We are about 12 weeks into the school year, and about 9 weeks into an iPad pilot with my environmental science students. I’ve been trying to shift to a paperless classroom, allowing students to use iPads as “digital backpacks” for all their school needs. Here are some highlights and Apps used thus far:
1. Productivity. The kids have been using GeeWhiz! to mange our suite of Google Docs applications. This seems to be going fairly smooth, but there are a few glitches (see collaboration below also). One glitch is students cannot open attachments from mail in Google Docs, so they have to do that in Apple’s Mail application. This app makes it easy for me to distribute the syllabus, project instructions, and supplemental notes. With the exception of tests, I have pretty much gotten rid of paper in this class for this semester!
2. Presentation. I’ve issued several “mini-projects” where kids have to prepare short presentations to help teach topics or review content. The students have used Keynote, Explain Everything, and Pages with little to no training to prepare 3-5 slide presentations that require some research. Here is a short post showing a student projecting from his iPad2 using an interactive whiteboard (Explain Everything). With a iPad VGA adaptor any student can hook up to the projector and share their work!
3. Publishing. One year-long project for this environmental science class is raised rainbow trout for release in a local stream. Students are taking turns writing updates using the WordPress app at our class blog. The WordPress app has been pretty easy to use, but we have been disappointed to learn that we cannot upload video taken with the iPad2 directly into a blog post authored on the iPad2. Maybe future updates of the apps will allow us to do more than just upload images and text. Since we use the tank to teach a 1st grade class on campus about stages of animal development, the blog is one way for that class to stay abreast of changes between their visits. Please check out the blog and give them a few more hits on their ClustrMap.
3. Collaboration. We’ve been using collaborative spreadsheets in Google Docs (via G-Whizz!) to enter water quality data and observations during a ten-week artificial ecosystem experiment. Unfortunately, the mobile version of the Google Spreadsheet is limited in that it only allows one member (has to designed “owner”) of the team to enter data from an iPad. Occasionally, for no obvious reason, the owner of the spreadsheet gets locked out on the iPad also! This does not seem to be an issue with the desktop version.
4. Science Stuff. I have been researching science apps all fall, and have amassed quite a list. Several folks have Google Docs lists going out there and are soliciting app recommendations via Twitter. I’ve only used a few thus far. First, we used the Owl Pellet Activity app from Carolina Biological Supply Company for background info/videos on the owl pellets were were dissecting. After the dissection activity, students used the iAnnotate PDF app to write up their lab findings and analysis questions. Second, we used the Google Earth app to examine the concept of “ecological islands” (fragmented and isolated habitats) within our school grounds and surrounding area. Third, we used the LeafSnap app to attempt to identify some native tree species on campus. This app uses facial recognition software to compare pictures of leaves taken by students to a known database (see below). Neat idea, but students really need some basic training on tree identification and leaf anatomy before using the app. Just like with a Google search, students are apt to go with the first few search results!
Student using LeafSnap to ID a tree
5. Assessment. Thus far, this is a fail for me. I’ve found eClicker and Clicker School apps that could give me the ability to use the iPads as interactive response devices and perhaps for formal assessment. I tried eClicker, but realized too late all iPads needed to be on the same wifi network. Since faculty have a separate wifi network from students, I need to drop to the student mobile network and try again. More on that subject later. If I can find a solid assessment app that lets me have individual student accounts, I might yet eliminate paper from my class.
Of course, I would love to hear from other teachers (esp. science types) on useful apps…
In my last post, I wrote about how I was attempting to use iPads (1st generation) for consuming and creating course content while traveling with six kids in Costa Rica. We are now 8 days into our trip, and I think I’ve learned a thing or two about going 1:1 in a class:
1. Choosing content to upload in advance is key. When we have had “down time,” the kids could view/read “homework.” Then, we could spend our face-to-face time doing more outside.
2. The initial synch-up with the “master Mac” for the class has to be thought through carefully. I noticed, after synching all the iPads, that I was logged into multiple apps. So, if I did not log out the students would be able to purchase apps at the iTunes store or post content under my name at YouTube or access my mail in Google Docs.
3. The students don’t mind the touch screens. I brought one keyboard dock, but the kids seemed content to type away on the touch screen just fine. I was amazed at the amount of content they could generate in a short time.
4. If I gave the students enough to do, they stayed on task. I know they used the iPads to entertain themselves, check Facebook, email home, etc…but when I designated “classwork” time, they went at it. In fact, sometimes I had to tell them to quit!
5. We’ve largely managed to operate the course “paperless.” With the exception of bringing an environmental science text and a lab notebook (for data collected in the field), everything has been done/read at our blog or in Google Docs or in notepad-type apps on the iPads.
6. Trying to run a wiki on iPads was an epic fail. Thus far (June 2011), there does not seem to be any reliable app to author/edit wikis on the iPad.
