Frequently Asked Questions

Questions
1)  Why is Fargo Schools testing the iPad in a classroom at North High School?
2)  What is "1-to-1 Personalized Learning”?
3)  Who, how and why was this classroom selected?
4)  What are the goals of the pilot?
5)  How will the pilot be evaluated?
6)  How is the project funded?
7)  What is the cost to students and their families to participate in the pilot?
8)  How will students access the Internet when they are not in school?
9)  I am concerned about my child on the Internet at home with an iPad.
10)  What’s next?
 
Answers
1)  Q Why is Fargo Schools testing the iPad in a classroom at North High School?
A
Today's students will be graduating into a world that is very different from the one their parents graduated. Students must be challenged and supported to master content as well as develop the skills often referred to as "21st Century Skills". These include: creativity and innovation skills, critical thinking and problem solving, excellent communication and collaboration skills, technology literacy skills, civic and cross-cultural skills, and the productivity and leadership skills which will enable them to be responsible, self-directed learners and employees.

Just as the technologies outside of school have become increasingly mobile and personal, so have the instructional resources used in our classrooms. The iPad is a device that meets a broad spectrum of teaching and learning needs in a way that makes fiscal sense to deploy devices to students rather than spaces. We are looking for the students in this pilot to inform us about the feasibility of using an iPad to replace paper texts and the added value of 24-7 internet access for their learning.
2)  Q What is "1-to-1 Personalized Learning”?
A
1-to-1 Personalized Learning is the tailoring of teaching and learning to the needs of the individual student. The essential elements to create an effective personalized learning environment for all students are:
1. Flexible learning (anytime/anywhere).
2. Redefine teachers’ roles and expand "teacher"
3. Project-based, authentic learning
4. Student-driven learning path
5. Mastery/competency-based progression/pace

In a 1-to-1 Personalized Teaching and Learning environment, each participating student is provided access to a personal computing device on a direct and continuous basis throughout the school day, and beyond, if possible. 1-to-1 computing simply means: Anytime, anywhere technology for every student. Devices can be tailored to individual needs allowing each student more control over his/her learning.

What are the long-term goals of a 1:1 initiative?
• To increase student productivity inside and outside of the classroom.
• To integrate rich online academic resources such as digital textbooks, scholarly sources, content rich multimedia.
• To extend and expand learning beyond the school day
• To promote self-directed learning
• To enhance student learning with a focus on mathematics and writing

Resources:
http://www.k12one2one.org/
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2010/11/customizing_education_for_each.html
3)  Q Who, how and why was this classroom selected?
A
Travis Christensen will be piloting the iPads with a section of 23 students in his AP Euro course. All high school principals and media specialists were invited to forward the name(s) of teachers in their school who they thought would be willing to test this new device during an experimental 4-6 week window during the final weeks of school given a 2 month notice. Although all nominees would have embraced the challenge, the district is only funding 1 classroom for the pilot because there is a new iPad model being released in April that addresses some of the shortcomings of the first generation iPad. The district curriculum and technology administrators decided that choosing a northside school might be best given the current transitions on the southside due to the opening of Davies high school.
4)  Q What are the goals of the pilot?
A
1. Determine whether the iPad is a viable solution to replace text-based resources.
2. Identify and problem-solve the potential hurdles/barriers in ensuring students have wireless internet access OUTSIDE of school when they need it FOR school.
5)  Q How will the pilot be evaluated?
A
The pilot will be assessed primarily through anecdotal observation and weekly student and teacher journals. We will also gather information from students, parents, and teachers using a pre and post survey.
6)  Q How is the project funded?
A
The economic stimulus dollars will be used for the North High pilot. If the pilot is unsuccessful, the iPads will be redeployed to meet other district needs. I29 is providing 10 wireless modems free of charge for this pilot.
7)  Q What is the cost to students and their families to participate in the pilot?
A
There will be no cost to students or families to participate in the pilot unless a student has been found to be negligent and has caused the iPad to be damaged, lost or stolen.

The Fargo School District owns the iPads. Students will return the iPads to the district at the end of the pilot. Students will be expected to take care of the iPads as agreed to in the Fargo Public School Student Pledge for iPad Use, and the Parent-Student iPad Pilot Contract.
8)  Q How will students access the Internet when they are not in school?
A
Students who do not have home wireless internet connections can checkout a wireless modem from the FNH library for short-term use as needed.
9)  Q I am concerned about my child on the Internet at home with an iPad.
A
One focus for this iPad trial is to make sure that students have internet access at home that is available wirelessly for the iPad. But that does not mean that parents should feel they are required to change any existing rules for internet access at home. If your child is not to have a computer with an Internet connection in his or her room under normal circumstances, then the child should probably work on homework and projects using the iPad outside of the bedroom. In this case, it would also make sense to have the iPad stay in the backpack or bag outside of the bedroom at night as well.

Also, the iPads are not currently set up with any web filtering when they are outside of the school building. Any content available on the web is available on the iPad when it is at home. This is no different from any home computer with Internet access in this regard and something to keep in mind if Internet safety is a concern in your home. Being a very portable device, you can encourage your child to work on homework in a room with the family to provide some passive supervision.
10)  Q What’s next?
A
If the iPad pilot is successful, the district will work with middle and high school principals to develop short- and long-range plans to expand 1:1 personalized learning in all secondary (grades 6-12) schools. An expanded pilot would include a more intense focus on maximizing the impact of 1:1 personalized learning in our classrooms.