Tuesday 24 December 2013

12 Apps for Christmas


These are not, as the title might suggest, Christmas apps but I am going to try to limit myself to 12 apps that I suggest you check out over the Christmas break. With this lot of apps I am going to focus on those that best complement 'flipping the classroom' and paperless homework. I might even sneak in a couple that are not actual apps but are web browser based programs that work on iOS devices - some are both. I also stick to the free version of each of these resources.

In no particular order:
Edmodo (both)
Kidblog (both)
Padlet (web)
GoClass (both)
Blendspace (web)
ActivelyLearn (web)
inklewriter (web)
GoogleDrive (both)
BaiBoard HD (app)
Capture (app)
YouTube (both)
Educreations (both)

Wednesday 11 December 2013

My Vision

I was thinking about how I see the place of the iPad, and technology in general, at KPS and the best way I could think of to represent it was a mind map. My role as the ICT teacher and as the iPad coordinator are so different. My thinking is, when teaching students ICT, the technology skills are an important part along with teaching students what they can do with technology and how technology can help them develop solutions. iPads can certainly be part of this as a form of technology. When using iPads in classrooms, the focus should be on the content and pedagogy with technology presenting opportunities for creation and engagement. The students are being taught content, they are being taught how to think and learn and they are being shown that the iPad is a very useful tool for doing these things and for helping them articulate and present what they have learned.