Might 8, 2023
FEATURE
A California college district brings creativity to life with Apple Studying Coach
The skilled studying program expands to 12 extra nations this 12 months
One thing transformative is occurring within the Downey Unified Faculty District in Southern California.
“There’s a buzz,” says Allison Field, principal at Lewis Elementary Faculty. “It’s thrilling — there’s by no means a boring day right here, and that’s as a result of our children are immersed in studying environments which can be actually dynamic.”
Throughout the district, college students are utilizing Apple know-how to create initiatives as various as podcasts with GarageBand, animations with Keynote, and films with Clips — and these modifications are reshaping school rooms. On the heart of this transformation is a gaggle of educators who’ve utilized their data from the Apple Studying Coach program to rethink how academics and college students method their research.
Apple Studying Coach is a free skilled studying program that trains educational coaches, digital studying specialists, and different teaching educators to assist academics successfully use Apple know-how within the classroom. Greater than 1,900 educators have already accomplished this system in the USA, and the following cohort is now accepting purposes by way of Might 30. Moreover, Apple Studying Coach is increasing to 12 extra nations, along with the USA, by the top of the 12 months.
Downey Unified is residence to 22,000 college students from transitional kindergarten by way of grade 12 throughout 22 faculties, together with eight Apple Distinguished Colleges. Greater than 10 years in the past, the district started utilizing iPod contact to help with studying fluency for English language learners. Quick ahead to in the present day, and all elementary faculties present an iPad to each pupil and, because the pandemic, center faculties are additionally 1:1 with iPad.
Downey follows the coherence mannequin, the place all faculties have the identical entry to know-how, schooling, instruments, and providers. For instance, every college has an Innovation Lab with coding, robotics, and inexperienced display movie initiatives, and Pupil Tech Squads present management alternatives the place older college students mentor youthful college students and facilitate districtwide creativity and innovation competitions. As well as, a cornerstone at Downey is that each one educators are offered skilled studying alternatives — and because it launched in 2021, this contains Apple Studying Coach. Thus far, Downey has 15 licensed Apple Studying Coaches, with an extra 5 educators at the moment enrolled in this system.
By a mixture of self-paced classes and digital workshops with Apple Skilled Studying Specialists, every Apple Studying Coach positive aspects a deeper understanding of the right way to assist academics within the classroom as they combine know-how into studying. Upon finishing this system, every Apple Studying Coach comes away with an actionable teaching portfolio they will start utilizing instantly.
Marnie Luevano was licensed as an Apple Studying Coach final 12 months. Her function as an educational know-how coach at Downey Unified brings her into the district’s elementary faculties, the place she helps academics reimagine how they use Apple know-how to supercharge classes.
“We work with academics to establish new methods their college students can display what they’ve realized past the usage of a worksheet or just writing an essay,” says Luevano. “After which the youngsters are taking off with it — they’re so excited. Each time we go to the colleges, the youngsters can’t wait to inform us in regards to the podcast they’re ending or present us the quilt they designed for one in all their initiatives. They’re not simply attempting to get the project executed — they’re actually having fun with the method.”
This 12 months, because of the Apple Studying Coach program, the district’s coaches are deepening their use of Apple’s Everybody Can Create assets. Each week, a brand new Everybody Can Create mission is featured and distributed to educators, and the district know-how crew has created a digital fluency deck to present its academics know-how objectives for college kids primarily based on grade degree. For instance, by the top of first grade, college students will be capable to report video utilizing the digital camera on iPad, and by the top of second grade, they are going to be capable to construct on that ability to mix video with photographs and audio in iMovie.
Jennifer Robbins has been working in Downey for 27 years and is the district’s director of elementary schooling, in addition to an Apple Studying Coach. She hasn’t simply seen a change within the college students as their entry to know-how has elevated — she’s additionally watched her fellow educators study and develop.
“Apple Studying Coach gave us the instruments to have the ability to meet educators the place they’re, regardless of the extent of their know-how data,” says Robbins. “So we wish to give voice and option to our children, however we would like the identical for our academics. We work to customise the educational for them too.”
The outcomes for Downey have been measurable. In an period of declining enrollment throughout California public faculties, Downey has seen development in its pupil inhabitants. Principal Field, who can also be an Apple Studying Coach, credit this system with serving to to remodel faculties within the district, together with her personal.
“Apple has actually been a recreation changer in schooling, each for our academics and our college students,” says Field. “In making use of the Apple Studying Coach mannequin, we’re attaining the next degree of engagement, and it’s opening up so many prospects — we’re eager about what an augmented actuality program or app design studio would possibly appear to be for our faculty. It’s serving to us create a tradition that embraces change and innovation, and prepares our college students for the long run, and I’m very enthusiastic about what’s subsequent.”
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