Electronic devices 'engage' students in classroom learning

Morning North6:27Technology in the classroom

We visit a classroom at Carl A Nesbitt Public School in Sudbury where technology is helping improve the way students learn. The CBC's Olivia Stefanovich checked out the school to find out how well teachers and students are adopting the technology.

Cell phones, tablets, and smart boards are becoming more prevalent in classrooms this year, as Sudbury school boards receive new funding from the province to purchase electronic devices.

And the gadgets are already transforming the way students learn in the city.

Teacher Julie Caissies math class at St. Anne's Catholic Elementary School is case in point. Her Grade 7's submit their answers to a math quiz using cell phones, tablets, and laptops.

She can see how her students are performing by downloading their results. Caissie says she's noticed an improvement ever since she incorporated technology and social media in her lessons.

"By using relevant things that are coming up on Twitter or trending articles on the Internet, it engages them because they're interested in it, she said.

'Math is starting to get easier'

The same sentiment is being echoed at Carl A. Nesbitt Public School, where Grade 8 student Mia Valliere says her classroom iPad helps her understand math.

"When something's fun, you do tend to understand it more and I think that's why math is starting to get easier and easier for me."

Both Sudbury school boards are rolling out more devices this year, with the hope of getting students as excited about learning, as they are about new technology.

Caissie added she thinks it's important for students to learn how to manage their screen time early in life.

I think that having technology around students is the way it's going to be for the rest of their lives, she said.

So we're really teaching them how to take responsibility for themselves so that, when they get into the workforce, when they go to university and college, they understand when it's appropriate to be accessing devices and what's appropriate ways to use them.

The province is giving school boards $150 million over the next three years as part of a new technology and learning fund.