iPads in the Classroom

Shana Lampman

ITEC 7445

Jordan Cameron

July 10, 2013

Emerging Technology Project

Emerging Technology

The Educational Value and Possibilities are endless…

• Digital Portfolio • Edmodo access • Skills practice apps • Instant feedback • Poll students • Virtual field trips • Engage students • Improve presentations • Nurture creativity • Reduce paper use • No need for textbooks • Graph data • Turn in assignments • Take notes • Decrease expenses • Assist special needs

learning

What are iPads? iPads are hand-held tablets (personal computing devices) that have built in wireless connectivity. iPads have touch screens that include virtual keyboards. There are many programs available for iPads called “Apps”.

Colquitt County’s Technology Vision

How Would iPads Support Our Vision?

The vision for technology use includes the desire to implement the following:

• Offer students, teachers, administrators, and parents mobile and high speed access to current information to empower problem solving, decision making, and collaborative learning – iPads are mobile, high speed devices that could assist with problem solving, decision making, and collaborative learning.

• Provide equal opportunities and assistive technologies for students with special needs or disadvantaged subgroups – iPads are uniquely equipped with free, built-in assistive technology capabilities.

Colquitt County’s Technology Vision (continued)

• Restructure classroom instruction to make it valid, goal-oriented, and connected to 21st Century technology – in order for classrooms to become connected to 21st century technology and valid, students must have internet access – the iPad is the perfect solution.

• Allow students to work on areas of individual interest at their own pace while providing immediate feedback, and the opportunity for self-evaluation, and continuous progress and success – The iPad offers an opportunity for all of these things. Students are able to work a their own pace on activities of their choice, gain immediate feedback on skills-based activities, and are able to track their own progress using Apps available on the iPad.

Key Benefits

• Makes the classroom more student-centered

• Makes the classroom more project-based

• Reduces the need for worksheets and outdated textbooks

• Increases student engagement and desire to learn

• Provides an automatic digital portfolio for student work

• Includes built-in (free) assistive technology

Key Benefits (continued)

•Provides automatic feedback on skills practice

•Provides multiple presentation options

•Prepares students for online test taking, which is the future of Common Core testing

•Prepares students for the real world and how information to effectively use technology

•Airdrop, an Apple program, allows students to share work and collaborate

Target Population

•iPad Applications (Apps) are available for every subject and every age level – most are free

•iPads could benefit students of all ages and grade levels

•An iPad would be needed for each teacher to develop lessons and manage student work

•An iPad for each student would be best due to the nature of Apps (Apps save students’ work)

Equipment and Software

• One iPad per student

• Protective Screen covers

• Cases for further iPad protection

• Wireless access

• Secure storage for iPads when not in use

Technical Support

•There are thousands of free Apps available for student use in the classroom, so buying additional software would not be necessary.

•Apple has technical support on their webpage that is very thorough that could be used by students, teachers, and administrators.

•Apple comes with an optional warranty plan.

Limitations

• An iPad would be needed for each student – not just a class set.

• Security measures would have to be put into place to ensure the iPads stay at school or return to school if taken home.

• Students would possibly have access to other Apps and games not intended for classroom use.

• iPads should supplement instruction; not take the place of it.

Cost of this Technology

According to a quote from Apple (provided by Instructional Technology Department for Colquitt County Schools), the cost for 30 iPad 2 tablets with Applecare protection and learning lab (for secure storage and charging) is $16,219.

Potential Funding Sources

•Colquitt County has E-Splost funds that are designated for technology for schools in our county.

•Teachers could write grants to obtain funding.

•Teachers could propose a plan to DonorsChoose.org to try to get funding.

•Title I funds are available for technology expenditures.

How Would Teachers Use This Technology?

•Teachers could find and use Apps that have been created for specific content standards.

•Teachers could use iPads for finding/using lessons for whole-group instruction.

•Teachers could use the iPads for student portfolios – how work has progressed throughout the year.

•Teachers could use Apps on the iPad for instant feedback and automatic grading to check for understanding.

• iPads could meet all student technology standards.

How Do iPads Promote Specific Learning Goals?

•Project-based learning becomes more accessible with personal tablets for each student.

• Students have access to authentic learning tasks based online and are able to use multiple Apps to make any learning project more authentic.

• Students are able to use Airdrop for collaborative learning with classmates or the internet for collaborative learning with students/adults outside the classroom.

• Students are able to use the iPad for writing, recording, creating presentations in multiple formats.

How Can iPads Differentiate Instruction?

There are many possibilities for differentiation of instruction through the use of iPads:

•Methods of instructional delivery can be differentiated through the iPad, including Assistive Technology.

•Methods of instructional assessment (presentations, projects, etc.) can be differentiated through the iPad.

•Students can work on various activities of their choosing at the same time for the same end result.

How Can iPads Promote Communication?

iPads open up a world of possibilities when it comes to communication.

• Through Airdrop, students would be able to send things to each other for collaboration purposes.

• Students would have internet access to communicate with students and/or adults from outside the school community.

Evaluation of Research

Schools have been experimenting with school-wide iPad implementation for several years. Although there have not been extensive studies since the iPad has only been available for a few years, there is some feedback available on the findings of these experiments.

Courtney Subramanian from TIME magazine reports that “students who use iPads in the classroom score better in literacy tests than those who don’t” (Subramanian, 2012).

Ms. Subramanian also reports that students “were more enthused about learning” (Subramanian, 2012).

Implementation Plan

• Teachers would need to be trained extensively on how to use iPads in their classroom, how to care for the iPads, and how to prevent abuse of the iPads. This could be implemented during planning time or during pre-planning.

• There would need to be a pilot program to assess the effectiveness of the iPad. Students from an entire team would need to have their “own” iPad to take with them from class to class.

Reflection

• Through my research, I have found countless activities and ideas available through the iPad.

• I have also learned a lot about the iPad… like the assistive technologies that are built into it.

• iPads would be an ideal resource for my students in both my math classes and my social studies classes.

• In doing this project, I have realized more than ever that iPads could make my classroom what it needs to be – more student-centered, more project-based, and more authentic for students.

• I plan to look into finding a grant available for purchasing iPads for my students.

Works Cited

Creating new possibilities in classroom with iPad. (2013). Apple – Burlington High School Profile. Retrieved from

http://www.apple.com/education/profiles/burlington

Holmberg, N. (2011). Top 10 Reasons Classrooms Should Have iPads. Discovery Channel. Retrieved from

http://www.dsc.discovery.com/tvshows/curiousity/topics/10- reasons-classrooms-ipads.htm

Savenije, D. ( October 31, 2012). 18 iPad uses: How classrooms are benefiting from Apple’s tablets. Education

Dive. Retrieved from http://www.educationdive.com/news/18-ipad-uses-how-classrooms-are-

benefiting-from-apples-tablets/68569/

Schaffhauser, D. (April 10, 2013). 7 Tips for Effectively Managing Your iPad Classroom. THE Journal. Retrieved

from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2013/04/7-Tips-for-Managing-Your-iPad-Classroom.aspx?p=1

Subramanian, C. (February 22, 2012). New Study Finds iPads in the Classroom Boost Test Scores. TIME Magazine.

Retrieved from http://www.techland.com/2012/02/22/new-study-finds-ipads-in-the-classroom-

boost-test-scores/print/