This page is going to piggyback off of the Student Technology and Creativity Chart but is going to only refer to two of the tools that are listed on that chart. Also unlike the chart, this will be from the teacher perspective. The tools mentioned below are specific to make the educator’s life just a little bit easier and to make some very cool additions to the classroom.
Apple TV
Most people today have some sort of streaming device for their television, and there are plenty of options available. Apple TV, the device not the application, is Apple’s streaming device but it is more than that because it can link with their tablet and laptop devices. Through Apple’s AirPlay, the screen of any Apple device can be shared and presented on the television or projector wirelessly. Some schools have students with their own iPads or at least a classroom set of iPads as well. This in conjunction with the Apple TV and the iPad application Apple Classroom, can make the classroom set of iPads into virtual whiteboards that student’s screen on their individual iPads can be put up on the projector by the educator from their iPad. This makes it so the students do not know the password for the Apple TV and that student work can be displayed for all to see.
This tool can help with differentiation because if the educator is using their iPad to control what is being presented, they can be mobile throughout the classroom with ease to help any student that is having misconceptions or struggling to understand the content. ISTE standards for students that apply to the use of Apple TV are focused mainly on the digital citizenship piece, standards 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d. Really though, depending on how the Apple TV is used, all of the ISTE standards could be considered to be part of what it can be used for. Apple TV’s can run fairly expensive, up to $175 dollars and, at least in my school, they will not connect it to WiFi that can connect it to my laptop or iPad unless I hardwire into it and the Internet must be reliable or connection just will not work right (Downes, 2019). Otherwise it is a really great addition to the classroom.
Artificial Intelligence
Just like the multitudes of streaming devices out today, there are also a ton of tools that add in some sort of artificial intelligence (AI). Home speakers, smartphones, and even some cars are now coming out with AI inside to help make your drive just a little bit easier. In the classroom, AI can be used in all kinds of ways. History classes can start each class period with a news of the world update from Alexa from an Amazon Echo. English class can have independent writing time with some instrumental music playing in the background played from a Google Home. Students with iPads in the classroom can ask Siri for help with some quick calculations to move through a math problem with ease. Just with a quick phrase or saying, practically unlimited information can be spoken to the class without needing to type anything in, search for anything, or even touch a device. Of course, the fear for teachers with AI is that it could end up taking over our jobs and making it more that wear are just facilitators (Aljohani, 2019).
Differentiation is easy because students can either ask for help from their device, or they can ask the teacher to help. And the teacher is free to walk about and help at will, they are not tied down to their desk to look up things for students or even to a tablet in their hands. It is purely hands free differentiation. Here the ISTE standards that apply are again, just about any of them, because it is dependent on how the device(s) are used, but mostly 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d for digital citizenship. These devices vary in price all over the place. Most of the brands have varying levels of their devices too based on what all they can do. Some have screens, and some are just speakers.