iOS 8 Comes to San Domenico

Each year Apple introduces new technologies designed to improve software and hardware functionality, better integrate computer systems, and expand our ability to communicate in the digital world.

Often new computer operating systems (or iOS for mobile devices) create problems for users with older hardware devices. In addition we sometimes experience incompatibilities with Apps which are yet to be updated and optimized for these operating systems.

The San Domenico technology department works very hard to assist in the transition to new operating systems. We help users avoid the system conflicts and loss of data that might occur in the process of updating their devices.

This is why we delayed the introduction of iOS 8 on the iPad. We appreciate the patience of our hundreds of staff, students, and families as they wait for our planned migration to the new iOS this year.

There are four major benefits of waiting to upgrade in these situations:

1. Software developers have time to catch up and update their Apps to be compatible with the new operating system.

2. Apple has time to improve and release their own OS and iOS updates in response to problems they identify.

3. This extra time also provides the San Domenico technology team time to analyze how the new OS impacts the important Apps we rely on in our daily work.

4. Our team can develop strategies and provide instructions on the update process for our users.

Next week we will give the go ahead for students and staff to update their San Domenico iPads. We'll provide some instructions specifically related to the new iCloud Drive and how it can impact different Apps we use.

Contact us via the tech support system if you have any questions before you update your iPad or if you experience problems afterward.

Of course, as always, please remember to perform your backups before moving ahead.

Brad Lakritz
Director of Technology

Learning Management Through Technology at San Domenico

Learning Management Systems are a big topic in education these days. How we define learning management helps schools determine the system(s) they use. Being 1:1 with iPads at San Domenico School, we've learned that the devices themselves are a learning management system.

Students create, organize, and manage their email, photos, audio and video recordings, as well as all the files they make using typical document creation Apps. The iPad helps them keep track of everything they do.

Annotating the Gettysburg Address

Taking it another step further by using Apps like Notability, students manage the notes they take in class or when they are working on assignments. Many teachers provide students with electronic documents and ask their students to work on them using Notability.

Students may choose to annotate the document with highlighters and typed or hand written notes. They may add images and record voice notes to the file. Then, if required, the edited file can be returned to the teacher via a number of different electronic pathways.

Notability "notes management"

Students use other features in Notability to organize and sort their documents. Within the App they can assign notes to color coded subjects to differentiate categories or classes.

Turning in assignments and keeping their files backed up are two additional but important aspects of learning in a 1:1 iPad program. These are another level of learning management and there are a number of different cloud based systems we use for these purposes. I will cover them in subsequent iLearning Blog entries.

At San Domenico School we believe that what students do with their education is as important as their academic performance. We also believe that technology supports that performance by helping students learn and manage their academic course work. That's why 1:1 computing is such a crucial and successful aspect of our educational program.

Brad Lakritz
Director of Technology