- From the Principal's Office: Looking Back At Year One of 1:1 iPads, Part Two 0 Comments December 27, 2012 By: Patrick Larkin Dec 27 Written by: 12/27/2012 11:34 AM ShareThis One of the big questions that is asked about our iPad initiative at BHS is - What are the goals of the initiative and how do you know if it is successful or not? The biggest point we want to reiterate is that technology by itself will not have a significant impact in our schools. "Technology alone is not going to move an organization or an individual from Good to Great. We continue to focus on higher levels of student engagement as a primary target in all classrooms and our work in this area will continue. cross-posted at www.patrickmlarkin.com Patrick Larkin is the Assistant Superintendent for Learning of Burlington Public Schools in Burlington, MA and the former principal of Burlington High. Alert to All Users of the Disqus commenting system: Because of a recent global security issue, the Disqus website recommends that all users change their Disqus passwords.
Resources | FOR DYSLEXIA Born to Think Different Reposted from HeraldNet. by Jenny Bardsley A beautiful book about overcoming dyslexia Wednesday, January 9, 2013 | 12:01 am When I was a brand new teacher, I once had a third grade student tell me to “hold the book steady, Teacher, iPad vs. BYOD | IPAD 4 SCHOOLS Yes, we are at the beginning of a revolution in Education. Yes, we have witnessed the world going mobile and yes, there is a variety of tools available to help us make learning mobile and personal. But… Most of the teachers around the world getting excited about this and offering advice (like me) are tech-savvy people. So… Until the vast majority of the teaching profession are aware of what opportunities students would have with one device over another (at least 5 years), the decision a school makes must guarantee simplicity for the non-technical majority. Why should it be iPad and not one of the others? The devices are all the same! have a camera;have a screen;can ‘Skype’access the Internetdo office-style documents So why iPad? I think I can answer that in pictures rather than words. Here is a major section of Apple’s App Store available through the iPad directly focused on the key learning areas, not available on any other system. Conclusion Future Oh and the Flash thing. Like this: Related
Bloomin' Apps This page gathers all of the Bloomin' Apps projects in one place.Each image has clickable hotspots and includes suggestions for iPad, Android, Google and online tools and applications to support each of the levels of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy.I have created a page to allow you to share your favorite online tool, iOS, or Android app with others. Cogs of the Cognitive Processes I began to think about the triangular shape of Bloom's Taxonomy and realized I thought of it a bit differently.Since the cognitive processes are meant to be used when necessary, and any learner goes in and out of the each level as they acquire new content and turn it into knowledge, I created a different type of image that showcased my thoughts about Bloom's more meaningfully.Here is my visual which showcases the interlocking nature of the cognitive processes or, simply, the "Cogs of the Cognitive Processes". IPAD APPS TO SUPPORT BLOOM'S REVISED TAXONOMYassembled by Kathy Schrock Bloom's and SAMR: My thoughts
From 1 iPad to 20 iPads and How It Has Changed My Classroom ~ Mrs. Wideen’s Blog I was challenged to improve my students’ vocabulary and sight word recognition with one iPad in the Fall of 2011. My students were amazingly successful and we only used 4 skill building apps. This minor success developed into a written proposal for 20 more iPads, a MacBook and an iPad cart. My multidisciplinary approach in the use of the iPads has led to the demonstration of student growth in Literacy, in Math, and in Digital Literacy. I am very excited about the results I have seen and the knowledge I have gained. Students in my class are excited to write because they now have the excitement of an authentic audience. Incorporating the iPads into their math stations have provided them with an important visualization and manipulation tool that relieves anxiety and improves engagement. Aside from the benefits my students have gained, I have been granted additional benefits for myself as an educator.
The Biggest Concern For Schools Deploying iPads When my mother-in-law recently got an iPad for her elementary school classroom , her initial response to us was ‘Really? How fast are they going to break that thing?!” While not all kids are going to break your classroom technology, they’re perhaps less likely than an adult to be careful with it. 22% of iPads are damaged within the first year Most (48%) are damaged in transit from school/home and back. 40% are damaged at home.
