Pilot program begins in January
A pilot program begins in January for tablet use in six upper-division classrooms and two middle-division classrooms. All-school 1:1 tablet use is planned for August.
Joanne Widmaier, Notre Dame's registrar and academic technology coordinator, said everything is on track for full one-to-one digital access by August. "Yesterday, we set in motion the purchase of Microsoft Surface Pro 2 tablets for students in grades six through 12," she said.
All students in the lower division's second through fifth grades currently are using iPads, which are fully integrated into their daily curriculum, Widmaier noted.
"The Surface Pro 2 we purchased for the pilot program in the middle and upper divisions will include Windows 8.1, plus Microsoft Office Suite 2013 as well as other software yet to be determined," Widmaier said.
According to Microsoft, the Surface Pro 2 is like using a laptop, but with the convenience and lightweight of a tablet.
A tablet pilot program is planned for the upcoming semester with six teachers in the upper school and two in the middle. Students in those classrooms will receive their devices and Microsoft will be providing training on the tablet itself and with the Windows 8.1 software. A final decision on the brand of tablets for the rest of the students will be based on the pilot program.
"We also will pilot Haiku, a learning-management software to manage the workflow between student and teacher," Widmaier said. "This will help us develop a universal way of turning in assignments."
In terms of online security and classroom management, Notre Dame is going to continue piloting LanSchool, a classroom-management software, where teachers are able to see thumbnails of each student's screen. The software also allows teachers the ability to block anything objectionable on the student devices and restrict app access as well as send notes individually or collectively to student screens.
Widmaier said the only possible cost to each student in the pilot program is a strongly recommended optional third-party insurance that will cover loss, theft or water damage.
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 specifications
CPU: 4th generation 1.6 GHz Intel Core i5
Operating system: Windows 8 Pro
Memory: 4 GB to 8 GB
Display: 10.6 in. ClearType HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) 10-point, multi-touch
Hard Drive: 128 GB
Camera: 2x 720p HD webcams, front and back
Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, wireless LAN,Bluetooth 4.0
Ports: Full-size USB 3.0, microSD card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, HD video out, cover port
Size: 275 x 173 x 14mm (approx. 0.55 inches thin)
Weight: 2.4 lbs
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.