Teachers: Part II

We are in the process of launching a dialog with teachers to better understand the challenges associated with implementing iPods and iPads in the classroom.  In the first post, Time to Meet the Teachers, I invited teachers to respond directly to me with their thoughts about apps for students. Thank you to the teachers who responded.  I have summarized your input for an “open dialog” with our community. Respondents included eight teachers representing schools from Maui to Cupertino to South Dakota. Grades ranged from K-12, in both traditional and special needs classrooms. This is what I’m hearing:

Challenges:

• Budget cuts, furloughs, pay reduction, increased class sizes, and limited budget for class supplies (resulting in teachers paying for supplies out-of-pocket).
• Cost of purchasing new apps
• Having enough time to write for grants
• School district buy-in (some teachers can’t access iTunes from the school network and must download apps from home)
• Challenges with the Apple Volume Purchase Program ($100 minimum is out of range for many budgets, and number of devices is not unlimited, so the cost adds up)
• Maintaining a “technology station” (finding relevant apps, sturdy cases for iDevices for school use, upgrading apps, recharging devices getting them ready for next class session)

Benefits:

• Students who use iPods/iPads show increased attention span for the assigned tasks
• Ability to “reward” students with iPod/iPad time can be both fun and educational
• Solving problems by playing a game, customizing the levels, and offering positive reinforcement are all features of interactive media that are helping teachers and students meet their goals
• Individuals who need assistance with communication (special needs, delayed speech) have found the iPad to be helpful as a communication tool

App Suggestions:

• List of apps organized by category, so teachers don’t have to go searching through iTunes
• Apps for math that demonstrate “Place Value”
• Apps for science that cover topics like food, magnets, soil, etc.
• Apps for assessment, specifically: reading count, data collection for student progress, and anything to manage data for IEP goals
• Apps for picture sequencing cards (put the story in order of how it should happen)
• Apps for following directions (give a task, and have the user follow it)
• Apps for category skills (drag items to the appropriate box)
• Apps for reading and listening comprehension ( Don’t just tell the story, ask questions about the story!)
• Apps for building vocabulary and word skills such as spelling, synonyms, opposites, sequencing, and grammar
• Apps for AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and for developing fine motor control
• Apps for middle and high school students to practice reading and vocabulary skills
• Apps to support children with autism, such as visual schedules, and voice output apps for children with limited to no verbal output
• Apps that allow students to create materials…many of the apps are drill and kill, it would be nice to see more apps where kids can make things
• A framework to evaluate educational criteria of an app

Next Steps:

• Are you a teacher that has more feedback to add to the above lists? Then email Lorraine so she can continue tracking the input: lorraineakemann@gmail.com
• Are you a developer who knows about apps that would meet some of the needs outlined above? Please leave a comment so we can start identifying these tools.
• Are you a teacher who would like to participate on our “Teacher App Review Board”, where Moms With Apps will offer you a free download of an app in exchange for your review & assessment of the app’s educational value? If so, email Lorraine.

And most urgently…

• Are you an individual, company or organization who is interested in initiatives for:

1. Getting more apps to more teachers
2. Assisting the development of educational apps
3. Developing a framework to evaluate educational criteria for apps

Then let’s coordinate. The time has come to move the iPad from an experimental playground to a validated educational tool. It would be great to get these efforts organized.