ipads vs notebooks

Our school is debating which type of new technology to request.  What are your thoughts about the need for mini laptops vs iPads?  When it comes to class composition, I tend to revert back to notebooks.  Have iPads with the keyboard covers replaced your need for notebooks?  Must EQAO be completed on notebooks?  Our staff and students love the math game Prodigy which, unfortunately, is not compatible with the iPad platform. Thanks for your input.

Video performance feedback

The kids and I have been really excited about recording their music performances on the iPad. At times it has been difficult getting this project up and running with all of the technical glitches and establishing routines, but I finally have some momentum! Some little roadblocks to date have included:

1) fixing the log-off problem on google drive

2) getting AirServer installed and working (still finicky)

3) getting the students used to the process of recording and uploading using Google Drive

Here is a video clip of one student recording her performance test in a music practice room:

As you can see, we have to work on getting the proper perspective with the iPad and refining sound quality, but it's at least working.

Among other things, my intention going into this project was:

a) to allow the student to record their playing test on their own time, and

b) to encourage mastery by giving them an opportunity to record and re-record as often as necessary to achieve their best performance

HOWEVER, there was an interesting twist that I didn't see coming with regards to student's feelings about the recording process. Some reported a higher degree of nervousness/pressure/anxiety because they felt a personal obligation to make a perfect recording. In other words, they set the bar higher than ever knowing they were immortalizing themselves digitally.  The process of stopping to re-record every time a mistake often began to frustrate them. 

Many also said they were embarrassed to see and hear themselves in the video (self-consciousness). I'm not worried about this part...they need to get used to that as a means of self-evaluation. Tough luck.

Time constraints have played into this a bit since many students procrastinate . Many of them are vying for time with the iPads simultaneously. That only adds to the pressure they feel since they have to hurry up and get the job done so the next person can use the iPad. Working on a scheduling system that will alleviate this issue.

Procrastination Project

The Procrastination Project!

Raise your hand if you like to write report cards! Don't be shy... If you do, than you are in the minority.  Now tell me, who likes to clean and organize their house from top to bottom? Not many.  BUT, I bet if you are like me, your house is spick and span just before report cards are due.  Three times a year, I could put my house on the market, with an all day open house.  I call it the procrastination project!

I dread writing report cards.  First, you have to remember how to use the report card program.  Don't forget your password!  Next, is the never ending, time consuming, data collecting, followed by searching through the multiple pages of anecdotal notes (spread all over the couch, your bed, the dinner table...) BLAH! My stomach is in knots thinking about it.

Not this year!!! iPads in the classroom has changed my outlook, on what use to be daunting a task (for me anyway).  This time around, it was simple and satisfying.  Maybe, because everything I needed, was at my fingertips.  Anecdotal notes, photos, voice recording, movies etc... all accessible, all in one place, from my Google Drive (I love you iPad). 

I think too, because the students in my class have to create presentations in Explain Everything, I have seen them "explain" their thinking on a specific task, more than once.  You walk around the room while they are working/creating, you watch it as a whole group and listen to the accountable talk and peer feedback that follows, and sometimes you watch it again. You get a better understanding of your students abilities, with lasting images in your head.  Creating Next Steps wasn't so bad, all I needed to do was close my eyes and picture my students in the classroom.  Or, as I like to call it, a picture of a picture (picturing student work created on the iPad and displayed on the Smartboard).

Happy Writing!

Kinderland Reading Focus with Raz Kids

Our reading focus in Kinderland has been on making connections.  We have songs, actions, and pics that help us to make deeper connections, but the iPads have put a whole new spin on things.  In guided reading with the Raz Kids app kinders make a connection, take a screenshot and upload it to educreations.  There they can highlight, annotate, and record their learning.  The following pic also shows how we highlight our sight words and speech sounds that we're working on.  Kinders take great pride in sharing and celebrating their thinking with their classmates.  This inevitably challenges others to think deeper and expand on their classmate's thinking.  

Dance Units - iPads for Descriptive Feedback…and deeper understanding

by Donna Hannivan-Taylor

We have used video devices to provide descriptive feedback to students in the past, but iPads provide an opportunity for students to experience deeper understanding.

