Forrester HS: Why choose the Android platform?

April 23, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Mark Cunningham (class teacher) explained that the main factor underpinning Forrester High School’s decision to go with the Android platform was that they believed that it was a more open platform than others available and that would allow them to move data about the device as they wanted to do. They also liked the fact that the all the devices they purchased came with a USB slot, which meant that they could use a memory stick to access and move any learner’s data from the device quite easily. The school were of the opinion that with Android they could manipulate the device more than the ‘locked in’ nature of the iOS platform would allow. The affordability of the Android devices was also a factor. Mr Cunningham was keen to stress that the school felt there was very little difference between the platforms that they considered and that they would have been happy to go either way at the end of the day.

Mr Cunningham commented that at the time the school made their decision to go with Android the iOS platform was the slicker of the two and that there was clearly a much more comprehensive range of apps available for that platform; however, he felt that the difference between the two systems was now much less than it had been and that the range and spread of apps available for Android via the Google Marketplace was constantly improving.

Forrester HS: Why Android Mr Cunningham (Class Teacher) discusses the reasons why the school chose the Android platform

Finally, Mr Cunningham stressed to us that the school were always looking to review the platform and the equipment that they were using and that they were prepared to change if they believed that would best suit the needs of their learners.

1:1 deployment, Android, Edinburgh, Impact on learning

Forrester HS: Impact on learning and unexpected wins

April 19, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

The Android and iPad pilots in Edinburgh City are all put in place with the express intention that their impact would lead to enhanced learning and better outcomes for learners. Derek Curran’s (headteacher) ambitions for the device pilot in his school are no different from Edinburgh City’s and although his pilot was still in its early stages he was keen to share his thoughts and observations to date about just what impact he wanted to see and what he thought was happening.

Although he was content with the progress that was being made at such an early stage of the pilot, Mr Curran thought that there might have been more evidence of staff using a range of media beyond text to support their teaching than was the case; however, he was sure that this would come as the pilot progressed and the staff increased their confidence and competence in the use of the device. He felt that gradual improvements and lessons learned by his staff would have a cumulative effect that would lead to a gathering momentum of developing expertise and understanding of just how learning can be enhanced with the use of digital tools.

Forrester HS: Impact on learning and teaching Interview with Mr Curran (HT) about impact on learning of the Android pilot

We went on to discuss with Mr Curran what he felt the device pilot would bring to his school in terms of helping to create opportunities for collaborative learning to occur in his school. He believed that social learning tools such as blogs and wikis can have an enriching impact on learning both in and out of school and that there was evidence of his pupils already engaging with these contexts for learning. He anticipates that as access to the devices and the online tools that they offer become more embedded in the life of teaching and learning across the school he will see enhanced collaborative, working with learners moderating their learning via shared wikis, for instance.

Forrester HS: Enhanced learning Mr Curran (HT) discusses the potential that digital technology has to enhance learning

Mr Curran also talked about the unexpected wins that can be gained from pilots such as the one his school was trialling. His discussions with the school librarian brought up the fact that Edinburgh City library had a huge range of ebooks available to library members. He saw this as a perfect opportunity to get all pupils involved in the pilot to join the city library and have access to the range of texts that are freely available via this service.

Forrester HS: Unexpected wins Mr Curran (HT) discusses the unexpected wins that such a pilot can bring to the life of learning of a school

1:1 deployment, Android, Edinburgh, Professional Learning, Teacher

Forrester HS: Impact on teaching and staff CPD

April 19, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Forrester HS: Staff CPD — Generic learning apps used more than subject specific ones

Marc Cunningham (class teacher) discussed the ways in which his teaching colleagues were beginning to integrate the device into their teaching. Initially there had been a focus on digitising existing content, but with a shared understanding and aspiration that the device would gradually shape the nature of learning interactions within classrooms and at home. It was evident that in the early stages of the pilot colleagues had chosen not to go down the subject-specific app route, but had preferred to use more generic learning tools such as the Evernote and Edmodo apps. Mr Cunningham had noted that there was evidence of a more collaborative culture growing, with staff taking opportunities in both formal and informal settings to share what they had discovered and new ideas they were trying out.

Forrester HS: Impact on teaching Mr Cunningham (Class Teacher) discusses how the staff are supporting each other with the pilot

In relation to school-delivered staff CPD opportunities it was noted that there had been little appetite for such an input from the teachers at Forrester HS. Instead they showed determination to move forward together as a staff rather than being led by management. After-school events were led by staff and a staff working party – with one member from each department – would regularly meet to discuss a number of technical and teaching related matters.

Forrester HS: Staff CPD to support the pilot Mr Cunningham (Class Teacher) explains how the staff at Forrester HS have led their own professional development in the use of the Android device

1:1 deployment, Android, Device management, Edinburgh, Pilot model, Trusting learners

Forrester HS: Overview of their Android pilot

April 19, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Forrester HS: Overview of pilot — Android devices at Forrester HS

Forrester High School in Edinburgh is one of the schools who have been working with the Android devices as part of the city’s wider exploration of devices in schools programme. We met with Mark Cunningham (class teacher), who is one of the members of staff who has been integral to the setting-up and progression of the pilot to date.

