Educators from nearby counties visited two Liberty County School System schools this week for a lesson on classroom innovation.

More than 30 representatives from Toombs, Long, Glynn, McIntosh, Bacon and Bryan counties gathered Tuesday and Wednesday to see how local teachers implement iPads in middle and high schools.

The visitors saw how the change also brings a shift in classroom assignments.

“The thing they kept telling us at Apple is, ‘If they can Google it, you’re asking the wrong question,’” LCSS Executive Director of Technology Dr. Patti Crane said.

Now, assignments are moving away from asking students to repeat facts and toward student-synthesized projects, where students must demonstrate mastery of the standards. That element is becoming more prominent across the board as Georgia schools adjust to the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

Student-created iMovies on the water cycle are one example of that level of synthesis.

Other examples were on display at Bradwell Institute, where three teachers demonstrated new digital course materials in classes geared toward ninth-graders.

At Bradwell Institute, visitors observed three teachers in subject areas that rolled out digital course materials this year.

History teacher Joanna VanBelkum guided her students through a review of early civilizations between 3500 Before Common Era (BCE) to 0 Common Era (CE).

While they searched for critical points in history online, students LaFabia Mearidy and Alejandro Medina said they favor the devices over books because they are able to search with more ease and save time on their assignments.

Get a more in-depth look at digital course materials in Friday's Courier.