ESEB 3073 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

JANANI RAJARAM
JB1406BD7262
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
ESEB 3073
ASSIGNMENT 1
(Individual)

ESEB EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT 1

Table of Content

Chapter

Title

Page

Introduction

Mobile Learning

E - Books

TAB / I - Pads

Bring Your Own (Mobile) Device (BYOD)

17

Mobile Apps

20

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JB1406BD7262

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ESEB EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT 1

INTRODUCTION
Mobile devices have not replaced the need to learn, but rather created the need to teach and learn
differently. Access to information is not the same as it was in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some may
consider it negligent to not employ these devices for learning. Banning these devices should not be
tolerated. We need to teach our teachers how to use them to their advantage. It is short-sighted and a
waste of time and money to place these ever-evolving devices in the hands of kids without properly
preparing the educators to understand and work with this relatively new mobile technology - and
technology in general.

The need for digital literacy in order to live, thrive and compete is not only a necessity for our children,
but also for those who must educate them. To better educate our children, we need to better educate
their educators.

JA N A N I RA JA RA M

JB1406BD7262

B.ECE

ESEB EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

1.

ASSIGNMENT 1

MOBILE LEARNING

The mobile revolution is here. More and more schools are moving toward mobile learning in the
classroom as a way to take advantage of a new wave of electronic devices that offer portability and
ease of use on a budget. Netbooks, iPads, cell phones, iPods, e-readers and even PDAs are increasingly
becoming the tools of choice for today's educators, and it is easy to see why.

Mobile learning technologies offer teachers-and students-a more flexible approach to learning.
Computer labs are great, but do our students use technology in the classroom, in the school garden, in
the study hall, in the gym, and on field trips? With mobile learning devices, you can do all this, and
more.

In 2001, Marc Prensky warned us, "Our students have changed radically. Today's students are no
longer the people our educational system was designed to teach." He went on to describe how these
"digital natives" are being exposed to more gadgets and technology than was ever thought possible.
This is having a profound effect on the ways in which children learn. They are more engaged in
learning when using the latest technological gadgets, because it is what they are most used to
interacting with. Our students don't just want mobile learning, they need it.

The education system we work in is not always known for its speed at latching on to new ideas and
methodologies, but with mobile learning it is catching up-quickly. The iPod Touch, for instance, is
among the more popular mobile learning devices to hit classrooms across the country. This tactile,
touch-screen device is easy for children to use, and comes with built-in Wi-Fi to access the Internet.
However, it also has the ability to tap into the thousands of apps available at the iTunes store. For
instance, you can use the dictionary and thesaurus on Dictionary.com, explore the world with Google
Earth, or plot equations with Quick Graph. Download the Kindle app and turn your iPod into an ereader, create your own stories with Story Kit, and find out about the latest space missions with the
NASA app. These, and many others, are free downloads that are ideal for educators to use with their
students in school.

JA N A N I RA JA RA M

JB1406BD7262

B.ECE

ESEB EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT 1

The research that has been done on the use of mobile apps like these has been very promising. For
example, a recent study looked at the link between learning, and the kids educational gaming app,
Martha Speaks Dog Party. The study found that after children had used the app every day for two
weeks, the vocabulary of children between three and seven years old improved by as much as 31
percent. A similar study, conducted at the Abilene Christian University, centered upon the use of the
app. Students used it in and out of the classroom and remarked that they understood the content better,
and were more motivated to do well, when using the app. The instructors agreed with this observation,
and added that the students were also better prepared for classes.

Besides my suggestion, studies like these helped underline the academic potential that mobile learning
devices can have to enrich the learning process for students. They are versatile, motivating, and active
learning tools. Deidra Hughey, who teaches students with special needs, likes mobile learning devices
because of the accessibility they have to a wide range of students. "Students with learning differences
benefit greatly from mobile learning, as such opportunities allow them to feel more like their peers,
and foster a sense of normalcy," she says. "This is very important for social development that can be
seriously affected due to late or slowed academic development."

