Tablet Implementation . Fall 2012

Aquin Technology Vision Statement

We WILL prepare our students to be effective contributors in the digital age.  

Fall 2012

• Grades 4-12 students will be required to have an android device with them every day--just like pencil and paper.
  • Option 1:  Purchase a tablet or phone--1 per student (devices cannot be shared by siblings)
    • Acer A100 tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich Android Platform
      • available locally at Walmart or online for $249
    • Ainol Elf with Ice Cream Sandwich Android Platform
      • only available by order through Aquin for $130
    • Newer (2012) Android SmartPhone
      • smaller than tablet, a bit more difficult to use
      • monthly service contract
  • Option 2:  Use a tablet provided by Aquin--1 per student (devices cannot be shared by siblings)
    • use tablet provided by Aquin
    • must insure school-provided tablets and pay insurance before student receives tablet
      • premiums beginning at $40/school year/tablet
• Preschool-Grade 3
  • School will provide tablets in the classroom.
  • School-owned tablets will not be allowed to go home.
  • Optional:  Parents may purchase a tablet or phone for use by their student at home.
• Additional School Supplies for all students
  • zippered binder for transporting tablet ‘to and from home’ and ‘to and from classroom’
  • headphones--particular sets will be determined by age of student.  Earbuds don’t fit little student’s ears

While this may seem like a big investment for you, it is an even bigger investment for Aquin. 

Teachers . . .

• will re-invent the classroom to integrate these tools for the benefit of their students.  This does not mean that they will be using the tablets every minute of every day and students will not use a pencil and paper.  It does mean that they will find the best optimization and integration of this technology as a learning tool and facilitate the acquisition of critical thinking skills--the foundation of the new Common Core State Standards.
• will teach without a textbook (or at least a paper one).  With the availability of ebooks, apps, and countless other electronic resources, there is no need to invest thousands of dollars in textbooks that are obsolete when they are printed.  
• will incorporate electronic planners, podcasts, classrooms without walls and more to make your students ready for the jobs they will have when they are adults--jobs which don’t even exist yet

Aquin . . .

• has invested in infrastructure improvements to handle the flow of information in the wireless world. 
• tech committee is constantly working on our vision so we are able to move forward in a controlled and logical progression.  We are not just bringing toys into the classroom so we can say we’re keeping up with other schools.  We’re bringing learning tools into the classroom so we can enhance learning.  
• will provide tablets for our lower grades.  Other purchases on the horizon may be projectors and/or document cameras.  Currently we have 5 classrooms at each campus that don’t have a projector or a document camera.  These tools can connect to the teacher’s tablet to enhance the learning environment.

What do you need to do?

• 4th-12th grade parents:  
  • decide if you are going to purchase a tablet from Aquin for your student or provide your student with an android device on your own (from the Aquin recommendations above).
• preschool-3rd grade parents:
  • decide if you are going to purchase a tablet from Aquin for your students to be used at home

More information:

• Aquin’s tablet purchase in June 2012 will be the ONLY tablet purchase made for the 2012-13 school year.
• Due to the capabilities of the tablet, we are requiring that each student have his or her own android device.  Siblings will not be able to use the same tablet.  The tablet identifies with 1 user in many applications--Google, planners, email, etc.  Think of it like basketball shoes.  You can’t share those at the same time--and the tablets actually cost less than the shoes!
• Newer android smartphones (2012 models) that utilize the android market will work, but there are limitations due to their size.  If your student is ok with that, we’re ok with that.