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...

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.