One example of mobile technology for children with special needs is Proloquo2go, an assistive
technology app available on iTunes. Students with autism spectrum disorders, and others who may
have difficulty speaking, can use the app's library of symbols and text-to-speech conversion to
communicate easily and naturally with others. This type of assistive app helps broaden students'
horizons both in and out of the classroom.

So what about e-readers? Is there really a place for these in the classroom? They are portable, easy to
update, and cost-effective, and can be read on netbooks, e-readers, laptops, and more. It's only a matter
of time before other states start to follow his lead and welcome e-books into their own curriculums.
Still not convinced? In July of this year, Amazon announced that in the last quarter it had sold more
Kindle e-books than it had hardcover books. In fact, it sold 143 Kindle books for every 100 hardcover
books, and this number is still rising. In the last month, it was as high as 180 Kindle editions for every

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100 hardcover books. Can you imagine a world where students can carry around all their textbooks in
one easy-to-read, lightweight device? Why not we?

Apple's iPad offers a great e-reader experience, but has the added functionality of wireless Internet
browsing and office applications. It can also tap into all the same educational apps that have become
popular on the iPod Touch-and a new wave of dedicated iPad apps. The Elements is an amazing
interactive periodic table, Alphabet Fun teaches handwriting, number and letter recognition, and the
Beautiful Planet HD app is a visually stunning photographic tour of 160 different countries.

With its high-resolution 9.7-inch screen, the entry-level iPad is priced about the same as an average
laptop. Although it currently lacks support for websites that run Adobe Flash applications, and has less
processing power than a laptop, the iPad is much more portable, has the same easy-to-use multitouch
interface as the iPod Touch, and is arguably more engaging to use. It is a relatively new device, but it
is still seen by many as an ideal addition to the classroom.

Kelly Tenkely, a K-5 Technology Integration Specialist and the author of the iLearn Technology blog,
has recently submitted a proposal to use the iPad in a one-to-one learning environment at her
elementary school. She sees it as a great way to improve the reading, math, and science skills of the
students at her school.

"It provides the potential to empower and uplift students in their learning," she says. "To maximize
effectiveness, education in the 21st century has to be active, engaging, and customized. Students must
have universal access to mobile technologies that will enable critical thinking, differentiation, and
problem solving. It is our belief that the technology in Apple's iPad meets these needs and more."

Cell phones traditionally have a bad reputation in schools, but that is starting to change. Instead of
banning cell phones, some forward-thinking educators are actively embracing them. The National
Council for Curriculum and Assessment in Ireland, for instance, is currently in phase 3 of an interesting

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experiment with the use of cell phones at a number of Irish schools. Most students speak English as
their first language, but Irish language lessons are encouraged to maintain a link to Ireland's cultural
past. The NCCA program aims to increase the level of oral fluency in Irish by providing students with
cell phones to support them in language classes. Students are sent text messages with Irish vocabulary
words to use during classes, and call a number with a voice-response system to leave answers to teacher
questions.

Other innovative uses of cell phones in education involve websites like Poll Everywhere and Text the
Mob, which allow a teacher to create a set of questions that the students can respond to with a text
message. The results can be displayed instantly as a graph via an LCD projector, or on an interactive
whiteboard, and the teacher can gauge the level of student understanding very quickly. A class set of
student response systems can be an expensive outlay, but if our students already bring their cell phones
to school, why not we put them to use in the classroom?

Students are more engaged and motivated to learn when they use mobile devices, and research shows
that academic performances can improve. We as educators need to take note of this, and look for safe,
productive ways to integrate mobile learning devices into our curriculums. For Lisa Nielsen, the author
of The Innovative Educator blog, few things are more important.

"When the world inside schools looks so different from the world outside of schools, what are we
really preparing students for?" she asks. "When we ban, rather than embrace, real-world technologies,
we leave students (1) ill-equipped to know how to harness the power of technology for learning, (2)
unprepared to develop a respectable digital footprint and, (3), without adequate knowledge to safely
navigate the social web."

