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American Studies iPad Pilot

FBE UNDERWRITES PILOT INNOVATION PROJECT

The Foundation for Belmont Education (FBE) and the Belmont Public Schools (BPS) are excited to announce that the FBE will provide funding for a pilot project exploring how the use of iPads might improve overall instruction at Belmont High School (BHS) and ultimately across the district.

Students in four American Studies classes at BHS will use department-issued iPads for accessing content and assessing independent learning. Students will use iPads at home to read and annotate digital textbooks, access primary sources, capture research about various topics, participate in online discussions, and prepare multimedia presentations.

This pilot program will assess how portable technology like iPads might improve the quality of instruction and more effectively engage students. The pilot will also explore the potential economic benefits of relying on electronic media rather than conventional high-cost textbooks.

The American Studies project is one of several possible initiatives that the FBE and BPS are exploring with the goal of improving overall teaching models throughout the system. The Foundation’s volunteer board will assist district leaders in evaluating promising pilots. They will focus on the extent to which integration of twenty-first century technology helps students improve their learning.

The FBE just completed its successful T3 campaign, which raised funds to provide more than 100 classroom Smart Boards, establishing the infrastructure of technology in the classrooms. This next investment in innovation pilots promises continued support not merely for applying technology to classrooms, but also for the training and practice necessary to use the technology wisely.

Superintendent Kingston noted: "The Belmont teachers and students are so fortunate to have the partnership of the Foundation and its encouragement to imagine what innovative teaching in the 21st century might look like. The iPad project will let us test some assumptions, try some new practices, and explore how we can improve use of technology in economical ways."

FBE President Jamie Shea agreed: "The FBE is really excited about its new BPS partnership. We are very interested to see how iPad usage can increase student achievement and drive innovation."