The following post originally appeared on the Marshall Simonds Middle School blog. John Carroll, MSMS Library Media Specialist and BPS EdTech Team member, visited some 6th grade classrooms to see the 1:1 learning program in action.
Last Friday, new iPads were distributed to Marshall Simonds’ sixth graders as part of the school’s 1:1 program. Students were eager to use the new devices and teachers put them straight to use in class. Teachers across all subject areas put different apps to different uses, with apps such as Notability, Explain Everything, and Google Drive apps being among the most popular.
The way that the iPads are used in class vary from teacher-to-teacher. Barbara Sturtevant, a sixth grade Geography teacher has her students use the iPads to take photos of five different locations around the school as part of a project. Students will then collaborate and use these photos to show and describe common themes found throughout the building. Jennifer Tate, a sixth grade math teacher, has students solve equations using their iPads to show and explain their work. She also uses her own iPad to airplay problems onto the projector screen. In an effort to minimize paper use, many teachers have students complete warm-up exercises, tests, and even group projects using their iPads. How students use the iPads in class is a decision that is ultimately left up to their Team’s teachers.
