By Maddie Nerad
Staff Writer
With “21st century learning” a high priority, Mira Costa is technologically expanding with the addition of a freshman iPad pilot program and student Wi-Fi.
Currently, there are four iPad carts at Mira Costa. The Spanish Department, Social Science Department, English Department and Mustang Morning News have one cart with 35 iPads each.
“We get the iPads once a week, and I have found that they make students more accountable,” Spanish teacher Edward Frigola said. “Instant feedback allows us to get through material faster.”
Costa recently expanded the iPad pilot program to 80 freshman students, who each received an iPad to take from class to class.
“I use my iPad everyday in English, math and biology,” freshman Kate Brunskill said. “The iPad keeps me organized in all my classes and prevents me from carrying around loose paper.”
The administration chose 80 freshmen because they have similar schedules consisting of the four participating teachers: science teacher Jessica Bledsoe, English teacher Shawn Chen, math teacher Kelly Donovan and science teacher Trevor Oystrick.
“We are piloting the iPads to see what it does for the student-teacher exchange,” Costa Principal Dr. Ben Dale said. “We can talk about how well the iPads work, but until we do it relative to an assignment we won’t know.”
Mira Costa also enabled new campus-wide Wi-Fi over Winter Break. Over 1,100 students have connected to the Wi-Fi.
“It’s too early to tell if we have issues,” Technology Service Coordinator Eric Sangalang said. “I will be monitoring the usage and will resolve any problems.”
According to Dale, Costa will look to find ways to incorporate technology into the classroom, especially because next year’s freshmen will enter with iPads.
“We are moving forward on schedule, and I am happy with our progress,” Dale said.
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