6 Educators Talk About iPhone Use High Qual

8/14/2019 6 Educators Talk About iPhone Use High Qual

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Six Educators talk about iPhone/iPod Touch use in Queensland

education, Feb-April 2009

- Compiled by Jonathan Nalder, over-enthusiastic mobile and ubiquitous learning educator,

ADE (Apple Distinguished Educator), & blogger (http://uLearning.edublogs.org).

- Contact me at [email protected], or on twitter as jnxyz .

In February 2009 I resolved to find out what the growing use of the iPhone and iPod Touch

platform meant for education in Queensland. To accomplish this, I sent out the following

message to members of my PLN (personal learning network):

Hi all,

I'm wanting to put together a paper for the 2009 Apple University Consortiumconference and would like your help!

The paper will basically be an audit of iPhone/iPod Touch use in P-12 and Highereducation across Australia - and of course knowing of you as being a proponent of theplatform,

I'd like to ask that if you have the time, could you please respond to the following todescribe your use of the platform:

--------------------------------------------------------------------- WHO: (Your name, title etc)

WHERE: (Where you're based, school, admin etc)

WHAT: (fill out all if relevant)A. Educator-focused - how (what apps in what ways) etc are you using the platform toenhance your role in provding education

B. Student-focused - how (what apps in what ways) etc are you using the platform toenhance student learningC. Are any of these uses utilising wireless connectivity - wifi, txting, internet, wirelesscollaboration etc.

WHY: (any thoughts on the strengths/ weaknesses of the platform - why youpersonally use it)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, thanks a million. The compiled results will be made available to all - should makefor some great reading!


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Unfortunately, the conference itself was unable to go ahead, but the responses I received

still needed to be shared, especially at a time when the platform is continuing to be

adopted in schools across Australia. So I present them unedited here for the

encouragement of anyone looking to harness the growing ubiquity of mobile devices in

their classroom.

(If youd like to contact any of the Educators below, please use the contact details above

and Ill be happy to pass your request on.)

1. WHO: Shane Roberts, Head of Department (HPE)

WHERE: Palm Beach-Currumbin SHS

WHAT:

A. Educator-focused - calendar (synced with google calendar), iTunes for relevant

podcasts and iTunesU downloads, Evernote, Ultimate ToDos, Twittelator, WordLite,

Discover - for transfer of files

B. Student-focused - graphcalc and TouchCalc as replacements for the default

calculator, calendar (synced with google calendar) - students retrieve lesson information

notes - students leave me reminders (set me homework!)translator. Wikiamo to search

wikipedia. iTunes - to listen / watch podcasts or iTunes U. Google Earth MultiConvert - for

conversions. Nike + iPod - physical training.

I have eReader installed but have not yet used it. Its in the plans, students could accessreports I've downloaded.

C. Are any of these uses utilising wireless connectivity? WiFi - Twittelator, WordLite,

Wikiamo, Google Earth, Discover, Collaboration - notes (sort of). They can add to and edit

the one list. But no use on real wikis or collaborative sites yet (due to poor wireless at my

school).

WHY: I initially began use with the iPod Touch as mainly a listening device. However

subscription to email lists and online groups has shown me a variety of ways it can be

used. For me, in my context, the only weakness I see is the poor wireless coverageacross my school. This limits the areas the iPod Touch can be used.

For me, the most significant strength is its size, and subsequent portability. As a HPE

teacher, portability is important when considering devices for integration. The device is

easily managed, and can be simply restored if mistakes are made by less knowledgeable

users.

I am seeing the rise of iPhones possessed by students. By demonstrating productive use

of the platform with the iPod Touch I can teach students to use the device they own in a

more productive and effective manner.


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2. WHO: Fiona Banjer

WHERE: Year 3 Teacher, Park Lake State School, South Coast District

WHAT:

A. Educator-focused - how (what apps in what ways) etc are you using the platform to

enhance your role in providing education.

Twittelator communication via Twitter with my worldwide PLN

Internet access to Webmail and online networks e.g. Nings, diigo etc. if computer not

available but wifi is.

Itunes podcasts (professional and personal)

B. Student-focused - how (what apps in what ways) etc are you using the platform to

enhance student learning.

Im using my own ipod touch, so there is only one in the classroom. Two children at a

time, one using a calculator the other entering the answers to try to beat their best times

on Brain Tuner.

I have also adapted it to become a storage device using DiskAid and have sight words on

a PowerPointslideshow. Also stores MS Worddocuments.

