Update! Just this week I went to the EdTech Teacher iPad Summit at Harvard Med School. After two days surrounded by people immensely excited by how iPads (and other handheld devices) can and will change the face of education, I felt it was time to not just update my RET blog but to start another (which ps, I wouldn't have felt so comfortable with if I hadn't spent time this summer on the RET blog)!
Below is more-or-less the same post I put as my first post in the new blog: http://sgiglioscience.blogspot.com/.
So, my Anatomy class will be getting iPads to use 24 hrs a day starting second semester and in preparation for that I am trying to use the communal iPad cart our school has as often as I can get my hands on it (which isn't all that often since I work with lots of other motivated and creative people also using the cart) and working closely with the other 5 teachers and memebers of the tech department involved in the pilot. We meet weekly, give each other ideas, and generally talk, blog, email, and google-doc our experiences.
Below is more-or-less the same post I put as my first post in the new blog: http://sgiglioscience.blogspot.com/.
So, my Anatomy class will be getting iPads to use 24 hrs a day starting second semester and in preparation for that I am trying to use the communal iPad cart our school has as often as I can get my hands on it (which isn't all that often since I work with lots of other motivated and creative people also using the cart) and working closely with the other 5 teachers and memebers of the tech department involved in the pilot. We meet weekly, give each other ideas, and generally talk, blog, email, and google-doc our experiences.
Anyway after two days at the conference two themes in particular hit home:
1) We need more time to do this well. Particularly time to play with it and get crazy new ideas and to share apps and ideas with each other. It seems a lot of administrators at the conference think teachers are resisting the iPad idea because they are stodgy or uncreative or afraid of losing control. In talking to teachers however, the problem seems to be more of one of time and support. Saying 'we support you with the iPad" is one thing. Devoting paid time to play with apps, develop new ideas, practice is another.
2) The SAMR model:
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| http://jennyluca.wikispaces.com/TPACK+and+SAMR |
This basically said that iPads can be introduced into the classroom in many ways. The least helpful way (and most annoying way in my opinion) is just to replace things. In some cases to replace things that already work or we already do well (i.e. take notes on this app instead of on paper - this hasn’t worked well in chemistry so far). Although this can be fun and it can reduce paper, this is not the best way to use the iPad. The real goal is to use iPads to do things we’ve never been able to do or maybe never even thought of before. I spent most of the conference taking notes on ideas I am developing rather than on just what the presenters were saying. Now I just need the time to further explore my ideas, watch videos on line, read blogs, and figure out how to make them happen!!
The best session I attended at the conference was by 4 women from NTA, all of whom are actively, currently teaching in the classroom (which, unfortunately is not who usually runs professional development sessions). These four teachers from Chicago all used the iPad in different ways. They discussed real ideas that are actually manageable and I felt could be transformative as well. Over the course of this year I hope to update this blog with some of the ideas that I 'stole' and worked with to implement in my classroom - as well as the ideas of my own that have springboarded from what I've learned. In the meantime, check out the blog of Jenni Magiera: http://teachinglikeits2999.blogspot.com My fellow teacher Elizabeth showed this blog to me today and we realized it was one of these amazing presenters.
Ok -well this is a start. Until I actually have another free minute to write - have fun!
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