Big news…drumroll please…my class will be piloting our school’s iPad program! Earlier this year, our school received a cart of iPads (about 35) and I was asked last week if I would be willing to try using them for the 4th quarter! I am encouraging our teachers in a special way, plus anyone else who is interested, to check back often since I plan on blogging about my experience.
To begin this is my plan. Andy, our tech guy, and I will meet next week to install some basic apps on the iPads that I plan on using with the kids. The free apps include the following: ShowMe, eClicker, & Evernote. ShowMe is a whiteboard app which I plan on using to have the kids write down their thoughts to share them with the class. One of the great features of the iPad is the “mirroring” ability with Apple TV. Yes, Apple TV. In addition to the iPads we are having an Apple TV box installed in the room. Why? Mostly due to the mirroring capability; I can have the contents of my iPad constantly projected onto the screen and, if I want to, I can even have to kids project what is on their iPads on the screen to show the rest of the class what they have. eClicker is the app I wrote about before which allows me to send out questions to the students and they answer them. Although they don’t need an iPad to answer them, having the app helps. Evernote is something that I just came across, but from what I see, I am impressed! It is an online note taking program. What I like most about it is that it allows the kids to take notes in class using the FREE app and they can access their notes and read and edit them using any other web enable device. So the basic idea is that they will read my notes using iBooks and take notes using Evernote. There are a few paid apps I would like to use as well such as: Keynote (Apple’s version of PowerPoint) and Simple Mind which is a mind mapping program which allows them to start wit a central topic and then build out circles to organize their thoughts about that topic.
Needless to say, I am very excited! The one thing that will be essential to this is the iBooks Author program from Apple, which allows me to create the iBook. I am enjoying using it, it’s relatively easy to use, especially for a Microsoft Word native like myself. One thing I will encourage from our Hallahan faculty is that if you wish to sit in on my class to see how the iPads are being used in an active elarning environment, you are more than welcome! Please just let me know when you plan on joining us so I can make sure we have a seat for you since desks are a bit limited in my room! As always feel free to comment, ask questions, etc.
Posted in Education May 6, 2012
Anyone who knows me knows just how much I love all things Disney. One of my favorite aspects of a Disney Attraction is the “Pre-Show” which is usually some sort of brief introduction to the attraction you are about to experience. Some of the most popular examples are: the “Stretching Room” at the Haunted Mansion, the “Testing Lab” in Test Track, and the brief movie before “Muppet Vision 3-D”. These help to get your attention, “whet your appetite” before you experience these iconic attractions, and even immerse you into the experience. One such example of an immersive pre-show that I want to focus on is the “quiz” before the “Lights, Motors, Action” stunt show in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Before the stunt show begins, audience members are shown a series of multiple choice questions on a large outdoor screen and so often you can hear people screaming out loud “D, the answer is D!!”. It’s fun to see just how much people can get involved in these experiences! Why not use this in the classroom? One of the talks I attended at the conference began even as we were entering the room. We were asked to download a free app called “eClicker” (which I already had) and to log into the quiz by entering our name. They then presented us with a series of random questions and we answered them by selecting the answers on our iPads, iPods, computers, or smart phones; any internet-ready device with a browser what was on the same wi-fi network. What an idea: as kids are entering your classroom, they take their device (even a netbook will work), and take a brief review quiz on yesterday’s topic of discussion as a review! This way, you can both grab their attention as they enter the room and also review past material without taking a lot of class time.
Has anyone tried something similar?
Does it work?
What are the challenges?
Posted in Education February 16, 2012
So, going along with my previous posting, I’ve decided to change things up a bit in class and go with a new procedure. I am going to try teaching in “Modules” as the presentation suggested. Each Module will follow this flow: Read, Digest, Create, & Assessment. First the students will read the material from my eBook in groups. While they are reading, each group will create a “Mind Map” using paper and a pen (for now). Later on this can be done using the Simple Mind app on the iPad…great tool and it only costs a few dollars! The desktop version is about $30 but seems to be well worth it! This mind map will be part of the “digest” phase as students will be challenged to think critical about what they just read and organize it using this map. Next, each group will participate in a classroom mind map that we will create using the ideas of all the groups. Each group will be encouraged to edit and add to their mind map. For the first one, I have decided that I will give them the four sub-topics to minimize any confusion, after this they will be challenged to figure it out on their own. After we have created the mind map, each group will be assigned (or choose) a sub topic from which they will produce some sort of creative activity for the class. This can take the form of a song, poem, movie, etc. Something to show me and the class that they have thought about the material and understand it. After each group has produced their project, it will be time for a traditional assessment which will be taken on Quia, the online testing site. This is just in the infant stages of planning, but my hope is to begin…tomorrow!…at least with the reading and mind mapping. We’ll see how it goes!
I’m curious to see is anyone else has tried something similar, and how other students react to mind mapping.
Posted in Education February 15, 2012
One of the sessions i attended today was entitled “Teaching Witout Textbooks”. What an interesting idea…no textbooks in a classroom! I have always thought about how to do it…or IF I should do it. After this session, I have come to the realization that it in itself a good idea, but I personally think it needs to be refined, somewhat. Overall, though, I am going to use this idea as a springboard for creating a different method for educating my class.
One of the over-arching ideas here is that the textbooks are NOT driving the class, the people should drive the class. In other words, I should use a “textbook” as a resource instead of simply reading from it, taking notes, and testing on the notes. I have already been doing this to an extent, but even my methods need to change! The presenters said that they have created iBooks (which I have done somewhat) and used them as the resource for the class. They have also done something incredible: instead of referring to the class in “Units” or “Chapters”, they have adopted the term “Module” for each portion of their class. Each Module then contains “Concepts” and in those concepts they cover the “Big Idea” by answering the “Essential Questions”.
Each student would access the iBooks using their iPads but they would also have a binder with them to house printed copies of the notes, just in case the technology doesn’t work. As for Assessment, they have the students create all kinds of projects, videos, etc. to reinforce the material which can then either be presented to the entire class or not. Also, the movies they create can be uploaded using various online sites, such as “Edmodo”.
To me this is all so much to think about and consider. The basic idea is something that I have been trying to do anyway for the past year or so, but I do still believe strongly that some material just has to be taught via “Lectures” to get the basic information to the students first, before they can create content, etc. They also said that they still do use traditional assessment at the end of the Modules, but the key to engagement is having various forms of assessment to keep them interested.
If anyone has any other thoughts, I’d be interested in the feedback and ideas. This really is an interesting concept which I believe discussion and I’m curious to see what others have to think!
Posted in Education February 13, 2012
This weekend I am traveling to the Pennsylvania Education Technology Conference and Expo in Hershey, PA. My goal during the conference is to blog from the various sessions here for my good, and the good of anyone who might want the information.
Posted in Education February 12, 2012
Welcome to Fr. Steve’s blog! Here you will find all the information you need about Hallahan High School’s Ministry Program and information about Theology 912.
Posted in School Ministry June 23, 2011
