Pilot Projects (July 2011)

There are a number of new and innovative projects happening within our schools.  This is a list of some of the exciting pilots happening in our schools.

Tablet Devices

Pilot Schools: Several pilot sites

Questions being researched

·        Why tablets? What compelling reasons are there to use tablets instead of regular computers or netbooks?

·        How do you secure/manage/charge the devices? Should we use the netbook carts for these?

·        Is the price for the tablet device (~$500) reasonable for their functionality vs. notebook (~$1000) or netbook (~$320)?

·        How did you deploy the tablets? (a) Teacher use only?  (b) One class use?  (c) One grade use?  (d) Bookable by multiple classes?

·        What grade levels did you use the tablets with? Which grades are best suited to tablets (if any)?

·        Which software (apps) are appropriate or did you use most? Which software did you miss (if any)? What software did you use for writing/drawing on the tablets (e.g., Adobe Ideas, web-based Notebook?)

·        Which peripherals need to work with the tablets? (printers, scanners, data projectors, USB sticks, cameras)

·        What multimedia functionality built into the tablet is important and useful for the classroom?

·        Are tablets easier to use than laptops or desktops?

·        How to get software on the proprietary devices (e.g., Apple Apps Store ... how to handle?)

·        How can support for operating systems that are new to Halton (e.g., iOS, Android) be provided?

·        Storage, management, charging, software updates, security ... how to manage all of these on tablet devices?

·        Touch-screen: gimmick or genuine need for learning?

·        What preparation/work did you undergo with students as you implemented the tablets?

·        Is the battery life adequate/inadequate? How do windows vs. iOS devices compare for battery life?

·        Is the boot time slow/fast/advantageous/not vs. regular computers?

·        Are there any special advantages/disadvantages because of form factor (e.g., small size, no lid)?

·        What are the most frequently-used applications/purpose for tablets in the classroom?

Status: Some pilots have started

Document Camera

Pilot Schools: At Florence Meares Public School

Questions being researched

·        Will this document camera perform comparably to the existing solution, especially under adverse lighting?

·        What is the maximum field of view?

Status: Ongoing.  Pilot approved April 2011

Full Day Kindergarten Technology

Pilot Schools: To be used by teachers and ECEs in 15 classrooms throughout the Board

Questions being researched:

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of each device (iPad, netbook, tablet) when teachers document played based learning.
• What technical issues remain unresolved?

Status: Purchased the following hardware for evaluation starting September 2011

• 5 Apple iPads with the larger memory for storing lots of video
• 5 Netbooks
• 5 Tablets - Android
• cameras