Project Title
Engaged Learning in an IT Learning Environment (ELITE) using the Tablet PCs

Introduction
Dunman Secondary prides itself for its continuous desire to innovate in all aspects of school life.  One of the areas that departments in the school are studying is the use of tablet PCs to better engage students in subjects such as Maths, English, and Design & Technology.

This project aims to take advantage of the maturing Tablet PCs technology as well as the wireless local area network that the school has set up to provide an engaged learning environment with the use of IT in all subject areas.  Such an environment would enable pupils to build upon their capacity for learning how to learn, energises them to learn and involves collaboration with other learners.

Implementation

Infrastructure
Dunman Sec set-up a wireless network (WLAN) in early 2006 to encourage teaching and learning beyond the confines of the classroom.  For this project, the school procured 55 sets of Tablets, 15 of which are issued to teachers participating in this project while the remainder 40 sets are mobile for teachers to bring in to their classes.

Suitable software, namely the 'FUN With' series (from Heulab) and Alias Sketchbook were procured.  These softwares were selected as they support the inking technology in the Tablets that help to increase diverse range of learning experiences.  In addition, a server was also set up to help teacher to manage their virtual classrooms and to provide space for pupils to submit their assignment back to the teachers.

Teachers' readiness
To ensure teachers are adequately prepared for the project, training sessions were organized.  These sessions include tablet-familiarization training and software awareness workshop.  In addition to these sessions, the departments taking part in this project also met separately during their weekly Reflection Time and after-school hours to discuss pedagogical approaches.  For example, the D&T department integrated the tablet programme into their Sec 2 D&T course where pupils are expected to use the tablets to design products and produce foam models based on their selected ideas. The Math department has also brainstormed on topic relating to algebra as their tablets-based IT lessons.  The EL department is preparing lessons that require pupils to use the mind-mapping software to craft creative essays.

A teacher (ST/SH level) is appointed from each of the 3 participating departments to co-lead the project with the HOD-IT.  These teachers, being more senior and more experienced in subject contents, provide mentorship and role model in the use of ICT.

Since 2006, the school put in place an one-hour timetabled time to allow teachers from the same department to come together to share and discuss pedagogical approaches.  The teachers in the LEAD-ICT project can now tap on this timetable slot to increase sharing and collaboration opportunities among teachers for scaffolding of learning tasks.

Pupils' Participation
In term 1 this year, all secondary 2 pupils have their first feel of a tablet PC lessons in D&T and Maths.  In the D&T lessons, the pupils generated ideas for their foam models using Sketch pro software and eventually produced the foam models after developing on the chosen idea.

In the area of Maths, the pupils using the Tablets to work on Algebra worksheets (Expansion and Factorisation) and use them to surf statistical website to complete worksheet on Scavenger Hunt where Math is infused in NE.  The pupils submitted their completed worksheets to the school’s e-learning portal where the teachers grade their work.

Addressing Challenges and Learning Points

As in any other technology project, infrastructure readiness is always a main challenge.  Although the school has a ready WLAN prior to the project, we have to set up a separate server to provide teachers with the Virtual Classroom (VC) management tool and to allow pupils submit their work online.  We have to ensure the current bandwidth is adequate and at the same time to secure a new IP within the WLAN to support the VC tool.

Getting the Tablet ready for class is one of the main challenges.  Installing the software is easy but we did not realise that the original MS Office was 2002 version and that it could not support inking which is one of key features in Tablets.  Considerable amount of time was required to go through ITSS and MOE to obtain the newer version and to update all the Tablets with the newer software.

As the project is targeted across all Sec 2 classes, we have to derive a mobile system to make sure all classes would have the Tablets during their lessons.  A schedule is thus drawn (see page 1 of this report) and a 2:1 ratio is deployed since procuring more Tablets would mean a greater monetary investment.  In view of the limited amounts of Tablets, we also have to ensure timetable is well taken care of, with no more than 2 classes have the same subject lesson at the same time (See Annex A for example).

Another challenge is that the Tablets, being mobile, would mean that teachers have to draw them out from the Media Resource Centre prior to their lessons.  This would mean considerable time is required to get the lessons ready.  To overcome this, we have designated our Surf-in room as a special room for this project.  A Technical Assistant (TA) has been tasked to set-up the Tablets in the room prior to the class.  This helps to reduce set-up time so that teachers could maximise learning during the lesson.

As there are limited power points in the classroom and to plug the Tablets to the ac source would mean even more time in setting up, battery power from the Tablets thus is the main source.  The TA thus has to ensure the batteries are fully charged prior to each of the lesson.

Many of the teachers are using the Tablets for the first time and during this initial phase, we are encouraging them to explore the features of the Tablet and the software to produce engaging IT based lessons to help pupils in their learning.  The school supports their effort to experiment and share their experience during the weekly Reflection Time.  The HOD-IT, as overall in-charge of the project, not only ensures that hardware and software concerns are taken care of but works with the vendors and ETD to provide training/learning journey to our teachers.