Last term, IM3 teacher Miguel Quinonez utilized screen recording services in order to better assist students with at-home studying and review. According to Quinonez, he found this access to resources was beneficial for students who needed extra practice with the material.

Now, IM3 teachers have begun working with the device “Swivl,” an iPad base which is programmed to follow teachers as they walk around the classroom. This allows them to record their teaching so they can post their videos for students who are absent or find trouble understanding the concepts. In order to do so, teachers attach an iPad to a Swivl base that follows the teacher as they move around the classroom.

“Collaboration is key,” Quinonez said. “I found the most beneficial part was observing how my peers would explain a concept and how they interacted with students. This helped me to better my

art of teaching.”

This development comes from math department head and IM3 teacher Sandra Schmatjen working with the district to understand how to implement technology and the benefits that come of it. There, she learned how to use the device and brought the idea to RHS where the path to use the Swivl began.

“When we realized the benefits through the district program, then we decided this is something we would like to try further at Roseville High,” Schmatjen said.

Junior and IM3 student Kira Runkle believes the use of Swivl will aid in student achievement now that the risk of falling behind in class will go down and students have the opportunity to catch up on content while still obtaining the class experience.

“I think with being able to go back and watch [class recordings], my grades would definitely improve on tests and quizzes as well,” Runkle said. “It’ll allow more growth of all students.”
Students won’t be the only people feeling the effects of the Swivl. Teachers can gain access to each other’s video lessons, allowing them to learn from each other and grow as educators, which Schmatjen believes will help the department grow overall.

“We think this will make us better teachers,” Schmatjen said. “[If] I am looking at strategies from other teachers and they have good strategies to do things, then it’s just adding to my tool box of what will make me a better teacher.”

Prior to Swivl, teachers would often sacrifice a prep period to watch and evaluate the methods of other teachers. Now, learning from coworkers will open more opportunities for collaboration and continuity.

According to Schmatjen, the prices of Swivls hinder the department’s ability to station one to every classroom.

“I don’t know that we will be at all teachers all the time recording yet, because the equipment is quite expensive,” Schmatjen said. “But if we can get three or four teachers working as a team and have equipment for that many teachers at a time, then we will just probably rotate the equipment through.”

While the use of Swivls is currently exclusive to IM3 classes, the math department aims to implement the devices in other IM classes and potentially Pre-Calculus.

IM3 teacher Doug Ash is eager to implement the Swivl program in hopes of improving his teaching skills.

“I can learn things from other teachers. There is not one way to do things and frankly, I don’t always come up with good ideas and when someone does come up with one I’d like to see it go through,” Ash said. “It allows me to do things better.”