PARKLANDS COLLEGE

Parklands College One to One Apple Initiative

1. Introduction

After a 30 month relationship with Apple, Parklands College was very excited to initiate a one to one laptop learning programme in July 2009.

Classroom implementation begins on July 14th 2010. This means that we will begin the introduction of Apple MacBooks (laptops) into timetabled lessons on this date.

Rollout into the classrooms is planned as follows.  From July 2010 Grade 4, 7, 8 and 9 learners will be able to use Apple MacBook computers (laptops) as tools to assist learning in the classroom. This will be done within timetabled subjects at school.  This project will roll out to Grades 5 and 10 in 2011 and Grades 6 and 11 in 2012.

2. Curriculum Integration

Please note that the curriculum will not change.  We follow the national curriculum as stipulated by the Department of Education and will only utilise this technology to further enhance the learning which will take place in the academic environment.  Thus there will be the combined use of traditional and digital tools.

The following educational skills will be further developed with the proposed technology:

• Creativity and innovation
• Information and media literacy skills; communication skills
• Research and information fluency
• Thinking and problem solving i.e. critical thinking and systems thinking; problem identification and formulation solution
• Interpersonal and collaborative skills; self-direction; accountability and adaptability
• Technology operations and concepts

Example: Herewith a sample lesson of the way in which Mac Books may be used in the classroom.  It shows the integration between the following subjects: Science, Literacy, Drama, ICT and Art.

Aim: A stewardship project dedicated to preserving and utilising open spaces.

Project Sequence:

• Determine if there is a need for a park in the community.
• Identify spaces.
• Identify issues of preservation and access.
• Research potential uses for the area.
• Decide which uses fit the need of the community best.
• Identify potential organisations which may support or reject the plan.
• Plan how the project can become a reality.

Learning Activities:
The tool that may be used to implement the learning has been included in brackets.

• Podcast a public service announcement (Mac)
• Build a 3D model: technology
• Create a presentation with audio with the iLifeSuite (Mac)
• Make an interpretive trail with an audio tour (Mac)
• Make a brochure to distribute (Mac or pc)
• Design flyers to distribute (Mac or pc)
• Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper (Mac or pc)
• Create a plant/tree guide using iWeb (Mac)
• Perform a play and edit a movie with iMovie (Mac)
• Write a book illustrated with photos in iPhoto.  By importing the illustrations into iMovie, the students can add transitions and narrations to make the book come to life.

They can also add iTunes. (Mac)

• When the video book is complete, they can send it to iDVD for the creation of a DVD (Mac)

Conclusion:

Thus it is apparent that the cross programme capabilities of the iLife programmes make them easily interchangeable resulting in high integration between the applications.  It is evident that besides the acquisition of the fundamental skills necessary for the aforementioned learning, one also has evidence of critical thinking, problem solving and decision making abilities being utilised.

3. Apple Mac Recommendation

The College has purchased 55 Apple MacBooks of which 33 have been allocated to educators and 24 MacBooks to two mobile labs of 12 MacBooks each. There is one mobile lab per campus. These resources will be used in timetabled lessons during the course of the academic day in 2010.

The Apple Mac has been chosen for many reasons.  Notwithstanding the technical components in terms of reliability, durability and design, the College has chosen the Apple Mac Book for the following reasons:

• Apple is the market leader in education around the world.  It is emerging as the foremost supplier for schools and colleges in the UK and Europe according to the latest report from Gartner Research, a leading information technology research and advisory company.
• The Apple Mac has flexibility i.e. it has the ability to run Windows and the Mac operating system.
• Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac will be installed on the Mac operating system in order to ensure readiness for the South African Microsoft business place.
• Mac Books have been specifically designed for education.  In general, multimodal learning has been shown to be more effective than traditional, unimodal learning.  Adding visuals to verbal (text and/or auditory) learning can result in significant gains in basic and higher-order learning.
• Only Apple Mac offers the iLife suite with its educational, creative and curriculum relevant applications.
• Apple has fewer systems failures, less disruption and viruses therefore downtime is kept to a minimum thereby increasing teacher/learner productivity.
• The total cost of ownership of each laptop when you take into account support, downtime, additional software and replacement is lower than a pc.
• Apple is not merely a tool but is rather a partnership incorporating training, curriculum support and ongoing educator communication thereby ensuring that the College remains a forerunner in education.
• Apple has a comprehensive understanding of how teachers teach and learners learn.  It supports and collaborates with schools in ways that others do not as evidenced by their relationship and training initiatives with the College these past two years.

