Pupils get hands on tablet computers

TECH SAVVY: Willy Jephson surrounded by some of the pupils who will be using the technology, including Grace Lee, 9, and Leo Gerard, 8, who were armed for action yesterday. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

An iPad initiative at St Mary's School will equip each senior pupil at the Carterton school with a miniature version of the tablet computer.

St Mary's principal Tim Nelson said he was able to establish the initiative, which will put an iPad Mini in the hands of each of the 29 pupils enrolled for next year, after re-negotiating a technology contract at the decile 6 school and securing funds from the school coffers.

He said the initiative at the school, which has a roll of 83 pupils, would free up a collection of laptops that would then be transferred to Year 3 and 4 pupils for 1 to 1 laptop lessons.

Another two classes would share another 15 laptops from next year as well.

Mr Nelson, who successfully launched a similar scheme using iPods during his previous role as deputy principal at Lakeview School, said he would be using the experience to enhance and improve the iPad initiative at St Mary's School.

He said the Apple devices had won the lion's share slice of the tablet computer market and consequently were commanding the greater number of "quality" apps and software programmes.

He said teacher Willy Jephson would be taking up a new role as a seniors teacher next year and would lead the iPad initiative.

Apps that would be used included iWork, Khan Academy and Keynote and the language app Duolingo would also be used to teach Spanish, in which Mr Jephson is a fluent speaker.

"I was never an Apple fanboy until I started the iPod class at Lakeview and now I know what to do and the way to make the initiative work."

Mr Nelson outlined the initiative to parents at a meeting at the school last night.