There are ways that the analogy between the pencil and the cell phone doesn't work, and our data on
the use of the phone as a writing technology is layered and complex. Still, the question indexes some
interesting changes in the technology itself over a short period of time. I rarely talk on my "phone." I
have a colleague who has never set up his voicemail. For both of us, the device is much more valuable

JA N A N I RA JA RA M

JB1406BD7262

B.ECE

ESEB EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

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as a writing technology than a voice technology. We talk on the phone when we must, but the device
enables a number of other communication and coordination functions that we generally find more
useful. The techno-cultural dynamics around this single device are worth attending to, but I also think
that they are relevant for understanding writing.

Mobile learning is an exciting opportunity for educators, but in many ways we are just scratching the
surface of all that can be achieved with it. With proper training, and time to explore these high-tech
gadgets, teachers will soon be able make rapid strides with them, and be able to support and instruct
the use of such devices in the classroom on a regular basis. Now is the time to act. Our digital natives
are counting on us.

JA N A N I RA JA RA M

JB1406BD7262

B.ECE

ESEB EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

2.

ASSIGNMENT 1

E BOOKS

And now a few words about the book, that ancient medium we've all encountered, with ink on paper
pages, a front and back cover, and pleasure, or knowledge, or provocation, or even a certain necessary
tedium stored within.

The news media and blogosphere were abuzz last month with the news that Apple is "reinventing the
textbook" through the introduction of digital textbooks available for the iPad. With the announcement
has come a myriad of opinions and speculations regarding the possible repercussions of Apple's
textbook reinvention for schools and for children's learning.

Many celebrate the availability of electronic textbooks for the classroom, surmising that their
interactivity will make textbook content more engaging for students, their reduced cost compared to
print textbooks will ease the financial burden on school budgets, and their format will literally lighten
a student's load and take less of a toll on the environment.

The debate over what Apple's electronic textbooks will mean for our formal education system comes
at a time when we have not yet determined what tablet technology and the availability of electronic
books (or "e-books") can mean for children's learning at home and other informal learning
environments. Decades of research indicate a link between reading in the home and children's literacy
skill development. What is not yet known is whether that link may take a different shape depending
on the medium of the books that are read.

Though e-books have been available for children to read on computers for some time, they are
receiving quite a bit of attention recently due to the development of new, more mobile platforms on
which to view them. A survey research indicates that the number of adults who own a tablet or e-book
reader nearly doubled this past holiday season, rising from an estimated 10% of the population in
December to 19% in January. Still, parent reactions to children's e-books, expressed through news
media and blogs, seem to mirror the range of opinions regarding electronic textbooks: some parents
love them while others adamantly keep their children away.
JA N A N I RA JA RA M

JB1406BD7262

B.ECE

ESEB EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

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ASSIGNMENT 1

TAB / i-PAD

With the start of school approaching and the looming expectation of incorporating iPads into the
curriculum becoming a reality, the big question many educators are asking is: "Where should I begin?"

It can seem daunting to envision a year's worth of activities with iPads, but when taken in small chunks,
it doesn't need to be intimidating. Taking a note from Alan November's talks about the first five days,
consider what is possible in the first five hours, days, and weeks of school.

One of the great benefits of iPads is the immediate access to a camera and microphone. On that first
day of school, consider the following activities:

Take a picture of each student to use as a visual attendance sheet, to create avatars, or
as an icebreaker. These photos could be used for a Back to School slideshow or an endof-year retrospective.

Ask students to take a series of self-portraits to document their first day. These images
could be used in later projects or at the end of the year as a visual for reflecting on what
has been learned.

Record videos of all students introducing themselves or describing their goals for the
year. This might be a less intimidating way for new students to talk about themselves
or provide a forum for seniors or eighth graders to contemplate beginning their last year
in your school.

The pictures or videos captured during these initial activities could even be posted to a Padlet Wall to
create a digital bulletin board. As an added bonus, our Padlet Wall becomes a great reference as you
learn new names and faces during the first week.