Will use http://forums.mactalk.com.au/53/65210-how-use-iphone-usb-mass-storage-file-

viewer.html to enable children to use this at school when they start creating their

slideshows.

C. Are any of these uses utilising wireless connectivity?

Twittelator only at home or the Coffee Club at the Logan Hyperdome where you get

wireless access with a cup of coffee!!Webmail if wifi access available.

WHY:

I use it for novelty value. Simple for the children to pick up and use and they enjoy using

it. I initially wanted an ipod to share podcasts the children made but was sorely

disappointed when I finally purchased the ipod touch and it didnt have the capacity to

store my documents. It took a while and much discussion amongst my Twitter colleagues

to find the answer!

3. WHO: Dawn Clark, Year 3/4 Teacher

WHERE: Cedar Creek State School, South Coast

WHAT:

A. Educator-focused - Calendar, Ted, Speedtype, Dictionaire, Writepad, iTalk, To Do,

Cooliris, easywriter

B. Student-focused - Maths - Brain Challenge, Brain Tuner, iChoose (this is a great

probability app that the kids love), Dice bag, BasicMaths

Literacy - Word warp, Dictionaire, Hangman, Voice4funOther - Beatbox free, Match, LineRider, Eye tricks, Traveller lite (find cities and countries

on a world map)


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C. Are any of these uses utilising wireless connectivity - Ted, iTunes, Cooliris

WHY: The kids love it, it's a good motivation tool. (I only use my own in my classroom, it's

used as a reward for the kids, and also in group rotations with 4 kids on a Nintendo DS

and one on the iPhone. It's easy to use, such a range of apps for all ages. A few of my

students have parents with iPhones so it's relevant to the technology they have at home

(and they can then go home and show Mum and Dad what they can do on it.).

4. WHO: Bob Bartley

WHERE: Taranganba State School, Year Six Teacher

WHAT:

A. Educator-focused - I access my PLN through my ipod touch at home. I use twitteriffic

and Twittertrend to follow up on leads. I also use Google reader, (not so much lately) to

read blogs that I am subscribed to and also collect my diigo group bookmarks weekly. I

also intend on using one of the grade book apps when I decide which one I want. I

recently downloaded a timetable app which allows you to create an on going timetable for

the class. I have taken a screen capture of it and use it with my IWB.

I also subscribe to different podcasts through itunes app and I am encouraging the LOTE

teacher to use it as well. I hope, after getting a bank of touches in my class, other

teachers will get a chance to use them and see their potential. One way I plan to do this is

through a buddy class in year two.

For keynotes and other presentations I use TED app and you tube.

Inewz is an app that uses rss to pull down current headlines in a range of genres includingtechnology (needs adult filtering if being used with children).

and of course Icricket

B. Student-focused - As I only have access to one ipod touch, my own one, at the

moment (currently sourcing funding for my own trial) at this stage the children are

accessing the ipod touch apps to practice mental recall: Brain Tutor, Kids math fun,

Diamath, pop math lite and BB maths apps

other apps for maths include one called measures which converts measures from one

scale to another, TPP lite is a tangram app that is free and easy, I also plan to usemonopoly to teach the concept of k = thousand and m = million and there is also some

geography in the game if you make children research the places they have purchased

(world edition). There is also social skills involved here as the children have no control

over whose turn it is or who goes first. You can also ply wifi if you have more than one

ipod and obviously wifi too!

Watch video and animation that supports their learning, Spelling apps: BB spelling

word games: wurdle, wordlite gives a word of the day to develop vocabulary

reference materials: All countries (free app with statistics and facts of over 240 countries),WordBook: dictionary and thesaurus ($12.99, i think) this is a great tool for children and

myself to use.


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Wikipanion: an app obviously linked straight to wikipedia (free) but not available without

internet connection.

Misc: Emees for children to create their own avatars to use on the ipod touch; flipbook lite

(create simple animation on the ipod, similar to pivot).

Google earth and google maps has potential but I haven't used them yet.

iflipr looks very good too, it offers a range of cards that you flick through saying what each

picture or word is (good for LOTE) I just used the world flag set and you need to look at the

flag say what flag it is and then touch the arrow, it then reveals the answer, if correct you

tick correct, if wrong you tick wrong and it goes through a few flags until you get them all

right. Simple concept but good for learning number facts and other recall concepts.

