Canadian International School is a preK-12 private school located in Bangalore, India. The school provides Cambridge Secondary 1, IGCSE, and the IB programme to approximately 250 students, and have been graduating IB diploma students for over a dozen years. Last month, one hundred and fifty students and their parents were asked to complete a ten minute, ten question survey (Survey Monkey) on the implementation of our one to one learning with iPads initiative. After 6 months, CIS was eager to receive feedback on the programme.

63.3% of students responded.9.3% of parents responded.

Learning with iPads has been implemented for students in Grade 8-11. All teachers have an iPad and are able to project their's and student's iPads using our VGA projectors and converter cables. Learning has been impacted. Teaching and learning has changed.

The first question asked survey takers to identify themselves as a parent or student. This survey was completed to gain honest and, hopefully, unbiased feedback anonymously.

“It is very useful and easy to take notes and we can go to website to learn more.” Anonymous student

Learners at CIS are engaged more since iPads were implemented. They are more active learners, reflecting on their educational experience offering suggestions, compliments, and complaints, too. Parents provided that approximately students are 65% more engaged, while students reflected that they are almost 70% more engaged in learning.

Almost everyone agrees iPads are easy to use. Teachers have been working to create workflows for work submission and rubrics for grading iPad generated assignments and projects. Students have had mini-lessons on iPad settings, protecting bandwidth, and on iPad security (Find my iPhone and Auto lock pass codes). Shwa Brinn, CIS's Technology Integration Specialist, meets with each student as they sign their iPad Responsible Use Agreement. Students and teachers know that they can approach him with any questions. Our IT department is open during school hours and after school to trouble shoot any issues as well.

At, CIS we encourage parents to be involved in student learning activities. Parent codes for class Edmodo accounts are available. Student-led conferences encourage students to share their successes and areas of improvement with their parents and teachers. In this survey question, CIS learns that the parents who took the survey are more likely to be checking on iPad learning and seeing what their son or daughter is doing on campus. 56% of students reported that their parents rarely see their iPad-created work. CIS must also note that approximately 27% of its 1:1 learning students are boarding students who live on campus at CIS and do not regularly see their parents.

The survey question number 5 was supposed to gauge “usefulness” of the iPad in different subjects, but the question statistics are limited to “use”, but not really “usefulness”. The comments provide some insight into “usefulness”.

“With the IPad it is easier to find and share information by using various of apps like "dropbox" and "flipboard".

Also writing notes has become easier as typing on a keyboard is usually

faster then writing. This only applies in subjects with a lot of text rather then

formula or drawings.”“Personally it's useful when i have

textbook in my iPad so that i don't have to carry heavy textbook. Also with app "notability", i can take notes easily, so i

don't have to carry notebooks too. Note taking is the major reason for

carrying iPad everyday.”“Chemistry class makes it easy

because of the use of iPads, assignments can be sent in at any

time, notes are organised and easily modified, neat and easy to pick up

where you stopped.”

“Used for research and creating presentations”

“I use it every day in Spanish to jot down notes. In English and math we do not require it for learning. In science we use it to draw as it is easy to erase. We

use it in social studies to take notes. We do not use it in drama and in ICT ”

Parental data and comments were not used in analysing question 5, as at CIS students have a lot of choice in their subjects and study different subjects at different grade levels. Many comments were similar. iPads are used as textbooks, calculators, and for research. Four students had negative but useful feedback about the iPads in different subject areas.“They're pointless, why do we have text books but yet have iPads with the iBooks. There's no point

in that.”“ In French, we are not even allowed to take it out in class.”

“In some classes the teachers do not know how to use the iPads, in others they don't want to.”“I was using the ipad for the first 2 months, then started using my Mac again, because the iPad is

not compatible with a lot of softwares I require and cannot run java programs.”At CIS, students may use a Mac laptop if they already own one. CIS is slowing moving towards eBooks and digital texts, but as of yet suppliers in India are difficult to find. CIS is allowing each teacher to evolve to digital texts as and when they are ready. All math texts are already available as PDFs. Some science and English books will be introduced next year.

Parents and teachers, too, have often commented on the distraction of iPads since rollout was announced. Statistically, parents are definitely reporting that their son or daughter’s iPad is definitely a distraction at school and at home. 69% reported definite distraction at home or definite distraction at home and school. Parents definitely feel that the iPad distracts their child. Only 16% of students reported that the iPad was a definite distraction at home or at home and school. Interestingly, almost 28% of students reported distraction equal to phones, computers, games (x-box, playstation,...) at home. Finally, over 30% of students reported that the iPad was not a distraction in any location. Perception may be a reality, or reality may be a perception?

Parent comments provide some insight.“When not in class they will sit on iPads rather than getting exercise.”

“Because at home my kid is always on iPad.”At CIS, as we have discussed iPads with parents, we have stressed the need for guidelines and for balance. We need to continue to do this.

Quite a few students reported that games were a distraction, especially at home. “Very tempting to swap to games”

“When iPad is near me I play games” “Games”

“At home it is hard not to be addicted to the iPad.”Fewer students commented on “not being distracted”.

“At home I do not use the I pad frequently for joy. Usually I get it to write essays or making presentations. At school it can sometimes be a distraction but that is equal to the rest of electronic

devices such as mobile phones or laptops.”“Restrictions on the usage of the school wifi helps me focus on school work.”

“It's just that we got one more smart device. If it's distracting me, it would be because there are some fun games, but usually it isn't very distractive.”

“I have no games so no temptation.”

Over 70% of parents and students agree that since students are creating more. A great majority of comment on creativity were positive.

