iPad FAQs

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Education

What happens if my child forgets to bring his/her iPad to school?

  • Like forgetting to bring their homework or their pens and pencils to class
  • Students will miss out on learning opportunities
  • Students need to share by looking off another classmates iPad

How will teachers monitor kid’s activities?

  • Through the same types of guidelines and frameworks they do now
  • They will create guidelines also known as essential agreements
  • If a user does not adhere to these guidelines, they will be dealt with through individual attention

Will my child learn how to type?

How will digital citizenship be taught?

  • Taught daily and in moments of need
  • Through reflective, authentic experiences, which can be shaped and embedded into every day learning
  • Supplemented with curriculum tools like Common Sense Media -also has support for parents
  • Find more information about these resources here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org

Will the school teach how to surf the Internet?

  • Yes, through:
    • “Digital Citizenship” lessons
    • Walled gardens
    • Directed exploration
    • Proper searching techniques

What student learning outcomes (SLOs) are connected with iPad learning?

  • SLOs will be integrated
  • iPads are a means to an end, a tool, not the end itself
  • Digital citizenship and “responsibility” will be explicitly addressed, also in context 

From what age should kids start to use tech independently?

  • When it is developmentally appropriate for them
  • Each child is an individual – has different needs
  • Related to the complexity, the purpose, and the safety, like any learning tool (e.g. scissors, paints, sporting equipment)
  • Support will be in place

Is “on the go” necessary for younger children?

  • Most necessary for younger children
  • Have the mobility to capture and document learning. 
  • Can enter Photo app and capture any moments in learning
  • Instantaneous feedback

Who troubleshoots iPad problems?

  • The student
  • Ask a friend or three
  • Ask a teacher or TA
  • Macquarium or the Apple store for help, or email help@nanjing-school.com

Walk me through what my kid’s day will look like.

  • No typical days.
  • E.g. 1 – whole class instruction
  • Supported by one another, teachers, and TAs OR
  • E.g. 2 – student-driven
  • on the fly
  • 3-7 kids with their iPads
  • put them away when they are finished OR
  • E.g. 3 – carry around school
  • Take pictures or videos for a project, for gym class, or for a field trip
  • No two days would look alike

What are the expectations of me as a parent?

  • Make responsible decisions
  • Be a role model
  • “Be the adult you want your child to become.” – Brené Brown

How will I be able to know what’s going on?

  • Ask your son or daughter to show you
  • Schedule meetings with teachers

How will expectations of my child change?

  • Same expectations
  • Make responsible decisions

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Balance

If students are getting “x” amount of screen time at school, should I limit it at home?

  • Everything in moderation. 
  • If son or daughter used the iPad a lot, please limit use. 
  • Talk with your sons and daughters
  • Ask teachers about the iPad use that day or week. 
  • Model best practice at school and at home.

How long will kids realistically spend on the iPads? Will time be limited?

  • Likely spend time when they need the iPads
  • Thought of as a tool, like a pencil or calculator
  • Should be used as educational devices
  • Students need to get exercise
  • Monitored and discussed professionally
  • Balance and healthy lifestyle are a focus

Will students be able to use iPads at recess and lunch?

  • Screen free please
  • Older students may have more of a choice
  • Promote exercise and socialising as part of a balanced life
  • Might be times for educational purposes

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Sharing

Do students have access to the server?

  • At this time, no
  • Can use AirDrop to share documents

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Research

Please also see the Academic Research page

Will kids become too dependent upon these tools?

  • It is possible
  • Need effort between parents and teachers to discuss and model desirable behaviors with digital devices
  • Part of regular and “Digital Citizenship” lessons 
  • Dependence and addiction to be addressed early on as part of the daily routines
  • Promote balance
  • Please read: http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/stories/2015/03/23/4203084.htm

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Repairs, Care, and Security

Will the school limit the internet/block certain sites? 

  • PYP has blacklisted pornography, malware, and virus sites
  • This will not change 
  • Apps, like Mobicip and Sandbox Web browser used to whitelist sites for younger students

Will the school help us take care of the iPads?

  • Places for the students to keep iPads safely stored
  • The failure rate for iPads is low
  • If broken, iPad brought to a carry-on service center for authorized fix, while under warranty
  • SolutionKeys Manager Joe Yi Hong can be contacted here: http://laptop.solutionkeys.com/help/contact

Will the school help us set them up?

