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The iPad and Parental Engagement in Education

The iPad and Parental Engagement in Education
Parents have a very different perspective. Whilst educators wax lyrical about the potential of the iPad for learning, there are concerns from parents about its impact on their child. Or so we thought. All parents of iPad trial students were asked to complete a questionnaire, attend a focus group meeting and email any further thoughts to inform the decision making progress for future iPad use. Below are direct responses to questions from the focus group where parents were encouraged to discuss with each other the various advantages and disadvantages of the iPad for learning. Have you noticed any change in the way your child approaches learning?. As suspected the increased motivation and collaboration we have witnessed from students has also been observed at home. What are the disadvantages of the iPad in the learning process? Blurring the boundary between work and playAddictive nature of the deviceDoes it detract from the need for good handwriting? Like this: Like Loading...

The iPad Toolkit for Learning? | dedwards.me It is interesting to reflect how this simplification of iPad key tools has changed in a relatively short space of time. iWork suite aside, you could purchase the above apps for less than the cost of a textbook and have a model that could enhance learning with the right application. For those educators who are using iPads in the classroom, the suggestions above will be nothing new. The hope is that other educators will not feel overwhelmed by the diagram and actually view a number of core apps as manageable for their own learning curve. It must be said that there are a number of applications that I could happily add to the diagram that would be useful for the toolkit. You will notice that Google Drive and Explain Everything are an integral part of the learning process. Explain Everything serves as a platform to enhance and demonstrate learning. The rest of the tools have creation and collaboration at their core alongside the assessment for learning with feedback mechanisms. Like this:

The iPad as a Tool For Education - a case study In the first two terms of implementing an iPad programme, Longfield Academy in Kent have noticed a great impact on teaching and learning. Research carried out on behalf of Naace and supported by 9ine consulting is published here. It’s really exciting to be able to announce our research into the use of iPads. After a successful implementation at Longfield Academy in Kent and two terms of embedded use, the research shows some incredibly positive impacts on teaching and learning. The report on the research, carried out on behalf of Naace and supported by 9ine Consulting is available below. Please note: the tablet implementation surveys here include the questions used in this research. Any further queries can be directed via office@naace.co.uk The iPad as a Tool For Education - a case study

5 Critical Mistakes Schools Make With iPads (And How To Correct Them) Over the last few years K-12 schools and districts across the country have been investing heavily in iPads for classroom use. EdTechTeacher has been leading iPad professional development at many of these schools and we’ve seen firsthand how they approach iPad integration. While we’ve witnessed many effective approaches to incorporating iPads successfully in the classroom, we’re struck by the common mistakes many schools are making with iPads, mistakes that are in some cases crippling the success of these initiatives. 1) Focusing on content apps The most common mistake teachers make with iPads is focusing on subject-specific apps. It simply didn’t occur to him use the VoiceThread app to record his students speaking Latin, or perhaps create a collaborative discussion of Cicero. At our iPads in the Classroom summer workshop at Harvard University we spend three full days with teachers actively exploring effective iPad integration tools and strategies. It doesn’t. Focusing on iPad-versus.

8 Studies Show iPads in the Classroom Improve Education 8 Studies Show iPads in the Classroom Improve Education Posted by Ashley Wainwright on Mon, Feb 18, 2013 @ 09:26 AM Since their release in April of 2010, Apple’s iPads have taken the US by storm. iPads have swept through almost every industry, especially education. There have been many interesting studies done about iPads in the classroom and the effects on both students and teachers. A research study, conducted in Auburn, Maine showed that Kindergartner students using iPads scored much higher on literacy tests than students that didn’t use the device. According to Open Colleges, 81% of U.S teachers think tablets can enrich classroom learning, and 86% of students believe that tablets can help them to study more efficiently. iPad technology in the classroom can be a powerful tool for learning and comprehension.

