Edudemic is an organization that I follow on Twitter. The website always has interesting articles on everything about technology. As you can see in my blog, there is a wealth of information on Apps for every subject and lifestyle in life. Apps are becoming very popular in the classroom. There are very convenient in teaching and learning. I think the Mobile apps are a great tool for students, since every child practically has one, why not download some educational tools to enrich their learning. I found several interesting articles on different apps to utilize in the classroom. The article, 10 Must Have Apps for the Classroom has some great educational apps for the classroom. I love them all, however, I will only describe four of them and you make sure you check out the other ones, I have.
1. Study Blue- This app helps students review and take practice tests. The students can create online flashcards to study classwork. http://www.studyblue.com
2. Fotobabble- This app helps students demonstrate their understanding of lesson concepts by allowing them to use pictures and a voice recording. In math, they can take a picture of the problem and record the steps involved to solve it. http://www.fotobabble.com
3. Evernote- This app helps students with their creativity and organization. Students can create a digital file to hold all of their class assignments, projects, and notes. http://evernote.com
4. Fakebook- This is an educational form of Facebook. This app is a collection of online digital tools and resources for the classroom, teachers, and students. http://www.classtools.net/fb/home/page
There are a wide array of computer softwares for instructional use in the classroom. Computer software serves as a purpose for teaching and self-learning. It is an important decision for teachers when selecting instructional software for use in their classrooms. There are a variety of steps to ensure the product will be an appropriate and effective choice for their classroom, such as, system requirements, age level of the students, time requirements, and the cost of the product. A big problem for some school systems is the cost and the limited amount of funding. However, there are some computer softwares that are totally free and can be utilized in the classroom. Below are some different types of software that will serve that purpose.
1. Sheppard Software: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com
The website has a lot of interactive activities, educational games, and quizzes on all subject areas and grade levels. The best part is that it's all FREE!!! This software could be utilized in the classroom as Independent Practice for students to reinforce lesson concepts or skills. EX: A Geography lesson on the 5 states. Students could use the interactive software to answer question about the locations of the states on a map.
2. Inspiration/Kidspiration: http://www.inspiration.com/kidspiration
This software is great to utilize in the classroom for students to make visual connections about lesson concepts and skills. The software strengthens students' reading and writing skills, builds their conceptual understanding in math, and helps them to develop strong thinking skills. The software has free 30 day trials for desktops or web-based softwares. EX: A Science lesson about the parts of a pumpkin or the steps a pumpkin grows. Students can create a picture view of the pumpkin and its parts and/or how the pumpkin grows. Students can also expand their ideas into written expressions.
3. Starfall: http://www.starfall.com
This is a FREE website to teach students to read with phonics. The website has exciting phonic games and online interactive books for Pre-K thru 2nd grades, special education, homeschool, and English language development. EX: I would utilize the software during centers. In the computer lab, students could practice with phonic and phonemic awareness skills.
4. Renaissance Learning: http://www.renlearn.com Accelerated Reader is a very popular software used in public schools in Mobile, Alabama. Students are given assessment tests to find out their reading level. They are only to select books on their level to read and take a test on. Students are required to make a passing grade or they must re-read the book and take the test again. I think it is an excellent example of extrinsic motivation. EX: During Reading block, students read books and take tests daily. They will keep a log of the books they've read and their test grades. I would establish a point system, in which, students would have to read a certain number of books (set a goal for each student), and pass their tests. At the end of each month, I would reward the students who achieved their reading goals with trinkets or food coupons.
5. IXL: http://www.ixl.com
This website is great for the reinforcement of students' mathematical skills. It allows the students to practice math skills based on the lesson concepts and it keeps track of their progress. Teachers can know how long it took the student to work on a certain problem; their stregthens and weaknesses. Teachers can also set goals for their students, and even assign IXL as homework. It also has a reward system, in which, students can win prizes as they practice. Another great thing about this site is that it gives math skills to practice for state standards tests. The program gives a 30-day free trial for a class. The cost is $100 to for a class to join. EX: During Math block, I would have students work as Independent Practice to reinforce a previously taught lesson. Students can also be split into teams and compete to solve the math problems. Teacher can set a timer and give points to the first student who answers the problem correctly. If the student cannot answer the question, the team may assist them. If the team cannot answer it, then the other team has a chance to earn the point if the question is answered correctly. The team with the most points win.
Free Software For Students:http://www.freesoftwareforstudents.org/uk/index.html
A great website with free software for teachers, students, or parents need to use computers for school work; AT NO FINANCIAL COST!!!
I found some very interesting articles about the effects of the iPads in the classroom. Edudemic has an article about the early results of an iPad classroom @ http://edudemic.com/2012/11/the-early-results-of-an-ipad-are-in. Also, another article explaining where education has gone wrong with technology @ http://edudemic.com/2012/11/where-education-has-gone-wrong-with-technology. Now, I want to say that I do agree with the use of the iPad in classroom instruction because it is by far, a great motivator and engager, however, as I have argued, does it sustain the students' motivation and engagement levels when they are put away (iPads).
I researched this question on the Web and found a lot of articles and studies about this same question and majority of the results were about the costs; the schools funding of the iPads. However, I did come across an interesting article @ http://innovativescholar.com, in which, the author also asked the question is the iPad the correct tool to aid learning in education. Well, his answer was yes and no and he thoroughly explained each.
