Friday, March 22, 2013

IPad Academy

Steve Molyneux (iPad Academy CEO)

student_ipad_school - 233 by flickingerbrad
student_ipad_school - 233, a photo
by flickingerbrad on Flickr.
Started with a history of education. Argued that the industrialised model of education was about automating rather than innovating. He says we are now in the age of the individual with mobile and personal devices. Need to move beyond just automating what has gone before.

Mobile devices are taking over. {From earlier session, Edinburgh predict there will be more mobile devices than PCs in schools by Christmas 2013.} What is preventing use of mobile devices in schools? Partly fear. We want to know we can control. We also want to know they can access and make use of appropriate content.

Do we (as teachers) need to understand the technology in order for children to use it to learn? Sugata Mitra's Hole in The Wall work suggests not necessarily.

Duality equation: ((r+c)/x)t=innovation
Means research plus collaboration when interpreted by a person over time leads to innovation.
In education, it tends not to be called "innovation" - rather. it is called "cheating".

Guttenberg 1.0 - it's just a sheet of paper. But it's what you do with it that makes a difference. Do we write music on it? Do we make an origami model? Do we write an essay...?

Guttenberg 2.0 - it's just a sheet of glass. But how do we use it? Don't look for apps to teach reading. You're a teacher - look for a game and see how you can use that. {Reminded me of Tim Ryland using Myst.}

How do we enhance learner experience and increase learner engagement at the same time? Need to do more than replace existing methods. Move from Exchange, to Enrich, to enhance, to extend and finally empower. Should aim to empower learners - allow the user to not just consume content but to create and distribute it. The tipping point, where things really change is when we change our teaching and start to extend the learning. In the SAMR model, it's at the Modification stage, when we start to do new things, things that couldn't be done before that the tipping point happens.

Examples given of using mind map to plan essay, ComicLife to storyboard. Best example was an eighty-four year old Latin teacher who found an entertainment app that allows you to take a picture and make it into a postcard. {This app perhaps? --DDM} Pupils might be told they were a soldier on Hadrian's Wall and were writing a letter home - had to find picture and create a stamp with the right emperor as well as write in Latin.

Digital story telling. For example, create an eBook after a field trip where audio and video are embedded. Web links are also easy to create. I Can Animate used to animate - example shown was the Calypso video. Or creating a trailer using iMovie - example given was where the classroom was flipped and the children researched the Great Fire and then am a film trailer about it.

GreenScreen FX lets you do chroma key in real time. Mixing technologies - using QR Codes. Every book in the library has two QR codes: one takes them to a blog where they write a review and one to a comprehension test.

Also trialled screen-recorder to highlight and comment on pupils work on the iPad. Pupils we happy for the video marking to be shared with the class. {Used Explain Everything... I think. -- DDM}

NearPod app let's you share a presentation to individual devices rather than to a screen. Software alerts teacher when pupil goes off topic. Can share pupils work/answer.

Mobile platforms are on the rise. Like a high speed train: some are on board, some a on station platforms and will board train soon but some are on the tracks and will be hit!

Need to re-engineer education. Need to give pupils the skills that will let them enhance their learning. Provide a learning environment that matches the functionality of their social environment.

Needs a paradigm shift in classroom practice.

Need to use the tool appropriately.

How do you manage the change?
Need vision to avoid confusion.
Need skills to avoid anxiety.
Need incentives to avoid resistance.
Need resources to avoid frustration.
Need planning to avoid chaos.

Guttenberg 2.0 - Just getting started!

Professional Development

Gillian Penny - Apple Professional Development

Teacher Development in a Post PC Era
Buying the technology is the easy part. Making a difference to pupil education is tricky!

Apple are keen that good use is made of their technology so they have developed material. Hands on workshops that address school needs. Designed to enable educators to transform teaching and learning. Taught by educators not sales team.

Three pillars: pedagogy; content; and technology - the technology shouldn't be bolted on or added extra but part of the process.

Professional Development will be negotiated and personalised for schools by educators. Some money from iPad sales is given to support this education process.


CALL Centre

Paul Nisbet described how CALL centre and SFL more generally have made use of 1:1 technology for years.

Challenge1:
"Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turn'd down Where I left reading? Here it is, I think." by nikkorsnapper
A photo by nikkorsnapper on Flickr.
Pointed out that there are issues about getting access to electronic versions of Scottish text books. Gave the example of a boy who could not access textbooks and they discovered he needed 28 textbooks but none were available electronically. By approaching publishers, they were able to get electronic versions of seven. The rest they had to scan. Of the list of Scottish texts identified for English, none were available electronically.

Challenge 2: Training
What do newly qualified teachers identify as their biggest needs? Number 1 is ICT and number 3 is SFL!

Challenge 3: Accessible ICT
In general, using school equipment is made very difficult because they can't even do something as basic as adjusting the mouse speed because the control panel is locked down. Basics such as text to speech with a Scottish voice (free to schools) is missing. Getting specialist software installed is very difficult.

Challenge 4: Difference
Quality of work is clearly better but pupils may choose not to use because they don't want to be seen as different. For example, in some schools the AlphaSmart device has been re-christened the AlphaThick.

Use of 1:1 devices such as iPads help. They are considered cool. They can be personalised. They are a practical solution - small, light and easy to use. (Apparently iPhone is the most popular smartphone with the visually impaired because can be accessed using the built in tools.) Built in camera and microphone provides great opportunities - especially when we look at a broader definition of literacy.

Less difference - More inclusion.

For SLF, the iPad is a low cost solution - especially with Procurement Scotland prices. ReadWrite Gold for iPad is relatively cheap compared to PC version.

If all students are all using digital resources, more likely that the materials will become available in digital format.

The pace of technological change does cause problems. How do you recommend the best solution when that technology changes on a daily basis. Although 1:1 makes many things easier, there are still accessibility problems and so one size does not fit all and you can easily find yourself back in creating differences.

Edinburgh Digital Learning Team

Jenni Robertson talked about what they did to support the development and deployment of 1:1 model. They set up a blog, Digital Learning Team, to support teachers in the authority. Some great videos (created with VideoScribe) for example: The getting to know the iPad series.


Promote SAMR Model to show enhancement rather than just replace old ways.

{Jenni was hugely enthusiastic, very knowledgable and the blog is a great resource! Really annoyed that I didn't take more notes because this was a really good session. Not sure why I didn't. I guess I was enjoying it too much. -- DDM}

Developing Teachers in a Post PC Era

Anna Love - Apple

The future of books by Johan Larsson
The future of books, a photo
by Johan Larsson on Flickr.
Technology and education - the technology supports and underpins, it's not the focus

2009 - 8.5 million people using mobile technology. By 2011 - 17.6 million mobile users.

Internet use on phone 44% to77% from 2010 to 2011
{May have got years wrong but think percentages are right. -- DDM}
"If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow" 
-- John Dewey
Enabling personalised learning. Children want instant information. Can be more self-directed. Can develop Independent learning. Students need to be able to personalise and take ownership of material. They live in a connected world.

As educators we need to consider the devices, the content and the personalisation. Devices exist and pupils are already using. ITunesU and iBooks already make vast quantities of content available for free. How do we construct courses? How do we enable learners to benefit from this content? How do we personalise it to their needs?

It is all about excellent learning and teaching.

All sorts of positive benefits can accrue. For example, device deployment can lead to closer home/school links. Schools can add content to iTunesU.