Kevin Bremner, RSU 9 technology director, pictured on the left during a previous meeting, discusses the successes and challenges of integrating iPads into classrooms at the Nov. 12 school board meeting in Farmington. Franklin Journal File Photo

FARMINGTON — The Regional School Unit 9 board of directors met Nov. 12 to hear updates on various administrative matters, including a detailed report on technology from Director Kevin Bremner.

Bremner highlighted the district’s participation in the annual ACTEM [Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine] fall conference held Oct. 10-11 in Augusta. Thirteen teachers, librarians, and administrators attended sessions on artificial intelligence, computer science integration, project-based learning, and communication tools.

“Our very own Nicole Lesperance and Stacey Augustine presented a session called ‘Big News for Little Kids’ to share their experiences with creating a student news broadcast at Mt. Blue,” Bremner said. He also noted that Mt. Blue Middle School principal James Black attended the conference at no cost, thanks to the district’s institutional membership with ACTEM.

In other business, the iPad deployment for grades six through twelve was discussed. The rollout of iPads to middle and high school students marked a significant technological shift for the district. The deployment process at Mt. Blue High School mirrored the middle school’s approach, involving teachers directly in guiding students through device setup. This included establishing passcodes and signing into Managed Apple IDs for secure and seamless device management.

Managed Apple IDs, introduced last year have enhanced teacher access to platforms like Apple Classroom and iCloud for device backup. “We’ve seen a lot more interest from teachers in using Classroom this year,” Bremner noted.

Bremner acknowledged challenges reported by students and staff, including issues with battery life, keyboard size, and adapting lessons to the iPads. “We haven’t seen any major issues as far as devices go. They seem to be getting the job done for the most part,” he said.

Challenges included:
•Battery life: While advertised to last six hours of continuous video streaming, battery life for mixed use varies.
• Keyboard size: The iPad’s keyboard is narrower than a MacBook Air, requiring adjustments.
• Google apps compatibility: A learning curve exists in choosing between app and web versions.
• Printing issues: Printing with iPads has proven difficult, though Bremner emphasized the district’s move toward paperless operations.

“Some folks have expressed that using the iPad isn’t preparing students for what they’re going to use out in the real world, which may be a legitimate concern,” Bremner noted. “But I think the way technology is going, we’re using all sorts of different things. It’s not just PCs like it used to be.”

Despite those concerns, Bremner emphasized the importance of providing students with access to diverse technologies, including iPads, which are increasingly used in various industries.

The district has provided middle school classrooms with styluses for core subjects, and approximately 300 high school students have requested styluses for individual use.

Bremner concluded by affirming the district’s commitment to addressing challenges and providing educational opportunities for staff and students. “We’ve done some educational opportunities for teachers and staff around technology; I think they’re still getting that exposure,” he said.

The next RSU 9 board meeting is scheduled for Dec. 10.