It's the Pedagogy, Stupid: Lessons from an iPad Lending Program Recently, we were tasked with developing policies and procedures for an equipment lending program initiated within the Faculty Technology Resources Center at the University of Cincinnati. The program was conceived as a method for encouraging the use of technology in the classroom. By loaning equipment to faculty for an academic term, we would encourage them to evaluate—and hopefully innovate—the utility of various "cutting edge" technologies with no financial risks to themselves or their departments. Some colleges and universities are already providing all incoming students with iPads. We're Here, Now What? Once we decided to implement the lending program we were excited, but also a little nervous. Load iPads with eBooks and then select and assign reading groups for certain books. As a consequence, we began to roll our eyes every time we encountered a claim in the blogosphere about the revolutionary potential of the iPad for education. How to Lend an iPad It's the Pedagogy, Stupid
How to organise Apps and manage restrictions for a Primary or Early Years iPad ... #ukedchat #ipaded #edtech - Enabling Environments For the Summer Term I am planning to support staff at the primary school I work at with understanding the basics of using an iPad in a primary classroom. This blog post is going to act as a base for all of my advice, so it will probably change over the coming weeks. For information on managing multiple devices and purchasing app licenses, see my blog post here: I saw a blog post at EdTechLoung.com this Easter holiday which gave a huge bank of recommended Apps for Early Years and Primary Education. When I supported the staff at Tiny Tots Day Nursery with the setting up of their iPad, I offered similar advice to them. Here is how I set up the iPad in my class: Installing, grouping and managing Apps and Folders Browse AppStore’s ‘education’ category or search for Apps using the search function. You will find that your iPad Home screen is full of various Apps and it ‘looks messy’. Applying settings and restrictions 1. Like this:
Etherpad Foundation › Live Document Collaboration Early Childhood Education and the iPad I was fortunate enough last weekend to receive an invitation to the Sydney Catholic Schools Early Years Conference. I was interested because the conference was centred around creating a clear and coherent vision around Early Years pedagogy. I was also intrigued to see how the iPad fitted in with this vision. One of the sessions I attended was Technology in the Early Years - Apps and iPads by Kate Highfield a Lecturer in Early Childhood from Macquarie University Sydney. Kate was certainly an engaging and passionate speaker but what really impressed participants was a scaffold by which we could evaluate the apps that are used within the confines of our own classrooms. Kate and her research partner Kristy Goodwin have developed this scaffold from their research into educational apps. Kate suggested that we could plot apps on a educational continuum depending on where the different apps contribute to cognitive development. PuppetPals: FREE Create your own animated stories. StoryKit: FREE
The Flipped Classroom: Pro and Con In 2012, I attended the ISTE conference in San Diego, CA. While I was only there for about 36 hours, it was easy for me to pick up on one of the hottest topics for the three-day event. The "flipped classroom" was being discussed in social lounges, in conference sessions, on the exhibit floor, on the hashtag and even at dinner. People wanted to know what it was, what it wasn't, how it's done and why it works. Others wanted to sing its praises and often included a vignette about how it works in their classroom and how it transformed learning for their students. Still others railed that the model is nothing transformative at all and that it still emphasizes sage-on-the-stage direct instruction rather than student-centered learning. What It Is The authors go on to explain that the model is a mixture of direct instruction and constructivism, that it makes it easier for students who may have missed class to keep up because they can watch the videos at any time. What It Isn't Why It Works
Social Media For Administrators (Blog Posts) cc licensed ( BY NC ) flickr photo shared by Ken Whytock I recently decided to compile some of the blog posts that I have written regarding social media and administrators on my own blog site. I have created a “page” for these articles that I will continue to update as I write posts that may be helpful, but I just wanted to share this as a blog post to those people who may subscribe to this through an RSS feed or email subscription. As I have done a lot of work with school administrators on why they should be using social media and some practical ways to use it within their schools, I wanted to compile some articles together that will help schools/organizations move forward. The Why The Power of Twitter - This was one of my first experiences with the power of the network and how Twitter was an amazing resource that could be used to connect with passionate educators all around the world. The How What Should A Networked Educational Leader Tweet About?
Five-Minute Film Festival: Flipped Classrooms I really enjoyed Mary Beth Hertz's excellent blog published earlier this week, "The Flipped Classroom: Pro and Con" -- one of the most concise and balanced views I've read on the buzz-wordy concept of flipping the classroom. Advocates say that "flipped classrooms" help overburdened teachers differentiate their instruction to reach more learners, provide an avenue into more hands-on and student-driven learning during classtime, and shift the teacher's role from "sage on the stage" to learning coach and facilitator. Critics say it's just a fad, relies too heavily on rote instruction, and doesn't go far enough in making the needed changes for teaching and learning reform. I've rounded up this list of videos so you can learn more about the challenges and benefits of flipped classrooms. Video Playlist: Flipping the Classroom Keep watching the player below to see the entire playlist, or view this playlist on YouTube. More Flipped Class Resources Flipping the Classroom Guides and PD
IP glossary This glossary helps explain some of the most important IP words, terms and concepts. Skip to: ATMOSS (Australian Trade Mark On-line Search System) The IP Australia Trade Mark Register database. Assignee The person(s) or corporate body to whom all or limited rights under an IP right are legally transferred. Assignment of rights This occurs when you sell or bequeath your IP rights to someone else. Australian Official Journal of Patents (AJOP) The journal issued by IP Australia listing patent applications awaiting approval. Authorised user A person who is authorised by and under the control of the owner of a trade mark to use the trade mark in relation to goods and services covered by the trade mark. Basic application A basic application is the priority document in any country where patent protection is sought in another country. Certification mark Circuit layout rights Circuit layout rights automatically protect original layout designs for integrated circuits and computer chips. Classes Collective mark