I’m sure more will occur to me as this trip winds down and I find time to process and reflect at home. I also plan to survey and/or interview the kids on the whole experience. If you have time, check out the work the kids have done at out class/trip blog: http://pdsblogs.org/costarica/
Matt Scully (our instructional technology head) and I had a cup of coffee yesterday morning and started brainstorming the possibilities of running my AP Environmental Science classes off iPads next year….
possibilities
I’m excited, but trying to get my mind around using an iPad as a portal or passport for learning environmental science. As I look at the napkin, maybe portal isn’t the right metaphor. Seems more like a Swiss Army Knife as I look at my doodle…
Is my main reason to replace printed text for my subject, now obsolete almost immediately after printing? PDF “etexts” already exist for many college texts. Digital texts with hyperlinks and animations are in the works. Some good online course content resources already exist (Hippocampus seems like an option).
Or, is the goal to harness the collaborative creative power of social media that I’m already using? Right now, my kids have to wait to go home or the computer lab if we want to access our class blogs, flickr project, etc…While social media has been great for asynchronous collaboration, how would having iPad access during our face-t0-face time change our online interactions? Can I leverage the device to shift my class to a more student-centered environment?
I guess I’m struggling with the why. Why use an iPad as an instructional tool? A Swiss Army Knife has lots of gadgets and gizmos, but sometimes you just need knife…will this just be a big distraction for kids who need to focus? Any advice?
So, this year I finally decided to try an experiment in photo sharing with my AP Environmental Science students using flickr. I was first introduced to the concept when I was a part of a Powerful Learning Practice cohort two years ago. We were are a part of a photo sharing project to help build community (31 pictures posted in 31 days) between group members from all over the world. But in this case, my class has already established some sense of community this year and I was looking for something more. We were exploring urban areas and there impact on the environment. We were discussing urban planning, so I issued the following challenge:
“You must take and upload at least 2 photos (or short video clips) by 11pm on Tuesday, January 11th.One photo should illustrate an urban or suburban area that has employed good design, and the other should illustrate an area that is in need of redesign. You must leave a meaningful comment on ONE photo/video you find interesting that has been uploaded to our group by 11pm on Wednesday, January 12th.*Don’t be surprised if you get comments from our guest speaker (an urban planner) who I have invited to join the group.”
I had already posted two pics in our flickr pool as examples. One was a street level view and the other was an aerial view using Google Earth (screen capture using Jing). So, I expected kids to use their cell phones when they were out in our community (Charlotte, North Carolina, USA) to take pictures and then upload and share them. A few students did this, and a few students used Google Earth also. Well, in the mean time this rare massive winter storm system rolled in:
So, this really cut into my student’s ability to take pictures out in the community. But…sometimes kids surprise you. I was sitting at home, checking in our group pool when I noticed a student had used Google Maps to get a street level view of an area from their home! Well, I did not say they could not do it…this started a trend. Other students started using online satellite and mapping programs in lieu of taking pictures in the community in dangerous conditions. I love it! This is part of the beauty of a blended classroom. The snow shut our physical classroom down for a few days, but the learning continued in a virtual space. Check out the project at our group pool. Feel free to contact me if you want a copy of the assignment.
*Update (1/13/11): Now that we are done, check out the slideshow:
In my last post, I mentioned the value I have found in utilizing a RSS Reader for gathering the most current happenings in science and education (that are online). Assuming you are new to the tool, let me give another practical use for the classroom teacher-tracking student work. Now that have students doing regular work on class blogs or wikis (links to examples are a section to the right of this column), I have to stay on top of their posts and comments. Instead of visiting 3 different projects on a daily basis, I just check my RSS Reader. If you click and enlarge the image below, you can see I have subscribed to posts and comments in the left hand column of my RSS Reader:
Click to Enlarge
In the main viewer window of my RSS Reader, you can see the latest post by one of my students in my 8th period APES class. What an easy way to keep my “papers” organized…eh? Work smarter, not harder.
One of my favorite things about dabbling in social media this past year is the ease with which I can now keep up with current trends in education and current events in my field (science). Last year I was introduced to Google Reader by Will Richardson. If you are not familiar, it is a RSS (Really Simple Syndication) Reader. If you are not familiar with the concept, check out this short (3 minute) Common Craft video tutorial on RSS Readers. Oh, did I mention it is FREE?
My RSS Reader has become the primary means by which I stay abreast of current happenings. I no longer spend hours searching/reading the newspaper, science organization magazines, or major news organization web sites–I let targeted news come to me. When you look in the next column to the right, you get a glimpse into my Google Reader. Those are items I choose to share with the public.
I think the ability to manage subscriptions in an RSS Reader has to become an essential skill for the professional development of the 21st Century educator. Do you?
*Note: If you are new to all this and have just acquired an RSS Reader, note you can subscribe to blog entries using the link in the far right column…
