Pupils all in favour of 'tablet' classroom

Steve Maharey with Brooklyn School pupils Alastair Baldwin, left, Hamish Loader and Ken Tildesley, right. Picture / Mark Mitchell

Ken Tildesley reckons he has the jump on older generations when it comes to the new technology his school offers.

"I used to be jealous of my Dad's laptop, but now he's jealous of mine," says the year 5 pupil from Wellington's Brooklyn School.

Ten-year-old Ken was referring to the small hand-held computers - called tablets - that have been given to each of the 27 pupils in his year 5 and 6 class.

The country's first "tablet classroom" is part of the Education Ministry's e-learning plan that looks at the role of information technology in education. The plan includes an annual investment of more than $50 million to support e-learning for the next four years.

Other programmes include providing laptops and training for teachers, upgrades to the school network, and getting all schools access to the latest software.

"It is vital that all children are confident using new technology and have access to it as part of their school day," said Education Minister Steve Maharey.

Brooklyn School teacher Trish Blacktop said the tablets helped fill the seats in her classroom.

"[Yesterday] the kids were keen to start work before the bell even went," she said. "The kids love them."

The tablets programme has cost the ministry about $140,000 over two years and is one of 10 of its Digital Opportunities projects.

The tablets have the same functions as a regular computer, but include foldaway keyboards and screens that can be adjusted to lie flat so students can write on them using a stylus.

"Part of [the plan] is using innovative approaches to learning and trying new technologies," says Murray Brown, ICT manager at the ministry.

"[Brooklyn School] is very clear on what it wants to do and finds that the technology helps to do that in ways that are motivating and engaging. That's the value of the exercise."