End of quarter tech update

All quarter I’ve been trying to figure out how to use an iPod Touch in the classroom, when there is only 1 iPod and many more students.  While doing so, I’ve found that my main use for this technology has been using it to record interviews, so I can be attentive to the student instead of busy writing notes.  I have also used the voice recording app to record conversations, mainly about behavioral issues, that I could not attend in person.  In this way, the iPod Touch has been very helpful.

Another similar use for the iPod would be to record lesson, so that absent students have access to the lesson in other forms and they listen to it once they return.  Dragon Dictation would be a good app for this, as well as giving students access to lessons when more visual methods of teaching were presented.

In literacy, or for ELL students, a similar tool would be helpful for students that have a hard time reading, so they could listen to a story to pick up the understanding by using visualizing strategies for comprehension.  Though books should not be completely abandoned with this approach, the student could use the book to reference either during or after listening to the story aloud.

There are many apps that are available for students to visualize mathematical concepts, similar to the ones that Robin showed us for the intermediate and upper elementary grades.  These tools give students access to manipulatives and can help students that are “visual” learners.  Additionally, mathematical apps can help students practice mathematical concepts that need the extra practice.

Students today seem to be over obsessed with technology and video games, and introducing technology they are comfortable with accesses their interests and engages them to the point that they may not realize they are learning.  This became evident during fall quarter while interviewing a first grade student about math.  We approached the math problems using video game characters in story problems.  After the interview we thanked him for working with us on math and he replied with, “we weren’t talking about math.  We were talking about video games.”

Though I have used (and found uses) for an iPod Touch in the classroom, I still struggle with the question: When I use the iPod with use a few students, how can I make it seem that I am being fair to the rest, since the others aren’t necessarily using the technology?  The students in my class seem to focus on being treated fairly and it seems like this would be an issue to the students.

Tech blog update

Since my last update, I have not introduced the iPod Touch to the classroom as a way to differentiate instruction.  One of the reasons for this is that I don’t have complete knowledge of the full capabilities of the iPod yet.  Additionally, I believe that some students that are not offered the opportunity to work with the iPod Touch would feel that they were being excluded and I was not being fair to everyone in the classroom.  In 3^rd grade it seems like the teacher being fair, especially with things that are considered a hot commodity (such as working with technology), is very important to the students and they will explicitly express their feelings about fairness (though they may not practice what they preach).

I still believe that using the iPod Touch in the classroom to differentiate instruction is beneficial, but the teacher needs to be comfortable and knowledgeable with the technology to use it to its full potential.  It’s my goal to become more familiar with the features of the iPod, so that I may give students additional tools they need in order to succeed.

Is it possible for a teacher, that may be lacking additional support from either volunteers or EAs, to work on differentiating instruction using technology when the technology is hard to share with the whole class at a time?  Especially when it comes to students needing to feel that the teacher is fair to everyone, how does the teacher incorporate small items like the iPod touch?  I can see that giving all students access to iPods simultaneously would be beneficial, but with the tight budgets in many school districts, this may be a fantasy.  Or, is it meant for teachers to find the potential benefits and be advocates for students’ needs, so they will go out and find the funding through grants (similar to UWB’s approach to obtaining iPods for their students)?  If so, would a teacher want to go about this for their own class, or should it be a school wide effort, so that all students in the school can benefit?

Differentiated Instruction using an iTouch

Many students in my main placement would benefit from differentiated, especially when it involves using technology.  Most of the students are very familiar with technology and are excited about using it in school, in addition to their personal lives.  Three students, in particular, come to mind when I think of using technology to differentiate instruction.

The first student I think of is a male ELL student that struggles in subjects that he generally excels in because of his difficulty understanding the language.  In this case, I would use technology to demonstrate the connection of the words and concepts, especially in math.  Additionally, he could use an app to translate words that may deter him in his success.

Another student that comes to mind a female student that has a fascination with fantasy and finds joy in playing online fantasy based games (in addition to drawing cartoons based upon the fantasies that she is exposed to).  Using technology may be a way to engage her in classroom activities while relating it to things that are so very important to her.  I have seen the way that integrating video game talk in a math interview resulted in the student fulfilling the math questions, but not seeing it as doing math problems because he was talking about something that he likes.  Taking this approach may have similar results with this student.  One drawback with this student, though, may be that we are encouraging the student to live in a fantasy world that she seems to be overly involved with to the point where it could be dangerous for her development (this has been a worry for me as I have heard her mention certain situations with online games and meeting strangers).  But, would that be pushing my personal opinion on what is too little/much exposure to video games?

There is another male student that would benefit from differentiated instruction because he has a hard time staying attentive and focused and tends to act up in class.  Engaging this student may be one way to help this student succeed and reverse the behavioral problems that have been occurring.  Having the student follow along with the lesson, or controlling the speed of information, may help the student.

Using an iTouch in the classroom has both pros and cons.  I know that there are a lot of apps available to help students in many ways and, since many of my 3^rd grade students already have a personal iTouch, they will know how to navigate the technology.  Though, their familiarity with the technology may cause the students to get off task or abuse the privilege (for example playing games).  Managing the students’ use of iTouch may be hard, since the screens are small and my aging eyes have a hard time noticing them from a distance.

I am excited to learn more about the capabilities of the iTouch as I spend more time playing with it and exploring new apps.