4. The Benefits of a ‘One to One’ Laptop Programme

‘One-to-one’ refers to an environment in which each learner has his or her own laptop.  It has been shown that this learning environment produces significant behavioural changes. These changes lead to significant educational benefits. Some of the benefits are listed below:

Increases achievement:
One of the most popular rationales is that one-to-one computing increases learner achievement.

Increases learner engagement:
Educators say that engagement and learner interest improves in classrooms using one-to-one technology.

Complements project-based learning:
One-to-one technology is at its best in classrooms in which learning is driven by projects requiring research, collaboration and the creation of a final product (a slide show, video, or Web page).

Prepares students for the work place and mirrors the tools for their generation: When a learner’s only exposure to a computer is in a lab, technology can be seen as a fragmented skill unrelated to daily life.  One-to-one computing ensures that all learners have the skills and confidence to integrate technology into their future, as well as their present.

Other benefits include:

• Learners experiment more – there is increased attention and involvement.There is more self-directed learning and individualised learning which allows for differentiation.
• Learners become more organised and more responsible.  There is an increased state of ownership.
• They become more accountable, independent and in charge of their own learning.
• There is an increase in interest and motivation.
• Learners spend more time on their homework.
• Learners become producers and distributors of knowledge.
• This type of learning allows for access to various models of learning i.e. more visuals and sound.  This multi-sensory aspect aids comprehension.
• If connected, they have immediate access to up-to date content.
• It allows for collaboration in terms of forums and the like.
• It truly is learner-centred which empowers the learners.
• It stimulates writing and higher order thinking skills.

5. Educator, Learner and Parent Training

Parklands College is a certified Microsoft Certified Partner as well as an ICDL testing and training centre, and we shall continue to embrace new technologies as they are developed.  We began our relationship with Apple in 2007.  We were awarded the status of Apple Regional Training Centre so as to offer Apple courses to educators in both our College and the Western Cape Education community. We have successfully run several Apple teacher institutes (ATIs) which are two day programmes that cover the i-Life suite applications and their integration into lesson plans as an extension or addition to the core curriculum. These have been very successful and educators from Bishops, St. Cyprians, Cape Academy, Grove, Bishops, Paarl Boys’, Cedar High, Alexander Sinton, Bekhar, Worcester have attended these programmes.  These courses are offered for free.  We also offer a one year Apple regional training programme that looks at the iLife applications in more detail.  This course consists of 18 modules which several of our educators have attended.  As a result of this training, we have had the privilege of having two of our educators being certified as Apple Distinguished Educators. This certification gives them access to Apple technologies as well as community websites for sharing, developing and researching educational content and methodologies.  The new programme of this particular training will commence in 2010 and will be further attended by a number of educators.

Joe Moretti who was specifically flown in from the United Kingdom completed the third session of the curriculum integration training with our educators. 18 Secondary Faculty and 10 Intermediate phase educators completed this training in the week ending Friday 20 November 2009.

Joe Moretti returned to us on 1st February 2010 for 6 days to continue training with our educators as well as begin training with our learners and parents.

Teacher training is an ongoing process. We shall be working very closely with Apple to ensure that our teachers’ skills are continuously reviewed, assessed and kept up-to-date. We will also ensure that mentoring will be available by means of classroom support, lesson plan development and curriculum integration guidance.

To ensure full preparation and thorough integration, we have planned a phased roll-out over the next 36 months.

6. Security

Educators will manage the use of Mac Books in the classroom which will be locked away when not in use. They can be locked in the classrooms, classroom storerooms and in the
learners’ personal lockers. The learners lockers are monitored by CCTV cameras. The classrooms will be locked during break. MacBooks will not be allowed to be left in bags on fields during co-curricular activities.  They will be locked in the learners’ lockers.  Please note that security guards monitor gate access to the College and that CCTV cameras monitor the perimeter of the College.

7. MacBook Care and Management

We are collaborating with the International School in Prague which has made Mac Book orientation programmes available to the College to teach our learners how to handle and care for their devices.  This will be further reinforced by the classroom and ICT educators in terms of personal care and responsibility by using the Mac Books which will be installed in January 2010.