Relying on the power of images from the earliest age to bring another dimension to the learning of schoolchildren. This is how the iPad project made its debut at International Preparatory School (IPS) in January 2017 with students aged seven to nine. The second phase of this program will be underway for the start of the 2018 school year with the kindergarten toddlers experiencing it. An incursion into this primary institution that has made its learning process a model of success.
Research, create, communicate, collaborate, empower… Through the use of the iPad, IPS wants to equip its students with tools that will allow them to bring out the things they imagine. The young people learn how to take pictures and record them for their class assignments.
The advantages of this technological device are many, as Sylvain Roussel, in charge of the implementation of the tablets at the IPS school, points out: “The iPad is a tool that allows our students to reveal their potential to go to the limit of their imagination. In addition to the creativity they show in class exercises, they learn to strengthen their computer skills by familiarizing themselves with applications, particularly through word processing and web browsers.
A significant difference in student behaviour and performance
IPS Level 6 students experienced this first hand when they reported on natural disasters in Mauritius. To begin with, they had to use their tablets to search for information on natural disasters. They then proceeded to edit their project with the applications available on the iPad. According to Sylvain Roussel, these modes of learning, such as theatre, dance, the exhibition and recently the iPad project, add another dimension to the school’s classrooms. Since the introduction of the tablets this year, there has been a significant difference in student behaviour and performance with this new tool.
“It is essential in every curriculum that we implement with the teachers to encourage research in the work to push their thinking as far as possible. For us, teachers at IPS, it is important to help our young people, from early childhood, to give the best of themselves by letting them express themselves. In fact, we have seen that there is no limit to the creativity of our students, just as the fifth graders worked on how an image affects someone’s behaviour. By equipping our young people with tools, we are preparing them to better face the world of tomorrow,” added the teacher.
IPS inspires rigorous, challenging and unique educational programs!
Since its inception in 1989, IPS has been the only primary school on the island to be accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS). This accreditation has just been renewed for a period of ten years. In addition, IPS is a candidate for International Baccalaureate accreditation for the Primary Years Programme (PYP). During this phase, IPS will benefit from the support of the International Baccalaureate in terms of curriculum materials and will be able to rely on their valuable resources to access accreditation, which offers rigorous, challenging and unique curricula. Teachers will be able to access the International Baccalaureate Online Learning Centre. After the licensing process, IPS will be the first elementary school in the North Island to be accredited for PYP.
“This process ensures that each applicant school can develop the necessary structures to deliver the Primary Years Programme. The school will put in place a professional development plan to ensure that teachers receive adequate training recognized by the International Baccalaureate. The students, in turn, will have access to experiences that better meet their needs,” says Sylvain Roussel.
The International Baccalaureate (PYP) is an International Baccalaureate Organization curriculum offered in international schools for students aged 3 to 12. Their goal is to develop global citizens by encouraging students to excel in their studies and personal development.
