I wanted to talk a little about how we use the iPads and technology in school to support learning. Alongside the children’s dedicated computing lessons, from Year 2 up they have a dedicated iPad for their use in school. We have tried to be measured and careful in our use of devices – the main premise being that they are there to support and enhance the learning of the children.
I’d like to share some examples of use that I regularly see in school. One might be that a teacher can share a picture prompt for a writing activity, not just on the big screen at the front, but on the iPads so that all children can see it properly. The children can then collaborate on ideas and vocabulary that they might use to describe the picture using an app called Padlet, which are shared with everyone before they write the actual story in their books. Another example might be that a teacher may give a quick quiz on the iPad on information taught previously to see if the children have understood or retained it – the teacher can instantly access those results which can then inform their lesson planning if it turns out more review is needed. And finally, in a science lesson on say, mini beasts, children may be able to go outside, take a photo of a mini beast and label it on their iPad, negating the need for worksheets and making a strong connection between the real world and their learning.
There are so many other positive aspects of our use of digital learning that we are planning an evening next term to showcase these. Please be aware we are most definitely mindful of ‘screen time’ and the perils of using iPads as a ‘treat’. Children still complete most of their work handwritten and in exercise books and use of tech needs to be justified in lesson plans as being a better alternative to more traditional forms of teaching.