ABU DHABI // “All right class, put the books away and put on your 3-D glasses.”
How many pupils would dream of having a lesson begin in such a way?
The Grade 5 pupils at West Yas Academy did not have to dream in a recent biology lesson. Glasses on, they focused on the large, three-dimensional image of a beating heart.
“Now we’re going to see what is actually happening inside your heart,” said their teacher, Ridwan Falah, as the heart beat on, suspended mid-air.
Mr Falah demonstrated the effects of exercise on the body, manipulating the heart rate by pressing a few keys on his computer.
“OK, let’s make it go faster. You can see also from all the angles how the heart is beating.”
The 3-D Classroom is one of several technology-enhanced learning tools that Aldar Academies has introduced in its seven schools, said Andy Turner, head of education technology.
West Yas Academy, Aldar’s first American-curriculum school, opened this year for pupils up to Grade 6.
It has laser-cutting equipment for design and technology class, a 3-D printer, in addition to the usual interactive smartboard, laptops and iPads.
Pupils as young as 3 and 4 are introduced to elements of basic computer programming.
“We live in a digital age, so it’s starting them young, using those skills,” Mr Turner said.
The kindergarten class is divided into 10 work stations where students work independently or in pairs to complete activities using iPads or smartboards.
At one station, a little girl is using an iPad application called Daisy the Dinosaur. The game challenges youngsters to animate a cartoon dinosaur by dragging-and-dropping simple commands into a programming window.
At another station, two pupils are standing in front of the smartboard where they are learning to count by drawing a digital line between images of grouped objects with their corresponding number.
Kindergarten teacher Patricia Odie, who is also one of the school’s technology coaches, said she had initially been a little skeptical about how the children would respond to the devices, but has been pleasantly surprised.
“You know, in the beginning, I thought they’re only 3 and 4, but they’re actually using it and I’m super proud,” said Ms Odie. “Sometimes they show me how to do certain settings.”
The set-up also makes it easier for her to tweak the lessons or tasks at each work station according to each pupil’s education needs.
“I differentiate a lot here,” said Ms Odie, who keeps a daily assessment board that lists all the students and the skills on which they each need to work.
“I have to because everybody’s on a different level.”
Down the hall, inside a Grade 4 classroom, pupils explored the animal kingdom by using an app to scan images of jungle animals that would be animated on their iPads.
“That’s augmented reality,” said Mr Turner. “You’re using technology to enhance what you see.”
Pupils in a Grade 5 class used small electronic circuit boards plugged to their computers to transform pieces of real fruit, connected by alligator clips to the board, into digital piano keys.
The Makey Makey technology helps teach the basics of electronics, while allowing the pupils to be creative by, in this case, composing a simple jingle to promote healthy eating, said Mr Turner.
“They’re going to work with their partners to make a jingle, but now we’re incorporating science into this as well,” said Mr Turner. “So, he’s actually making a jingle with fruits and vegetables.”
Mr Turner said introducing various types of technology in the classroom helps prepare pupils for the future.
“We’re preparing our students for the jobs that haven’t even been created yet,” he said. “Every single job is linked to an aspect of technology now. So we have to really focus on making our students prepared for that world.”
Dr Gerald Chabot, West Yas Academy principal, added: “If anyone thinks we’re going back to the other way, then they’re just lost. It’s not going back. It’s only going this way.
“There is a place for a student to write, there is a place for a student to read, there is a place to do manipulative kinds of things with paper and do artwork and different things like that.
“But in terms of a significant piece of pedagogy, technology is where it’s at and it’s where everyone needs to be going.”
rpennington@thenational.ae
