Špela Knez, OŠ Naklo

Many times a picture or even better a film can tell us more than a thousand words. The latter has proved to be the most thankful part of using a tablet computer in a physics classroom. The existing course books are not compatible with the new curriculum and even less with a modern way of teaching. Tablet computers with the applications adapted for teaching physics have proved to be an excellent addition to the existing ways and methods of teaching. An actual example is astronomy. A vivid demonstration of our solar system, the movement of the planets, the Earth, the Moon and the stars has not only impressed the students but also served as an excellent basis for ordinary lectures because the students knew what the teacher was talking about and what they would learn in that lesson. While revising and repeating subject matters a tablet computer represented diversification and breaking the monotony of regular testing of acquired knowledge. Its use was best proved while doing group experiments. It was interesting to observe how the students used tablet computers in their groups for different purposes. Some used it merely as a video camera, others as a stopwatch and some as a means of getting information. Not only has the use of a tablet computer proved to be an interesting teaching accessory for giving lectures but it has also proved to be a source for students own initiative and a stimulator of their own ideas.

Frančiška Hvalc, Suzana Plemenitaš, Lea Senica, OŠ Dobje

Teachers and students gain a lot by being part of the project Introduction of E-Content and E-Materials into the Classroom. Our final goal was not to use tablets but to improve lessons while we were using them. After two years, we can say that we have succeeded. Students, due to new methods and forms of work assume an active role in learning; they are more responsible and more independent. Teacher appears in the role of a facilitator in the classroom. Cooperative learning dominates traditional, frontal teaching. Because each student has his own tablet, checking the knowledge by different tools (Socrative, Google Drive, Mahara), fast feedback and insight into students’ prior or achieved knowledge is possible for the teacher and the student. Students use tablets and seek information and materials on the Web. They work as fast as they want, videos and animations can be seen again or split; they take photos and make films… We can differentiate lessons easier and offer students an open way of teaching. E-textbooks that are available and that we have tested have many animations, good illustrative photos, interactive exercises for assimilating knowledge and practising. Tablet itself is already an additional motivation for the students. However, a lesson must be well planned and controlled; the teacher needs to know why the tablet in the classroom and pupils should know the rules of work.

Nataša Jeras, Živa Škrinjar, OŠ Šmartno pod Šmarno goro

In the school year 2013/2014 we became involved in the project entitled Introducing e-contents and e-services with emphasis on natural sciences. Each 4th grade pupil was given its own tablet, since our main assignment was testing the usage of tablets at different school subjects while at the same time evaluating whether using the tablet is indeed worthwhile at a particular school lesson or topic. Tablets were used by all teachers of the 4th grade which was chosen for the project, but only after carefully reflecting whether using the tablet will actually benefit the lesson. They were used at different school subjects and at different stages of the learning process. We also occasionaly lent the tablets to other teachers and pupils. Fourth graders were happy to assist younger pupils and help them gettin acquainted with the new technology. The pupils were of course included in exploring different possible ways and strategies of using the tablets. A new 4th grade is involved in the project this year and they have also managed to grasp the new teaching aid very quickly. With their teacher they have been successfully exploring different ways of using the tablets at school work. We all share the opinion that lessons with a careful and meaningful use of tablets are indeed better and more interesting and that the use of tablets also allows new modern approaches toward teaching.

Anita Nose, Gimnazija Novo mesto

Abstract: Our school is taking part in the project called The introduction and use of e-services and resources in class. It enabled the school to use tablets in one first-year. We first focused on raising internet safety awareness among students, and set ground rules for using tablets in class. Slowly but surely, a team of six teachers began introducing novelties that tablets facilitate. In the initial stage, most of our time and effort went into lesson planning, searching for useful resources, tools and teaching the use of them … We assembled a variety of resources and classroom materials in our respective e-classrooms, which have greatly improved since the project started. Without a reliable technical support, the project would not run smoothly. At the beginning, both teachers and students could hardly imagine a lesson without it. In time teachers were able to deal with technical problems on their own. Lessons with tablets are dynamic, student-centred, which increases motivation. The use of tablets enables bot students and teachers to get instant feedback on the work done. Keeping moderation in mind, we should use tablets when they actually bring added value to class, not necessarily every lesson or the whole lesson. We have to be aware of the fact that technology cannot replace lecture-explanation techniques, and teacher-student rapport. The project team provide support for the colleagues who would like to introduce or improve the use of e-resources and services in class.

Mitja Kobale, Aljoša Kancler, Prva gimnazija Maribor

Due to their extended use, tablet computers were introduced into schools. Prva gimnazija Maribor was chosen as a partner school for the pilot project E-School Bag and in addition in another project Implementation and use of e-contents and e-services. Within the project e-materials were introduced and tested with tabs. Together with the advisers from The National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia we began planning, executing and following classes of particular subjects by using e-contents and e-services. We tackled the development of new and completion of existing teaching and studying models with e-contents and e-materials. A focus was especially on how the use of e-contents will influence the existing teaching methods and how these will be accepted by the students. Furthermore, it was tested, what is the yield in the project class like, since their results were compared to a test class. This whole project is being rounded up by a final evaluation, in which a quality of the e-course books is compared to the classical ones, their influence on the way students study and finally, the influence of the e-course books on the way teachers teach. In the context of the presentation at the SIRikt Conference, positive and negative experiences of using the e-contents will be presented as well as possibilities of extended application at our grammar school, like expansion of knowledge and experiences to other teachers at school and their dissemination to other classes.

