Staff at Sir Jonathan North worked on a project using iPads as a staff development tool, in order to integrate mobile technology into classroom practice. The project also included the involvement of Year 7 (aged 11-12) and Year 9 (aged 13-14) student groups, which were established to support students in developing their independent learning skills alongside their use of ICT. More information about the project can be accessed at: http://lccdigilit.our.dmu.ac.uk/2014/07/21/training-teachers-in-mobile-learning-final-update/

1. Gearing Up to Mobile
Learning
Peter Guthrie
Sir Jonathan North Community
College

2. Aims of the project
• Prior to the large deployment of iPads within the school
as part of the BSF implementation we wanted to upskill
our staff to be able to use them effectively from day one

3. Challenges
• Staff unwilling to experiment with technology
• Need to experiment with technical architecture
• Limited budget

4. Our strategy
• Staff training for all
• Budgets for each team
• New technologies innovation group to lead practice and
feed into team meetings
• Fleet of iPads for staff to take home and play

5. What hurdles have we
had to overcome?
• Wi-fi and networks
• EMPSN
• Licenses
• Data protection
• Saving work

6. Successes
• All teachers are trained in how to use an iPad to
enhance teaching and learning
• A core group are consistently using their iPads in
lessons and very keen to get them out this year
• Nearly at the point of deploying e-textbooks to reduce
book costs
• 10 teachers trained to create iBooks to reduce printing
costs
• Over half of the teaching staff has borrowed an iPad
over an extended period

7. Most successful
apps
• Coach’s Eye
o Used in PE, Dance and drama
o Can help in analysing movement and many
other areas
• Comic Life
o Used across the school to make engaging
comic books

8. Where next?
• We need to build on our successes and integrate apple
TV installation, good work in learning development
• Reduce printing costs through iBooks
• Introduce innovation sessions in briefing, team meeting
slots for new technologies specialists