Montlieu iPad Project

9/25/13 - This was the first visit to Montlieu Academy of Technology for our iPad project. This project involves working with a group of 4 3rd Grade students in order to develop a full story, script, and recording for a stop-motion video.  We will be using myCreate, an iPad app, to create professional-level stop-motion videos.  This first visit was basically an introduction to the project. The 4 of us met with our students individually in order to develop a bit of a relationship, rather than meeting as a group from the very beginning. I think this was definitely a good decision, because my buddy was somewhat shy at first. I spoke with her about general likes and dislikes and eventually she opened up and shared a lot of really neat information about what she likes to do! It is completely understandable that a 3rd grader would be timid at first, so I did my best to make her feel as comfortable as possible.  She seemed to really like the idea of this project and was looking forward to using myCreate and other resources!

10/2/13 - The second visit to Montlieu was definitely a success. During this lesson, I went over a thorough introduction to myCreate with my buddy. We watched the introduction video that myCreate provides in the app, and then talked about what exactly this app entails.  My buddy instantly fell in love with the app! It was obvious from the very start that she is a creative thinker, so this app is right up her alley. She loved taking stuffed animals and making them move across the table. She was very technology savvy, which isn't surprising, given the fact that Montlieu provides iPads for every student (while at school). She was thoroughly excited to continue with this project!

10/9/13 - During my third visit to Montlieu Academy of Technology, we still worked individually due to some school logistic issues. This was still a really great session in which my buddy and I practiced the myCreate skills, as well as worked on information for a story. I spoke with her a lot about what she likes to write/draw about and she seemed extremely excited to be able to work with Lego's. It was somewhat difficult for her to express her ideas about inventions because she was so excited about things that already existed. However, I quickly uncovered a turning point. She is incredibly intrigued by China and would love to visit the country someday. When I asked about making an invention that would help her see the land easier, she drew 2 or 3 different machines that enabled her to travel across the globe in mere seconds. When I told her it was time to clean up, she was reluctant to leave. She can be unbelievably energetic, but her passion for learning is clearly evident!

10/23/13 - For our 4th visit to the school, we finally got to work as a group. We all gathered in the library and huddled around a table to discuss the semester's project further. We started off with some ice-breaker activities, but wanted to give the students as much time as possible to work on their ideas.  We explained how they would be coming up with ideas for new inventions and then filming their story using stop-motion video. The students were absolutely thrilled when we brought out some Lego material to explore. They were probably more hyper than any students I've ever worked with, which was somewhat difficult, but also very rewarding at the same time. Knowing that I was able to bring so much joy to these students was truly unbelievable. They brainstormed about different inventions and really collaborated about different ideas. Next week will be great to let them start writing a rough draft for their story. 

10/30/13 - The 5th visit to Montlieu Academy of Science and Technology was another very successful trip. Once again, we worked as a group in order to start brainstorming ideas for our video. The children were extremely excited and really got the ball rolling. They thought of several awesome ideas, such as a one-button candy machine, a talking building, a cotton candy house, etc. After the students were given time to brainstorm, we held a vote to determine which idea we would focus in on for the video. The group came to a general consensus to use the talking building idea for the final project. Then, we talked about beginning, middle, and end ideas for the story. The whole group collaborated very efficiently in order to set the scene for the actual writing/filming. The students could not have been more excited for our next visit, in which we would work with Legos to prepare for the video. Overall, it was a very productive meeting. 

11/6/13 - This visit was definitely one of the most enjoyable for everybody involved! We brought the StoryStarter Lego Kits for the students to use in order to come up with ideas for how the story would be laid out. First, each student worked with his/her own base plate to come up with his/her own representation of the story. They were extremely excited to work with the Legos, so we had to make sure that they stayed on task at times, but overall they were very well behaved! As the students worked, they were definitely checking in with each other to collaborate and bounce ideas around. Also, they would occasionally take breaks from building in order to practice using the MyCreate app with the Legos. It was clear that the students were coming up with some great scenery and having fun doing it! The students all developed really interesting models and were excited to come to High Point University to finally film the stop-motion video!

