Holy Innocents' High School students in Singapore just received their iPads.
In a Facebook post on Apr. 22, the students were seen unboxing their personal learning devices issued by the school.
The school said that it was an "exciting milestone" for their students to adopt new ways of learning.
Here are some of the students unboxing their iPads:
Photo via Holy Innocents' High School/FB
Photo via Holy Innocents' High School/FB
Photo via Holy Innocents' High School/FB
Photo via Holy Innocents' High School/FB
Photo via Holy Innocents' High School/FB
The Facebook post has since garnered over 1,200 shares in under 24 hours.
Some also pointed out that students would have greater access to games.
In the announcement last year, MOE clarified that all PLDs will be equipped with a Device Management Application (DMA) software installed.
This software will enable the teachers to guide and monitor students’ device usage, and help to determine the the appropriate teaching and learning applications to be installed into each device.
For example, inappropriate websites with adult or extremist content, as well as gaming and gambling websites or applications, will be restricted.
Schools will also have the discretion to decide what applications and websites to enable or disable.
PLDs in schools
By 2021, all students in secondary schools in Singapore will have their own personal learning device, like a laptop or tablet.
The device will support digital lesson plans, and allow teachers to personalise and enhance each student's learning.
MOE plans to implement Blended Learning in all secondary schools, junior colleges, and the Millennia Institute starting in Term 3 of 2021.
Singaporean students can use their Edusave Account to pay for the device that has been selected by their school.
To support the purchase of the device, a one-off Edusave top-up of S$200 was done for all eligible Singaporean students in April 2020.
Students from lower-income households also received further subsidies.