The project launch has already produced a tremendous amount of engagement and excitement in the classroom. In fact the title, sync or swim, has nothing to do with how successful this project has been in instruction. Students have experienced guided discoveries of all the apps on the home screen, blogged on ClassPress, emailed exit slips and found images of angles in the real world on google images. The students truly have transformed into pioneers in this process. We are celebrating successes along with mistakes. The learning curve for this project is soooooo steep the altitude is impacting us :) We love it. Visit our wiki http://itouchintheclassroom.wikispaces.com to find out more.
SO....SYNC OR SWIM? The real challenge thus far surrounding the project has been the technical aspect of it. Our district techs are not under contract to service this equipment, leaving all the grunt work to myself and the rest of our team. As a classroom teacher, it has been a struggle to try to sync the Bretford Cart to my Tablet PC as I use it consistently throughout the day for instruction. We have changed our strategy to attempt to sync the cart to another PC. We have downloaded the most recent version of itunes. The PC and Bretford card romance has been far from love at first sight. The 2 devices do not seem to connect (picture a bickering old couple). I have logged 12 or more hours alone trying to sync the new apps.
I'm trying to network for solutions. After collaborating with my assistant principal, Dani Watkins, we have had success via trial and error syncing 7 ipod touches. Unfortunately, Apple and Bretford have been difficult to collaborate with. Several, unsuccessful phone calls later, we decided that pioneers would continue the westward movement on our own. We are optimistic! Our goal is to have the entire class set ready to go this week.
This evening, I came across a voice thread from guru Tony Vincent, discussing this same struggle:
http://tonyvincent.info/ipod-cart-ipad-video-out
Any suggestions?
Monday, February 8, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
New Year, New Discoveries
After attending Apple's Reaching All Learners Curriculum and Leadership conference yesterday, I am left with many "Ah ha" discoveries as well as lingering questions.
Yet despite all my discoveries as wll as questions, the introductory video challenged me to reflect on the reason I entered the field of education...CHANGE-think big, bold and ahead. I can change, impact and empower the lives of so many students. The change they experience, will inspire a culture of change in others.
This ipod touch project, even from its infancy, has already inspired students to experience a digital learning environment. Along with my students and colleagues, our hope is to create, access and distribute knowledge. The change or shift in the classroom pedagogy is not ahead of the curve, but rather just playing catch up with what students are already experiencing in their everyday lives outside of the school walls.
By reading my student's blogs about the project and now about other academic areas, I realize that they own so many insightful, inspirational ideas that they now have someplace to publish. The project is entitled "ilearn." The "i" stands for each individual who will possess a greater love and ownership of their own personal learning as a result.
Last week, an inspired mind came up to me to share, "Mrs. Stacey, I have a great name to add to the project." I smirked to myself by the perpetual wheels that are spinning so silently in young minds. He continued, "We should call it ilearn at s.c.h.o.o.l. (super cool high option of learning)."
What if students did view school as a "super cool" place to learn? Many already do, but iMagine if you could reach the ones who don't? Make school a place to collaborate and communicate. As I learned yesterday, students are reverse mentors. Allow their passion to inspire your own love of learning.
i look forward to continuing to share insights, successes and struggles. Tuesday will be the 1st day to place the ipod touches in their hands. The countdown is on...
Yet despite all my discoveries as wll as questions, the introductory video challenged me to reflect on the reason I entered the field of education...CHANGE-think big, bold and ahead. I can change, impact and empower the lives of so many students. The change they experience, will inspire a culture of change in others.
This ipod touch project, even from its infancy, has already inspired students to experience a digital learning environment. Along with my students and colleagues, our hope is to create, access and distribute knowledge. The change or shift in the classroom pedagogy is not ahead of the curve, but rather just playing catch up with what students are already experiencing in their everyday lives outside of the school walls.
By reading my student's blogs about the project and now about other academic areas, I realize that they own so many insightful, inspirational ideas that they now have someplace to publish. The project is entitled "ilearn." The "i" stands for each individual who will possess a greater love and ownership of their own personal learning as a result.
Last week, an inspired mind came up to me to share, "Mrs. Stacey, I have a great name to add to the project." I smirked to myself by the perpetual wheels that are spinning so silently in young minds. He continued, "We should call it ilearn at s.c.h.o.o.l. (super cool high option of learning)."
What if students did view school as a "super cool" place to learn? Many already do, but iMagine if you could reach the ones who don't? Make school a place to collaborate and communicate. As I learned yesterday, students are reverse mentors. Allow their passion to inspire your own love of learning.
i look forward to continuing to share insights, successes and struggles. Tuesday will be the 1st day to place the ipod touches in their hands. The countdown is on...
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Launching the Learning Process...
As I venture in to this learning experience, I am so fortunate to be actively collaborating with my students, colleagues and administrators. Part of reaching the needs of 21st century learners is about taking risks. The basis of this initiative will be action based. We will work together, grow and reflect on how these tools are reaching our instructional goals.
In our classroom, we had a brainstorming session of names for the project. The students generated a variety of ideas. None of these names have officially become the name of the experience yet, but I was impressed by the level of academic connections the students made. Some of the proposed names included: ilearn and iTL (iTouch Learning).
After sharing the basic objectives of the project with my 3rd graders, I posed the question, "How do you think ipod touches can be used to take care of your learning?"
The room was a buzzing brainstorm session. Apps were being applied to learning opportunities. They were engaged in the discussion and seemed to take on ownership from start.
I look forward to growing and making knowledge more accessible to our students. It gives them the opportunity to have a computer in hand and learning at their fingertips.
In our classroom, we had a brainstorming session of names for the project. The students generated a variety of ideas. None of these names have officially become the name of the experience yet, but I was impressed by the level of academic connections the students made. Some of the proposed names included: ilearn and iTL (iTouch Learning).
After sharing the basic objectives of the project with my 3rd graders, I posed the question, "How do you think ipod touches can be used to take care of your learning?"
The room was a buzzing brainstorm session. Apps were being applied to learning opportunities. They were engaged in the discussion and seemed to take on ownership from start.
I look forward to growing and making knowledge more accessible to our students. It gives them the opportunity to have a computer in hand and learning at their fingertips.
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