I will be presenting on this topic at the TAIS conference in Memphis in November. Here is some of what I will be sharing.
Why Use Mobile Technology?
This is the way that technology is moving and our students will need to be comfortable with it. In addition, this is the way our children are learning to interact with the world and learn. Most of our K4 students have already used apps on their parents’ iPhone and a couple had an iPad at home. Almost all students have some type of mobile technology like their parents’ phone, iPod Touch, Nintendo DS or DSi, PSP, etc. This is a very familiar and riveting technology for our students.
Why iPads or Tablets?
iPads are great for visual, auditory & kinesthetic learning. Other technologies can address the first two but the iPad allows for kinesthetic learning like touching the screen to "write" a letter or moving the whole iPad to direct your character on screen. They are also good at keeping students working (moving at their own pace). They allow you to keep a digital portfolio.
Others:
Creation vs. Consumption
iPads are known primarily as a tool for consumption of data and information – reading books, playing a game, keeping track of a calendar but they are fast becoming a tool to create data or content as well. Here are some apps that will help your students create:
Differentiating Instruction
The iPad is an amazing tool for differentiating instruction. They can provide one on one help with weak areas, extra challenges for students who can move ahead, adaptive technology for students with learning disabilities, and reinforcement of skills for every student. They would be great for a center or for whole class practice.
Some apps that can help:
Great Apps for Preschool & Elementary:
Why Use Mobile Technology?
This is the way that technology is moving and our students will need to be comfortable with it. In addition, this is the way our children are learning to interact with the world and learn. Most of our K4 students have already used apps on their parents’ iPhone and a couple had an iPad at home. Almost all students have some type of mobile technology like their parents’ phone, iPod Touch, Nintendo DS or DSi, PSP, etc. This is a very familiar and riveting technology for our students.
Why iPads or Tablets?
iPads are great for visual, auditory & kinesthetic learning. Other technologies can address the first two but the iPad allows for kinesthetic learning like touching the screen to "write" a letter or moving the whole iPad to direct your character on screen. They are also good at keeping students working (moving at their own pace). They allow you to keep a digital portfolio.
Others:
- Textbook and Organizer
- Assistive learning
- Apps to fill in specific skills in areas of struggle
- Centers
- Rewards
- Reinforce a subject or lesson in a fun, engaging way
Creation vs. Consumption
iPads are known primarily as a tool for consumption of data and information – reading books, playing a game, keeping track of a calendar but they are fast becoming a tool to create data or content as well. Here are some apps that will help your students create:
- Keynote, Numbers, and Pages (Apple's office suite)
- Prezi (you have to create the presentation online but you can edit and view on the iPad)
- Animoto - create a video or photo presentation
- Toontastic - kids can create a cartoon animation
- Corkulous Idea Collector - great to for assembling pictures, thoughts, ideas
- Apps for Digital Storytelling
- Poetry Writing with Instant Poetry
Differentiating Instruction
The iPad is an amazing tool for differentiating instruction. They can provide one on one help with weak areas, extra challenges for students who can move ahead, adaptive technology for students with learning disabilities, and reinforcement of skills for every student. They would be great for a center or for whole class practice.
Some apps that can help:
- Memory Apps – help with poor working memory and provide a motivational reward
- Question Builder – abstract questions
- iWriteWords – handwriting
- Dragon Dictation – writing
Great Apps for Preschool & Elementary:
- Monkey Preschool Lunchbox - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monkey-preschool-lunchbox/id328205875?mt=8
- Fish School HD for Preschool - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fish-school-hd-by-duck-duck/id367567922?mt=8
- Let’s Make Shapes (Preschool) - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lets-make-shapes/id379496846?mt=8
- Starfall ABCs – just like the popular website (Starfall.com) and other Starfall Apps - http://more.starfall.com/info/apps/starfall-education.php?ref=classic&
- lLola’s Alphabet Train - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lolas-alphabet-train/id378493874?mt=8
- Alien Buddies http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alien-buddies-preschool-learning/id469461540
- Dr. Seuss’s ABC Book - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dr-seusss-abc/id354855128?mt=8
- Super Why - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/super-why/id357422351?mt=8
- Other PBS Apps - http://pbskids.org/mobile/
- Martha Speaks - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/martha-speaks-dog-party/id343675996?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D6
- Scholastic Apps - http://www.scholastic.com/apps/
- lMath Kingdom - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/math-kingdom/id352705816?mt=8
- Coin Math - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coin-math/id296596459?mt=8
- Clock Master - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mathtappers-clockmaster-math/id336932114?mt=8
- lMath Drills - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/math-drills/id302881525?mt=8
- Pop Math - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/popmath-basic-math/id295536766?mt=8
- The States - http://itunes.applhttp://www.moatkin.com/TheStates/
- Stack the States - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stack-the-states/id381342267?mt=8
- Dictionary - http://dictionary.reference.com/apps/iphone
- On my BBS Technology Launch Pad, you can check out links to other iPad and iPod touch education websites and blogs: http://bbslab.weebly.com/ipod-and-ipad-links.html
- Apple’s Top 50 FREE Apps for Education - http://www.appstoreapps.com/top-50-free-education-apps/
- Apple’s Top 50 Paid Apps for Education - http://www.appstoreapps.com/top-50-paid-education-apps/
QR Project:
I was very impressed last week when one of our third grade teachers and one of our first grade teachers completed a project using the iPhone. It could just as easily have been done on an iPad or iPod touch.
These teachers used AudioBoo to record the students reciting a panda (1st grade) or spider (3rd grade) fact. They then used QRafter to generate a QR code linking to the recorded audio. Parents were then able to come by, scan the QR code with their smart phone and hear the fact that the student had recorded! Awesome project!
To find out more about how to do this project, go to http://chartchums.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/here-hear/