Although over one hundred years old, King’s College prides itself on being an innovator in education, especially in its integration of digital technologies in teaching and learning. Founded in 1896, its vision from that day on has been to provide the best all-round education it is possible to obtain.
To prepare our students for the increasingly complex work environments of the future we know it is essential to develop their digital literacy and confidence. We recognise technology as an important platform and enabling tool for creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem-solving, communication and collaboration, in our globally-connected classrooms, homes and offices. Since pioneering with our Apple laptop programme in 1992, King’s has been at the forefront of e-learning in New Zealand, embarking on the first steps of our 1:1 iPad programme as early as 2011.
Our Vision
Our vision for the integration of educational technologies in teaching and learning affirms the transformative role they can play in our students’ education during their time at the College and beyond.
By building educational technologies into all aspects of our teaching and learning, we also ensure that our students can access and make use of real-world, contemporary data, tools and expert insights. We believe this is a valuable practice for our students to learn and apply in their studies and, ultimately, in their careers. Knowing how to access, navigate and differentiate information are vital skills in today’s world and ones which our students will continue to use in future study and in the workplace.
Learning
At King’s College we are using educational technologies and our e-learning programme to transform the learning experience by making it more student-centred, more dynamic and more accessible.
Our teachers are using technology to give our students access to new resources and new ways to learn. We are also equipping our students with the skills to enhance their own study and research, by making smarter use of the technology that is available to them. One of the key advantages of our e-learning approach is that it allows our staff to deliver more individualised learning opportunities and gives our students greater control over their learning experience. Students are supported to learn at their own pace, allowing them to revise content with which they need to spend more time, or to stretch themselves with additional readings and exercises.
Each student’s iPad enables our teachers to reach them with a range of learning resources such as course notes, videos, podcasts, revision exercises and online publications, including a number of multi-touch interactive books developed in-house by our subject departments. In the classroom, teachers and students are exploiting the versatility of the iPad in recreating scenarios through AR technologies, such as the example of our Classical Studies classes experiencing the size of Greek vases in their school and classroom environments or sculptures in Art History.
Success
We have surveyed our student year groups from the start of our iPad programme in 2011, which began with one pilot class. In 2012 we extended the pilot to three classes, and from 2013 began adding each year level to the 1:1 programme incrementally, so that from 2017 all students had an iPad.
At the heart of our survey are 8 questions asked every year, seeking a subjective view of iPad use from each student: a longitudinal survey that covers the past decade has resulted. As well as these questions, we survey iPad and app use across departments, and seek to identify areas which require additional support - for example:
• iPads bring ancient art to life | HOD Classics Lauren Lethbridge uses AR to study Greek vases.
• Practising practitioner | Head of E-learning David Parr explains how we were well prepared for multiple COVID
lockdowns.
• Student work | Aashna Melant’s Level 1 Media Studies ad for iPad Pro and Pencil.
Apple Distinguished School
King’s College has been recognised by Apple as a distinguished school for continuous innovation in learning, teaching, and the school environment since 2017. Apple Distinguished Schools are centers of innovation, leadership, and educational excellence. They use Apple technology to connect students to the world, fuel creativity, deepen collaboration, and make learning personal.
King’s has been committed to Apple technologies since 1992: now, all students are required to have an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil for their learning. All new students are leased an iPad, Apple Pencil, keyboard and peripherals.
For more information about our lease programme, visit Digital Technology Requirements in Admissions.