CRITERIA

Visible Effort Do your best!

Be on Beat Practice evident

Moves work with music & flow --Unison with other group members

Use a Variety of Elements—Speed, Weight, Relationships, Level, Directions

Use a Variety of Elements—Body Parts used & balanced on +Shapes, Floor Paths, Types travel (walk, run, skip, sidestep, crawl…)

Routine is original/ interesting

A Learning Goal for this unit is to have students understand & apply various elements of movement.  This results in an assignment where they work in groups to choreograph & present a dance routine.

My goal was to get students more invested in stepping outside their comfort zone of only using the typical dance moves they know & enjoy.  So, to begin the process I had them help develop the criteria that would be used for evaluation.

Next, once the dance routines were done, the iPads were used to video each group so they could compare their routines to the criteria for feedback.  You can’t get any more descriptive than that!

Finally students videotaped their final product, then used iMovie to voice over this recording, explaining exactly what they did during their routine that demonstrated the evaluation criteria.

This step places the responsibility for demonstrating learning onto the students.  They thoroughly understand the elements and what is expected of them & get immediate feedback on their achievement.  They also were proud of what they did.

iPads for Kindies at APS - Building Momentum

Engagement

Art Auction

This month our school is getting ready for an art auction in February. All the JK students are taking “still life” photos with iPads to sell at the auction. Pictures of stuffed animals such as frogs, ducks, and foxes are being taken against a background set up for that purpose. The SK students are also taking “nature” photos on the playground. These photos will be compiled and put into a large frame to be auctioned off. Funds will be used for a number of worthy purposes. Selections of pictures taken to date are set out below.

JK Photos

           

        SK Photos

   

Inquiring Minds

Tracking Student Engagement and Learning

This month, our Kindergarten students have begun their own inquiry “books” (writing journals). Each child has selected an insect or animal he/she would like to learn about. The Senior Kindergarten students roll our question dice (Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?)  and ask questions related to their insect or animal during winter. We will be considering each of the seasons as we proceed through the inquiry. They have been quite independent in generating questions. A few samples of their thoughts are as follows: How do homeless cats keep their babies warm in the winter? How do owls search to get their food? Where do butterflies go in winter? The Junior Kindergarten students need adult support in varying degrees when formulating questions. The goal is for students to develop their ability to ask questions, find information to help them answer the questions they pose (with teacher assistance), and express their understanding artistically, in writing, and orally (dependent on developmental stage).

Apps

An app that is proving very useful in engaging students is RazKids. It has leveled books (fiction and non-fiction) and provides the option of reading text to the Kindergarten students. These books have bright, colourful pictures and animated audio. It has been necessary to review all the leveled non-fiction books and select those that might prove helpful to each student when working on his/her inquiry book. For example, books have been found on such wide ranging student choices as bats, ants, frogs, and whales. The Kindergarten students love reading the RazKids books and frequently are asking for more time to do so.

Challenges

The Kindergarten students are very keen on using iPads and many of them ask to do so daily. “Sharing” has proven challenging!  The SKs are very responsible when working with iPads – both in terms of treating them gently and in working on apps related to the Inquiry Question. The JKs need a good deal of guidance in caring for the iPads and much support is required in working on apps related to the Inquiry Question.

Next Steps

Next month we will continue to explore various apps relevant to our inquiry question and continue tracking student progress through the use of anecdotal notes, photos, videos, oral language checklists, and students’ journals as an expression of their understanding.

Digital Portfolios for Student Led Conferences

Each student created their own digital portfolio in Desire to Learn to share at their student led conference.  This was helpful in guiding their interview with their parents.  Using feedback from their work samples students had to write about math, language, 3 learning skills and then they could include up to 5 things of their choice.  In each category, students had to include what they did well at and describe how/ why, what their next step was and the plan to implement it.  In their choice category they had to describe the activity/learning and why they chose to include it. The students’ were able to imbed their iMovie trailer into this as well.

The portfolios put the ownership on the students’ to discuss their learning and many great conversations happened with the parents, student and myself. Parent feedback regarding was very positive. 

Click here to see an example