A Mobile Dilemma

Image credit: iStockphoto

About three years ago, while I was teaching education at a local college, I was attempting to do an observation of one of my students at her student teaching assignment. It was my first time visiting that high school, so I found myself running late in traffic. I attempted to call my student on her cellphone to let her know that I might be a little late, but she never answered. I texted her, but she never responded. This forced me to try to make it on time.

As I entered the high school lobby I found a structure inside that resembled Dr. Who's Tardis with a SECURITY sign prominently displayed atop. I approached it and told the uniformed guard why I was there, and that I'd attempted to call my student's phone to no avail. He informed me that it should be no surprise since cellphone use was banned for everyone in the school. However, that did surprise me. What baffled me even more was what I saw when I turned the corner from the Tardis structure -- a gaggle of students texting on their cellphones. It would appear that only the adults were adhering to the cellphone ban.

I believe that was also the year that a New Jersey middle school principal grabbed national attention as he not only banned all cellphones in his school, but also urged all parents to deny their children access to social media, because he felt it was unnecessary. Unfortunately, that attitude was far too prevalent among administrators in regard to mobile devices back then. Administrators often used the FERPA, CIPA and COPPA laws to justify the banning of technology. Upon a closer look at these laws, that may have been an overreach. At the time, I thought we might refer to this period of history as the "What the Hell Were We Thinking Era."

A Critical 21st Century Skill

Now here we are in the year 2014, and things seem to be changing for many schools.

It would seem that the smartphone is finally getting its due as a computer with telephonic capabilities. Our phones are used as computers even as our computers are now used as phones.

An interesting Nielsen study showed that in March 2012, a majority (50.4 percent) of U.S. mobile subscribers owned smartphones. Mobile devices have also replaced desktop computers as the primary access device to the Internet.

With the acceptance of the smartphone as the truly personal computer of choice for most Americans, it stands to reason that educators should be modeling and mentoring its use for the very skills we are touting as "21st century." A digitally literate culture in a technology-driven society should be teaching its children how to use the devices of choice to access, curate, communicate, collaborate with and create information. Content is now accessible anywhere at any time. What to do with it when accessed is what we need to teach.

Educators no longer have the luxury of determining what content kids will be exposed to. Mobile devices have enabled kids to determine that on their own. Educators need to view smartphones not as a distraction to learning, but as an accelerator. Students can use their personal devices to personalize their learning. They can determine on their own what they want to learn without being in a classroom. The where and when about using these devices may need to be worked out for effectiveness in an academic setting, but banning should no longer be tolerated by communities demanding a relevant education for their children.

Digital Literacy for Teachers

Mobile devices have not replaced the need to learn, but rather created the need to teach and learn differently. Access to information is not the same as it was in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some may consider it negligent to not employ these devices for learning. Banning these devices should not be tolerated. We need to teach our teachers how to use them to their advantage. It is shortsighted and a waste of time and money to place these ever-evolving devices in the hands of kids without properly preparing the educators to understand and work with this relatively new mobile technology -- and technology in general.

The need for digital literacy in order to live, thrive and compete is not only a necessity for our children, but also for those who must educate them. To better educate our children, we need to better educate their educators.

Tom Whitby's Blog

Teaching the Essential Skills of the Mobile Classroom

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION SUBSCRIBE TO RSS

JANUARY 27, 2014

Photo credit: anthonydilaura via flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Think back 20 years. Pay phones still worked, and only doctors carried pagers. Laptops weighed as much as bowling balls, and few of us had Internet access. In fact, much of what we now consider commonplace -- Google, email, WiFi, texting -- was not even possible. If that was 20 years ago, where are we going in the next 20?

We are all going mobile! Tablets, smartphones, Chromebooks -- and yet, these devices only serve as the most recent iteration of mobile technology in the classroom. Remember Netbooks? How about those old-school Macbooks that looked like toilet seat covers? What if we go back further? What about chalk and slate?