The power of the iPad is how it can be used as a creation device. This does not imply that students
need to create massive projects right off the bat, but consider how they could leverage a few tools to
begin demonstrating their knowledge and understanding.
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JB1406BD7262

B.ECE

ESEB EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT 1

Older students might use a screencasting app such as Explain Everything or Educreations to show their
mathematical problem solving, create a book trailer from their summer reading, or publish a public
service announcement about appropriate iPad use in the classroom. Consider what you could learn
about your students' thinking if you could hear their voices and see their processes as shown in this
screencast.

Younger students might use a drawing app such as Doodle Buddy or Skitch to create images about
themselves or share their initial learning.

Not only does jumping into creation help students realize the potential of the iPad as a tool to support
their learning, but it also provides teachers with an opportunity to differentiate assessment, scaffold
skills, and learn more about their students.

Students will be excited about using iPads, so a goal for the first few weeks of school may be to
establish routines and expectations. Suzy Brooks, a fourth grade teacher in Falmouth, Massachusetts,
says:
I think that those times spent at the beginning of the year learning how to use iPads
are as essential as the time we spend going over how to choose a book, how to sit
quietly and read, how to work cooperatively, etc. They are essential skills taught
during the first six weeks of school that lay the groundwork for the months beyond.

To provide her elementary students with a concrete representation, Suzy issues iPaddling licenses.
Much like earning a driver's license, Suzy's students must demonstrate a specific set of skills before
earning the right to use iPads independently.

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Image credit: Suzy Brooks

At the high school level, Shaelynn Farnsworth (@shfarnsworth) gives her students a set of expectations.
Rather than being a compilation of do's and don'ts, her list provides students with a framework for
establishing classroom culture and touches on broader concepts such as responsibility, citizenship, and
respect.

Bringing iPads into the classroom also raises numerous questions about organization and iPad
workflow. Much like students need help organizing paper-based binders and notebooks, they may also
need assistance sorting themselves out digitally. If students are using apps with a folder or notebook
structure such as Drive, Notability, or Evernote, consider organization across the curriculum. If all of
your students follow a similar structure from the beginning, it will be much easier for them -- and you
-- to find their work as they begin generating more content.

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Sample Organization of Notability

Image credit: Beth Holland

In addition to providing students with a consistent organizational scheme on their devices, consider a
standardized naming system for files and projects. For example, Brenda Doucette teaches her middle
school students to name all projects with the same format: section-last name-project.

While every teacher doesn't have to adhere to the same naming conventions, consistency does help
students to transition between classesand keep you sane by preventing 50 nameless homework
submissions!

During the first weeks of school, consider setting aside a few minutes each day to teach specific iPad
skills such as adding a web clip, using "Speak Selection," exporting to cloud storage, or configuring
auto backups such as with Notability and Drive. Students may be comfortable with using iPads, but
that doesn't guarantee that they'll know how to leverage all of the technical capabilities.

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One of the most challenging lessons for schools to learn in implementing iPads is that the iPad is not
a laptop. The conversation can sometimes get bogged down around the device, trapping schools in
these definitions as they lose sight of the central reasons to use technology:

To enhance teaching and learning

To differentiate instruction

To personalize the learning experience

To solve authentic problems where technology must be used to solve those problems

This is not an easy lesson. It requires a paradigm shift in teaching and learning.

iPads vs. Laptops

It's worth noting the different features of laptops and iPads and to see the benefit of both devices. While
the laptop is heavy, takes a long time to boot up, and is often used as a word processing tool with
typing and keyboarding being paramount, it's also a powerful device for computer programming and
accessing Adobe Flash-based simulations, particularly in the sciences. And the laptop is not bound by
the app store. Many adults often prefer using a laptop over an iPad. And many students feel the same
way. The laptop is often the default go-to device, full of power and possibility.

