A Lake Wales Charter School serves as a model for Apple for how to incorporate technology into the classroom.
- Apple Distinguished School in Lake Wales to add more STEM classrooms
- Edward W Bok Academy teachers incorporate Apple products into lesson plans
- Students dive deeper into technology to prepare for future jobs
Edward W Bok Academy is an Apple Distinguished School and has been for five years.
All of the middle school’s students have access to iPads and Macbooks in core classes. The teachers are trained on how to incorporate the products into lesson plans.
“The challenge in education right now is what we have to do as educators is prepare our students for careers that don’t even exist yet,” said Principal Damien Moses.
Inside the school’s STEM classroom, students dive deeper into technology, learning about circuit board, how to disassemble computers, and the basics of programming.
“In the future, it’s pretty obvious that it’s going to all be based on technology. So if while you’re younger, going through sixth through eighth grade, you can learn how to use the technology you’re going to use in the future, it kind of gives you a step up,” said Ellora Gonzalez, an eighth grade student.
In the fall of 2018, the school plans to add four more STEM classrooms.
The academy is one of 12 Apple Distinguished Schools in Florida, and one of only 400 in the world, according to Apple’s website.