.  He believes that embracing the latest technology will lead to an explosion of student creativity. 

“Ninety percent of the technology issues in the district would be resolved if the faculty could access a filtered, secure wireless network using personal laptops or iPads,” he said.

A few teachers have taken the initiative into their own hands by introducing iPads into the classroom.

Lori Koplik, the English Department head at the High School, and one of the teachers who has an iPad, believes that “one day, the iPad will replace all the textbooks.”

Besides its size and user-friendly interface, the iPad can wirelessly connect to Apple’s App Store, where there is an extensive amount of applications that can be utilized to improve the classroom experience.

Mrs. Koplik uses the iBooks application and feels that a wider use of this app will allow students to download novels, bookmark different pages, and annotate these texts, all online, and share their thoughts with teachers and other students.

Under Mr. Rath’s direction, the Student Council voted to purchase two iPads this year at 700 dollars a piece, as part of a pilot project to test the capabilities and benefits of the iPad as a learning tool. The data from this project will be used as a part of a potential East Greenwich Education Foundation / Student Council grant. Mr. Rath looks forward to the day when every department in the high school will have a cart of iPads for both student and faculty use.

Mr. Rath looks forward to the day when every department in the high school will have a cart of iPads for both student and faculty use.

Fran Healy, the life skills teacher, is using one of the iPads purchased by the Student Council.  She uses the “Functional Skills System” app by  Conover Company, to teach many subjects areas like math, social skills, and independent living skills.

According to Healy, “the kids will use the iPad in class, and it will be a great activity for the best buddies program that the school offers.”  Band Director, Mr. Brendan Carniaux, is another fervent user of the iPad, deploying it in the Music Department and in his Desktop Music Publishing class.  

As of now, time and mobility are two main advantages to the iPad. With a regular Windows laptop or PC, it takes a long time to log onto the system at the high school, but the iPad instantly logs onto the network once turned on. The size and weight are also beneficial, allowing teachers to carry it from class to class with less effort. The iPad can also be used to automate many tasks that are manual in nature.  Lori Koplik noted that the iPad facilitates taking attendance and notes.

“It’s a green way to go,” she said.

Technology is clearly on the minds of teachers and administrators.  Mr. Victor Mercurio, the Superintendent of the East Greenwich school system, is scheduled to give a talk today at the High School on his future plans for adopting new technology in the East Greenwich school system.  The topic could not be more timely. 

Nikhil Mahadevan is a senior at East Greenwich High School and an occassional contributor to My02818.