KAWARTHA LAKES-Students at Jack Callaghan Public School in Lindsay are piloting Edwin, an innovative new digital backpack program designed to modernize learning.
Edwin puts the emphasis on how students learn while allowing access to grade appropriate content in a way that students understand according to Trillium Lakelands District School Board. (TLDSB)
Each student receives a digital learning device called Edwin. The device for TLDSB students is a Dell Latitude computer which can change from a laptop to a tablet, and into two portrait modes. The program also comes with a stylus pen and an interactive touch screen. An installed app contains textbooks and other resources such as Dreambox, a mathematics learning tool, as well as assistive technology for students with different learning needs.
Rachel, a Grade 8 student from Jack Callaghan PS said her Edwin device helped her to stay organized because it kept things in one place. “At our age, we’ve grown up with technology,” says Rachel. “By bringing technology into the classroom, you’re striking our interest. Using it every day in the classroom makes us more interested in learning because get to use the technology.”
Students at Riverside PS in Huntsville are also experimenting with Edwin. “I learn with visuals so I thought it was really interesting. Dreambox is cool, you can play games – but you’re having fun while learning math. I go on Dreambox when I get home a lot.” Jamie said.
“I came from Germany and when I heard we were getting Edwin devices and I thought it was really cool,” says Pia, a Grade 8 student from Riverside PS. “It’s great because you have more opportunities and I can show my parents what I learned that day.”
Staff say that equality between all students is evident with the use of Edwin devices in the classroom. In the past there may have been a stigma amongst students with the differentiation in learning devices according to the board. Some students subconsciously didn’t want to use their equipment, but with the digital backpack program – each child has a device. “There is no stigma about students needing something special for their learning, because everyone has something special for their learning.” says the board.
In the past if a student has had a psycho-educational assessment and has been prescribed assistive technology, such as speech to text or text to speech it would go into a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP), and the school would provide those supports for the student. With the Edwin, teachers report they are seeing students access those supports, even though it has never been identified as a need for them.
“Students are self-identifying their learning needs,” says Mrs. Smith, a Student Success Teacher from Jack Callaghan Public School. “They’re able to say, ‘Hey, I understand better if someone reads to me, because I struggle with decoding. I’ll let the computer read to me so I understand everything that is being read.’ Even their reading and comprehension levels have improved because the struggle between decoding and comprehension is no longer impeding them.”
The digital backpack program also offers the ability to see, hear, and touch various learning components.
“Working memory is often a problem for our students with communication or intellectual disabilities,” says Mrs. Smith. “Having the external working memory – because the devices can take a photo of instructions or a model – means students no longer have to use their working memory to remember what the teacher showed them or told them. They now have this external memory capability that enables them to focus more on their learning.”
The intent of the digital backpack program is to be able to take textbooks, handouts, resources, and have them available in one single sign-on. Students can take theri Edwin device home and the board says the Edwin device allows personalized learning for each student but also creates a whole new level of facilitation for teachers.
“We want every student in Canada to have the exact same learning experience, with equal opportunity,” says Jessica Mosher, Nelson representative. “With the Edwin device, students have access to multi-model learning. They can use video for math, or reading for history – whatever the student feels they need in that moment to learn.”
Nelson has launched the Edwin product commercially in September to schools in southwestern Ontario. So far, two TLDSB schools and one other school in Mississauga have taken part. Nelson is launching Edwin in the province of BC in March 2018, and are currently in talks with Alberta.
Story by: TLDSB Staff
