My Inquiry
This page is where I share some of readings and thoughts around my inquiry
"How can I better lead schools using iOS devices transform learning."
I need to put my notes somewhere, and here seemed as good a place as any, available for public critique and reflection.
My thoughts are in italics.
I take transforming learning to be learning new things in new ways that could only be done with an iPad or can only be done easily with an iPad.
An iPad allows you take your learning device with you wherever you go. It is light, fairly cheap, robust and intuitive to use. It's design and features push the user to adopt new practices- there is no USB port, there is no ethernet cable, no Flash, no keyboard, no stypus- on purpose. It is ultimately designed as a 1-1 device but we, as teachers, make it work in a classroom environment.
Please add your comments/reflections to my thoughts on this Google Doc.
Some teachers have asked about children taking school owned iPads home and what sort of agreement might you set up around that idea soI have started this Google Doc with a policy framework and asked notable people to have input.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11FQt3pJbv8lkvzykBXhPUdanDCRccoR7OBj2k6zQdJU/edit
If you decide to use it as a basis for your own agreement please copy it first before you write on it.
Readings and Articles about iPad Use
iPads can't improve learning without good teaching (note taking) - Mark Gleeson, an Australian teacher, writes about thinking about what you want the children to be able to do- then think of an iPad app to do that.
He writes, as an example, of note taking without an iPad. Children take notes on pieces of paper, maybe make a mind map of them and move on.
With an iPad a student may make some digital notes, borrow a photo off Google that relates to it and have the notes saved for later reference.
With a transformational use of an iPad a student may annotate a text, find meanings of difficult words, be able to revise, share their thoughts with others not physically nearby and record conversations using Evernote to be recalled and revised at a later date.
Proof Reading with an iPad using the camera app
I took a photo of a child's handwritten writing, put it on the data projector and we together we looked at editing it and then published it with Scribblepress.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/ipads-transform-classroom-ben-johnson
I have been playing with Augmented Reality for an iPad using all kinds of apps.
My Reflections on the articles
I totally agree with Mark but teachers need to learn the possibilities of using an app to be able imagine how it might be put to use in the classroom.
Teachers need to experience the potential of using the transformational, creative apps to see how they might work with their own classrooms.
There are 140,00+ apps in the iPad store and a lot of those have nothing to do with learning.
My quest is seek out the best apps for enhancing children's learning- Learning New Things in New Ways.
- This is my own blog post so I think it's a good idea. Yes you could do it without an iPad but you probably wouldn't because it wouldn't be immediate as the need arises and it would take too long to prepare. With an iPad it could be fast and done on the move without any preparation.
- Ben Johnson argues that we should focus on the apps to transform learning but I think without a good working knowledge of what the apps can do and how they can work together then the potential of the iPad could be watered down.
Augmented Reality takes you into the redefinition part of the SAMR model. AR generally needs..
- Some kind of prompt like the photo to my left. You aim the iPad camera or webcam at the image and you can see a 3D image.
- I can see this working something like a QR code to give more information about an object.
- Some AR apps give a layer of augmented reality over a geolocation or image without the need for a visual prompt.
- I have listed my favourite AR apps on this site here.
- But best of all is Aurasma- you can build your own prompts and your own Auras. Fabulous for classroom use.
I think this kind of tech really pushed the boundaries around what you can expect of mobile technology. This could only be done with a mobile device.
- It is my mission to learn how to better do tasks just using an iPad. So in this post I filmed, edited, uploaded, embedded and hyperlinked and blogged a short movie.
http://allanahk.edublogs.org/2012/07/10/making-and-posting-video-from-your-ipad/
Sylvia Tolisino writes about her ten most used used apps for a teacher to be fluent with in this post.
I agree with Sylvia when she says "Becoming fluent on the iPad requires consistent effort as well as some time".
You didn't become fluent on your laptop overnight and you need to invest some time to become fluent on the iPad as well.
I like this idea.
You start with what you want your students to be able to do. And then click on the link and it takes you to a few select apps that will well do what you want.
Way better than lists of apps with little explanation.
I view the iPad, not as a replacement for my laptop, but as a:
- Highly mobile device
- It fits in my purse, it goes with me everywhere I go.
- Personalized device
- The iPad gives me a user experience that fits MY learning, reading, writing, visualization and organizational style.
- Customizable device
- I am in charge of finding, adding and deleting apps on my iPad. I create a device with the perfect functionality that fits my needs and objectives for my usage. I am able to modify apps, connect to other social media platforms I use or specify what content (through apps) I want displayed.
- Consolidation device
- It is invaluable to me to have my most important information in ONE place. Handwritten or typed notes, PDF file, images, or presentations files are not scattered on different devices, in analog or digital form. I have one device to read, write, consume, create, archive, retrieve, etc.
- Productivity device
- The iPad allows me to, not only consume, but to create. I am particularly fond of apps that help me curate and organize information, remix and combine different media, write, record, visualize, share and disseminate my “creation” with my network via a variety of venues.
- Reading device
- The iPad has completely changed the way and how much I read (My World of Reading Part I and Part II). All the “traditional” books I am currently reading are in one place. New forms of reading platforms, such as RSS readers, Tweets, blogs, etc. make up the bulk of my reading these days. My iPad let’s me easily return to, refer to, quote from, connect with, favorite, share and disseminate my readings.
- Annotating device
- “An annotation is a note that is made while reading any form of text”. From highlighting to screenshooting, to collaborating with others, the iPad allows me to interact with text like I was not able to before.
- Consider reading about the possibilities from Mike Fisher’s and Jeanne Tribuzzi’s guest post of Annotexting.
Deciding which apps are best to have on your iPad
http://www.portical.org/blog/beware-avoid-carmen-sandiego-syndrome/1384.htm
This post has some rubrics to help you decide
This link from Richmond View School six weeks in to a 1-1 iPad trial gives some interesting reflections.
Click on the graphic to make it bigger.
John Larkin has curated a really comprehensive iPad resource here.
http://www.larkin.net.au/blog/2011/01/30/ipad-in-education/
- Too often I see people download apps cos they are free, or cos they are funny or addictive and I just want to delete them from the school iPad having missed the point entirely. There are so many fabulous LEARNING apps there why would you waste your time with rubbish. Looking at these rubrics will help you decide if the apps are best left for your own iPad and not left distracting from learning on your school iPad. There is a big difference/
- People like things that are new and different. I wonder how they will feel about the use of tablet computing after they have had them a while- when the novelty has worn off will there still be that level of engagement?
- I am feeling quite humbled that John linked to a number of my blog posts in his article.