The Dos and Don'ts for Integrating iPads "Put your wands away!" Professor Umbridge from the Harry Potter stories would tell the students at the beginning of each class. After a few classes when Professor Umbridge would make the announcement, "Put your wands away," the students did not have to do anything because they never even bothered to take the wands out. Our freshman and sophomore students all had iPads (wands) and some of the teachers would have them looking up information, collaborating on an app, or watching chemistry movies. Teacher Tech Blues When I asked them why they did not use the iPads in the classes they taught, these are some of the reasons they mentioned: I don't have time to both prepare a good lesson and then figure out how to fit the technology into it. The two messages that I got out of these remarks are that the teachers did not trust the students, and that they did not have the skills or appropriate apps for the students to be productive with the iPads. Mistakes Made 1. 2. 3. In the Future
12 Crucial Questions to Ask before Using iPad with your Students iPad is making huge inroads into education and it is believed to have revolutionized the whole concept of mobile learning. More and more schools are, if not already adopting 1:1 environments or BYOD projects , then they are at least debating a future inclusion of this mobile device in the classroom. But as a teacher and practitioner who is going to be using iPad with his/her students, you need to think about the instructional use of this tool. There are several questions you need to foment in your mind and hopefully find answers to before using iPad in your teaching. You basically need to ask yourself the following questions : 1- What are the objectives behind my implementing iPad in my teaching ? 7- Have you thought about the learning apps you are going to use with your students ? 11- Have you taught your students about digital citizenship and how they can stay safe online and protect their privacy ?
7 Resources for Developing Typing Skills This morning my friend Ken Shelton asked me via Twitter if I had any resources for online keyboards. Of course I do, I just need to find them. So for Ken and everyone else looking for online typing practice sites, here's a short list to get you started. Typing Web is an online typing tutorial that provides instant feedback after every free typing lesson. Typing Web offers beginner through advanced typing lessons for free. You can register to track your progress or you can use Typing Web without registering. Word Games offers a large collection of online word games and typing games. Listen and Write is a great way for students to improve their typing skills and hear about the news. Power Typing hosts a small collection of five typing games that students can use to develop their typing skills. Good Typing is a free online typing skill development program. Dance Mat Typing is a nice little resource from the BBC. Bonus Just for Fun Item!
The Best Free iPad and iPhone Kids' Apps According to Apple | Groovin' On Apps EmailShare 18EmailShare There’s a difference between popular kids’ apps and games that grab the world’s fancy momentarily, and the best kids’ apps and games that become all-time favorites, classics and “must-haves.” So which type of kids’ apps do you seek? Either way, Apple’s got you covered. Ultimately, Apps for Kids and Games for Kids give you the best kids’ apps and games according to Apple. You might also like our related post, Apple’s Top Apps and Games for Kids That You Can Try for Free. You can get nearly one-fifth of Apple’s top recommended kids’ apps and games for free Cool beans, right? But first, a few words about how to use the table below. Now, have at ‘em. Top Recommended Free Kids Apps and Games on the App Store
Change for the Better – 1:1 iPad Program | Learning Journey There is no question that our 1:1 iPad Program is making a significant difference to the learning experiences occurring in our classrooms. Change is everywhere. It is change enabled by simplicity. iPads are brilliantly simple and are at the same time powerful. This has made technology accessible to both students and teachers. Teachers One of the biggest shifts in our school has been the shift by teachers. Technical Support and Enablement .Provision of a Technology Coordinator: In our own experience having a teacher continuously available to assist, advise, arrange, support, respond has made the effective roll out possible. In the Classrooms – The StudentsManagement: it is really important to establish a code of conduct / behaviour around student use of iPads. Parents One of the great assets which schools sometimes underutilizes are parents. With many possibilities on the horizon e.g. Like this: Like Loading...
The iPad Effect: A Top-10 List » Third Graders, Dreaming Big It’s only been a few months, but I’ve already noticed some drastic changes in our classroom when the iPads roll in…. I’ve labeled these Top-10 phenomena as being The iPad Effect, as they seem to occur every Tuesday and Thursday…. 1. Fewer Water Bubbler Visits Days when there are no iPads in the classroom, students seem to ask to leave to hydrate at the bubbler far more often than they do when the iPads ARE in the classroom. I’m doubting there is a direct link between Thirst and iPaddling, but I can say that students are “thirstier” when their focus is interrupted… 2. We try to time our bathroom visits with regular breaks in our routine. 3. Seems that iPads are the latest cure for stomachaches, headaches, hang-nails, sore arms and legs and boo-boos. 4. I can say with confidence, during my eight years of teaching, I seldom have had students ask to do MORE work than what is required. 5. 6. Face it. 7. Students who are off-target in their behavior risk missing out on part of their iPad time.