"I became creative""Using iPads gives me the chance to experiment new apps for projects, such as iMovie, comic life

and others, with their various effects they help getting the work more interesting.""Hasn't changed anything with my daily life.. but it has helped me in recording music with my

guitar.""I tend to draw very often on my iPad....""iMovie and other increase the creativity"

"I have been able to make lots of projects with the iPad that i wouldn't be able to do on a PC.""I can create things thanks to the iPad that I could not before; I can erase easier too."

"I create more presentations, more comics than before."And a minority of students had the following to say.

"Create what?""I'm kind of old fashioned that way - paper and scissors still tend to be the first thing I think of.

Useful though.""I do not know many applications"

At CIS, teachers are encouraged to integrate the iPad into their subject area in a variety of ways. Some teachers make regular use of iPad apps, while others use the iPad largely for notes, reminders, and keynote sharing. Students are enjoying using a variety of formats in their lessons. Students are creating more, even if they do not realise it.

About 85% of parents say that their son or daughter is more organised since one to one learning came to CIS, while a little more than 80% of students state that they are more organised since using the iPads.

A great majority of student comments were consistent with those listed below."I have apps to categorise homework by subject, due date, priority, and so on. I also add important

events to my calendars to better visualise timelines.""We can create folder and organise our homework easily especially in pages."

"I used to lose my works and forget to bring it but as it is an iPad I do not lose it don't forget it. I got more organised."

While one students states,“I am less organised after the iPad came because it addicts me into using entertainment things

and I try to avoid it as much as possible.”And another states,

"Because when you have your stuff in the iPad it is harder to find something again than in an notebook."

The far majority agreed with statements similar to "To be frank, the iPad replaced my entire bag."

The statements supported the percentages. Almost everyone is more organised since the adoption of iPads. Calendars, Reminders, Digital Notes, and Photos of work help students with deadlines and due dates. Edmodo posts remind them of expectations and project guidelines.

With respect to home guidelines for Internet and iPad use, once again, parental data differs largely from student data. Again, it appears that the parents who completed this survey are the parents more actively engaging in the one to one learning experience with their son or daughter.

66% of parents reported definite or moderate guidelines for Internet and iPad use. 47% of students reported the same. While, almost 40% of students reported no guidelines for Internet and iPad use. It must be noted that the boarding school does have definite guidelines for Internet use, so the percentage of day students reporting no guidelines is likely much higher.

A limitation of this survey. “Definite” and “Moderate” guidelines were not defined or differentiated clearly. The grade/age of student was not recorded in this survey, so grade level data has not been collected or analysed.

Five students commented similarly.

“No games without prior consent from parents, moderate use of social networks.”

Five other students commented similarly.

“We don't have any guidelines.”

Two insightful students wrote,

“At home, wifi is not blocked. As it should be all around, if you don't trust a student to not go to YouTube or Facebook, don't give him an iPad -.-”

“For my brothers (who play a lot) there's a half-hour max a day for games - which they usually use on the school bus. Most of it's based on trust for us older girls; and to be honest, IB leaves little

time for angry birds.”

Five Parent comments were similar.

“Parents have restriction password. Not allowed to download apps without permission. iPad has to be left in their room charging over night. Cannot be take to long trips. Usually stays between house

and school (no restaurants, school trips, friends house and others).”

The final survey question was completely open-ended. How can CIS help you (or your son or daughter) manage your iPad? Twenty-three survey takers responded to this question.

• Four reported “Nothing” or similar.• Eight commented on Wifi drops or opening of Apps downloads. Both of these are a

result of our limited bandwidth. CIS has a policy of not allowing downloading at school. This is not likely to change, but next year, CIS will increase its bandwidth ability.

• Two students would like CIS to move to BYOD. This is not likely to occur.

• One student has a dream. “CIS could help me help me manage my iPad by developing security system in school so that

students are confident to put bags anywhere they want without concerns.”

• Three students have suggestions, that CIS will delve into and hope to implement. One is a great suggestion that could be implemented easily tomorrow. CIS has a strict no gaming on campus policy, and that is not likely to change. But the definition of Educational game is something that CIS has yet to create. Quizlet games are used all of the time.

“Allow us to play only educational games when we finish a project and there is nothing left to do, for example, flow free, minecraft, etc.”

“I would like to use the ipad more often in some classes.”“In class, the teacher should mention when its allowed to use them or not.”

• Five parents commented.“Could provide some recommended guidelines”

“Better use of the information available online by better critical look at quality”“Please let parents know how much they do they have to spend time on iPads with home works.”“Encourage the use of a few apps effectively, rather than a new app every week. I have to keep

installing new stuff for my brother : /”“Go back to normal school”

CIS will continue to hold parent meeting to discuss iPads and will devise clearer guidelines and homework “times”. These are great suggestions. As this is still our initial year, we hope to create a more tried and tested list of Apps, but the App store continues to grow and our teachers are trying to use free educational Apps to aid the learning process. Downloading of new apps is likely to keep occurring, but CIS policy states that each student will only have to pay for 5 apps in the first year, and we have maintained this guideline for the first 6 months and will continue to do so until the year. We will likely have an additional few purchased Apps for next year.

iPads are impacting learning. One to one learning shifts pedagogy. Teachers, students, administrators, and parents are evolving. CIS will continue to evolve and continue to try give our students the best possible learning experience. CIS will continue to have flexible, educationally sound one to one learning programme. Because students often say it best, this report closes with a final two quotes. Think, Change, Learn.

“It has been a distraction because in my house no one is there to monitor me.”

“The thing is, there's always going to be some form of temptation with access to games/ net/ etc., but in class it's no different than the temptation to doodle or daydream. You learn to ignore it most of the time, and

sometimes fiddling with something (ex, doodling - on paper or the iPad) can help you focus a little more if your hands are occupied.”