The shift to iPads over laptops does not have to be a zero sum game. The ideal setting, being adopted
by many schools, is moving to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs to allow for flexibility and
for students to work on their own devices. And BYOD also shifts the conversation away from the
device and toward the learning experience. In other words, based on the learning experience, which
device will best allow students to achieve the learning objectives? It might be a laptop or a tablet -- or
even a smartphone.

Fast and Nimble

For teachers making the transition to iPads, frustration can set in if they continue to view the iPad as
being deficient as a laptop. For example, they might talk about how difficult it is for kids to keyboard
and edit on an iPad. We need to put the keyboarding issue to rest. Dr. Mark David Milliron comments,

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"While the new generations send text messages at 60 words per minute, the Baby Boomers text at six
words per minute on average."

The iPad is a mobile device, and kids can cover a lot of ground in a short period of time. Through
using the split screen to type in the manner of texting, they can get their thoughts down quickly. In
watching students use iPads, it's remarkable to see how facile they are in moving, adjusting and
rearranging text in a Pages document, for example. It can be blinding to watch this fast, nonlinear
workflow that is completely alien to the way adults were trained to type.

Clive Thompson in The Globe and Mail explains the concept of speed:
When it comes to writing and thinking, speed matters. It's what's called transcription
fluency: If you can't write fast enough, you can lose an idea or a way of phrasing
something, and it never comes back, Steven Graham, a literacy scholar at Arizona
State University, told me. In contrast, when you can write and edit more swiftly, you
can include more ideas and flesh them out more deeply.

Speed writing, outside of the boundaries of the traditional typing model, can be unsettling and baffling
to many educators. The iPad is mobile, light, nimble, and boots up easily and quickly. To get started
in class, all a student has to do is open the case and the iPad is ready. It's not meant to sit on a desktop.
Instead, it is designed to be transported and used in flexible spaces.

Classroom Examples
In a science class, the iPad is a perfect device to video the steps and evolution of a lab, where a student
can walk the viewer through the experience of conducting an experiment. Or students can photograph
different components of the lab to create a virtual lab write up. A laptop is more difficult to makeover
for capturing this type of learning experience.

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JB1406BD7262

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For a world language class, students can interview each other outside of the classroom to practice
authentic dialogue. They can create scripts and scenarios, and teachers can assess accents and
pronunciation. But kids should be able to get out of their seats, and teachers should be willing to
collapse the classroom walls.

From a visual standpoint, the iPad enables a whole new version of note taking. Sketch-noting has
transformed note taking away from linear and toward artistic, creative, visual and free forming
information capture. In T.H.E Journal, Paul Glader explains how sketch-noting works:
Many practitioners of sketch-noting use a stylus pen to draw on the iPad and use a
drawing app such as Paper combined with apps like Evernote or Google Drive to save
and manage notes in the cloud. Some snap their own photos of blackboards or
PowerPoint slides, integrating images into their visual notes. Others grab photos from
the web, cropping and dropping them into their notes and jotting maps, arrows, and
words to connect and illustrate the ideas.

A Mobile Device
Again, the message is that the iPad opens doors to meeting the needs of a wider range of learners,
learning styles and modalities.

As schools continue to explore the transition to iPads, it is critical to push the question back to teachers
whether they are viewing the iPad as a replacement for the laptop or as a mobile device capable of
dismantling time, space and linear approaches to learning.

Of course, this can be a terrifying thought, especially as schools have been designed for students to
learn inside classrooms, at desks, and in a daily, weekly and yearly schedule constructed in a linear
fashion with a one-size-fits-all mind-set.

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The recent Apple iPad ad, "Your Verse," shows users outside employing the iPad as a mobile device.
Not a single image in the ad has the user sitting at a desk.
The benefit of the iPad is that it can be one size fits each, with boundless opportunities for differentiated,
customized and personalized learning that gets kids out of their seats and classrooms, and into open,
flexible and modular spaces.

JA N A N I RA JA RA M

JB1406BD7262

B.ECE

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ESEB EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

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ASSIGNMENT 1

BRING YOUR OWN (MOBILE) DEVICE (BYOD)

I was recently asked, "Why are you giving the teachers choice of a laptop? Why not just go all in with
one device?" My answer, simply stated, is that homogenization of any tool is never a good idea in a
context that is intended to foster creativity.