The writing slate was in use in Indian schools in the 11th century as mentioned in Alberuni's Indica (Tarikh Al-Hind), written in the early 11th century. (Source: Wikipedia)

In essence, we have always had mobile tools in the classroom, but our current devices offer significantly more capabilities while also advancing at an appreciably more rapid rate. If, in the past 20 years, we've gone from green screens to Google Glass, where will we be in the next 20? Think about the tools that you had available when you were the same age as your students, and now imagine what may be possible when they are our age! How will we prepare our students for what has yet to even be imagined? What if, instead of focusing on the current tools of the mobile classroom, we hone in on skills -- the same ones that we've actually been teaching all along?

Communication

Communication has always has always been an essential skill in the classroom. In the past, we strived to help our students become effective communicators both orally and through writing. However, with the plethora of communication tools made available by mobile devices -- texting, instant messaging, Skype, Twitter -- we may be doing our students a disservice if we ask them to communicate only via one or two mediums.

Decisions, decisions . . . 

Credit: Beth Holland

Not only do students need to be able to present themselves in a face-to-face setting, but also via video, audio and text. Crafting an articulate tweet or blog post may be as critical as a five-paragraph essay, and in-class presentations may be as important as delivering a Skype talk or Google Hangout. With the influx of options afforded by mobile devices, not only do we need to teach students what to communicate, but also how.

Collaboration

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills explicitly lists communication and collaboration together in their Framework for 21st Century Learning. If we use their definition of collaboration, students should be able to work effectively with diverse teams, assume shared responsibility, and value individual contributions. While this is great at a theoretical level, how do we actually teach collaboration?

Several years ago, I volunteered my seventh graders to be part of a research project called HARP. For three days, they worked in groups with special handheld devices to solve the mystery of an alien invasion. While my students did an excellent job delegating and dictating, they struggled to actuallycollaborate. In one group, a student had the information but refused to share. In another, leaders chose to ignore their teammates. It became very clear that they did not know how to assume shared responsibility and value individual contributions.

As we debriefed the experiment, I realized that my students had no idea what collaboration really looks like, so I introduced them to Bruce Tuckman's group development model.

Tuckman's stages of group development (my version for students)

 

Credit: Bruce Tuckman via Beth Holland

When they saw the concrete phases, my students realized that their groups rarely moved past the Storming stage, as they didn't know how to productively handle differences of opinion. Moving forward, I built scaffolds for collaboration into assignments, reminding them of what they should achieve at each stage of group formation. By providing these scaffolded opportunities, we can better set students up for successful collaboration.

Connection

In mobile classrooms, communication and collaboration are no longer limited by physical proximity or time. Have a question? Tweet it. Need advice? Post it to a class Edmodo wall. While it is still important that we make face-to-face connections, it is increasingly critical that we learn how to take advantage of virtual ones.

When we look back on this era in our history, I believe only then we will understand the power of the web as one of the greatest equalizers of opportunity in our society . . . So if this is the case, we should encourage and build a culture of participation in a conversation and celebration of our schools online.

Jason Markey, voted NASSP Digital Principal of 2014, wrote the preceding shortly after launching the #leydenpride hashtag. As a district, Leyden wanted to model positive connection building across all media, so they built it into the fabric of their community.

Creation

Through connection, students gain a larger audience for their creations; and through creation, we provide them an opportunity to construct their own knowledge. While it has always been possible for students to create projects, mobile devices provide options and choices that were previously inconceivable, pushing our thinking beyond the constraints of an 8.5x11 page (as Shawn McCusker points out in Paperless 2.0).

Beyond replacing outdated texts and cumbersome notebooks, mobile devices enable students to create and share from anywhere and at any time, unlocking creativity and removing the limitations to what's possible. They provide students with cameras, audio recording studios, blogging platforms, and multimedia tools allowing students to construct new learning artifacts across their curricula and in a variety of contexts.

Where Are We Going?

