Teaching and Learning: Using iPads in the Classroom. Updated 01/2014 If I had thirty iPads in my class, what would I do with them? How would I use them to help my students learn better and help me teach better? Perhaps a better question is what would I do with them that I could not do with other tools that are available and cheaper? Certainly iPads are cheaper than computers, desktop or laptop, and they are more mobile. Speaking of computers, they were supposed to be the transformation of teaching and learning as we know it.
In some ways there has been a transformation, but the basics of teaching and learning have remained unchanged. Kinesthetic Learners The iPad has a number of unique features that provide for interesting possibilities in teaching and learning. As a completely portable learning tool, the iPad camera allows documentation to be taken to a whole different level. Students can also attach videos, and voice recordings to their field notes. In math class the GPS of the iPad establishes locale in ways that are profound.
Using Prezi In Education. On the educational scene, Prezi is fast becoming the new kid on the block. Prezi’s unique slick “zooming” function offers an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional PowerPoint presentations in education and business alike. Prezi is an online, Flash-based presentation creator who shares similar functionalities with other information presentation programmes such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Apple Keynotes. It is a visual learning tool which allows you to create maps of texts, images, videos, graphics, etc… and present them in a nonlinear way. The menu for adding elements has a very unique navigational approach and is easy to master.
Prezi’s most noticeable feature is its zoom in and out function which really brings your message to life. Instead of “flicking” from one slide to the next – as you would do in your good old PowerPoint presentation – Prezi gives you a chance to explore a canvas of ideas by focussing on minute detail as well as allowing you to see the big picture. 1. 10 Things Teachers Should Know To Do With Google Docs. Google Docs is a powerful word processing tool that many schools have adopted.
As it’s similar to Microsoft Word and other word processing tools, most of its features are intuitive to use. However, in addition to completing many of the functions of a traditional word processor, Google Docs provides even more capabilities that can be invaluable to educators. Here are ten tricks that can make your life easier with Google Docs: Share & Collaborate with Google Docs One of the most powerful features of Google Docs is that you can share and collaborate on documents with others. Sharing with individuals is relatively easy. Comments And Suggested Edits Sometimes, you don’t want to make changes on a document. Others can reply to your comments when they make changes or ask for clarification. Revision History One of my favorite tools in Google Docs is “Revision History.” Add-Ons Recently, Google released a suite of “Add-ons.” Leave Voice Comments Sometimes written comments are not enough.
Image Editing. How to Integrate Technology. When technology integration in the classroom is seamless and thoughtful, students not only become more engaged, they begin to take more control over their own learning, too. Effective tech integration changes classroom dynamics, encouraging student-centered project-based learning. Think about how you are using technology with your students. Are they employing technology daily in the classroom, using a variety of tools to complete assignments and create projects that show a deep understanding of content?
If your answer is "No," is it because you lack enough access to technology? This article contains the following sections: Handhelds Go to Class: Teacher Josh Barron and one of his students go through the strange-looking rite of "beaming" information to each other. Getting Started The first step in successful tech integration is recognizing the change that may need to happen inside of yourself and in your approach to teaching. Back to Top Integrating Technology Across the Access Spectrum. 10 Ways to Use Technology to Build Vocabulary. Click the "References" link above to hide these references. Adesope, O.O., Lavin, T., Thompson, T., & Ungerleider, C. (2010). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the cognitive correlates of bilingualism. Review of Educational Research, 80(2), 207-245. doi:10.3102/0034654310368803 Baumann, J.F., & Kame'enui, E.J.
(Eds.). (2004). Vocabulary instruction: Research to practice. New York: Guilford. Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G., & Kucan, L. (2008). Berne, J.I., & Blachowicz, C.L.Z. (2008). Biancarosa, G., & Snow, C.E. (2006). Biemiller, A., & Boote, C. (2006). Blachowicz, C.L.Z., & Obrochta, C. (2005). Boulware-Gooden, R., Carreker, S., Thornhill, A., & Joshi, R.M. (2007). Chall, J.S., & Jacobs, V.A. (2003). Cunningham, A.E., & Stanovich, K.E. (2001). Dalton, B., & Proctor, C.P. (2007). Dalton, B., Proctor, C.P., Snow, C.E., Uccelli, P., & Mo, E. (2008, September). Dodge, B. (1995). Elkind, K., & Elkind, J. (2007). Fadel, C., & Lemke, C. (2008). Graves, M.F., & Watts-Taffe, S. (2008). 6 Easy Steps for Getting Started Using Free Plickers for Assessment.
Data is an essential component in education, yet sometimes it can be viewed as a necessary evil for educators. In the past, a teacher may teach a lesson and require students to complete an exit ticket assessment activity to show mastery of the concept(s) reviewed over a certain time frame. Passing out the materials and grading individual student responses can be a time consuming task. As the year goes on a teacher’s attitude toward data collection may change and decline as assessment becomes more overwhelming.
Fortunately, today's technology provides useful tools for educators to gather, analyze, and save data in record time. One such tool is enabled through the tablet and smartphone, but does not require students to have any technology, making it essentially free. What is a Plicker? In my classroom, students’ desks are grouped in pods to allow collaboration during activities. First, here is the website for downloading this must-have app to your device: Education videos: Ten ways to use them well. Why use video resources? In 1983 Howard Gardner proposed the theory of multiple intelligences. The idea has developed into a general understanding that students learn in different ways.
Some learn best through listening; some by touching and others need visual stimuli, e.g. video resources. Over the years the theory has come under scrutiny by many. However, one important premise that educators have taken from this idea is that we need to vary our teaching styles and incorporate a range of delivery methods into our pedagogy. Gone are the days of thinking that all students learn in the same way and that ‘one size fits all’. Whether you are a digital immigrant or a digital native there are plenty of ways to incorporate technology into teaching in order to make lectures a more engaging and beneficial experience for students.
Choose your video resources wisely. Quick start guide to flipping your classroom using screencasting or lecture videos – Turn to Your Neighbor: The Official Peer Instruction Blog. On Your Mark, Get Set, FLIP! Are you thinking about flipping your classroom? There are lots of different, interesting ways to flip a class.
One popular, entry-level approach to flipped teaching is to deliver direct instruction (i.e. lectures) outside of class, using pre-recorded videos covering content. Instructors then spend class time on activities that students would normally do at home, such as homework problems. Flipped experts Bergmann and Sams call this the “flipped 101” approach, emphasizing that there is more than one way to flip a class and putting videos online and doing homework in class is one of the most basic of those ways. For videos in a flipped 101 approach, some instructors select pre-existing content that others have created to use as direct instruction.
Ready? Keep these prep steps in mind as you get ready to flip your classroom. Quick Start Guide (Download a PDF of the guide here) Decide how you would like to capture your content. Some ideas On your mark! Like this: Podcasting In and Out of the Classroom. A podcast is an audio story created to share ideas, presentations, or music. Typically podcasts are linked from a blog, so "podcasting" is often used to denote audioblogging. Students can use podcasts in the classroom to interview each other, tell stories, create newscasts, hold debates, or run radio shows. Schools can use podcasts to make announcements via their Web site or to record guest speakers and publish their presentations available online. In podcasting, the producer records the audio, edits it, and then distributes it via the web. Podcasts sometimes resemble radio programs as some podcasters add music and various sound effects to their recorded audio.
The podcast file type is very important. Naturally the listener must be able to play the podcast file, and it must be of acceptable audio quality. Visit our audio recording and editing apps page for a complete list of tools that work on any device. Podbean This is a great option for uploading your mp3 podcast files. Google Drive.