Presentation to Parents / Confey College / 9 th March 2015

   M. O’Byrne (Principal) Bernadine (Leixlip Credit Union) Question & Answers

 Emerging technologies enable students to engage in activities beyond the four walls of the classroom, to practice solving real‐life problems in context, to search vast databases, to communicate with students around the world and to create multimedia reports using the power of graphics, video and sound.

 Frees your son/daughter from slavery of a massively heavy schoolbag (A4 Folder)  All subjects are contained in the one tablet and does away with the stress of forgetting individual books. Particularly in early “settling-in” period of 1 st Year.

The following is a list of examples of types of evidence of student’s learning that can be presented the portfolio  written work - (stories, letters, poetry)      project work and/or work in visual arts charts or diagrams photographs video-recordings of the student’s participation in an activity or achievement recordings of musical work a learning record for example a structured logbook, a diary, a selective record of events or experiences over a period of time, or an electronic record (including possibilities of the use of speech to text software).

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The Irish Educational Publishers’ Association Survey (August, 2012) working

towards a full curriculum in digital format to help reduce the weight of the school bag, enhance the teaching and learning experience and enable significant savings to be passed on to parents.

Teacher collaboratively creating own textbooks (similar to music industry)

Current research finds the benefits of a device in the hands of every student are to extend and enrich learning by:  Shifting instruction towards more student-centered learning,— move from passive to active Learning    Focusing on 21st Century learning, including critical and creative thinking, collaboration, communication, self-direction, global awareness and cultural literacy. Using online and embedded assessments in formative and summative capacities. Increasing student engagement, motivation and enthusiasm for learning

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Apps:

There are 80,000 apps designed specifically for education to leverage its potential as a teaching and learning device in the iTunes store (March 2015).

Resilience:

iPads have a solid state hard-drive (no moving pieces), thus, failure rate is very low. Apple iOS 5 resilient to viruses and bugs.

Battery: Apple iPads has the longest battery life (10 hours) from a single charge.

Support: Apple has Irish resellers with Education Specialists providing technical supports and pedagogical expertise for schools.

Research:

Research is available from Canada and Australia to support the use of iPads in schools as teaching and learning devices.

Kildare Wicklow ETB has adopted a phased approach to the introduction of iPads for learning. 

May 2012

 KWETB teachers provided with an iPad and familiarisation training.

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May – September 2012

 Schools prepare infrastructure for teacher iPads.

     Pipers Hill, Naas introduce iPads and eBooks to incoming 1 st Years

September 2012

 Inservice training day (1) on the use of iPads as a teaching and learning device

January – March 2013

 Decision to proceed with Student roll-out  Inservice training delivered by Confey teachers on use of iPads

September 2013

 All 1 st years have iPads

September 2015

All Junior Certificate students will have iPads

      March 9 th  Presentation to Parents  eBook list finalised and Infrastructure May 25 th  Wriggle open online ordering system for parents July 10 th  Wriggle close online ordering system for parents August 10 th  Deployment day (D-Day) in school to setup iPads. Parent must attend with student.  Download eBooks for core subjects August 28 th  First Year Induction day – eSafety/eMail accounts   Mop-up day to be announced. October  Download eBooks for option subjects  iPads in the classroom Parents information session – Internet Safety

Cover will be on the following basis:   Accidental Damage/Malicious Damage/Theft cover of IPad’s, Note the excess amount.

Cost of IPad

1.

2.

3.

IPad Air 16GB Wifi * € 389.00

IPad case (Griffen)* € 40.00

Deployment € 20.00

4.

5.

Service/Support € 36.00

Insurance (T&C) € 40.00

Total € 525.00

* 3G not Allowed. * School will contribute €10 towards cost of case.

  Average cost of 1 st Year printed booklist in Confey College was €450 - €470 With publishers discount the average will be brought down to: €350 est.  Total Cost to parent = €875  Payment in May-July.

   There is a financial outlay but it is an investment in your son/daughter’s education iPads can get lost/damaged or stolen. That is why the insurance package is built into cost. However, there is still a responsibility on student and parent to mind their property.

It is the parent/student responsibility to ensure IPad is charged every night-bit like making the lunch!

 eBooks Licences are for 3 years up to and including Junior Cert  Dept of Education exam still insist on physical writing for Junior and Leaving Cert so homework will continue to be in a written format.

 Parents own the iPad and need to set clear rules for use of the iPad at home. This include time doing homework on the iPad and downloading of apps.