In a recent keynote, Greg Kulowiec (@gregkulowiec) reminded teachers, "Technology is not the emphasis. It's the tool to do thoughtful work." Apps will change. Operating systems, capabilities, and even devices change. However, if we focus on a core set of essential skills -- communication, collaboration, connection and creation -- and start to develop curricula that will benefit our students regardless of the technology, then we can truly embrace a mobile curriculum.

Beth Holland's Blog

8 iPad Camera Integration Ideas for 1:1 Classrooms

Many schools are jumping on the iPad bandwagon and the devices are becoming increasingly present in classrooms everywhere. Of course, every  1:1 implementation requires planning and professional development to help educators understand the benefits of use, as well as the limitations of the device. Even if these critical components are included in an iPad rollout, it’s fairly safe to say that some teachers might still feel a bit of angst when the devices actually arrive and they are faced with the reality of using them for teaching and learning.

Without a focus on changing instruction, I fear the devices could become substitutes for drill and practice or they could turn an active classroom into a place where students primarily receive instruction from a computer guided learning system to keep them focused and quiet. While I recognize the great benefits offered by these types of learning systems when used as one component of a blended learning model, I  am certain that they are no replacement for a teacher who can provide students with the opportunity to create.

My advice for teachers who are a bit nervous about a 1:1 iPad implementation is to find your comfort zone and strive to find ways to use the camera on the device to Teach Above the Line, a goal suggested by the SAMR model of tech integration, designed by Dr. Reuban Puentedura. Since I’ve embraced this model, the suggestions here are aligned loosely with the SAMR framework to provide a starting point for teachers at all comfort levels.

 iPad Camera Integration Ideas at the Substitution Level

The camera on the iPad is probably the most comfortable and powerful feature available on the device. An iPad camera in the hands of students allows them to capture learning as it happens and document it through self expression, make connections and reflect.

Here are a few ways to get started.

Pics Collage 

Use this free and super simple app to add photos from the photo library to a canvas. Manipulate photos  with a pinch and arrange them on the canvas to create a collage. Write captions and share.

Padlet

Students can take pictures and add them to this online collaborative bulletin board without logging in. Just double click to add a note with a thought or reflection and upload a photo from the photo library. There is no app for Padlet, but it work very well through Safari on an iPad.

iPad Camera Integration Ideas at the Augmentation Level

Once students get the hang of capturing learning through photos, take advantage of  additional iPad features to augment the learning experience. Use the Blooming Orange poster from, Smart Tudor   as a guide to challenge students to use higher order thinking skills as they demonstrate  learning. Capture a math problem , put together a series of photos to document a science experiment, and let students share and organize the learning through their unique perspective. Here are a couple of tools to get started.

Educreations

Students can add a photo from the photo library, annotate it with text and finger drawings, then record their voice to explain learning. This free app is very powerful and easy for students to use. To help students organize ideas, add a script writing component to the mix to be completed before recording.

Popplet

Students can use Popplet to quickly create mind maps to connect ideas about a topic. Challenge them  to assemble a series of photos to demonstrate learning or create a timeline with images and text. Use Popplet for script writing and take advantage of the opportunity to target specific Common Core Standards. The free version of this app only allows students to create and store a few mind maps, so consider taking a snapshot of a completed mind map on the iPad if you want to save it.

iPad Camera Integration Ideas at the Modification Level

VoiceThread

Use this free app to create online conversations about any image. Upload a picture and start a discussion through comments. Invite other students and parents to join the conversation through recorded audio or text comments and extend the learning beyond the walls of the classroom. Use the web version to set up a VoiceThread for your students, then they can use the app to add comments and record voice with the click of a button.

ThingLink

Start with a photo. Easily create links to define the photo through multimedia.  Pack the photo full ideas. Create links to amazing sites. Let students explore, share and create with ThingLink. Use the free app to quickly add video or text to a photo. Use the full blown web version through Safari to use all of the features of this amazing tool.