Forrester HS: Pilot overview Mr Cunningham (Class Teacher) gives an overview of the Android pilot at Forrester HS

Mark explained to us that the school had looked at different platforms for their pilot and that they eventually decided to go with Android due to the flexibility they felt it offered. Having decided on the platform, it was then agreed that the upcoming S1 cohort from associate schools P7s would be the ones involved in the pilot. Staff from Forrester HS met with the P7s and their parents/carers towards the end of the summer term in 2012 to explain the pilot and deal with issues such as the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) etc.

A key factor in this pilot was that the learners were permitted to take their device home. The school saw this as fundamental to the pilot and felt that there would be limited impact were the devices not allowed to leave the school. They also decided not to exert an overly controlling influence over the devices and that they would let the pupils install apps on their device provided it was within the scope of the AUP. At the time of our meeting with Forrester HS there had been no instances of inappropriate use of the devices by any of the pupils.

Apple, Impact on learning, North Lanarkshire, Sharing devices, Teacher

Bellshill Academy: Impact on learning

April 19, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Bellshill Academy: Condodent individuals and successful learners — Device pilot inspiring confidence in learners

Anne Munro (headteacher) discussed with us the impact that she believes the iPad pilot has been having on learning in the school. She commented on the iPad itself and felt that the enhanced flexibility that it offered with the immediate access to ongoing work, the internet and a range of supportive apps/resources was a significant factor in the developing confidence and enhanced attitudes to learning she was seeing in her pupils. The school had worked with parents and through focus groups and written evaluations they had found out that there was evidence of greater parental engagement with learning at home over the course of the pilot. Mrs Munro was also pleased that a visit from HMIE had led to a series of positive comments on what was being observed in terms of impact on learning. She believed that the iPad pilot was contributing to the school’s aim to transform the learning culture of the school so that it led to high aspirations at all times, leading to improvement in standard, attainment and outcomes for learners.

Bellshill Academy: Impact on Learning1 Interview 1 with Mrs Munro (HT) about impact on learning

Mrs Munro shared with us a story about the positive impression that was created by pupils involved with the pilot who were asked to plan, prepare, present and host a workshop for senior mnagers at a local authority event. What she saw at this event made her think something positive was happening for learners involved with the pilot. It was not only the young people’s ability to use the technology that caught the eye but the confidence with which they delivered the workshop and how they responded to questions. She saw these S2 learners becoming the teachers and the facilitators for the adults in the room.

Bellshill Academy: Impact on learning 2 Interview 2 with Mrs Munro (HT) about impact on learning

Willie Davidson shared with us his initial cynicism about what he though was the ‘gimmick’ of the always-connected tablet device in the classroom and how his chance observation of learners working independently in class with them made him re-evaluate his opinion and begin to think that perhaps there is something in this after all.

Bellshill Academy: Impact on learning 3 Interview with Mr Davidson (The Learning Centre) about impact on learning

1:1 deployment, Apple, North Lanarkshire, Professional Learning, Teacher

Bellshill Academy: Supporting staff and early staff feedback

April 18, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Bellshill Academy: Staff at ease with the device — Staff at ease with the device

Anne Munro (headteacher) and Willie Davidson (The Learning Centre) discussed the importance of ensuring that CPD opportunities to help support the iPad pilot were planned and offered. School management had given a commitment to not let the staff be left on their own with the device; however, the response they received to this offer was not quite what they were expecting. Mrs Munro commented that previous ICT initiatives had always required support and CPD opportunities to help them along, but on this occasion she was taken aback at the lack of support sought or required by staff, as they felt it was not necessary because they were at ease with the device. This reaction to an ICT initiative was one that both Mrs Munro and Mr Davidson were not expecting and was indicative, they feel, of the user-friendly nature of the tablet technology they were trialling.

Bellshill Academy: Staff development The staff at Bellshill Academy have not relied on being trained over the course of this pilot

Mrs Munro explained to us the mechanisms that were put in place to help create a supportive learning community for the staff involved in the pilot. The main aspect of this was the formation of an iPad committee that included members of staff from across all curricular areas. Through this committee good practice, new ideas and resources began to be shared via the formal processes that were being established and informally through the networks and relationships that were already in place in the school.

Bellshill Academy: Staff Support Management discuss the informal staff learning/support networks that have grown with the Apple pilot

Willie Davidson (The Learning Centre) also shared with us points of interest from a staff survey that the school carried out to gauge attitudes to the pilot and early perceptions of the impact it may be having on the learning and teaching in their classrooms. Some of the statistics from this survey included:

75% of staff felt that they were more confident in the use of ICT in the classroom
78% of staff felt that the device made delivering lessons easier, no-one felt it made delivering lessons harder and 21% felt that there was no change in this area
87% of staff felt that their pupils were more interested in learning now that they were part of the device pilot, 9% felt there was no change, whereas 4% believed their pupils were less interested because the device distracted them in class
95% of staff felt that there was now a more positive ethos in the classes involved with the device pilot

1:1 deployment, Apple, Device workflow, North Lanarkshire

Bellshill Academy: Issues with workflow

April 17, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Willie Davidson (The Learning Centre) discussed with us some of the challenges that he felt were faced with the iPad in relation to workflow. He felt that moving learners’ work to and from the devices had presented a challenge. He acknowledged that there were a number of third-party tools (many paid for) that could address this issue, but he felt that he was yet to see the perfect solution to address this issue.

