2013 - 2014 EASD iPad Initiative - Post 3

This section provides suggestions for resources to consult when considering which apps to use for various educational experiences.

CommonSense Media App Review – Apps are evaluated and categorized by:
Age, Platform, Learning rating, Subject, Skill, Genre, Topics

Kathy Schrock – Blooming APPS – App recommendations are associated with various levels of Bloom

2013 - 2014 EASD iPad Initiative - Post 2

Do we take for granted what students will “know”?

◦Is it OK to go into settings?
◦Is it OK to change background?
◦When is it OK to browse the internet?
◦When is it OK to explore other apps?
◦Other expectations to consider?

What conversations do we need to have about consistency in our expectations?

Article: How Use of an iPad Facilitated Reading Improvement

McClanahan, Barbara, et al. "A Breakthrough for Josh: How Use of an iPad Facilitated Reading Improvement." TechTrends 56.3 (2012): 20–28. Print.

Article summary:

Emerging tech redefining literacy in school, work, home
Tech difficult to define - changes so rapidly

iPad - comfortable size, weight, tough screen, wiFi data connection, affordable apps

Future of 1-1 ed delivery

CAI - gen ed classrooms - individualize instruction, promote sustained attn, improved work performance, learning tasks in multiple modalities, chuncking, allows repeated trials w/immediate feedback, self-paced, novelty of game format

Often leadership and direction for research comes from teachers trying out these technologies in their classrooms.
Teachers identify and studying issues of teaching in their own classroom - collect data, develop a plan of action PLUS add eval results through reflection PLUS - freedom to incorporate unexpected possibilities via discovery

This type of action research IS a valid form of PD

Overall, results cannot be generalized, but potential of tranferability is REAL

Apps and actions mentioned:
Specific eBooks (student recorded himself as he read - **BECAME Metacognitive about his own reading)
FlashCards+
Compound Boogie
Vocabulary Builder
Miss Spell's Class
ABC Alphabet Phonics
Stories 2 Go

On a side note...

This video is for an activity I have planned for this morning with 3rd grade students...

2013 - 2014 EASD iPad Initiative - Let's start here...

In what ways can we redesign our instructional environment to reflect student "PACK skills" (AKA: Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Creativity, Information Literacy, Life-long Learning Skills, Flexibility and Adaptability) utilizing the unique features of mobile learning devices?

What are the benefits? What are the challenges?

How to we build a professional learning community to best meet the needs of our students and teachers across all four elementary buildings (and across the district)?

In order to begin to build up, we need to lay a solid foundation for our goal. Following are some introductory and “housekeeping” items that will need to be considered and addressed. In addition, some items are designed to drive the goal over time.

ITEM ONE: Develop / access basic tool instructions (for teachers and students)

The Blue Valley School District in Johnson County, Kansas series of “How-to-Guides” can be reviewed as a model. The series includes:

· iPad Basics and Introduction

· iPad Camera Guide

· iPad Organization and Personalization

· Sharing from the iPad (Teacher Version)

· Sharing from the iPad (Student Carts)

What else do we need? Please reply with recommendations for any local (flipped) directions for what to do if…or common trouble-shooting items like access to WiFi, cart issues, etc...