Amplify Tablet

Here in RCISD we are working very hard to prepare for a pilot we are going to be doing with the Amplify Tablet. The first couple of weeks in the office for me have been filled up with conference calls and meeting with the implementation team from Amplify.  I found out from their implementation team yesterday that we are one of two districts in the entire state of Texas rolling out a 1:1 pilot with these new, and largely unknown, tablets.

*For more info you can watch this short video*

In RCISD we are starting this pilot with 300 total tablets that cover, basically, the students in an 8th grade science class and an upper level science class at the high school. The students who will participate in this pilot will have access to their tablets throughout the day in all of their courses as well as being encouraged to take them home. We feel this type of saturation will give us the best data to determine how we move forward as we navigate the waters of 1:1 device engagement.

A big part of what I will be doing this year, with regards to this pilot, will be in surveying the teachers of the functionality of the device as well as putting together student panels to talk about their experiences in uses the Amplify.  One thing I know about both teachers and students, they will be honest with me about how they feel it functions for the purpose of 21st century learning.

As of now, I know next to nothing about this tablet.  In a couple of months I will definitely have more info for you. A couple of more months after that I will have even more info.  By next summer I will have a comprehensive, data driven, student tested summary report on how these things stack up against other better known devices that are being used in the classroom (specifically that little product that Apple rolled out a couple of years ago).

I can tell you this, though, I'm legitimately excited to see what these things look like in action in the classroom.

Stay tuned...
ZS