11/15/13 - This was the date in which the students came to HPU to build the video scenery, record their voices, and film the video. Unfortunately, I had a cross country meet and was unable to attend this final day. Although I wasn't able to see the students making the video, I am lucky to be able to see the final product! I cannot believe how well the students were able to make their vision become a reality. They definitely worked extremely well as a group in order to plan the story, and then put their ideas on film. Throughout the semester there were some very minor bumps in the road, but overall it was an incredible experience for everybody involved!

iPad Application

Education is currently going through major changes in regards to how learning occurs and is evaluated. No longer is it acceptable to stand at the front of the classroom and lecture the entire group while they take notes quietly. Students need to be physically and intellectually engaged in order to experience optimal learning. The use of iPads in the classroom has the potential to be a huge step forward in the educational system. However, it is crucial that teachers are aware of the proper uses of these apps. They need to remain engaging, and cannot do the teaching! The teacher is still responsible for the guiding the students, the iPad apps are simply used as a facilitator.   

One app that has the potential to be extremely effective, is Agnitus - Games For Learning. This is an incredibly engaging app that deals with all different subjects. The age range is a bit younger for this app, as it caters to students ranging from ages 1 to 7 years old. Basically, this is an app that is filled with different games and activities that are designed based on the current Common Core Standards. If used with preschool or Kindergarten students, it contains activities with color recognition, 2D shape recognition, shape building, and more. For school-aged children, it contains great activities centered around mathematics and phonics/language arts skills. 

When a student first uses the app, he/she creates a profile that is completely suited for their needs. They go through some preliminary activities in order to provide the app with some baseline information on what sorts of skills the current user possesses. Then, as the student works through different activities and games, the app is able to automatically raise the level to keep the student engaged. Rather than getting flying through the activities and becoming bored, the app knows when to bump the student to the next (challenging) level. Also, throughout the entire session, it keeps track of all the results and compiles them in a "report card" format for the teacher to access at any time.  

As far as using this app in a lesson, I would use it in one of two ways. First, I could use it as an enrichment piece. For example, if a student has finished their current assignment, I could have them work on some activities that correspond with the same topic. This keeps them engaged, all the while focused on the topic at hand. Another use would be for a stations lesson. I would include one station as an iPad station, and assuming there were at least 4 or 5 iPad available, each student could access their own account and be able to work at their own pace, on their own level.  

There are multiple ways to assess whether or not this app has been used to its full potential. As I mentioned previously, the built-in report card feature is a huge plus. Teachers can observe the use of the app, but it is not necessary to catch every single activity or game. They can go back at a later time and analyze which problems or activities the student struggled with, and which ones came easier.  Using these results, the teacher will have another form of evaluation to develop activities catered to that student. It will take a couple of uses with this app to determine whether or not it is effective for every student. Some children might really thrive with this format, while others prefer a different approach. The teacher will be able to observe the students in order to determine if they are engaged, or simply going through the motions. If used properly, this app can facilitate learning in an exciting, valuable way.  


Sources

"Agnitus, We Build Fun Learning Games." Agnitus. N.p., 2013. Web. 20 Apr. 2013.

Technology in Science

Teachers need to integrate technology seamlessly into the curriculum instead of viewing it as an add-on, an afterthought, or an event. -Heidi Hayes Jacobs. It is no secret that integration is a crucial part of any efficient classroom. We are in a critical point in time where students need to be prepared for the real-world. A truly effective classroom in today's society is one where the students can not completely distinguish which subject is being taught at a given point. Obviously they should know what's going on, but they shouldn't be able to say, "Math is from 9:00 to 10:00, then Language Arts is from 10:00 to 11:00."  Classrooms should contain enough integration that almost every subject is being included.  This is especially important for the STEM areas.  Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math should all be intertwined in a seamless manner.

The United States Department of Labor has reported that by the year 2014, 15 of the 20 fastest growing occupations require significant science training to successfully compete for a job.  Right now, students are getting maybe 30 minutes of Science class per day. How are we expected to compete whenever we aren't learning the subject? The practical, efficient use of technology makes this much easier.  With all of the technological advances, there is no excuse for not including technology in our classrooms.

Research suggests that the best way for students to experience science and technology is through the use of hands-on materials and manipulatives. According to the National Science Teachers Association, or NSTA, students experience the best learning through the investigation and exploration of inquiry-based questioning and process skills. Although the students play a large role in the integration of technology within science, it is also up to the administrators to build instructional leadership. This is achieved through building a consensus for an elementary science program that reflects state and national standards (NSTA, 2002).  

