iPhone/iPod Touch classroom applications

I posted a discussion when the iPhone was first announced about how it could be a revolutionary educational computing platform. Alas, I have not been able to convince myself to plop down the cash for one of these devices, but the more affordable iPod Touch has caught my eye for a lot of the same reasons. I recently borrowed a student's Touch and began playing around with it. The wifi worked flawlessly and I was up and running in no time. I have since been checking out a lot of the apps that are available for this device (in both an unbroken & jailbroken configuration) and I believe that the future I envisioned for these devices is approaching. Google is also configuring applications for these devices as they are a testbed for the coming Android-equipped Google phones.

I'm curious as to how any of you might be using (or dreaming of using ) these devices in your classroom. As computing moves increasingly into the "cloud", the low cost of these devices makes their use more justifiable to administrators, too. Thoughts?

Tags: computing, iphone, ipod, mobile

0 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jethro Jones on January 29, 2008 at 9:30pm

I think this is a great idea. If anyone gets some Touches for the classroom, let me know, because I want some for my classroom, too. I just posted a bunch of ideas about this on my blog. There are so many.

I will give the short version:
email accounts
wikis
blogs
google/zoho docs, presentations, spreadsheets
"buying" stocks and tracing them
Tracking weather and comparing to historic weather on that day.

I would love to find out where I can get 10K to get a classroom set of these.

Permalink Reply by Derek Keenan on May 7, 2009 at 11:30am

I'm not sure where you would submit in your division for a grant, but I have attached the proposal taht won me a class set of these devices.

Attachments:

iPod Proposal.pdf, 38 KB

Permalink Reply by Jenny Moon on October 16, 2009 at 10:34am

Where did you apply with this proposal?

Thanks,
Jenny Moon
Gadsden City Schools
www.gcs.k12.al.us

Permalink Reply by Derek Keenan on November 8, 2009 at 2:05pm

This proposal was put through my school division to a provincial grant fund. Not too sure what the equivalent would be in the US, but in Alberta, Canada we have (or had until this year) a technology innovation fund that supports innovative uses of Tech.

Permalink Reply by Lynette Mattke on October 5, 2009 at 8:49am

Jethro, What age group of kids to do you teach? Have you heard anything more about people using iPod touches in the classroom?

Permalink Reply by Adam Currey on November 18, 2008 at 3:12am

We are actually implementing a program for 2009 where all of year 7 - 8 students will be using touches on a daily basis. Some of the applications that we have found so far have been great and it is looking like an excellent tool for engagement of our sometimes unengaged gen y kids. We have also put an initiative forward to our state department as at this point we have at least twenty other schools in our local area interested in the project.

Permalink Reply by Mark Scott on November 26, 2008 at 11:41am

Hi,

We are using the iPhone and iPod Touch pedagogically and socially at Freed-Hardeman University. I am the Director of Instructional Technology there and oversee what we call the "iKnow Initiative". Is here some more detail information on it: http://rmscott.wordpress.com/2008/11/21/insight-into-the-iknow-init...

We have developed our own applications with many more coming.

Permalink Reply by Mark Scott on November 26, 2008 at 11:42am

Sorry, should be "Here is" not "Is here".

Permalink Reply by Jethro Jones on November 26, 2008 at 12:22pm

I got two grants this year and I now have 5 iPod Touches for my 35 students. We do a lot of group rotations and that helps give everyone a chance to use them. The kids love it.

Permalink Reply by Melvina K on December 31, 2008 at 12:29am

Hi Jethro,
Glad to hear you got a grant for your iPod Touches.
My Principal just purchased 15 Touches for my classroom. I'm excited and the students are ecstatic!
I appreciate your ideas on your blog...
I'm interested in finding out how others are using the Touches in their classroom.

Permalink Reply by Jethro Jones on December 31, 2008 at 10:46pm

Melvina, you can contact me via email or twitter @jethrojones and we can discuss how we can both use the iPods better.

Permalink Reply by Melvina K on January 2, 2009 at 9:31pm

Hi Jethro,
Thanks for your reply. I would love to hear back from you about your iPod Touch experiences and would like to continue our discussion on the use of Touches in the classroom.