We are homogenizing educational standards and limiting opportunity for creativity, hacking and
boundless exploration. That explains the viral popularity of Ethan Young, a Tennessee student who,
at a school board meeting, provided an eloquent breakdown and how it is affecting teachers. This
points are valid, but the same points have been raised for years in education only to fall upon the deaf
ears of bureaucrats.

However, this post is not about educational politics. This is about devices that are entering school
districts and classrooms at a consistent pace. I've had the opportunity to play a role in two such
deployments. The first was a 1:1 iPad launch in Burlington Public Schools in 2011, and the second is
Chromebook and iPad deployment at Groton-Dunstable Regional School District. In both experiences,
I've seen students and teachers adapt to devices in a variety of ways. However, not all adaptations are
positive.

Standardization vs. Real Life

A lot of schools make the mistake of trying to control every aspect of technology integration. Students
want to choose their own device and not have something mandated and regulated. When you consider
that 38 percent of children under age two have used an iPad, iPhone or iPod, there is an expectation
that as these students move through school, they'll have some type of device in hand. What's more,
students will want to use something that they're familiar with, that they own, and that they won't have
to change out of once they leave school.

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The best analogy is the case for school uniforms, which has always sparked a debate regardless of the
decade or century. Schools tell students what they have to wear, and students do it. Research and data
drive the decision, and it just happens. However, once students leave school, they want their identity
back. The same can be said for technology in schools. Yes, homogenization of devices allows everyone
the chance to start out on the same footing, but eventually schools need to open up and let students
own the device and, inevitably, own their learning.

As schools plan large-scale technology rollouts, they should begin by considering what would be best
for the student population. Standardization happens enough in school systems as it is, and this is an
opportunity to provoke real change in education and provide tools that are familiar, linked and
accessible. This move also frees schools from the "what device works best?" dilemma and moves the
conversation toward "what provides the best impact on teaching and learning?" Brand or design no
longer matters. Plus, technology use should not be the banner for any school -- rather, it should be
something that just happens every day.

Listening to the Stakeholders

As the director of technology, it is my job to listen to administrators, teachers, students and parents,
and find out what system works best for our schools. The conversation started with infrastructure and
transitioning to Google Apps for Edu. Along with these changes, we brought in Chromebooks and
iPads, as well as some Nexus 7 and Surface tablets. These purchases happened with a generous warrant
article passed by the towns of Groton and Dunstable. The ripple effect of this grant had immediate
impact throughout the district and will continue to reverberate for some time.

My next challenge will be sustaining this momentum without overwhelming everyone involved. On
the table right now is a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) option for high school students. It seems like
the obvious choice. And the plan will be very simple: give students the opportunity to bring in their
own devices and access our network. And that's it. We'll give students and parents a "storefront" that
includes educational pricing, payment plans, and minimum specs that we suggest for student devices.

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Teachers will have that "technology option" at their disposal, but without feeling that it's a district
initiative encroaching on their autonomy.

Technology doesn't need to be involved if a teacher is already flourishing without any device in the
classroom. Standardizing a device across an entire school pushes the feeling of an "add-on" and must
be used consistently and effectively. Many times that usage is contrived and misses the purpose of the
classroom. In short, it becomes technology for technology's sake. In higher education, professors don't
contrive technology use, and students can choose whether or not to use a device. The focus is less
about the devices and more about the best tool on the menu for learning.

Choice and Trust

And that's where we need to be in upper secondary level. This isnt to say rolling out a singular device
is wrong, but it simply presents another option for schools to consider. If you eliminate the
standardization factor, you take the pressure off teachers to use a device they may not need. Plus, a
teacher may do really well without any device. And that, in itself, is just as innovative as integrating
an iPad or Chromebook. We need to promote more choice in technology usage and trust that students
and teachers will work well in any environment. But giving choice makes it less about the device and
more about the learning.

