iPod Touch Schoolwide Implementation
There are a number of posts from individuals interested in using iPod Touches for teaching and Learning. At Culbreth Middle in Chapel Hill, NC we began a pilot this past August to place the iPod Touch in the hands of staff and students.
Our staff development for faculty to roll out the new technology centered on teacher coaches leading their groups in exploration through professional learning communities.
Our AVID students use the iPod Touch in the AVID classroom and in all other courses. They have piloted this program, using the iPod Touches daily for note taking, keeping individual agendas, translation for world languages, and accessing research through the Internet. In addition, our AVID students use many of the apps that teachers sync with these mobile devices. As student leaders, they’ve understood their responsibility to work and share this learning tool in collaborative groups.
This winter we were able to add iPod Touch labs for each of our seven interdisciplinary teams and two labs for our exploratory and resource teams. The interdisciplinary grade level iPod Touch labs are housed with each team and shared among the four content teachers (math, language arts, science, and social studies). These teachers plan together so that their students have access throughout each day. They access the internet as needed and use many apps as well.
Teacher current app favorites include: WordBook, Thesaurus, USA, Countries, Brain Tuner, Blanks, Whiteboard, CoinToss, Lose It!, Word Warp, FlipBook Lite. Of course they are using the included apps: Calendar, Calculator, Notes, Clock, YouTube throughout each day.
We held an iPod Touch Day last week with visitors from all over the state and from across the country. We even had a group from the UK come see our students and teachers in action with the iPod Touch. With almost 400 iPod Touches now in use at Culbreth, we’re happy to share what we’ve learned and what we’re learning.
Our staff development for faculty to roll out the new technology centered on teacher coaches leading their groups in exploration through professional learning communities.
Our AVID students use the iPod Touch in the AVID classroom and in all other courses. They have piloted this program, using the iPod Touches daily for note taking, keeping individual agendas, translation for world languages, and accessing research through the Internet. In addition, our AVID students use many of the apps that teachers sync with these mobile devices. As student leaders, they’ve understood their responsibility to work and share this learning tool in collaborative groups.
This winter we were able to add iPod Touch labs for each of our seven interdisciplinary teams and two labs for our exploratory and resource teams. The interdisciplinary grade level iPod Touch labs are housed with each team and shared among the four content teachers (math, language arts, science, and social studies). These teachers plan together so that their students have access throughout each day. They access the internet as needed and use many apps as well.
Teacher current app favorites include: WordBook, Thesaurus, USA, Countries, Brain Tuner, Blanks, Whiteboard, CoinToss, Lose It!, Word Warp, FlipBook Lite. Of course they are using the included apps: Calendar, Calculator, Notes, Clock, YouTube throughout each day.
We held an iPod Touch Day last week with visitors from all over the state and from across the country. We even had a group from the UK come see our students and teachers in action with the iPod Touch. With almost 400 iPod Touches now in use at Culbreth, we’re happy to share what we’ve learned and what we’re learning.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Susan Wells on
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Deon and Mark,
Our teachers also use google forms each day for "check-in" pre-quizzes, asking students how much they know about content before getting started with the day's lesson. And of course with short quizzes and tests. Finally as the old "check-out"-- answer this question before you can leave. It's a terrific way for our teachers to gather assessment data and collect it and actually use with the results coming in immediately and in a format that they can use.
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Permalink Reply by Deon Scanlon on
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Love the CHECK OUT idea... this may be something that ensures our students bring their iPods to school every day!
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Permalink Reply by Dale Ehrhart on
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.....and if you don't mind a little bit more work you can set the spreadsheet to automatically assess any T/F and Multiple Choice questions you may ask.
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Think of the money that could be saved if national/state testing were done in this way!
Paper costs reduced...
Staff costs reduced for marking...
Don't need fancy machines to read answer sheets...
Time it takes to return results will be shorter...
The only fear is that kids will 'cheat' by using other features of the device they use to complete the tests.
Bring it on, I say!
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Permalink Reply by Denise Plain on
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I teach in a primary school in Perth, Western Australia. We have 21 iPod touches, only having recently purchased the last 15. Finances don't run to a sync cart yet, so we're working around that using Kensington 4 port USB power chargers (that means you plug 4 USB cables into a plug that then goes into a power socket), which powers the ipods up in about 30 mins. So far we have only put free apps on for the kids to use - they are shared throughtout the school from Pre Primary through to year 6.
The children are excited when they use the iPods, however to date, only a few of the classes have actually booked them out (I have used them in a lab situation with all students). They have been used for literacy and numeracy rotations, bible readings, listening to sounds, recording stories for ESL students, maths games etc.
I personally believe that in our situation they make more sense than a 'netbook'. Once teachers become adept at using these devices, the possibilities are limited only by their imagination - but herein lies the biggest problem - how do you get teachers interested??
I'd like to hear how others are engaging teachers - the kids are the least of my worries!!
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Permalink Reply by Louise Duncan on
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Hi Denise,
Every teacher's class content is different. I find the best way to get them to try the iPod touches in their classes is to sit down with them and discuss their content and the types of learning activities that are possible. From there, I can suggest a list of applications, podcasts, creative or collaborative activities they can use. Usually, I have to start them off by syncing the resources for them and also a follow up after the lesson to facilitate sharing of anything created by the students. For example, you can read about a class I helped set up a couple of weeks ago, "Cinderella storms the palace" on my blog here: http://louiseduncan.globalteacher.org.au/2010/03/21/cinderella-stor... The teacher involved had never used an iPod touch before and she was extremely pleased with the engagement of the students and the success of the technology (ie It works!) From there, she will encourage others and so it goes...it is worth putting in a little extra effort with those who show even a glimmer of interest to get the ball rolling.
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Thanks Louise - I like your Cinderella ideas.
I also like the idea of going into a class and showing/giving a lesson using the touches - time is my issue but there's always a work around!! I currently sync all of the ipods and have only been asked for one app to be put on - we have about 40 apps (all free) that suit the students in my school, but I'm constantly on the lookout for new freebies - I just bought an attendance app for $5.00 for my iphone that I love!!!
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Permalink Reply by Cecilie Murray on
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Hi Denise
I'm from Melbourne, done a lot of mobile learning research with Touches, and we've just launched our first app which backs into an online assessment system (out soon).
Have a look at 1 2 3 Sheep! - http://www.app-titude.com.au/123sheep/
Great feedback so far from teachers and students, even in the US where one teacher told me the 'ute' entailed a discussion on cultural differences.
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Hey Cecillie,
Thanks for the app info. We've looked at Tacticality Software apps http://www.tacticalitysoftware.com/ SentenceSpin, CountBy, and TimesBy, now on the iPad. The resolution actually looks great when using the 2x magnifier. The additional "real estate"on the iPad is quite cool although we're 100% committed to the iPod touch as the computer in the hands of every single student.
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Recommend everyone read the National Education Technology Plan 2010 Executive Summary http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010. Had the chance to listen to Karen Cator, Director of Office of Educational Tech for the US Dept of Ed, speak on the plan this past week. We all need to be familiar with the plan and all can comment on it on the website.
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Permalink Reply by Jim Hoffman on
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Better grades: There's an App for That
Read about iPod Touch use in California.
http://bit.ly/cJq3SZ
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Permalink Reply by Mark Marshall on
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We are doing a pilot program with a class set of ipod touches for a Grade 3 class next year. One of the questions by admin is how do we measure success? What systems do we need to put in place?
I am interested in doing some action research (pre/post survey and maybe compare academic achievement between pilot class and a control class). Anyone have any experience or research in this area?
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