We’re all familiar with iPhones, iPads and iPods, but what about iCoaches?
Though the term might conjure up images of fitness trackers, it actually refers to a select group of Upper Arlington middle and high school teachers who have volunteered to help implement Upper Arlington City School District’s new one-to-one technology program. This group will help other district teachers make use of the new technology that will be available to them to design new and innovative lesson plans.
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The one-to-one technology program will be implemented this fall and will provide every student in grades six through 12 with a MacBook Air.
“Our strategic plan calls for the district to provide every student with a device, and the strategic plan does not specify what the device is. We spent the last year with teachers from middle to high school, conducting site visits and deciding what it was we were hoping to do in our district to go one-to-one, and we landed on MacBook Airs,” says Emilie Greenwald, chief academic officer. “We’re an Apple district and have been for years, and wanted to keep working with Apple.”
Greenwald sees the new technology as another tool to facilitate learning.
“It really is about learning. We want to make sure that we can personalize and enhance learning for all of our students, and we knew one way to do that was with a device,” she says. “But it doesn’t replace the teacher; it’s not about that.”
Greenwald predicts that the technology program and, in particular, the use of laptops in the classroom, will help give teachers the tools to design innovative lesson plans that will cater to students’ needs, as well as give students more control over their own education.
“We know that teachers will have an ability to bring different things into the classroom when kids have devices,” she says. “We’re really looking at how we can stretch our kids, and help them take hold of their learning and have a personalized experience.”
Greenwald hopes the new one-to-one technology program will give students more control over their own education and more freedom to be independent thinkers.
“A lot of what we’ve seen is enhanced student engagement,” says Greenwald. “We’ve also seen students as creators; instead of students sitting and simply listening to a lecture or taking notes, they’re out seeking the information.”
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Athnie McMillan-Comeaux is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at ssole@cityscenemediagroup.com.
