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RFH 2010, News
HCS Fourth Graders Use iPod Techology to Learn
Program supported by the Emerald Foundation has HCS fourth graders using iPod Touches as learning tools.
Ada is a slight, quiet HCS fourth grader.
Her hair frames her face and on her glasses you can see the reflection of the screen of an Apple iPod Touch. Ada is in school and hard at work explaining how she uses the iPod every day in class ... and how much it helps her.
Her slim fingers slip across the small touch screen quickly as she bounces from a math tutorial to the copy of The Jungle Book she is reading. She speeds over the iPod keyboard like an old pro.
Ada is a member of one of two HCS fourth grade classes and a special education class that are part of a program that puts technology in the hands of kids and teaches them how to use it as a powerful learning tool. It is a program supported by donations from the Emerald Foundation, and overseen by Eric Coriale (pictured below), he enrichment coordinator for HCS.
The iPods are being used by students in the fourth grade classrooms of Sharon Follett and Patricia Rowland and the 8-1-1 special education room of Lauren Macholl.
Coriale recently explained the program to members of the Emerald Foundation and some guests earlier this week. He explained how Ada and other fourth graders have been issued iPod Touches loaded with a variety of software applications (apps), most of which are tutorials for the various lessons students are learning. The iPods are email and web-enabled during school, allowing students to send assignments to their teachers or ask questions and make observations as they work.
So far, the fourth graders have just been using the iPod Touches in the classroom. But, says Coriale, the program takes its next step shortly: allowing students to take the handheld devices home to use for their school work. He said the Internet function will be disabled when students take the devices home.
When they do start using the iPods full-time, students and their parents will be required to sign the "Respectful Use Policy" that outlines what can and cannot be done with the device.
HCS received the iPods when the Emerald Foundation bought new computers for the school. Each new computer came with an iPod Touch.
Coriale said each device is customized for the particular student. The school can purchase educational apps from iTunes. He said that one of the beauties of the technology is how it saves money.
"We can buy an ebook from Barnes and Noble once for four dollars and every student with an iPod has it sent to them by the teacher," Coriale said. This is far more advantageous than buying one copy of the book for much more money and have it available to only one child at a time.
That advantage will accrue to fifth grade teachers next year. Coriale said this year's fourth graders will take the iPod Touches with them as the advance a grade in June. The hope is to acquire more Touches so next year's fourth graders will also have access to the technology.
There will be an iPod Night at the school Monday to celebrate what students are learning; this marks the first time students will take the iPods home with them.
