Providence Hall Announces 1:1 iPad Program
Major Component of its Connected Learning Initiative
This 1:1 iPad program is a major component of the school’s Connected Learning initiative. Launching the program is made possible by a generous contribution from the Santa Barbara-based Mosher Foundation.
Connected Learning at Providence Hall brings together modern technology and software with a college preparatory curriculum founded on the Western tradition, taught using proven instructional methods in an environment that connects students with teachers and the subject matter. According to David O’Neil, Head of School, “Our Connected Learning program creates a seamless educational experience where a student’s academic, personal, and social worlds converge. As a result, learning becomes continuous and extends far outside the classroom.”
“Providence Hall is a place of learning, not just for our students, but for everyone,” explains O’Neil. “We are an educational community that continuously seeks new opportunities to enhance our students’ learning and to increase their joy and engagement in the educational process. We are a highly-nimble, sharply-focused, student-centered school that desires to be a leader in the meaningful integration of technology with the very best the liberal arts have to offer. We are excited to join with educators around the country who are placing cutting-edge technology in the hands of students, preparing them for the workplace of the future.”
The program will use the 32GB version of the latest Apple iPad. All faculty currently use iPads and the administrative staff will receive iPads over the next few months. Last summer, Providence Hall sent faculty serving on its technology committee to a professional development program specifically focused on 1:1 iPad programs. Teachers came away enthused about the possibilities for using this new instructional tool.
“I believe the 1:1 iPad program at Providence Hall will positively transform the way I introduce new material, teach the steps involved in solving problems, and assess the comprehension of my students,” says mathematics teacher Laura Trudelle.
The new technology has many applications beyond math and science classes, according to humanities department chair Bruce Rottman. “The iPad is an amazing tool that will help me reach each student in new ways. I’ll be able to help students edit their papers while they write them at home. I can record lectures for students to review in the evening at home and devote classroom time to helping them one-on-one,” he says. “I’m looking forward to having students even more engaged in the learning process. I can’t wait to integrate technology in our curriculum–it will be an exciting and unique adventure.”
The use of technology at Providence Hall goes beyond a 1:1 iPad program. Over the next nine months, Providence Hall educators will explore state-of-the-art technology with educational applications in every discipline, online academic spaces for continued learning outside the school day, online course options, interactive displays in every classroom and commons area, and electronic texts with visual elements that make words on a page come to life.
When the program launches in the 2013-2014 academic year, students will lease an iPad from the school as part of an annual book and technology fee. The school will own the iPads and loan them to each student. Appropriate resources have been invested into the architecture of the school’s network to ensure a safe online environment for students. Each year students will take classes on digital literacy and citizenship.
Providence Hall’s technology advisory committee, comprised of faculty, administrators, and local professionals, will provide strategic vision and expertise on the planning and execution of the Connected Learning initiative. The chair of the advisory committee, Dr. Reed Sheard, vice president for college advancement and chief information officer for Westmont College said, “The aspect of this 1:1 program that excites me the most is the innovative way traditional instruction is integrated with highly personal technology. Too often parents are forced to choose between schools that are either teacher and student centric or technology focused. The 1:1 program at Providence Hall results in an approach to learning that leverages the strengths of both while clearly preparing students for real success after high school.”
For more information about the iPad Program and Connected Learning, visit the Providence Hall Connected Learning website: www.providencehallsb.org/connected.
Learn more at an Open House:
Providence Hall will hold an Open House on Sunday, January 13, from 2 pm – 4:30 pm, at the school’s campus at 630 East Canon Perdido Street. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the school and its unique liberal arts curriculum, its broad visual and performing arts and athletics programs, and the new Connected Learning initiative. Registration is not required, but is appreciated. Visit www.providencehallsb.org/rsvp to register.
About Providence Hall:
Founded in 2007 by a group of Santa Barbara educators, parents, business leaders, and pastors, Providence Hall is a leading co-educational, Christian, college preparatory school focused on the total development of each individual student. With a proven reputation for excellence in academics, athletics, co-curricular activities and the arts, eighteen faculty members prepare approximately 100 students for the rigors of college and the challenges of global citizenship. One hundred percent of Providence Hall graduates are admitted to excellent colleges and universities throughout the nation. For more information, visit www.providencehallsb.org.