Well, finally, I found a very informative argument on the effectiveness of technology in the classrooms/education. It explains my concept of all the usage of technology in the classroom; is it improving learning? Please read it and see if you agree with the author and her question, Do we really need technology to learn? The link is http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology-in-schools-faces-questions-on-value.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Children of all ages are familiar with computers, but iPad apps provide them with novel and engaging methods of learning curriculum subjects as well as a new way of accessing books and preparing presentations. The article, "iPads in the Classroom are Changing the Face of Education," discuses the use of iPads in two Maine school district classrooms. It identifies the iPad as "a chameleon in the classroom with the flexibility to adapt to any kind of curriculum. All that's needed is a school administrator who is willing to adopt to it." The iPad has shown "poerful potential" in reforming education, however, "the true usefulness of an iPad in the classroom is something that's still up for debate."
A nine week case study was performed at an Auburn School District, in kindergarten classrooms, with "aims to raise literacy and numeracy skills from 63% and 60% (Spring 2011), to 90% in the 2014-2015." The kindergarten classrooms that utilized the iPads "showed increased improvement results over the non-iPad classrooms. The results show that the iPad can initiate positive change." Michael Muir, the school district's change specialist, explained how they choose the program because of the anecdotal evidence that it would work and plans "to expand the test program to first grade next year."
The Foxcroft Academy implemented "a one-to-one program" that gave each student and teacher a 16 GB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi, plus copies of iWork and iMovie. The students had individual IDs for access of apps for usage with their iPads at home. Jonathan Pratt, Asst. Head of School for Academics, explained that "the iPad had interesting possibilities in terms of helping students access what they know [while interacting] in a very different way with material and information." Pratt conducted student surveys "to truly measure the use of iPads." 83% of the student body felt more interested in school when they used an iPad and 86% said it was easier to gather information. Pratt concluded that "there's something different when you're touching the screen instead of using the abstraction of a mouse. I don't know if it's unique to the iPad or the ability to just Google (something) in their hands." However, on the other hand, there are some challenges in bringing the iPad into the curriculum as noted by a teacher at the academy, Julie Willcott. She explained how she has to completely adjust the way she teaches and finding sufficient time and knowledge to fully implement the use of the iPad in the classroom. She went on to say that she has to keep eyes on the students making sure they are on task and the iPad is "another item for teachers to manage in the classroom and the frequency of students being off task usually decreases once the novelty of the device wears off."
Even though , it is evident how the iPad is useful in the classroom and has a significant impact on technology and education, there still is a problem of the cost; "finding the money to pay for them." Pratt feels that it's more cost efficient in the long run to invest in apps for the iPad rather than buying textbooks every few years. So, what do you think.....iPads or textbooks? Certainly, I am for the new technology and the advantage of "every student having immediate access to the Internet." From the words of Apple VP Phil Schiller, who said that " education is deep in Apple's DNA." I couldn't agree more.
Classroom Activities
Community Helpers: Have the students take pictures and/or video of their role play activities. Create a multi-modal book about community helpers using their personal visits to the community helper of their choice; doctors, nurses, post office(postman), baker, police, fireman, librarian, school teacher..... I would allow the students to dress up in their role play costumes. The book could be read and enjoyed on the iPad within the apps.
Famous People: Who Am I: Could be a Black History Month activity or an Introduction of themselves (during the first weeks or month of school); Use the iPad to take a good full face head and shoulders shot and have the students record 3 questions and who am I? The students then guess who the famous person is. The students could dress in costumes of the famous person. This activity could be used as a game with teams. Can be combined with any subject area.
Math Drills: Individual or groups, students can practice mathematical skills; the app keeps track of their scores and progress.
Miss Spell's Class: Helps students become better spellers and expand their vocabulary.
The Skleleton 3D Anatomy: Can be used to examine a person's skeleton and dissect a human body.
The Map Projector: Students learn about historical events and what happened through the event.
Reference
Ion, F. (2012, April 18). Ipads in the classroom are changing the face of education. Retrieved November
Hello there classmates. I am happy that you all stop by to give me a visit. I am so excited about my new blog site, I just don't know what to do with myself. I am trying to really figure this course out and it is kind of hard, this darn new technology is something. I am discussing my favorite technology, in which, all of it is but I must say I really like the eBooks. The eBooks make it easier for teachers and students to view, communicate, and share information, regardless of location. I feel the electronic books support literacy learning. Students learn how to manipulate the font size and page orientation to suit their individual preferences, highlight text to mark key passages, insert notes in response to the text, access the built-in dictionary to develop new vocabulary, and use a text to speech feature to practice reading fluency. Teachers can learn much about their students' skills and progress as readers. Ebooks also support comprehension, improve fluency, and enhance the reading experience. It's more convenient for students. Instead of waiting for library day at school, students can log in at any time and browse digital bookshelves (provided they have access to a computer and a password). In fact, some e-picture books have computerized whiteboards so more children are experiencing literature on big screens. WOW, talk about an upgrade with technology!!! Some researchers consider providing kids with easy access to an abundance of nonfiction and fiction books, however, on the other hand, other researchers feel that children will lose a sense of what books are and how they feel without holding and touching and learning how to take care of them. So, what do you all think, are electronic books a help or a hinderance? Well it does set technology into instruction while saving the schools money on books.
