I would like to discuss mobile learning and how it has and will affect my teaching and learning in my classroom. I chose mobile learning because I feel that as a First Grade teacher and a person who just bought an Ipad it is more relevant than Cloud computing. I will not rule out the cloud for first graders but I would like to spend some more time learning before I unleash them in the cloud!
Mobile learning is an exciting new way to think of education. I feel that as teachers we sometimes fall back to the way that we were taught. I have gained a new zest and so much new information. I can not wait for a weekend or Spring Break to get back in and mess around with some of the new sites we have experienced. I think that the app that I found that I can tape the childrens fluency reading a passage and download it to I tunes will make a huge difference in the childrens reading fluency. http://www.fluencytimer.net/ It is not free but 3.99 from the Mac app store and I need only one subscription for my classroom. I will be able to take the student in the corner of the room away from all distractions and get some good data that will help the student improve as a reader, how cool is that!
I feel that mobile learning is already impacting my classroom. I have new rules too! We have had to discuss that you can not just walk around with the I pad...it can fall and break! My students came in to conferences this week looked around and went straight for the I pad. I think this speaks volumes, they are so intrigued and motivated to learn while using this device they want to "play" on it during their free time. I am hopeful that I can get a few more. I feel that the I pad is influencing my classroom currently, I am using it to allow students who would normally not work together ("gifted" and "special needs") and they are both getting their accademic needs met. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ace-kids-math-games-hd-free/id367798719?mt=8 I use the I pad for some students to write during our phonics drills so that they can make the text glow. I also use it during our center time so that the children are working on skills that we have learned in class and they are practicing those skills. I found a Top it app and the kids love it. We use Everyday math and it is a game that they play often but I have some children that are pulled out during that time for extra reading help, this allows me to be able to let those children practice their skills at a different time. http://www.filecluster.com/iPhone/Everyday-Mathematics-Addition-Top-It-126357.html. I do not feel that I have totally implemented this technology, I am always looking for ways to inhance what we are doing in the classroom. I also feel that having a COW would be awesome. I now have a wirless hub and I have used the mobile lab to publish books once before but it was a bit of a disaster because the children were not able to use a web based program and the template we created just didn't work. I have found a few publishing sites that I think the kids would really enjoy and we could do a few together so that they feel comfortable and then try again. http://www.zooburst.com/
I am looking for ways to try to get some more I pads in the classroom as well as flip cameras and a COW. I am attempting to write some grants. I am finding that many local grants have a 300. limit or need matching funds from the district so I am looking into some other possibilities. This year I wrote a grants or asked for assistance from Barry/Calhoun ISD, Meemic, Discovery Education, Digital wish list and Teachers wish list. I will continue to look, I am going to try to deal dirrectly with Best Buy and the Mac store next. Wish me luck!
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