Edina Digital Age Learning

Edina High School Chemistry teacher, Gavin McLean has begun incorporating student devices into his instruction. Last year, 9th grade students were given the option to participate in our eLearning2 initiative . Last spring, McLean recognized that those students would be coming to the high school with devices, and began brainstorming ways that he could incorporate them. Early on, he worried about student devices in his lab space. He saw potential for students to enter their observations electronically, but worried about devices getting damaged if they were on the lab surface. He took it upon himself to build stands that students could use in the lab. Color coded for each station, they provide students with a stable platform to set their Chromebook, laptop or tablet on. 4 Chemistry classrooms are now outfitted for students to bring devices. I had a chance to stop by a lab to see students in action. They have been were doing some identification and entering in data into a shared G...

Recently, one of my colleagues forwarded an e-mail that his daughter wrote to her teachers at the start of the school year. She is a 9th grader, who has participated in our "Go Wireless" Bring Your Own Device Initiative the last two years.  Dear Teachers , My name is Cristiana H, and I'll be in your class this coming year. As a certified bring your own device student, I'm interested in ways to further digitize my learning environment. Currently I use my iPad as a note taking and organizational tool (Notability), as an E agenda and calendar (myHomework), and as an internet research tool. I also use it as a collaborative communication device in between teacher and student and student and student (Email). I'm hoping with your support to continue this practice, and further realize the potential of E learning. I'd be interested in exploring ways to turn in paperless assignments, presentations, and assessments. I'm confident, with your assistances, that I...