Sunday, May 6, 2012

Visit to El Camino HS - March 12 - Reflection

On Monday March 12, I, along with other Single Subject Teacher Candidates, attended a visit to El Camino High School in Oceanside, CA, in order to see how iPads have been implemented into the general classroom. Although I was excited to learn about how iPads could enhance the learning process, I got home that day with many questions still unanswered.



  1. How was technology integrated into the curriculum?  Do you feel that it promoted student learning?
    - In Dr. Nank's classroom at ECHS, each student had an iPad that they could use individually. The iPads were attached to the desks so that they wouldn't get "lost." That day, all math classes were preparing for the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), so I was unable to witness them being used to teach new material, which I was more interested in learning about. The students were working on an assessment through Moodle on their iPads, and most of the students had a pen and paper out to work the problems by hand.
    If I were to make a hypothesis, I would say that iPads have a tremendous opportunity to promote student learning (if used properly)
  2. Is there anything you saw that makes this classroom/school unique?
    - The school had a great feel to it, a great sense of community. The classroom I observed in was part of a new-looking math and science building. The layout of the school was open and welcoming. I was very impressed. If you were to ask me about the students in the classroom I observed, I would say they seemed to be used to, and comfortable with, the use of iPads in the classroom. they were not off task (eg playing Angry Birds, or checking FB).

  3. What did you learn and how does it relate to the class questions?
    -I learned that the use of iPads to assess students is awesome. Dr. Nank showed us how he is able to randomize the questions he asks on the tests, so that he is comfortable with letting a student who fails a test relearn the content and retake it, without worrying that all he/she did was memorize what questions were on the test previous. I still have questions about how you can teach students new content effectively using iPads. I have many ideas, but I would like to witness it first hand. Thus, I would be more than willing to visit El Camino high School again sometime when they are not practicing for a bloody standardized test!!

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