**Please Note** After posting this editorial I have received multiple accounts of
teachers and schools who have had very negative experiences with the LearnPad.
Some were sent via email, and some are posted in the comments below. I would urge any educational organization to consider these accounts prior to making a purchase.
teachers and schools who have had very negative experiences with the LearnPad.
Some were sent via email, and some are posted in the comments below. I would urge any educational organization to consider these accounts prior to making a purchase.
Over the past few months, we’ve mentioned the LearnPad Tablet from Educational Resources several times. The tablet is designed specifically for classrooms and is ready to be put to use right out of the box. And, while the LearnPad is the winner of multiple education technology awards, I have been curious to hear specific feedback from actual classrooms to find out how the device functions in the field.
Fortunately, thanks to Marcia Feltes, the technology teacher at St. Peter School in Geneva, IL, I was given just such an opportunity.
Fortunately, thanks to Marcia Feltes, the technology teacher at St. Peter School in Geneva, IL, I was given just such an opportunity.
How it all Began
St. Peter School began looking for a 1:1 device for their classrooms back in November of 2012. They looked at other tablets, laptops, and discussed a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy as well. Originally, they had planned on implementing a different tablet, but in July of 2013 Marcia discovered the LearnPad at the ISTE conference. After seeing the device in action, and discussing the idea with the school administration, St. Peter School decided the LearnPad was the best option for their school.
The official rollout of the school’s 1:1 program began this school year (2013-2014) with the 8th grade class of 45 students. Each student takes the device to every class and takes it home with them each night. They also purchased 6 extra LearnPads which are currently being used as a “center” with the K-4th graders. Next year, the 7th graders will be included in the 1:1 program, and it will continue to grow from there.
The official rollout of the school’s 1:1 program began this school year (2013-2014) with the 8th grade class of 45 students. Each student takes the device to every class and takes it home with them each night. They also purchased 6 extra LearnPads which are currently being used as a “center” with the K-4th graders. Next year, the 7th graders will be included in the 1:1 program, and it will continue to grow from there.
Professional Development
When the school received the LearnPads, the teachers and staff began with a full day of professional development last September. Basic training on the device was given, and teachers had time to begin creating their own lessons.
The next week, the LearnPads were distributed to the 8th graders. Throughout the school year, the 8th grade teachers who are using the LearnPads have met regularly to develop lessons and work out issues. During February, a representative from LearnPad visited the school to offer a half-day training session, which turned out to be incredibly helpful and supportive.
After talking with Marcia, she says the only thing she would change if given the opportunity to start fresh, would be to allow the teachers more time to work with the device before giving them to the students as well. Overall, the process went fairly smoothly, but giving the teachers more time to familiarize themselves with the tablets would likely have led to a more effective rollout.
The next week, the LearnPads were distributed to the 8th graders. Throughout the school year, the 8th grade teachers who are using the LearnPads have met regularly to develop lessons and work out issues. During February, a representative from LearnPad visited the school to offer a half-day training session, which turned out to be incredibly helpful and supportive.
After talking with Marcia, she says the only thing she would change if given the opportunity to start fresh, would be to allow the teachers more time to work with the device before giving them to the students as well. Overall, the process went fairly smoothly, but giving the teachers more time to familiarize themselves with the tablets would likely have led to a more effective rollout.
Challenges & Successes
According to Marcia, the biggest challenge they have faced so far has been finding enough time for teachers to work together on lessons and tackle the problems they have encountered along the way. Additionally, the school is still having occasional issues with a few apps, the default and teacher toolkits, and syncing everything with Google Drive and Google Docs. They have also met with challenges in the math classroom, as they need an app that would allow them to easily create documents using mathematics symbols. With that being said, the technical support teams at Educational Resources have been wonderful in helping the staff resolve these issues and move forward in lesson development.
However, overall there have a been many successes as well, and as a whole, Marcia is very satisfied with the devices. The teachers are integrating e-books and online learning activities into the curriculum, they are uploading guided notes so students can access the material at home, and some teachers even have posted all of their homework online so students can work exclusively from the LearnPad.
Teachers are also exploring ways to flip their classrooms using sites like Kahn Academy. As for Marcia, the technology teacher, she is using the device to create lessons (and share sample products) for Photoshop and Scratch that the students can explore through on the tablets. This way, the students can follow the directions and look at samples on their tablets, while completing programming and design tasks on their desktop PCs.
Teachers are also exploring ways to flip their classrooms using sites like Kahn Academy. As for Marcia, the technology teacher, she is using the device to create lessons (and share sample products) for Photoshop and Scratch that the students can explore through on the tablets. This way, the students can follow the directions and look at samples on their tablets, while completing programming and design tasks on their desktop PCs.
Advice for Other Schools
With all that being said, Marcia would definitely recommend the LearnPad. While they have had minor challenges along the way, the support from the LearnPad team has been terrific. She also suggests allowing enough time for teacher training and practice before student rollout. If teachers could begin PD in June (or even in the Spring semester), that would give them plenty of time to familiarize themselves with the tablet.
Marcia also recommends giving plenty of time during the school year for teachers to work together on ironing out difficulties and sharing ideas. Finally, for those teachers who excel with technology, they should be given the opportunity to share their ideas and successes with the rest of the staff.
Overall, the LearnPad is excellent, award-winning tablet, with the added benefit of being specifically designed for educational environments. If your district is considering a 1:1 program, or purchasing sets of tablets for classroom use, you should definitely add the LearnPad to your prospective list. You can find out more information on the LearnPad website.
Marcia also recommends giving plenty of time during the school year for teachers to work together on ironing out difficulties and sharing ideas. Finally, for those teachers who excel with technology, they should be given the opportunity to share their ideas and successes with the rest of the staff.
Overall, the LearnPad is excellent, award-winning tablet, with the added benefit of being specifically designed for educational environments. If your district is considering a 1:1 program, or purchasing sets of tablets for classroom use, you should definitely add the LearnPad to your prospective list. You can find out more information on the LearnPad website.