Another free app that looks great is Quizcreator, where you can set quizzes (through a

website) for children to do on the ipod and it will send an email to me with their results. (I

haven't actually used this yet as I only have the one ipod and it also requires internet

access).

I want to use the ipod touch in more creative ways, such as creating podcasts and other

digital texts.

C. Are any of these uses utilising wireless connectivity - Not yet, no wifi at school

WHY: My experiences so far have all been positive. The children who have had the

opportunity to use the ipod have loved it. It really is a natural tool for them to learn on.

Main strength are the simplicity of its design. It is easy to access apps and children of all

ages can access the apps. My 3 year old daughter loves superpoke pets where she gets

to feed, clean and play with a virtual penguin.

I am surprised by how long my list is. I really think the ipod touch has huge merits for

learning in the 21st century. The recharge time is also very low compared to how long the

charge lasts. A recharge over lunch time will last the whole day.

Can't wait to get more in my class!

5. WHO: MJ Raatz Head of Department IT

WHERE: Forest Lake State High School

WHAT:

A. Educator-focused

- iPod just music, video, etc. Very useful and keeps me up to date. Especially the little

88.1 FM transmitter Listen to whatever I want in my car just by plugging in the little

thingy. Very cool.

- iTunes: automatically download content from channel 2, Media Watch, Catalyst, etc, as

well as TED Talks, all get downloaded direct to my iPhone every night. Easy to keep up

with important educational trends, etc. Ideas for class scope and sequence.

- Blackboard: Update school content when Im on the move. Post links, thoughts, etc, forstudents to respond to Discussion boards, wikis (through safari).


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- BOM Application: Keep up with the weather and whats happening on my way home. Im

a big fan of my water tank and know my log/lat so know if rain is falling in my yard. Often

talk to students about weather and implications on behaviour, etc.

- Facebook: Essentially important to the Educator, keeps you up to date with important

news and information from the best source of all my friends. Also links to blogs, etc of

educations if you please.


enhance student learning

No major focus yet on student learning besides demonstrations to the students from the

iPhone. This includes TED Talks, Latest current affairs information.

Google Maps GPS function has been useful especially the flikr TED talk just

amazing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_jdn-N_wwM

C. Are any of these uses utilising wireless connectivity - wifi, txting, internet, wireless

collaboration etc.

Our school does not have wireless yet, however I utilise this on my home network and

friends networks.

Texting, very useful to see the whole conversation however the only thing to complain

about is the not able to forward function.

Internet love all the applications, use internet banking, etc. Have a $15 data pack, know

its more than 200Gb a month, but never gone close to using that yet. The automatic

mobile site functions on websites these days is just awesome. 3G is usually quick enough.

6. WHO: Wes Warner - Head of Business Organisation and Management

WHERE: I am based at St Joseph's Nudgee College in Brisbane Australia.

WHAT:

A. Educator-focused - how (what apps in what ways) etc are you using the platform to

enhance your role in providing education. In an educator focused way I use the iPod

Touch in conjunction with my macbook. I run automator workflows using iCal and Mail

which allows me to send emails to students automatically when I add certain key words iniCal on the iPod Touch. As iCal updates every 15 minutes using the cloud I find this really

handy yet I haven;t found too many people utilising this aspect of the cloud and automator.

Other apps I use are Documents, Stocks, Counter Lite, MobileFiles (really great stuff) and

keynote remote


enhance student learning Prior to the iPod touch I used iWriter and Mogopop. IWriter

doesn't work with Leopard and Mogopop has gone the way of the Dodo. Getting the

students to have a gmail account is really handy as they can use apps like Documents toaccess their simple text files, spreadsheets and edit them on the fly using their iPod

Touches. Discover Wifi is great to send files from a desktop to their iPod touches as well


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using the WiFi network at school. When I do marketing I love the way how there are so

many traffic camera apps out their showing the students the traffic at certain times of the

day - You can have an excursion inside your classroom now and continue it when the get

home without them actually going their - Add this with the Google Earth app and doing

screen captures on the iPod Touch is just fantastic

C. Are any of these uses utilising wireless connectivity - wifi, txting, internet, wireless

collaboration etc. All of the apps I use with the exception of Counter Lite use WiFi

WHY: (any thoughts on the strengths/ weaknesses of the platform - why you personally

use it) I believe the strengths of the iPod Touch outweigh its weaknesses. The only real

weakness I have with it is not being able to show what I have on the screen at any time on

a data projector - if I can I get that cable Steve jobs used when he demoed it . That would

be cool.