VINELAND – Smart phones and other electronic devices, once banished to school lockers, are now welcomed in classrooms as educational tools.
This school year, the Vineland school district is launching a “Bring Your Own Device” program, encouraging students from preschool to high school to bring their own Internet-enabled devices to school.
“This is the way students are learning, they are so comfortable,” said Hope Johnson, principal of the Veterans Memorial Intermediate School.
During a parent information session, held Tuesday in the Veterans Memorial auditorium, district officials stressed the new program is voluntary.
“No child’s learning experience or academic performance should be affected because he or she does not have an Internet-enabled device to bring to school,” according to district officials.
Use of technology may not be new to parents — many in the audience tapped into their smart phones, tablets and iPads.
But several raised questions about how the program will work, with one father expressing doubts that his kindergartner would be responsible enough to bring an electronic device to school.
It’s up to parents to decide if and when they want their child to participate, Johnson said.
Nathan Hunter, an incoming D’Ippolito Elementary School fifth-grader, occupied himself with a electronic game before the session began.
His mother, Anna Hunter, was looking for some guidance before adding a smart phone or tablet to her back-to-school shopping list. She wasn't sure which would best serve her son in class.
Times have changed since the school supply lists included pencils and paper, she said.
“I have a lot of questions,” Hunter said, noting she tries hard to keep up with technology.
Nathaniel enjoys his gadgets and didn’t think they would lose their appeal if they become classroom staples.
“They’ll still be fun,” he said.
During a video presentation, the district showed how teachers are incorporating technology into their lesson plans.
The results were widespread and positive, they said, noting more collaboration between students, additional access to research, less paper use and even quicker grading of students’ work.
Students spoke of being more engaged and more organized with school work.
Winslow Elementary School Principal Debra Quinn said the use of technology will prepare students to compete with others worldwide.
Permitting the device in class doesn’t give a student free rein to use it. District staff will have the “ultimate control” over when devices are used, according to the district policy.
Students who fail to follow the district’s Acceptable Use Procedures and Guidelines or other district polices will be subject to discipline.
The concept is not new, Johnson said, noting Delsea Regional and Millville school districts have the program.
The students are truly more comfortable with their own device, Johnson said, noting it didn’t matter if they used a smart phone, iPad or laptop. The only requirement is that the device be Internet-enabled.
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