52,000 iPads for college students in Saint-Maritime

It took a year for the project to become a reality. All children entering 6th grade at Saint-Maritime in September will be given an iPad. Apple tablets will gradually slip into all school bags of the department. Logically, it would take four years for everyone to be equipped with it, the tablet distributed for college admissions. Eventually, 52,000 college students from 109 state colleges in this division of 1.250 million residents will be enrolled. Specifically, between September 15 and October 21, 13,500 iPads will be distributed to the 6th district of the department. About 5,500 educational staff of the department (teachers, librarians, AESH, CPE, etc.) have already been equipped and trained by the national education system to use this new equipment in the exercise of their profession.

“This project was carried out in collaboration with National Education to incorporate a digital tool into the learning logic– explains Bertrand Bélanger, president of the department. The rector of Normandy has mobilized his teams to work hand in hand with the Rouen Academy, the regional directorate attached to digital development, the college teams and the students’ parents. It is really an object for study, not for games. Moreover, the time of use is limited, after 20.00 iPads are no longer suitable. Parents can even bring the end time forward, but not bring it back. No social networks, no video games, no closed list of available websites…only the exercises given by the teachers can be fun. Teachers can also give instructions, give exercises, complete their course…

Involve parents

“For this to be successful, parents must be involved. It’s not a gadget we give to kids, but a real working tool., claims Bertrand Belanger. Especially since the project cost the department a trifle of 40 million euros over four years. A cost that is part of a larger budget of €350m, as it also needed to equip businesses with WiFi and connect them to fibre. At the end of middle school, kids will return their iPads so they can benefit the newcomers. Failing that, the device may be charged to families. “In the event of a breakthrough, the modes are adjustedAdds Bertrand Bélanger, while the tablets will be supplied with a hardened shell.

The introduction of this bag of tablets in colleges is also presented as a tool to combat territorial fractures and improve the care of students with disabilities. “We are the first department to implement a digital library for middle school students for everyone, including children with “dys” disorders (dyslexia, dysorthography, etc.). 12,000 jobs, including 2,000 for dys children, are available online “Add Bertrand Bélanger, recalling that “agencies have authority over human solidarity“.

But why not choose, like the Isle of France, for a French brand? “We decided to partner with Apple for its real added value in the field of educational use, summarizes Bertrand Bélanger. We held a competition to find well-built, well-designed, easy-to-maintain, secure, privacy-friendly hardware“. It is an election for the chairman of the department.”without croaking and demagoguery. These are not the cheapest products. The State Procurement Code has been fully complied with“. Ile de France, which has equipped its high schools with computers offered by the French brand, even if they are manufactured in Asia. But experience has shown that strength, durability and performance are not always there. Hence the choice made by Seine-Maritime.

After the tablets are delivered, tests will be carried out, leading to evaluations over time and at the end of the first year to highlight what needs to be improved or eliminated.