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Testing technology
Photo
Third-grade teacher Ashley Wallace’s students at Lynn Kirk Elementary School in Austintown are using Samsung Galaxy tablets in class as part of a pilot program to test the device’s uses in the classroom. Angelina Diana, above, works on the Galaxy while school-board member Dave Schnurrenberger looks on. Two other district teachers — one at Austintown Middle School and one at Fitch High School — also are testing the tablets, Superintendent Vince Colaluca said.
By Elise Franco
Austintown
Ashley Wallace is putting her class of third-graders ahead of the curve, as they test the incorporation of tablet devices in their everyday lessons.
Wallace, who has taught at Lynn Kirk Elementary for four years, was one of three teachers in the district chosen to pilot Samsung Galaxy tablets in their classrooms.
Superintendent Vince Colaluca said a teacher at Austintown Middle School and one at Fitch High School also are testing the tablets.
Wallace spent about an hour Friday afternoon working various lessons on the tablet. She said the students usually work on the tablets three to four times per week.
The class first used an application called Picsay during a science lesson to identify various habitats.
“In this program, they can attach a picture to what the words mean,” she said. “It gives them a more- concrete understanding of that word.”
She then used Socrative, an application that allows the entire class to join in an online classroom through the tablet.
Using this program, Wallace sends the students quiz questions, and they send their answers directly back to her.
The program also gives Wallace a breakdown of how the question was answered so they can discuss any mistakes or questions together as a class.
“The kids are using these apps, and they’re having fun,” she said. “They’re learning even though they don’t know they are.”
Colaluca said the district decided about two years ago to allocate funds for 100 tablets for the pilot program.
Administrators researched various types and brands and chose the Galaxy based on price — $350 each — and Internet accessibility based on the operating system.
He said the administration is discussing whether it will be able eventually to provide tablets for every classroom or link up the district wireless system so kids can use devices they already have.
“This is their playing field because it’s second nature to them already,” he said.
“A lot of them already have smartphones or iPads at home.”
Several school-board members stopped in Friday to watch Wallace and her students using the tablets.
“She’s so impressive, and I think the kids are teaching her as much as she’s teaching them,” said Tom Stellers.
“We want other teachers to want this, too.”