KATV Channel 7 will feature our Elementary iPad Initiative Tonight at 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.

The Arkansas Baptist will begin offering supplemental instruction using the iPad in Grades K3, K4 and K5 for the school year 2011-2012, according to Arthur Bennett, superintendent of the Arkansas Baptist School System. 

The Apple iPad is a touch-pad tablet computer released in April 2010. It has Internet capabilities running on either WiFi or 3G.

"We are excited to be the first school in the area to introduce the iPad to the classroom," said Bennett.  "Our kindergarten students will be able to work with an iPad on a daily basis.  This will certainly not replace any curriculum but enhance and reinforce our core curriculum for these grades. There are hundreds of apps for the iPad that are geared specifically for these age groups."

"These children can relate to technology-driven instruction because they have grown up with it, "said Bennett.  "We see the iPad playing a role in offering supplemental instruction in math, reading, art and foreign languages," he said.

Bennett said that the school district plans to create iPad Learning Centers with the devices. The school district will provide the iPads to the student at no additional cost beyond their current tuition schedule.   

Today’s THV: Features Arkansas Baptist students’ Teddy Bears to Japan Effort 

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  (KTHV)- A pair of young Arkansans are helping children in Japan by sending teddy bears.

They say great minds think a like. That might be true for Annabel Phelps and Lauren McLemore. It’s these two young women that are trying to make a difference for the children of Japan after the nuclear disaster earlier this year.

Both came up with collecting stuffed teddy bears and other animals separately but it was fate that brought both their ideas together. 

Watch the full story online http://www.todaysthv.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=152310