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ASSIGNMENT 1

MOBILE APPS

Ever since I was a kid, I loathed back to school commercials. They always showed parents gleefully
skipping through aisles of pencils and notebooks as the kids, sullen and dejected, sluggishly followed
along. It's a scene we are all too familiar with, and one that creates a negative stigma around school.
But what if that scene were flipped? What if the kids were happy and eager to get to school? Is that
possible after roughly 90 days of sun and fun? It is, and at Schools, we have seen it over the past two
years during our iPad launches at the high school and middle school.

Im going to share few applications for the iPad that will take the place of student supply lists, provide
savings and replace dread with anticipation.
Haiku Deck
Haiku Deck is one of my favourite applications for a variety of reasons. The primary reason is that it
is free and really boasts clean, intuitive design. Along with the crisp interface, students and teachers
can access Haiku Deck presentations directly from the app and via the web. When building a
presentation, users can search for images from within the app and embed them immediately. The app
also allows users to take pictures and upload from the camera roll and from Facebook, Instagram,
Flickr, and Picasa accounts. Users can play their presentations directly from the iPad, email them, and
share with Facebook and Twitter.

Edmodo
Edmodo is a one-stop shop for all of your classes. The highlight of Emodo's learning management
system is that it presents a clean, familiar design for teachers and students. Teachers can set up multiple
classes and can connect and share documents, assessments, etc. from the iPad app or web-based
interface. Our middle school iPads don't travel home with students, so this application's web-based
access is a big plus. Any teacher can also assign and create small group projects directly in his or her
Edmodo page. This allows both teachers and students to stay organized in one place and follow along
with the progress of individual and group activities. Edmodo also connects teachers directly to their
Google Drive for quick transfer of documents. Overall, Edmodo gets a lot of good reviews from both
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our teachers and students. Plus, our parents like this option because they can monitor what the class is
doing, receive updates and stay up to date with assignments and projects. And the best part about
Edmodo: it's free.

ShowMe
The ShowMe application is a dynamic presentation and creation application that is free. ShowMe
provides an iPad app and a web-based interface for accessing the ShowMe database as well as your
own presentations. This application integrates at all levels of Bloom's Taxonomy and allows teachers
an opportunity to create lessons, remediation options and accessible references for student review. One
of a Spanish teachers, Ms. Abbott, uses this application consistently in her classes. She creates
ShowMes for her lessons and makes them public so that students and possibly other Spanish teachers
can use them. In my digital literacy class, a student, Gabriella Gonzalez, created a ShowMe sharing a
story about her life. There are so many ways that teachers can incorporate this dynamic tool across
grade levels and content areas. And again, it comes free.

Google Drive
A year ago I would not have endorsed Google Drive or any of the Google apps for iOS. However, the
Google apps development team had a good year blending their apps into the iOS platform. Whether or
not you are a Google apps for education school, Google Drive is a great place for students to begin
learning how to use the cloud as well as archive and access their work in multiple places. Plus, Google
Drive for the iOS has recently launched the ability to collaborate with other users on a document or
spreadsheet in real time. Users can also upload (and download) photos and videos directly from their
iOS device and save them in the cloud. Students can use this application to work on a collaborative
project in school, take notes, and then access that same document or spreadsheet from any computer
that boasts an Internet connection.

Technology Integration Made Easy

One of the big misconceptions about the iPad is that teachers need to seek out applications tying
directly into their content area. The simple fact is that even in the absence of apps, the iPad comes out
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of the box with a wealth of resources. Add a wi-fi connection to the equation and you've got yourself
and your classroom a pretty dynamic resource. The five applications listed above only add to the ease
of connecting and sharing in your classroom. Each application can be integrated across all grade levels
and content areas.

The one thing to remember when approaching technology integration for the first time is that you don't
have to completely change your way of teaching. Teachers are and always will be the content experts
in the classroom regardless of the technology or tools integrated. Adding the iPad only enhances the
learning opportunities for teachers and students alike.

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