Digital Classrooms
Computer studies were once relegated to a classroom of their own. Once a week students would crowd around small grey screens to type basic text and play simple games.
Now digital technology in countless forms has become integral to learning. And many independent schools are at the forefront of their application.
Trinity Grammar School in Summer Hill is one of at least five schools in NSW to experiment with the use of tablet computing. Last year the school issued WiFi-enabled iPads to year 12 students, who are now using them to replace textbooks and store student hand-outs. The boys also use them to keep track of meetings and quickly communicate with teachers. All up, about 200 students and 160 staff use the devices.
Advantages have been many, says the program co-ordinator, Chris Barnes. Students carry less clutter and can access internet and library resources from anywhere in the school or at WiFi hotspots. Teachers also spend less time on administration tasks and more time actually teaching, Barnes says.
As the number of educational apps grows, so do the number of ways students use the devices. Maths, music, language and science apps are popular with students keen to create graphs, compose music, practise conversations or explore the periodic table. But there are also general programs for taking notes, recording lessons and annotating textbooks. Some students are even creating their own.
For those tempted to misuse their iPad, there are penalties in place.
Year 12 student Douglas Ritchie says his device has replaced textbooks. “We get reminders for meetings and we use them for emails. It’s just as accessible [as paper] but it’s more convenient.”
But iPads aren’t the only way to improve student learning. At the Lindfield and Stanmore junior campuses of Newington College, about 40 teachers are using an infra-red sound system called Lightspeed, which enables students to hear lessons more clearly. Teachers wear a microphone around their neck, which is connected to a wireless receiver in the classroom.
“The teacher’s voice isn’t magnified but the sound is bounced around the room in such a way that the voice can be heard clearly in any area,” says the deputy head of the Lindfield school, Sylvia Robertson.
Teachers have seen a big improvement over the past two years. “We wouldn’t be without it now,” Robertson says. Students seem more focused and noise outside the classroom is no longer a distraction, she adds.
High-definition video conferencing is also used to enhance learning in schools across the state. The image looks much clearer than regular internet video and can be used to connect students to galleries, universities and other students overseas. Teachers can also use it to share ideas and learn from education experts.