iPad/Digital Texts Pilot: Phase II

RCDS will continue to pilot iPads and digital texts during the 2012-2013 academic year. Preliminary findings and new questions that emerged from the 2011-2012 phase of the pilot suggested that another year of exploration is warranted before making recommendations regarding the use of iPads and digital texts at RCDS.

What are the goals of Phase II?

The guiding questions for Phase II are as follows:

1. How can iPads be used in Lower School classrooms to differentiate learning, support academic choice, and support the curriculum?
2. What will be the role of iPads (or other e-readers) in our K-12 curriculum? In what ways is our intended use of iPads different from our intended use of laptops in the classroom?
3. How useful are iPads with e-texts? Are they workable for note taking, SMARTBoard use, etc? Are they useful in flipped classroom situations?
4. Are e-texts a viable option for students? For whom would e-texts be an appropriate choice?
5. What is the relative ease of e-text use across the board: reading, note taking and sharing, searching, testing/evaluation, grading/commenting, etc.? Will students prefer e-texts or printed texts after exposure?
6. What are the relative costs of digital texts?
7. How will learning change with digital texts? Will be see an improvement or not?
8. How will teaching change with digital texts? How will interactions with students change?
9. What technical support will be required for this additional layer? Will we have bandwidth issues for internet access? Does our current in-class technology support the integration of iPads?

What will Phase II entail?

All courses, including every class in the Lower School, are eligible to participate in the pilot in one of three ways:

1. iPads only (to explore apps, content creation, internet use, etc.)
2. E-texts on laptops only
3. E-texts on iPads and laptops

There is no set timeframe for participation. Teachers may participate anywhere from one day up to several weeks at a time. Feedback will be gathered from every class that participates.

If you have any questions about either Phase I or Phase II of RCDS’s Digital Text Pilot, please contact Meredith deChabert, Assistant Head of School, at 914-925-4613.