Red Deer Catholic Schools recently approved a recommendation to allow students in Grade 6 and higher to use personal wireless devices at school through the division's wireless network.Board chair Adriana Lagrange said she thought the idea was a good one, especially if ó as the division has done ó students are taught how to use technology appropriately.ìThe reality is technology is here to stay. Anything we can do to ensure their safety and that they're learning how to use technology appropriately is a plus for them in today's society,î she said.Paulette Hannah, Red Deer Catholic's superintendent, said a pilot project was undertaken at St. Thomas Aquinas Middle School in Red Deer from April though November. Students were given four lessons on digital citizenship. The students' devices were registered with the division and they gained access to the web through the division's wireless network, which has filters on it. When the devices are registered with the division, the technology department can monitor where the students navigate.ìWhat we wanted to do was we wanted to increase student engagement by having students use their personal devices at school,î she said.The project also worked with teachers on how to integrate the devices into their lesson plans.At the end of the process, students, staff and parents were surveyed to see if student engagement was improved, how useful the devices were and whether or not instruction was differentiated, and whether using laptops, iPhones or other devices should be continued in the school setting.ìThe responses on those survey questions was very, very positive. The board is also concerned about equity and in some cases students just can't afford personal devices ó or they may choose not to bring them,î Hannah said, noting that the school also purchased iPod Touches and laptops for student use.Hannah noted that once the division's wireless network is available at all middle and high schools, students can use the network if their teachers agree that using devices is beneficial to students. Hannah estimated the division's wireless network could be completed in about two or three months.Dave Khatib, principal of St. Thomas Aquinas, said several guiding principles were used in the project including ensuring a safe environment for students, equitability for students, and making sure teachers were using the technology constructively in the classroom.ìWe worked with teachers on professional development and how to incorporate personal electronic devices into their lesson delivery,î he said.Khatib said students were the most keen to use the technology.ìOur students were probably the ones that drove us the most in wanting to use this in the classroom,î he said.Khatib said as one example, Grade 8 science was totally digital, with all text materials online and teachers' lessons online.ìStudents can then take the work they've been working on at school and bring it home in a seamless technology environment. We're looking at how we incorporate what students use on a daily basis Ö (and) how do we incorporate that into a learning environment for them. And that was where we were moving,î he said.During the pilot project at St. Thomas Aquinas, all 380 students had access to digital devices. Khatib estimated about one-third of the student population brought their own devices to school.ìWe anticipated that the numbers weren't going to be as high, but we were also knowing that once the pilot took off, that would increase. And what we're finding is that students are continually bringing their technology to school to register it on our network.î
