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CTS is trialling Apple education iPads in lessons

Students at Corby Technical School are taking part in a month-long study to see how iPads can be used most effectively in schools.

Two form groups from Years 7 and 8, and their teachers, have each been loaned an iPad to use in interactive lessons allowing them to take part in tuition at their own pace, and submitting coursework and homework electronically.

John Henrys, the Trust’s Head of Analytics, Systems Performance and Innovation, and a team of teachers and IT professionals visited Apple HQ to see the technology demonstrated at first hand.

Mr Henrys said: ‘We are excited about the potential that this technology has. At the end of the trial we will see if we can evidence the educational impact that the iPads have made. This is a really exciting project as this technology can provide a seamless transition between subjects and allow students and staff to upload and share work quickly and effectively. The staff who are trialling this are all very enthusiastic and well versed in technology so we will be giving it a robust trial to see how the advantages stack up against financial considerations.’

Nicki Wise, an Apple Professional Learning Specialist, has been working with teachers at Corby Technical School, to make sure that they understand and utilise all of the features on offer. They will be using the iPads across the the subject specialisms of geography, PE, DT, languages, science, geography, art and history.

Art and DT teacher, Rob Cooper, is co-ordinating the project at CTS. He said: ‘The project group has visited de Ferrers School which uses iPads for all of their lessons. It works really well. All students are given an iPad when they start school and use them for the majority of their subjects. It is a more integrated approach so once students come into a classroom their device automatically synchs with the teacher’s iPad so moving from one lesson to another is effortless and all the work from their whole school career, is available to them all of the time. There is also easy access to resources, such as online quizzes and activities.

‘Students have also been given an Apple pencil so they can draw straight onto the screen. It will be great for art as a lot of skills are going digital, so it will be really good for our students to have that experience. There’s lots of benefits to using the iPads and the students are very excited about using and trialling them and we, as teachers, are very keen to see the results that this gets.’

The technology being used in art lessons (left) and Spanish lessons (above).