Develop the potential of every student with iPad.
Established in a rural territory of some 25,000 square kilometers, the District School Board of North-Eastern Ontario (DSB1) pursues an essential mission: to help the 7,300 students in its 33 schools achieve excellence. The diverse population it serves is made up of young people from kindergarten to high school, a third of whom have special needs and a third of whom report indigenous origins. These two groups have very little overlap, which makes the DSB1 task all the more ambitious.
In 2014, teachers launched an initiative advocating the use of iPad in class, both for its accessibility, its educational tools and its potential for creativity and personalized learning. With it, students can record and edit audiovisual content, create presentations and write written productions without compromising their personal information. So many opportunities to develop their thinking skills and knowledge in unique and meaningful ways.
“With iPad, everyone can use their talents to succeed. It’s a way to make intelligence shine. »
Chad Mowbray Director of Educational Services, DSB1
In spring 2015, a group of students convinced the DSB1 board of directors to adopt iPad as the tool of choice by demonstrating its versatility, user-friendliness and creative possibilities. The advice is inspired by the enthusiasm of young people and the many means of expression that iPad makes available to them.
Seeing the full potential of iPad, the board is committed to making the necessary investments. Starting in fall 2015, an iPad will be given to each student in grades 4 to 12. Then, in 2021, it is the turn of students from kindergarten to 3rd grade. The entire student population thus has equitable access to technology, which opens up new possibilities in every class.
Today, Apple technologies are driving innovative teaching practices across the region. At Bertha Shaw Public School, elementary school teachers use iPad during oral and written French lessons. The student listens to instructions in French on iPad, records his answers in Seesaw, then listens to them again to check his pronunciation. iPad also allows you to create short videos and animations, and narrate them in French. By going beyond traditional written exercises, students discover activities that adapt to their strengths and make their learning more visible.
At New Liskeard Public School, important historical themes are explored in innovative ways. For example, in a project on immigration, students create a podcast, film or presentation in GarageBand, iMovie or Keynote to address the factors that cause people to leave their country and settle in Canada. In this region of great diversity, the subject often takes on a personal dimension. By giving free rein to creativity, iPad promotes higher quality learning.
DSB1 finds that high school students are seeking more authentic experiences. This is what pushed Timiskaming District Secondary School (TDSS) to modernize its approach to classic literature. In their English classes, students revisit Shakespeare in Keynote by creating iMessage-inspired conversations, where characters invented centuries ago interact as they would today. iPad lets them draw, annotate, and cut out complex text with Apple Pencil, then add narration to explain their reasoning. This type of analysis prepares them for college-level courses.
TDSS students also have the chance to learn first aid. iPad is used in tandem with sophisticated mannequins to recreate realistic scenarios requiring rapid decision-making. These experiences promote the acquisition of transferable skills to jobs in health and other sectors often little known to young people.
Since the arrival of the iPad program at DSB1, class participation has increased significantly, as evidenced by the nearly 10% increase in the graduation rate.
From elementary to high school and beyond, iPad helps students learn valuable technology skills, sparks their curiosity, and encourages them to express themselves in original ways.
“Before, the educational system was part of a narrow framework which did not suit our young people. iPad is a game changer by allowing them to become aware of their talents and put them to good use. »
Chad Mowbray Director of Educational Services, DSB1
