From civics class to calculus class, art to engineering, poetry to history, students, teachers and administrators will tell you that the addition of the ipad to the Chelsea High School learning experience this year has opened doors and windows into innovation and collaboration.
“We have seen consistent implementation and use of the ipads in instructional settings over the first two terms,” said Chelsea High School Principal Mike Kapolka, who added, “It has been exciting to watch our staff eagerly attempt to construct new ways to engage our students in daily learning with the use of the ipad.”
Last spring, Kapolka said, the district was able to begin providing professional development for high school teachers so that they could familiarize themselves with the device as well as certain applications that could be used in classroom settings.
At the end of last summer, students were introduced to the new learning tools provided by the district and although there have been a few hiccups; overall, the response from everyone using them has been positive.
For some classrooms, adding an ipad to the bag of teaching tools available to staff made perfect sense, in other classrooms, some teachers weren’t sure how they would utilize these new technology tools.
But in the end, everyone has joined the high school ipad fan club.
“The ipads have fit in so amazingly well,” said an art teacher. “Students can find something online as a reference, or they can Google an artist.”
Or, they can take a picture or set up their own still life and take it home, look at it and then draw it.
For civics students, the addition of the ipad is like having an interactive notebook where you can add notes, one student said, adding she now does not have to carry as much paper around with her.
Since it’s just year one, sometimes it’s been a slow integration process and a steep learning curve not just for some teachers but also for some students as well.
“The professional development has been an on-going process throughout the school year and it has been fun to see our staff and students construct new ways to interact and communicate,” Kapolka said.
For instance, several teachers have video recorded homework lessons via the ipad so that students have the opportunity to obtain additional assistance while outside of the classroom, he said.
“Without the use of ipads, this would not be possible,” Kapolka said.
Superintendent of Schools Andy Ingall said, “The infusion of technology at the high school has had an impact on teaching and learning throughout the school. It’s been a year of growth for all involved. We have seen some amazing and innovative opportunities and outcomes as a result.”
One teacher sang the praises of the ipads, offering three important reasons why not only staff but also students have embraced this infusion of new technology into learning.
One, he said, ipads are portable and they provide learning outside of the school building.
Two, ipads make learning more personal.
And three, technology is constantly evolving and every day a new app emerges, which can provide for an even more collaborative learning environment for everyone.
Please enjoy the photo gallery of ipad use below.
