iPads hold their own but no book burning at NE Dubois yet

Alex Bauer and Chase Riecker in the hallway at NE Dubois Middle School are reading along to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor as the audio plays on an iPad. An audiobook application or “app” reads aloud the classic novel with Chase. Other students choose to read the book without the iPad — Alex Bauer and Chase Riecker in the hallway at NE Dubois Middle School are reading along to *Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry* by Mildred Taylor as the audio plays on an iPad. An audiobook application or “app” reads aloud the classic novel with Chase. Other students choose to read the book without the iPad

Contrary to popular rumor books are not being burned in Dubois.

But iPads have begun replacing them in the classroom.

Teachers and administrators claim they are tools, but students can use them as toys. And with iPads now in the hands of every student in grades 7 thru 12 at Northeast (NE) Dubois Schools, all admit that both uses occur.

“We did not get rid of textbooks,” Northeast Dubois High School Principal Rick Gladish said. “We made a decision not to stay in the cycle of purchasing new textbooks. We want the best of both worlds right now.”

Past years’ textbooks remain stacked in the classrooms, accessible for students to use or take home. However, many students seem to opt for the lighter load in their backpacks as illustrated by teacher Jesse Rosborough’s tongue-in-cheek sign over his stack of science books.

Yearly “book” rental bills don’t consist textbook fees. Now, students are charged for rental of the iPad and approved Apps which add up to nearly $100.

They are also charged a one-time $20.65 fee for an iPad case, which they will keep with the same iPad until graduation.

The optional $25 insurance is popular with the parents who want to avoid the full cost of replacing a broken iPad. This limits their liability to a $50 deductible to fix the iPad.

Depending on child’s classes and activities, more class fees might be added to the bill. Busy high school students pay as much as $200 for the year, but the corporation claims rental bills have remained similar to past year’s “book bills”.

In its first year of implementation, the schools give both the students and the teachers flexibility in how they utilize the machines. According to Middle School Principal Ryan Case, each student and teacher uses them for different uses and amounts of time.

Mary Grimes and Maddy Laux using the devices to study and complete school work.

“Our biggest hope is that the iPad is a tool, not a toy,” Case said.

Bringing iPads into the classrooms were the students idea, Case explained. The corporation held a massive student-feedback survey which resulted in many requests from students for more technology in the classroom.

Joining a larger technology initiative in public education, the smallest school corporation in the county became the first to bestow every student with their own technology device. But the decision was not rushed. The corporation is in the 4th phase of a 6-phase technology overhaul, which aims to put an iPad in every student’s hand, including kindergartners, by 2015-16.

Teachers were gifted iPads last December to experiment with at home. They brought ideas back to the classroom and iPads were frequently discussed at faculty meetings.

This spring, the corporation appointed business and computer teacher Shanna Steckler as the school’s Technology Integrations Specialist. Steckler provides technology support throughout the school corporation, which now largely means problem-solving and repair for iPads. Although she admits the most frequent repair of the screen requires a third party.

Carly Terwiske studies at NE Dubois' library. A stack of out of date books and concordances forms an interesting sculpture in the background. — Carly Terwiske studies at NE Dubois’ library. A stack of out-of-date books and concordances forms an interesting sculpture in the background.

Steckler also heads the teacher and student iPad training. Teachers meet with her every two weeks to work through issues. Some grasp use of the iPad easier than others.

“Everybody is transitioning. It will take time and everybody grasps the technology differently,” Steckler says. “Its all in their willingness to adapt to it. A handful of students don’t like technology. But, a lot of them realize technology is the future and that we have to grasp it and move on.”

Many students seem to grasp how to use the iPads, using them interchangeably for school work and fun. In a College Entrance Prep (CEP) class comprised of mostly juniors and two seniors, the students use their iPads to help study for a vocabulary exam.

“It’s better than looking at paper,” Junior Jace Kahle said. He can actively toggle between words on his iPad to assist in his studies.

Students and parents have had mixed feelings about the sudden switch to iPads. María Cumins has a son using an iPad at Dubois Middle School, and she loves it.

She said his Asperger’s syndrome made organization in school difficult. He often lost homework papers and was forced to repeat assignments. “Now, he never loses assignments because they are all on the iPad,” Cumins says. “His grades have already improved drastically.”

Cumins’ son doesn’t share his mom’s sentiment about the iPads. “They stink,” he said.

Some parents share his point of view as well. They say they haven’t seen any greater benefit using the iPads over textbooks.

Stacy Wilson and her husband are two parents hesitant to the dramatic technology shift. They have two children with iPads this year, in 8th and 10th grades. By the 2015-16 School year, each of her 3 children will carry an iPad instead of textbooks to and from school.

“It’s a waste of school funding, especially when the state is already taking funding away from public schools,” Wilson said. “And most of the kids have their own iPads.”

“I know technology is important and kids need to learn to use it,” She continued. “But, I don’t think schools need to provide an iPad for every child.”

chemistry-1-jesse-rosborough-(1) — Jesse Rosborough, NE Dubois’ Chemistry teacher, comes from a school corporation that had already integrated iPads into the classroom. Students in his chemistry class use them during lectures as well as labs.

But they have and they will. And school officials want to keep improving how they are used in classrooms. Some teachers like Jesse Rosborough are using them to their full potential. New to NE Dubois this year, Rosborough says he was working with iPads in the classroom at his last school Union High in Dugger, Ind.

“Hopefully, I’ve hit the ground running. I don’t do much with paper unless [students] really want to.” Rosborough says. “If they have a charge, it saves a lot of time and makes our classroom more productive.”

Rosborough says his students use the iPads for internet research, note-taking and even tests. As a lab starts in the classroom, at least one student in the group sets up their iPad to assist with the hands-on-learning. But, like talking on breaks, students can peruse websites unrelated to class while waiting to begin the lab.

The schools put up blocks to inappropriate sites, including pornography and YouTube. Students at the middle school are additionally blocked from social network websites like Facebook and Twitter as well as email. But students have found ways to access blocked sites and download video and games during school.

“Of course, kids are resilient and find ways around things we try to block,” Principal Case admits. “Our goal is eventually that we don’t have to block things. We want students to learn to use them respectfully.”

Senior Kateland Bailey sums up students sentiments by calling iPads “distracting” knowing she can access movies and other diversions while in class. But she says they are useful too.

“When you’re sick, teachers can put all your assigments on your iPad through MyBigCampus,” she says. “That way students don’t fall behind when they miss a class.”

MyBigCampus is learning management software used by the school corporation to facilitate school use of the iPads. The software serves as an educational hub between students and the Web by allowing teachers to place lessons, assignments, reporting and calendars into a protected and collaborative community. It’s used for everything related to iPad school work.

Another student, Freshman Grant Burke says they are nice when they work. But he says it seems as soon as they get fixed, another problem pops up.

Although students take the iPads to every class, according to Junior Chloe Johnson, “We don’t use them all day. You use them for whatever you want to do.”

She said before she pointed out a dress she was looking at on her iPad.

Love them or hate them, iPads have already established their place at the Dubois schools. Like at libraries, technology is rapidly replacing traditional ways of retrieving information. Some embrace the change. Others buck.

They have not replaced books, at least not yet. But, perhaps they have declared war on the antiquity of heavy history books that put you to sleep. But, if you drool on your iPad, you better hope you paid for insurance.