What does Foundation University have in common with the Xavier School in San Juan, Dela Salle Zobel in Alabang, British School Manila, King’s School Manila and Mint College Taguig?
They are all using iPads to educate their students.
Now on its second year, Foundation University’s iPad program has been expanded from last year’s pilot class of sophomore high school students using the first set of e-textbooks in the country released by Vibal Publishing House. Starting in June, students from Grades 4-6 and from 1st to 4th year high school will be required to have iPads.
Foundation University President Dr. Mira Sinco said the decision to expand the iPad program was made following the success of its pilot class. “Our own experience as well as the experience of other universities around the world attest to the effectiveness of the iPad program,” she told the MetroPost.
The iPad program also received the support of the Parents Teachers Associations of the elementary and high school departments, in meetings held in the first quarter last year.
A parent, Michelle Angana Tinio, said she is starting to enjoy the wonders of information technology through her the iPad of her son Cyrus Paul, who belongs to the pioneer batch of the iPad program.
Fe Cena, mother of four students currently enrolled at FU, said the iPad is a valuable tool for education. “It makes research easier,” she said.
Cena said her daughter, Alessandra, can do anything on the iPad. “She has improved her presentations using iPad software like keynote.”
Cena and Tinio speak from their experience with the iPad program while parents of incoming students are still trying to understand how it will improve their child’s learning.
Victor Vicente G. Sinco, FU vice president for finance and administration, said the university is adopting the iPad program “because we want your children to be globally competitive.”
Looking back, Sinco admitted that “it was a revolutionary idea at that time, but I guess everyone now knows the wisdom and practicality of that decision.”
In other parts of the world, news stories are popping up everywhere with the details on schools that have adopted the use of iPads in varying capacities in the classroom, like a study being conducted by Abilene Christian University in Texas, USA.
Their experience, as shared by PadGadget.com, appears to be overwhelmingly positive. “Students who took advantage of iPads to annotate their notes ended up scoring 25% higher on questions regarding information transfer than those who hadn’t. Grad students that used the devices were noted as being 95% satisfied with their online coursework,” the study revealed.
The feeling among those using it seems to be that the iPad gave students the opportunity to have what they referred to as ‘learning moments’, by making better use of their time, the results showed.
“The iPad,” Sinco explained, “is no longer the tool of the future–it is the present. If you don’t jump into this, you will be left behind!” (Alex Rey Pal)
