The use of iPod Touches in the classroom strikes me as best when used with individuals. The reason for this is not because the applications are more suitable for individuals, but rather because of the physical constraints that the size of the iPod Touch dictates. Now, with the 5th graders I see, pair work would work with the iPod Touches only if the students were in same-sex pairs. The screen size is small enough that the students would need to be cheek-to-cheek, and the boy-girl pairs I see working together are reluctant to even talk to each other. I'm sure that this differs class to class and grade to grade.
I have learned a bit about the iPod Touch, since I haven't used them much before. I realize now that some applications only work when you have connection to the internet while others work without a connection. For example, the Dictionary.com app works when connected while the Merriam-Webster Dictionary works while offline. Also, the battery life of this little device is quite impressive. I've only had to charge my iPod Touch once this quarter, and it retains its charge even when not in use. Basic as this seems, it is critical for the functionality in a classroom setting. Knowing that these devices can be used for prolonged periods without charging will greatly increase their usability in the classroom.
I am still wondering about the process of getting iPod Touches (or any other technology, for that matter) for the classroom. Where do we apply for grants and/or who do we apply to? I realize it was a long process to get the iPod Touches for us to use. Will it be easier or more arduous to obtain these resources for use in a public school?
Yes, Exactly. Handheld technology is all about tech in the hands of children, relatively cheaply and on a platform that is much easier to learn than a windows PC :)
ReplyDeleteWhat did you think of some of the pair work that is posted on examples of Touch use in classrooms -- posted on the tech wiki?
And it was not at all a long process to get them for our program. An announcement of a pretty open-ended grant came out and we wrote a proposal and got funded a few weeks later!
What if you googled "grants for teachers" or something similar?
And yup, wi fi in schools can be an issue, but I guess that I'm thinking that if MacDonals and Starbucks and my bus all have wi fi now, why on earth don't schools ?? :)
Pondered, I agree with you in regards to the size of the screen and how it limits it's functionality. You mention group/pair work as being difficult when both partners are expected to be able to observe the screen simultaneously. I see the size limitation applying to individual applications also. For example, as a teacher I'm setting up a kindle account with hundreds of titles at a fraction of the cost that it would take to buy the physical book copies. Kindle has free apps so that you can synchronize and access the e-books from a Mac, PC, Kindle, IPhone, IPod or IPad. Trying to read on the IPod is challenging because of the screen size.
ReplyDelete