MOKANE - A year after adding iPads districtwide, South Callaway R-2 Schools continue working towards truly integrating technology instead of using it as a replacement for traditional classroom tools.
Mary Van Orden, district director of curriculum and instruction, said the school board invested in the iPads, and the schools are continuing to invest time and resources into using them in ways that help students learn best.
With countless apps available, teachers and instructional coaches in the district all have their own personal favorites for classroom instruction. But the district has made a strong commitment to one app - Schoology, a classroom management system.
Tucker Bartley, high school teacher and instructional coach, described the app as a virtual classroom. Teachers can send out links and lessons, hold discussions and keep absent students updated on what they missed.
Liz Bittle, another teacher and instructional coach, said the Early Learning and Childhood building is working towards using technology in a more "transformative" way.
"Most of the teachers have found ways to integrate it at a beginning level; we are working at integrating it in a more transformative way - not just replacing paper and pencil," Bittle said.
She added there are a great deal of apps aimed at pre-K through second-grade children.
"That's one of the best things we are doing in this building, just getting some great apps these kids can work on," Bittle said. "The kids can take a picture, write about and tell where they are."
In that building, iPads stay at school and in the classroom. For other buildings in the district, older students take their iPads home to use for homework.
Bittle described technology as a second language to her, but said today's students are true digital natives.
South Callaway science teacher Champagne Minx often uses apps to show students models in class.
"Obviously we can't go out to space and I can't get them down to a molecular level. There are a lot of modeling apps that we use in the classroom," Minx said.
Sarah Zolinski, middle school English/language arts teacher, said working with apps on the iPads and utilizing Google docs has helped keep students organized. Since students write on the iPad, she said there are a lot fewer lost papers.
She added she can better hold students accountable as well. With some apps, she can tell how long they had it open and if they really did read that day's homework assignment. Also, when she shares a Google doc with them, she can see what progress they make while typing.
"For keeping track of records and assignments it's so much easier than having them try to dig it out of their locker or whatever place it ended up crumpled on the floor," Zolinski said.
Zolinski also does interactive instruction slides for four different spelling groups. Then, she gives students the set of instructional slides that are aimed at what they most need to focus on.
"I can essentially have a lesson for four different groups that's taking place at the same time," Zolinski said.
She said that students don't seem less or more engaged with the iPads. She said that teachers still need to manage their classroom and keep kids focused.