Journal #9: First graders with iPads?

Getting, S. & Swainey, K. (2012, August). First graders with ipads?. Learning & Leading with Technology, 40(1), 24-27. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/DigitalEdition/digital-edition-june-july-2012.aspx

In the article First Graders with iPads? researchers set out to discover whether using iPads could help increase reading skills among the two lowest reading groups at Hilltop Elementary School.  The researchers monitored different things about the students, one of which was their Time On Task (TOT).  To ensure the students remained on task they kept several things in their control.  For starters they made sure the students knew that using the iPads was a privilege, they made sure the students remained in one place when working on the iPads, and took other steps to ensure the importance of the iPads were understood and that the children respected the use of the.  The researchers used tools like Google maps for the students to be able to build a global awareness when they studied non-fiction selections.  My favorite aspect of the article was that they have a list of the favorite apps used for Sight Words, Fluency, Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Literacy.  This will be very useful as I learn to incorporate technology in the classroom.  Towards the end of the article it was clear that there were problems with using the technology, having funds for things, but the students worked with each other more often which helped create a more unified and collaborative learning environment. 

Question 1:  How would you incorporate iPads into higher levels of education, like middle school and high school?

One of the things the article touched on was how the iPads allowed students to look at different parts of the world to build up global awareness so when it comes to studies of older students, they could hopefully use the iPads for more specific research.  So if the students are studying European History, the can look at the countries more directly using things like Google Maps but also can look up different cultural things in the area, and maybe even get pictures of specific references in the stories.  This same interaction can happen throughout other history classes as well as Language Arts, Sciences, etc.

Question 2:  How could the students build up stronger networks using the iPads?

I think it is extremely important to be able to apply one’s learning and with the iPads it seems like it may welcome more global interactions.  Students could possibly interact more with other students not in the classroom, take part in discussion forums online, create and post videos and papers and get feedback from other students from other schools in the same district, other districts or even other countries!  It seems that iPads have a major potential to allow students to connect with others around the world.