Apps for Professional Development
Twitter App (free) Twitter is one of the most active and beneficial social networks on the web. All educators would be wise to join the conversation. If you haven’t used Twitter yet, I would recommend that you read these excellent blog posts: Google Voice (free) Text and call for free! Skype (free) A beautiful app that allows you to make and receive VOIP calls on your iOS device. HeyTell (free) A fun “walkie-talkie” app for quick voice communication. Consumption Apps FlipBoard (free) A beautiful app that turns your RSS reader (such as Google Reader) into a magazine. Zite (free) Similar to FlipBoard, however instead of just providing a beautiful interface to view content you select, Zite tries to introduce you to new content sources based off of sources you currently read. QR Code Readers Quick-Response codes are the strange black and white boxes that have begun appearing everywhere. Diigo (free) Research Apps: Genius Scan (free)
Kindertown: An Educational App Store
At its education event last month, Apple made the point of touting the amount of educational content it offers via its App Store: some 20,000 apps fall under the "education" category. But we really shouldn't confuse quantity and quality when it comes to educational content. Indeed, in some ways, the abundance of educational apps makes it even tougher to locate good ones -- even with Apple's promotion of featured apps and bestseller lists and with the App Store reviews. How do you know which apps have an educational (not just entertainment) value, which apps are developmentally appropriate, which apps teach particular content or focus on a certain subject (either in general, such as math or literacy apps, or more specifically, such as those that teach addition or phonetics)? That's where the startup Kindertown steps in, with an (educational) App Store within the (Apple) App Store.
How to organise Apps and manage restrictions for a Primary or Early Years iPad ... #ukedchat #ipaded #edtech - Enabling Environments
For the Summer Term I am planning to support staff at the primary school I work at with understanding the basics of using an iPad in a primary classroom. This blog post is going to act as a base for all of my advice, so it will probably change over the coming weeks. For information on managing multiple devices and purchasing app licenses, see my blog post here: I saw a blog post at EdTechLoung.com this Easter holiday which gave a huge bank of recommended Apps for Early Years and Primary Education. When I supported the staff at Tiny Tots Day Nursery with the setting up of their iPad, I offered similar advice to them. Here is how I set up the iPad in my class: Installing, grouping and managing Apps and Folders Browse AppStore’s ‘education’ category or search for Apps using the search function. You will find that your iPad Home screen is full of various Apps and it ‘looks messy’. 1. Like this: Like Loading...
Frankie Lemmon School
Overview The school’s intense focus on development of communication skills is clearly evident in the portfolio of innovative techniques and technologies used which include: Custom Programmed Voice-Output Devices: Big Mack single switch device for short phrases; Compartmentalized Communicator for combination object/picture/voice relationships; TechTalk , TechSpeak, and Seven-Level Communicator devices using… Continue » Tech & Young Children In its position statement titled, “Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8,” The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) states, “For children with special needs, technology has proven to have many potential benefits. Continue » Life Improvement Grant In 2012, Frankie Lemmon School became the recipient of Ikea’s The Life Improvement Project grant for the project Special Technology for Special Kids. Continue » Matching Technology Continue » Apps for School
12 Crucial Questions to Ask before Using iPad with your Students
iPad is making huge inroads into education and it is believed to have revolutionized the whole concept of mobile learning. More and more schools are, if not already adopting 1:1 environments or BYOD projects , then they are at least debating a future inclusion of this mobile device in the classroom. But as a teacher and practitioner who is going to be using iPad with his/her students, you need to think about the instructional use of this tool. There are several questions you need to foment in your mind and hopefully find answers to before using iPad in your teaching. You basically need to ask yourself the following questions : 1- What are the objectives behind my implementing iPad in my teaching ? 7- Have you thought about the learning apps you are going to use with your students ? 11- Have you taught your students about digital citizenship and how they can stay safe online and protect their privacy ?
ICT in the Early Years
All in One Apps (Pre-K, K)
Should Kindergarteners Use iPads in the Classroom?
Much like with toy cellphones, kitchenware and hardware tools, children under a certain age once played with toy computers to simulate the experience of working on the real thing. But in recent years, children as young as 2 and 3 years old have eclipsed the step of starting out with a toy version of a piece of technology and are now playing on iPads and other devices before they start kindergarten. And with the rising fad of mobile devices, public schools are left to decide if the use of devices like iPads should be integrated into class curriculums. While some education officials praise the newer strategy for aiding learning, others claim devices like iPads have no place in the classroom. In April, an elementary school in Auburn, Maine, was given permission to distribute iPads to kindergarteners next fall — an expense with a $200,000 price tag, according to local media. Has the Information Age turned into an information overload? The iPads Are Coming …
Language Arts Apps (Pre-K, K)
What Students Can Actually DO With An iPad
Online, in workshops, and even with friends, I frequently get asked What can the iPad actually do? as a sort of challenge to the worth of the device. I would rather that they ask, What can you actually do with an iPad? So last week, in preparing for the New England Reading Association Conference and the NYSCATE Mobile Learning Summit , I decided to change my approach. However, before addressing that question, I asked not only WHY iPads but WHY Technology ? I want my students to communicate in complex and modern ways. What does this tangibly look like in the classroom? I want my students to demonstrate their knowledge of the parts of a story. Learning Objectives: In addition to learning the story elements, students learn… To write a constructive review To assess the credibility of an author or source To create a sense of visual hierarchy for their information To document their sources Project: Book Posters – students create a movie-style poster to advertise their book.
Math Apps (Pre-K, K)