Manja Kokalj, OŠ Selnica ob Dravi

As our schools priorities we defined: ICT usage in the course of instruction, introduction of e-contents and e-services as well as the development of digital literacy. In order to efficiently perform these tasks we joined the e-project which enabled us to use tablet computers in grade 7 instruction. All components of our lessons contained work with i-textbooks which made it possible to evaluate both, their quality as well as the advantages of their use. We were active in virtual classrooms – the students were able to gain new knowledge independently and via different methods of work. In surplus they learnt from each other. During our lessons we used different e-contents, e-services, e-sources and mobile applications. The presentation is based on concrete examples which were most frequently used in Science classes (with focus on the flipped learning combined with reading and learning strategies). The usage of tablet computers with practical work also proved to be interesting. At the same time we assessed the students work and evaluated to what extend the learning objectives were reached and ICT skills upgraded. Besides that we tried to establish whether the usage of e-contents and e-services ameliorated the students understanding or knowledge and whether it activated higher order thinking in them. We summarized the feedback of observed lessons and tried to find out in which cases the usage of tablet computers contributed to the higher quality of instruction.

Sašo Herlah, Prva OŠ Slovenj Gradec

In the project Introduction and use of e-contents and e-services as well as e-school bag and e-books with an emphasis on science subjects in primary schools are included 9th grade students and teachers of different subjects of Prva osnovna šola Slovenj Gradec. We were able to provide Android Tablet PCs for students and teachers. Students openly excepted the work with Table PCs and e-textbooks. In first year of the project (which was last year) e-books had just been starting to develop. In the beginning we had some problems in its use, however we found some useful online tools (applications in online store) that were also used during the lessons. Advantages of using e-textbooks? In addition to text and images, they offer animations and video clips of experiments which pupils can watch, stop and repeat at anytime, since it is more difficult to implement such event several times. Interactive exercises are generated again and again, which allows to solve them multiple times and to examine the solution. Each time a different exercise is originated. Teachers, for example, perform planned sample lessons using tablet PCs. These lessons are open to all inquisitive co-workers in the project and also other teachers, who are interested in the use of tablets. We also invite consultants of Institute of Education Office RS for each subject area to examine and consult each lesson where we use tablet PCs.

Lidija Grubelnik, Vladimir Grubelnik, OŠ Sladki Vrh

Contemporary way of learning, where the student works with different sources and methods and therefore builds his own knowledge, stimulates the need for individual use of ICT. Huge step towards this is the implementation of tablets into schools. In several school subjects it is reported that tablets are being a massive support in access to the information on the web, displaying multimedia tools and most of all studying the interactive contents. With the help of i-course books and teachers’ mentorship it is enabled for the students to reach for higher level of knowledge. With the usage of online classrooms the significant role of the tablets is also shown in receiving the immediate feedback regarding their learning progress, which creates a great starting point to plan a teaching process. It is also important to point out that the tablets with useful applications can easily substitute some experimental equipment and enables virtual studying the influence of different parameters on system dynamics, especially in science classes. While studying the sociological classes, we came to conclusion that the access to interactive maps, satellite images and virtual tours enables better perception of geographical and historical contents, while the access to interactive dictionaries and translators better learning of foreign languages.

Irena Gole, OŠ Bršljin

Modern technologies complement traditional education with interactive exercises and activities related to the tablet PC. In this way the teacher makes lessons more interactive and interesting, while also promoting cooperative learning. This changes the role of the teacher, who is no longer just the information transmitter, but leads the students and encourages them to actively learn and also to think critically about learning content and everyday things. The practice in the pilot project ‘Implementation and use of e-content and e-services’ (National Education Institute) showed that the introduction of any technology has both advantages as well as disadvantages and that it is appropriate that the teacher tests a teaching tool before introducing it into the learning process. Students are very receptive to all innovations. But when these are not introduced wisely, students quickly get bored, which ruins the original purpose of introducing them. The examples of good practice also indicate that the tablet PC, e-content and e-learning materials can be used in all subjects, at all stages of learning, regardless of whether it is to learn and acquire new content or to revise and mark it. It is also easier to evaluate and analyze work, because the tablet PC provides a range of activities that prepare the students to think about their work and exchange experiences and opinions.

Klavdija Križovik, OŠ Mislinja

Modern technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. Students are becoming increasingly familiar with modern technology such as smartphones and tablets. They use the Internet as a means of daily communication and as an indispensable source of information. The main purpose of using e-tablets, e-sources and other available apps is to help students acquire a better spatial and chronological understanding of historical events, make Science learning more approachable and provide opportunity to acquire and use new words and phrases in their mother tongue as well as in English and German languages. Students became active “co-creators” of the teaching process while teachers took the roles of moderators. Modern methods of primary school teaching were meticulously followed to ensure students become independent, creative, develop critical thinking and use analytical strategies when learning. During the analysis of our lessons we came to the conclusion that students prefer learning with modern technology rather than the traditional way of learning and assessing their knowledge. Students are unaware that they are learning by having fun. There is of course the possibility that some information will be completely new to a few students while others will only deepen and strengthen their knowledge. The individuality of students had to be taken into account. We achieved greater level of student knowledge, understanding, retention, fun, respect and tolerance by appropriately raising the difficulty of content using our own personal teaching methods as well as ensuring cooperative learning among students.