 

iPad Camera Modification

iPad Camera Integration Ideas at the Redefinition Level

iMovie App

The iMovie app includes a  feature that can be used to turn images into an impressive theater style movie trailer that can include music and genre transitions. This feature rich app is easy to use and the product is impressive. Use scripts to guide the planning process and let students tell their digital stories.

Blogging to Put it All Together

When you get to the point at which students are regularly documenting their learning through images and using a wide variety of apps and web 2.0 tools to complete the task, stop and consider the many possibilities for redefining learning experiences. Combine some of the apps mentioned above to present information and ideas in any way imaginable and then publish them for the world in  a blog. At this stage, as a teacher you might need to get out of the way and let students create. Connect with other classrooms through comments and collaboration and showcase the wonderful learning going on in your classroom through a blog.

 

Final Thoughts

The ideas presented here focus on using photos because I believe the camera provides teachers with a  powerful and comfortable starting point for  1:1 iPad integration. Of course, that iPad camera also has video capabilities and the tools shared here are extremely flexible. It is my hope that teachers will embrace the camera, adopt some of the flexible tools presented here, explore additional ways to use those tools, and strive to Teach Above the Line.

Susan Oxnevad

Susan Oxnevad is an educator who is passionate about using technology as a tool for learning. Currently a data and tech coach  in Oak Park, IL, Susan has assumed a variety of teaching roles throughout her career, including classroom teacher, technology teacher, and teacher leader for instructional technology. Outside of the school day, Susan enjoys presenting at conferences, hosting webinars, facilitating hands-on training sessions and maintaining her own blog, Cool Tools for 21st Century Learners, which features ideas for efficient and effective tech integration. Follow her on Twitter@soxnevad

Are you a free app addict

My name is Kristen Wideen and I am a Free App downloading addict.  I have been sober for 8 months......  It all started when I received 20 iPads to use in my classroom 2 years ago.  I wanted the BEST apps to use and I wanted to find the apps that produced the best learning results for my first and second graders.  I downloaded apps for free and followed various Twitter accounts that tweeted out deals and details about free apps.  I downloaded every free app that looked educational because I knew that I could delete it later.  This led to excessive downloading and hundreds of apps that I would never use.   I hit rock bottom when the message "You do not have enough storage to download this app" popped up.  It wasn't because I had all this amazing work from my students stored on the iPads it was because I had pages and pages of apps that I did not use!

I vowed to change my ways...

I deleted every app from one of the school's iPads and went through all of the apps that we used on a regular basis.  See, the truth is, there is no "magical app"  it's what your students do with the app that makes it magical.  I now try to stay away from consumption apps and use apps that let my students create. 

I want my students to have "app fluency."  The ability to move through an app easily and smoothly.  If we stock our iPads with dozens and dozens of apps then our student's never gain this fluency.  I am all about choice in my classroom.  I never tell my students which app to use, however I think having 3 great apps to choose from that students know and feel comfortable using is much better than 40 apps to choose from that they have no idea where they are on the iPad and how they work.

My students basically have one page of "go to apps" on their iPads.  We do have a math folder where there are a few apps based on the curriculum strand we are currently working on.  For example, we were just working on money and time, so there are a couple of apps on those two topics.  We also have a folder labelled "Research"  where we have about 6 apps to help with research.  Other than that, we have our "go to apps" that I want my students to use and to build that app fluency I mentioned earlier.

Here is what we have on our iPads:

As you can see, the majority of these apps are for content creation. 
I have Remarks to add notes, annotate and import PDFs, notability is also a great choice. 
The 100's chart is on our main screen because we use it all the time in math.  It is a simple but wonderful app that my students use in many different ways. 
Qrafter is a QR reader, which is a must in my class.  It is an easy alternative to having my students type in a url code.  Which brings me to why I have the Chirp app on my main screen.  If you have not used chirp, see what it does here. 
We then have our apps to share and collaborate with others: Kidblog and Twitter are a must and dropbox is our storage solution. 
Minecraft is what my students will do anything for and having a carrot like that is amazing.  Have a group of boys that don't want to write?  Set a timer,  and have them play Minecraft for 15 minutes, then have them write about it.  Voila, you have them writing about something they are excited about and they can't wait for the next time to write.  I have a few students that never seem to get anything finished.  I told them that if they complete their work they can stay in for recess and play Minecraft.  I am now in the process of organizing a Minecraft club because it is so popular.  This is the reason, Minecraft is on my main page.