Get The Maximum out of Evernote with These Awesome Tutorials Evernote is one of the apps I use on everyday basis. I have already featured it in my "top 10 web tools as a teacher ". I know there are several other tools that can do the same and I have reviewed some of them here in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning, but the powerful features Evernote exhibits together with its ease of use make out of this app one of the must have for every teacher and student. I use Evernote for a wide variety of reasons most important of which is to organize my digital life and keep track of my projects. I also use it to jot down notes around web content I read, or to clip blog posts that interest me. Today I am sharing with you 5 of the most popular video tutorials on Evernote. 1- Evernote notes 2- How to Use Evernote Notebooks 3- How to Use Evernote tags 4- How to use Evernote Search 5- How to use Evernote Clipper

Making the most of a 1 iPad classroom… | ICT Across the Curriculum We are just entering Phase 2 of our iPad trial and whilst more staff are involved in using iPads we are still in the situation where there is only 1 iPad in the classroom. Nevertheless there are still many great opportunities for enhancing teaching and learning. One of the key things is being able to utilise the iPad in a way which shares resources as a group and facilitates interactivity in a way which can benefit everyone. 1. Airserver is an Airplay receiver which effectively allows you to stream content between devices. Details of how to download Airserver can be found here – it is very reasonably priced and for schools requiring more than 20 licences there is a very reasonably priced commercial licence. Once Airserver has been purchased and installed and activated on a machine to airplay from your iPad simply click the home button and a bar of shortcuts will appear at the bottom – slide your finger to the right until the play, pause, volume etc. buttons appear. 2. Like this:

10 iPad Features Every iPad Owner Should Know Are you relatively new to iPads in the classroom? Are you looking for some tips to help you navigate the new iOS 7? Today we take a look at 10 Features Every iPad Owner Should Know, so that you have the knowledge and confidence you need to shine in front of your students. This post is a collaborative piece that was created with the help of Jonathan Wylie, a talented Instructional Technology Consultant from Iowa, USA. Please take time to check out his blog at 1. In iOS 7, multitasking is easier and more powerful than ever. You can also close apps from the multitasking menu. 2. Screenshots are incredibly useful for educators wishing to share their iPad screens. 3. Did you know your iPad can read text aloud for you? To make the iPad read text aloud, you have to select the text you want it to read. 4. Guided Access is great for younger students, special education classrooms, or even when using the iPad at home with your own kids! How to Search on Your iPad

Meet your child’s new teacher: the iPad Not long ago, I was horrified to learn children were allowed to use mobile phones in the playground. Now they’re actually being encouraged to bring smartphones out in the classroom, not to mention Kindles, iPads, Wiis and hand-held games consoles such as Nintendo DSs. Even exams are changing out of all recognition. Is this really a brave new world, or the gateway to indolence, addiction and diminishing social and cognitive skills? Moreover, while introducing technology into schools is expensive in the short term, in the long term educationalists warn it may be used as a cost-cutting device. In Thailand, every schoolchild is given a tablet device; worldwide, Apple has sold eight million iPads for educational purposes (AFP/GETTY /CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT) But my fears, it seems, are those of a Luddite minority. Recently, the National Union of Teachers said asking parents to buy devices for about £300 was creating a division between better-off and poorer pupils.

10 reasons it's a great time to be in education As many of us get ready to start up another school year, we have much to look forward to and much to be excited about. Here are 10 reasons why I believe it's a great time to be in education: 1) - Global competition is increasing and the pool for career opportunities is becoming more fierce. As the world seems to get smaller, students are being forced to compete with an even larger pool of applicants for colleges, for jobs, and for life in general. It's my belief that through this increase in competition, both schools and students will rise to the occasion to ensure all kids are prepared to be successful regardless of what path they choose in life. 2) - Everyone thinks they know what is best for education. 3) - Technology is changing the way the world does business. 4) - Students are bringing more and more knowledge and experience into the educational setting. 5) - College education programs are getting better and better. 9) - Innovation and creativity are all around us.

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