A great way to integrate technology into the science curriculum is through the use of Logger Pro software. This is a very easy to use program that is used in the collection and analysis of data. Logger Pro can be used with any type of computer, and involves many different ways to get the students involved and interested in science.  Science does not mean listening to a PowerPoint presentation on rocks and minerals. It involves moving around and actually touching/feeling the topics of the lesson.  This is how students will truly learn science concepts.  

Logger Pro can be used with countless experiments, one of which being ways to make the temperature of water colder.  Students can be asked in the beginning of class which would make the water the coldest: ice, sugar, or salt. Then the students can experiment putting ice, salt, and sugar into separate cups of water and then using the Logger Pro software and probe to analyze the results. This is just one of many ways to incorporate hands-on, effective technology into the science curriculum.  

As stated previously, students truly learn the best whenever they are able to work in a hands-on environment. Science is the type of subject that needs to be experienced, not taught. Through the use of manipulating different materials and working with an inquiry-based approach, students will benefit from and enjoy science much more.


Sources
National science teachers association. (2002, July).
     http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/elementary.aspx

United States Department of Labor. (2013). http://www.dol.gov

Technology in the Classroom

It is no secret that technology is becoming more and more prevalent in our everyday lives.  We use cell phones, laptops, tablets, mp3 players, and more, pretty much all day, everyday.  With the use of so much technology in our normal, everyday lives, why not integrate it into our school curriculum?  It is becoming much easier to find ways to integrate all of this technology into the classroom, and it is actually boosting knowledge.  Children are completely immersed in technology, so it is definitely becoming one of the best ways to learn more efficiently.  

According to a study done in the U.K., resources such as interactive whiteboards account for enormous growth in the classroom, both on day-to-day activities, as well as end of year exams.  This is something that the teachers are enjoying, especially due to the great reviews from the students.  Over a span of 3 years, 80% of the students surveyed reported that they could learn new material in mathematics easier.  They also reported that they thought it was due to the impact of the interactive whiteboards.  It made new content easier to remember and understand.

This huge growth in scores wasn't the only upside to the increase in technology. Students suggested that the use of technology made learning more enjoyable, and also made math seem less intimidating.  One of the main reasons for the positive response to technology was the fact that students could really see what was going on. No longer do they have to visualize what is going on in the problem, it is clearly laid out for easier, more efficient learning (Prabhu, 2010).

Another way that technology can be successfully integrated into a classroom, specifically for mathematics, is to make real-world connections.  Children learn much easier whenever they can relate the information to something that they already know.  For example, teachers can make short videos using Animoto, GoAnimate, Voki, etc. in order to introduce a topic in a more visual, real-life scenario.  Making the content of lessons seem more meaningful is an absolute necessity and is made much easier with the use of technology (Blair, 2012).

As far as my own classroom, I will definitely want to integrate technology as efficiently, and successfully as possible.  I think that a lot of teachers do not feel comfortable with the technology, therefore they neglect integrating it properly.  Being educated with technology is a necessity for teachers. 

One of my main focuses will be to develop an interactive, collaborative classroom.  This involves not only the use of technology by the instructor, but the students as well.  If we are learning how to multiply fractions, I will use the interactive white-board to allow the students to really get involved in the lesson.  Children will learn much easier by doing something, rather than watching something, so being interactive is crucial.  

I will also allow time for students to be inventive and creative with their work.  Often times with "concrete" subjects such as mathematics, teachers stick to one method and that is it.  Technology allows students to be creative and find alternative methods, and that is how real learning is achieved.  Students will be able to use tablets or computers to research other ways of doing a certain problem, and then try it out for themselves.  I think this is a great way to really promote an engaging, interactive classroom.  



Sources

Blair, N. (2012). Technology integration for the new 21st century learner. Retrieved from
          http://www.naesp.org/principal-januaryfebruary-2012-technology/technology-
          integration-new-21st-century-learner

Prabhu. M. T. Technology adds to students' math comprehension | eSchool News.
          eSchool News | Retrieved February 3. 2013. 
          http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/03/17/technology-adds-to-students-math-
          comprehension/2/