  • Offering at least two sessions at the beginning of the year
  • Macquarium to help with individual issues
  • Recommend people go to the large sessions first

How do we manage the care of the cables and chargers?

  • Students in grades 3 and 4, keep at home and manage in a shared space
  • Not in son or daughter’s bedroom
  • Have a few cords at school in each class
  • Students in grades 1 and 2, charge at school in the lockers
  • Ask that students in G1 & G2 leave their harging cord at school
  • Replacement cords cost 150¥

If the iPad is broken halfway through G4, do I need to buy a new one for the remainder of the year?

  • Yes
  • Hopefully a warranty issue
  • If not, a new one will need to be purchased

Will there be secure locations in the classroom for iPads and charging stations?

  • Grades 3 and 4 asked to charge iPads at home
  • One or two stations in classroom for ’emergency’ charging
  • Grades 1 and 2 charge iPads in lockers
  • On Fridays, iPads locked in one locker for weekend
  • NIS has CCTV in school
  • iPads have Find-my-iPad should they go missing

What is drop rating of this cover?

  • iPad cases made in China -drop rating not tested internationally
  • Tech experts at NIS had internationally highly rated Griffon Survivor All-Terrain Cases – switched to cases recommended by NIS because they proved to be better
  • Over the course of two years, no iPads that were enclosed in the NIS recommended cases were damaged
  • Many were dropped (not on purpose, mind you)

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Responsibility, Loss, or Theft

Do children really become responsible because parents have bought them rather than the school?

What are the strategies being taught to young children to bring the device to and from school?

  • iPads have durable cases
  • Students taught to put iPads in soft spot in backpack or book-bags between soft, non-scratchable items
  • In grades 3 and 4, iPads will most likely be sent home in the first week so the students can share their work
  • In grades 1 and 2, this will happen when students have proven they are ready and responsible
  • iPads sent home with purpose
  • Employ a 3-step checklist:
    • Homework goes in the iPad
    • iPad goes safely in the backpack
    • Backpack goes home or to school
  • If iPad is lost, use the Find-my-iPad – https://www.apple.com/icloud/find-my-iphone.html

Who is responsible for charging?

  • Grades 1 and 2 charge iPads at school
  • Students bring cord to school please 
  • Grades 3 and 4 charge iPads at home

Who is responsible for insurance?

  • Responsibility of parents or guardians

Can student take the iPads home?

  • In Grades 1 and 2, this will not happen at beginning of the year
  • Learn about responsible use and transport
  • In Grades 3 and 4, will happen earlier than later
  • If parents want iPads to come home at the beginning of the year, talk with son or daughter’s teacher to have special arrangements
  • If parents want iPads sent home minimally, have this conversation with a teacher
  • Expectation is iPads go home when needed for learning purposes. (e.g. to take a photo of something, create something at home, or to share learning with a parent)

What happens if my kid’s iPad is broken or stolen at school? Who is responsible?

  • Like other items that belong to the students, they are responsible
  • Should another student break, lose, or steal the device, this will be dealt with on a case-by-case scenario
  • For younger grades where iPad left at school, school will responsibly allocate these to the Director of Student Learning’s office

Will students be able to use iPads on the bus?

  • Current agreement states Home Caught is not accountable for any damage to devices used on the bus
  • Pros and cons to using iPads on the bus
  • We are ready to listen to feedback about both
  • We are exploring options about whether the same rules will be applied to all students
  • Excellent time for students to catch up on some out of class learning
  • Great discussion to have with your kids

Who’s reading the privacy policies on the apps my kids will be using?

When do we want location services turned off?

  • Turn them on while using the application, but not always
  • The options presented by Apple are:
    • “On all the time”
    • “On while using”
    • “Never”

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Purchase, Payments, and Downloads

Can students use iPads they already have? (Not just the iPad Minis)

How much will be spent on apps each year? Who pays for this?

  • Costs capped at $25 USD per year
  • Parents purchase apps each year

Can my child download other apps at home?

  • Yes.
  • Devices are yours and the students
  • With your permission they can download apps and update IOS
  • Students should always have about 3 GBs of space to take videos and photos
  • Apple ID will have a credit cards attached to them
  • Set passwords for downloading and in-app purchases
  • Talk with son or daughter to set guidelines
  • Should device begin to run out of educational space, the first apps that the school will remove will be apps not required for grade level

How many years does an iPad last before it needs to be replaced?

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