This Week In Ed Tech

Even before its release, the iPad (Apple's long-awaited tablet-style, e-book reading, web-surfing, content serving, most wanted gadget) has begun to define a new category of devices that will blend together the power and portability of a netbook with the form and function of an e-reader. In 2010 and beyond, competitors will race to design devices similar to the iPad, which in turn, will both improve the platform and drive the overall price in this cateogry down. Combine this with an online content distribution method, such as the forthcoming iBook store (Apple's online e-bookstore) and you've just described a beginning-to-end content distribution pipeline. One day, in the not-too-distant future, the price and convenience of this distribution chain will compel many school districts to finally abandon the paper-based text book model and embrace the digital distribution of e-text books.

How will the iPad impact education? Remember in chemistry class, when we learned the term, catalyst? A catalyst is substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction. Think of the iPad as a catalyst that will cause a ripple-effect, felt not only in education, but will also be felt across the entire publishing industry.

Apple already transformed the way we buy and listen to music; now, they're going to do it with books. Most people are already used to the iTunes experience of buying music and listening to it on their iPod, so the transition to a similar experience with books and reading them on an iPad will be a natural one. I'm not suggesting it will ultimately be the iPad itself that will absolutely find its way into mainstream classrooms across the country - it could be a similar product by a yet-to-be-known start up company- or possibly a next-generation Kindle, who knows? But one day, I think people will attribute the iPad as being the device that unleashed digital e-book content, especially e-text books, into classrooms around the world.

Sony's e-reader, Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook may have been among the first to the party, but that fact alone won't necessarily be enough to keep Apple from becoming as dominant a force in the book distribution business as they are in music. Consider iTunes University, Apple's source for educational audio and video content. Since 2007, Apple has been promoting, building, and filling iTunes U with educational multimedia content, coincidentally, around the time rumors started to surface of a possible tablet-style device. And it makes sense: imagine a student reading his or her science text book on an iPad, and being able to flip to an iTunes U video on the same topic, on the same device! School districts will love the text book updates, too. Instead of having to purchase new text books every seven years, students can simply update their text book the same way you update an App.

It's an exciting time for schools, publishers, and gadget lovers everywhere. How do you think the iPad will impact education?

Recently, I added two iPod touches to my classroom tech-tool box, and lately, I've been on a quest to discover how to best integrate these devices into my classroom. One idea that's proved to be a hit among my students is a job I call "iPod Support." This new classroom job is a great way to give students some academic "screen time" with the iPod touch, especially for those teachers who have a limited number of iPod touches like I do. You'll need:

• At least one iPod touch

• Wireless Internet connection

• Document camera 

• A willing student

• Math, Social Studies, or Science lesson

Before your next math, social studies, or science lesson, designate one student to be in charge of the iPod. Tell this student, 

"During the course of this lesson, listen for a keyword or phrase that you feel relates to the topic. Then, at any point during the lesson, "Google" a keyword or phrase. After the lesson, be prepared to share what you've found on the iPod using the document camera."

In Math this week, I taught how to multiply fractions, and the word "product" stood out in the mind of one of my iPod support persons. She explained that at first, when she "Googled" the word "product," she mostly found information about hair and skin care products, but about five or six links down the page, she found "a glossary of arithmetic and math terms," which included the definition for the word, product: the number resulting from two numbers being multiplied. This led to a brief word study about multiple meaning words, specifically, the two meanings for "product." Had we not used our new iPod touch in this manner, this teachable moment would have never occurred.

Tech-tools like interactive whiteboards and student responders have tremendous potential in education, but it's tempting to lull oneself into thinking that merely implementing a tech-tool will automatically cause students be engaged. There is a danger here. I'm afraid some teachers abuse the technology by just creating more stuff for kids to look at without making their lessons any more interactive or engaging than they were before. The last thing teachers need is another gadget that supports the old sage-on-the-stage paradigm. So, when implementing technology tools in your classroom, try to involve as many students as possible with "hands-on" learning experiences. Here are a couple ideas along those lines:

Put the interactive in interactive white board. A lesson is not interactive just because you hide a giant paragraph behind a reveal tool, then make the students copy the paragraph into their notes. Similarly, it's not interactive just because a student can come up to the whiteboard, tap the screen, and reveal a bunch of text that they, again, just have to copy into their notes. Interactive means there is an exchange of ideas - a back-and-forth interaction among people, activities, and ideas. Try engaging students by setting up text to underline or highlight. Have your students move text and images into categories; match words with their definitions; manipulate graphic organizers. Design lessons that are so hands-on, you find yourself talking less, and observe students doing more during your lesson.

Use responders so your students receive the right immediate feedback. It is useless for students to simply know their score on their math test. They need to know precicely the items they got wrong and be given time to reflect and fix their own understanding. Your test was a colossal waste of time if your students go home without this vital information. Go for the teachable moment! Do it right away - right after the test. At our school, our student responders tie into an application called AccelTest. This software allows teachers to print test results for each student. For example, in my room, I give two forms of the math chapter test, one day apart. The first day, they take Form A, and I immediately print out the results. Students get the help they need on the items they missed, and practice similar items for homework. The second day, they take Form B. As you might imagine, Form B results are almost always higher; therefore, I record the higher of the two grades. Instant feedback is key!

So, don't just be a high-tech sage-on-the-stage. Design lessons that are as interactive and engaging as possible and provide assessment feedback that goes beyond mere scores.

