Zeeland schools learn from iPad miscues

ZEELAND, Mich. (WOOD) - The iPads issued by the Zeeland school district a year ago provided learning opportunities for both students and school administrators. This year, they have a better plan on how to use them -- and how to manage them.

In May, at least four Zeeland Highs School students got in legal trouble for sexting on their school-issued iPads. Four teens -- 14 and 15 years old -- were charged with indecent exposure and received probation in juvenile court for sending sexually explicit pictures of themselves on those iPads.

Zeeland officials don't deny they had some problems last year, but said they are ready this year.

"That's been a part of the whole process is knowing that as you do something new and different it's going to take many different course corrections along the way," said Stephen Braunius, the Zeeland Public Schools Director of Instructional Technology. "There's no way to do something new without doing course corrections along the way."

Like good students, they've learned from their mistakes.

"When we see somebody behind a screen on a phone or a tablet or something, it's OK to go to a student or child and say, 'What's going on there? Show me what's on there. What are you up to?' rather than thinking that everything's good," he said.

This year, a 9th-graders will have to take part in a 45-minute seminar on what to do and not do with the technology, making sure kids know what the district and legal consequences are for infractions like sexting. Braunius told 24 Hour News 8 an attorney will participate in the seminar -- placing emphasis on legal ramifications.  

"Not talking about all the things they shouldn't do -- but talk about the ways that we want it to be used," said Braunius.  

Officials also plan to put more restrictions on new iPad users so students can't download everything they want to right away -- until trust is earned.  24 Hour News 8 learned that 9th-grade students' iPads will be preprogrammed with select apps that can change as needs evolve.  

"We really want this to be not a device where it's not constantly having to go ask permission, but it becomes something we learn the responsible use of it for improving learning," Braunius told 24 Hour News 8.

Braunius said they didn't put those restrictions on the iPads last year, because they understand they "can't script" education and didn't want to impede educational opportunities. He said the new restirctions will start with 9th-grade students, but if older students show they cannot handle an unrestricted device, theirs will be restricted.  

This year, the district is incorporating the devices more into classes and rolling out iPad to younger students in middle and elementary school -- those iPads will stay at school.  

"This year, what we've done is added a district instructional technology coach," said Braunius. He said there will be routine instruction throughout the year for technology in classrooms.  

"Another piece that's been very important to us is setting up what we call expectations which is saying we really need to help everyone in our school community parents students staff know why the device is even here," said Braunius.  

Braunius admitted that this is a "tough path," giving iPads to students, but he said it's their role to prepare students for where they're going.  

"We as a district have a mission statement that talks about preparing students for a lifetime of learning, and so it seems to us to fit that we should be engaging in this tough path because we're preparing them for this future," said Braunius.  

The district will also offer insurance for the devices at a lower price than they did last year. The price will be $40 per year -- that does include a case that's allegedly drop and backpack resistant.  

District officials said they've heard promising things out of other districts in terms of academic benefits for the iPads, but told 24 Hour News 8 it's impossible to determine if their district has been affected either way in just one year.  

The iPads were funded by money from bonds.