The rest of the apps are content creation.  However, if I had to choose just one app for content creation it would be Explain Everything, hands down.  This is your everything app and it is the most popular app with my students for sharing their learning.  Will you see Explain Everything on Apps Gone Free?  Probably not.  Most if not all of these apps will not be on those sites because they are high quality, tested and popular apps.

Do yourself and your students a favor, go through the apps on your iPads and start fresh in the new year.  Don't be the teacher that says, "I have that app somewhere" as you flip through page after page on your iPad.  I challenge you to get down to 2 pages, without multiple folders.  Encourage app fluency.  Instead of being mediocre at 40 apps be fantastic at 10.

11 Virtual Tools for the Math Classroom

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION SUBSCRIBE TO 

OCTOBER 25, 2013

Photo credit: Kathy Cassidy via flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

More and more classrooms are gaining access to technology that can be used with students. Whether you're modeling a lesson, creating stations or working in a one-to-one classroom, virtual tools can promote student engagement while increasing academic success.

Here are some free apps for iPads -- along with a few other tips -- that can transform your daily lessons and are definitely worth checking out!

Base Ten Blocks

Number Pieces is a great free app that allows every student with an iPad to have an endless number of base ten blocks at their fingertips. Whether they are learning basic place value, modeling how to add decimals or exploring expanded notation, this app is worth looking into. Children can write all over the iPad screen and demonstrate their thought process as they manipulate the virtual base ten blocks.

Protractor

Even on an iPad, a protractor can be used as a tool to measure angles. Children can simply practice making acute and obtuse angles by moving the line on the screen, or they can measure the angles in objects placed on top of their iPad. Try putting traditional pattern blocks or cutout paper shapes on top of an iPad screen. There are even a few apps that let you use the camera on an iPad or an iPod Touch for measuring angles.

Graph Paper

Geometry Pad lets children draw lines and shapes on graph paper. They can plot points on this coordinate grid and even add text to the screen. This app is easy to use and includes tons of functions to try out. Educreations also lets students change the background of their screen to graph paper before they start writing.

Geoboard

Say goodbye to rubber bands! This virtual tool is perfect for elementary and middle school classrooms. Kids can simply create polygons on their geoboard to show off different quadrilaterals and triangles. They can also find the perimeter and area of each shape.

Ruler

Ruler is a neat app to try out on your iPad -- it simply turns your screen into a ruler. Students can measure items placed on their screen in inches and centimeters. They can solve perimeter and area problems with the information they gather using this virtual measurement tool. There are also apps that help children learn how to use a ruler properly.

Clock

Whether you’re teaching elapsed time or just helping students monitor their pacing and stamina, the timer built into the clock that comes with the iPad (or one of the many comparable options) is a great addition to your classroom. It's perfect for teachers with one iPad or for children working in small groups, as they can now calculate how much time has passed or learn how to read a clockwith these virtual tools.

Glossary

The Common Core State Standards stress the importance of having children use math vocabulary in written and spoken explanations of their thinking. MathTerms Glossary can help students learn definitions of different words so that they can use them appropriately. It's a great reference tool for students in a one-to-one classroom and even has Spanish language entries.

Want to learn more? Here's a webcast from APPitic, a site maintained by Apple Distinguished Educator that focuses on using the iPad to teach Common Core math.

A quick substitution of a traditional tool can be a great way to experiment with new technology. Have you tried out any virtual math tools in your classroom?

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