I’ve just attended the ‘through the Looking glass’ conference at Orewa College, which is in the second year using of student owned one-to-one digital devices in all classes. Some interesting themes are emerging, including:

• use of one-to-one devices is becoming ‘normal’
• teachers are becoming familiar with the boundaries between use of digital devices, and situations where more traditional tools and materials are still more appropriate (e.g. music manuscript books)
• There is a point where the students have had enough use of digital devices and just want to get on with the activity.
• on-line videos of instruction (preferably made by the students and teachers) are enabling not only ‘flipped classrooms’ but a more fluid model of teaching where no teacher to class presentations are required. Teaching becomes one to one
• some teachers are embracing public tools from the students’ own lives like Facebook. others have reservations about this approach. Choice of tools is an ongoing debate and exploration.

Overall, the process involves finding out how one-to-one devices can be made to work in all subjects for all types of student. The staff and students at Orewa are making good progress on that journey.