PCS students receive Apple products as part of curriculum
HATTIESBURG, MS. - Presbyterian Christian School (PCS) students will receive Apple products this upcoming school year as part of their curriculum.
PCS Secondary Principal Brian Smith says the school has been working for nearly 5 years to add the products into their education plan.
According to Smith the Apple products cost nearly $1 million and is included in the PCS tuition. “We are excited about the possibilities of what we can do from an education standpoint" says Smith.
Teachers and staff have received tech sessions since last semester to add in their lesson plans. "We have been doing tech times throughout last semester where we meet and used the apps and teach lesson building."
Smith says, "Just a variety of ways that they (teachers) can use the device to enhance their class.” Each Apple product will be monitored by the school for safety reasons.
Grades K thru 4th will have iPad carts inside their classrooms. Grades 5th and 6th will have their own iPad they can take home. Students in 7th thru 12th grade will have MacBooks they can take home too.
Smith says the Apple products will not take away from the human element. “We will still be taking notes with pen and paper at times. We will still do cursive writing. We still work problems on a pad" says Smith. He adds, "This just gives us another way to just go beyond even what we understand is possible.”
The schools says it wants to keep their curriculum up-to-date with social trends. Most of its physical books will become apps says Smith.
“We will have some textbooks costs as we are looking into electronic copies, but our final goal within 3 years is that our staff will create their own texts.”
Students will keep the Apple products for 3 years then return them back to the school. Smith says seniors will have the option to own the MacBooks after graduation.
PCS plans to update its products every 3 years with Apple's latest technology. The school will have several "Mac Night" sessions to teach parents about Apple products in the school system and how parents can manage it at home.