Mr Davidson told us how the school had decided to use Dropbox to address the file sharing issues, but he expressed his concerns about the security of this solution and he also gave examples where pupils Dropboxes had been ‘broken into’ by other pupils. He also felt that, although the Dropbox solution was the one he felt offered the school the best and cheapest option at that time to address the workflow issue, he believed that it would prove to be unsustainable if a secondary school such as theirs attempted to roll the Dropbox solution out across the whole school. The workflow issue is one that, if resolved, Mr Davidson believes could help make learning with devices in school an even better experience.

Bellshill Academy: workflow issues Mr Davidson (The Learning Centre) discusses workflow challenges he has faced with the Apple pilot

1:1 deployment, Apple, North Lanarkshire, Pilot overview, Teacher

Bellshill Academy: Pilot overview

April 17, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

The device pilot at Bellshill Academy in North Lanarkshire involved every pupil in the S1 cohort and every teacher who volunteered to be part of the pilot being given an iPad. In this interview Anne Munro (headteacher) and Willie Davidson (The Learning Centre) discuss their school’s involvement in North Lanarkshire’s device pilots and explain their thinking behind allocating an iPad to every first-year pupil and the importance of ensuring that they had buy-in from the staff.

bellshill_overview Mrs Munro (HT) and Mr Davidson (The Learning Centre) give an overview of the iPad pilot at Bellshill Academy

Anne Munro also discussed the thoroughness of the preparation required in the build up to running their pilot and what was involved in planning for parent information evenings to support their plans.

Bellshill Academy: Preparation Mrs Munro (HT) discusses the planning that took place prior to the pilot starting

Apple, North Lanarkshire, Trusting learners

Bellshill Academy: Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

April 15, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Willie Davidson (The Learning Centre) discussed with us the formation of the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and how a ‘deficit view’ of the learners at the school in terms of not trusting them to look after the devices was not allowed to set the agenda for the pilot. Rather than worrying about the unfortunate things that might happen to the device, the school decided to trust their learners and allow the devices to go home. It was a requirement, however, that the pupils’ parents/carers had to attend one of the information evenings for the pilot or make an appointment with the school if they could not attend any of the planned evenings, so that they were made fully aware of the expectations of the pilot and agreed to and signed the AUP. There was 100 percent attendance by all parents/carers. At the time of our visit to Bellshill Academy there had only been one instance of an iPad going missing and that was due to a burglary. There had been minimal instances of any type of misuse of the device or transgression of the AUP.

Bellshill Academy: Acceptable Use Policy Mr Davidson (The Learning Centre) discusses Bellshill Academy’s Acceptable Use Policy

Mr Davidson stressed that an AUP does not necessarily stop those who wish to misuse their iPad from doing so, but it does give the school the formal structure to ensure that learners and their parents/carers are made fully aware of what is not acceptable.

The AUP devised by Bellshill Academy is available as a pdf.

1:1 deployment, App purchase and management, Apple, Device management, North Lanarkshire

Bellshill Academy: Technical challenges with their iPad pilot

April 15, 2013 User deactivated Leave a comment

Willie Davidson (Learning Centre) at Bellshill Academy was a central figure in the planning and implementation of the iPad pilot at the school. In our discussions he talked of the many technical challenges that he faced in order to ensure that the pilot moved forward, such as those associated with wi-fi, iTunes accounts, parental issues and infrastructure.

One of the first challenges he recalls was associated with the purchase and management of apps for the iPads. He told us that when the pilot began there was no way of managing apps for a number of iPads centrally and as a result he had to buy 150 iTunes cards at a local store, scratch off the material to reveal the 15 digit number, then type those numbers into the computer for every card. This proved to be a time-consuming and laborious process and at the time was one that he was concerned about in terms of the sustainability of this process. He is aware that this issue has now been addressed to some extent with Apple introducing Apple Configurator and Volume Purchasing, services it is hoped will make the purchase and management of apps an easier process.

Bellshill Academy: Technical challenges Mr Davidson (The Learning Centre) discusses the technical challenges that the pilot faced

When the iPads were set up it was decided that the school would retain control of absolutely everything. iCloud accounts were set up using the school network login credentials that had already been allocated to pupils. Pupils were informed that they were not allowed to change the details of these accounts and this rule was written in to the Acceptable Use Policy. The pupils and their parents/carers were informed that the apps installed on the device were the property of the school and parents/carers were advised against tying their credit card to an iTunes account due to the fact that any purchased apps would still belong to the school and also because it would limit the chance for their account being hit with the costs of many purchases.

As part of the pilot a new wi-fi system was installed; however, this needed to be reviewed, particularly when it became apparent that the signal was not reaching the areas that it was intended to. Mr Davidson stressed in the interview the need to have a strong data connection for any school that intends to embark on a similar device pilot to theirs.