Earlier this week, I blogged about what I bought in 2009. Now, as I prepare to ring in the new decade, I thought I'd reflect on what my school bought in 2009. I can't imagine ever teaching without these amazing high tech tools.

Mimio Wireless Pad

Teacher proximity is critical to good classroom management. With the Mimio wireless pad, I can literally stand anywhere in the room and control the computer, write on the interactive whiteboard, start and stop video clips, access the web -- the list seems endless.

Mimio Interactive Whiteboard Solution

This device attaches to the side of my whiteboard with suction cups or sticky tape. It transforms my existing whiteboard into an interactive one. Now, my students can write on the interactive whiteboard with digital ink. I can save what's on the board and show it to the class at a later date. With the Mimio Interactive Whiteboard Notebook Software, I can create my own lesson plans using Mimio's interactive flash-based media which includes reveal tools, balloon pops, right/wrong active buttons with sound, and much more.

Renaissance Responders

Whether I'm in anonymous mode and just checking the class for understanding, or administering a formative assessment, these little handheld devices make grading a snap. I can ask a question at my own pace, or allow students to work through an exam or activity at their own pace. Students can use the instant feedback they receive to reflect on their work and fix their own understanding.

AverMedia Document Camera

Goodbye overhead transparency projector -- I'm not sad to see you go. No more wasting money on costly transparency sheets. No more running to the workroom to make a transparency for an upcoming lesson. No more multi-colored fingers! No other device has been as long-overdue to hit the classroom as the document camera. I can't tell you how many teachable moments have occurred since being able to just "put it under the doc cam."

Kevlar 2 way ceiling speakers

Four (4) Kevlar 2-way 6 1/2" speakers are now ceiling-mounted in our classrooms. The wires, which are hidden behind custom moulding, run down the wall and run directly to my workstation, which connect to a powered mixer. The mixer includes an input for the PC, an extra mic input, and an aux channel for an iPod.

Hitachi LCD projectors

My 24" CRT color TV is still mounted to the ceiling in my classroom and is feeling very, very lonely these days. Things to do in 2010: (1) contact the facilities department and ask them to please remove it! It's been replaced with a ceiling mounted Hitachi LCD projector, which projects everything on my whiteboard. Speaking of whiteboards, my markers are drying out, too, because instead of using markers, we write with Mimio's digital ink. (2) return unused whiteboard markers to the district office warehouse.

Belkin USB 2.0 Plus Hub (7 Port)

Since practically all of our new gadgets connect to our computers through USB, my principal decided we needed one more thing: the Belkin USB 7-port hub. Our laptops only have three USB ports, and with all our new tech tools, we require a minimum of six open ports. Now, we not only have enough ports to connect everything; there is no cable mess, and we even have a little room to grow.

Our school also purchased an English Language Development (ELD) lab that includes portable workstations, dance mats, touch screens, extendas, document camera, mimio, mimio pad, responders, ELD Unit Lessons and software: all of which I'll describe in greater detail in a subsequent post in 2010.

In FFFFOO Agents AB | 4 Stars | Science

Summary

The good: Measures shaking down to a subtle heart beat. Very creative use of iPhone's builit in accelerometer. Realistic looking needle.

The bad: No recorder. Can't scroll back to see results. In its current form, you can't quantify, label, or time-stamp data.

The bottom line: For students new to the study of earthquakes, Seismometer 1.1 is a great introduction. Simple, interactive, fun, worth it.

Price: $.99

Reviewed on an: iPhone 3G

Version reviewed: 1.1

This Week In Ed Tech’s Review

by Buzz Garwood

Ever taught a lesson on earthquakes and tried to explain how a seismometer works? I've built simple models before, using nothing more than a shoe box, pencil, string, and some paper, but my models usually fall flat and the seismographs they produce are usually less than impressive.

One of the first apps I downloaded for my iPhone was Seismometer. It's a nice introduction to how real seismometers record seismic activity. Last month, my students began a unit on earthquakes. I turned on my iPhone, launched Seismometer, and placed my iPhone under the document camera for everyone to see. Just as you might imagine, the digital graph paper began scrolling across the screen as a needle drew one continuous line. I then invited a student to approach the table where the iPhone was set, and asked him to shake the table. Immediately, the needle spiked.

The students were impressed with how sensitive the iPhone was to even the slightest shaking. I barely jarred the table and the needle jumped. I then shook the table violently for five or six seconds, and students immediately noticed the difference. This little app was just the right thing I needed to build interest in my unit on earthquakes, and open some good conversations about how scientists study them. 

The developer has built in some nice features since the 1.0 release, such as toggling the high-pass filters on or off; adjusting the sampling frequency: 20 Hz, 40 Hz, 60 Hz, or 200 Hz; choosing between logarithmic or linear scales; and the choice to measure either z axis, y & z, or all.

One might expect a scientific app like this to allow users to scroll back and see results. Unfortunately, in its current form, you can't do this because it does not save recordings. In addition, the iPhone's small screen makes it possible to only see about five seconds of activity at a time. Also, you can't label, time-stamp, or analyze data in any quantifiable way. It would be nice, in future releases, to build in some kind of data collection and analysis functionality. 

Despite the lack of more advanced scientific features, the novelty itself is worth a buck. Students will appreciate seeing a real seismometer and enjoy making the needle dance around. As a side note, my students recently visited the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, California, where there is a similar device hanging on the wall in their earthquake area - only it's a 40" LCD flat panel TV.  Students are encouraged to jump up and down and see how hard they can cause the needle to spike. This app works exactly the same way, but for a fraction of the cost.