October 2011 Blog Posts (8)

Our school acquired 27 iPads and it is my job to get them up and running and into the classrooms.  Quite a daunting job, I thought and I wasn't wrong.  The daunting part is the time factor: it takes hours to search for the right apps, sync them to iTunes, and then sync them to all the iPads.

It's reward, however,  is the smiling faces of the children when I come into the classroom, wheeling my cart and ready to show them a new App.  Or when they see me in the hallways with my cart and…

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I thought some teachers here might be interested in having a look at the research in progress on the second iPad Pilot at Trinity College, Melbourne. The blog entry links to Academia.edu where I have posted a PDF of the Table of Contents from the Literature Review, an introduction to the research framework and research questions, and some of the works cited in the Literature Review. You may not be able to download the file unless you are a member of Academia.edu but you can choose…

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Our school is in its first trimester of a 1:1 iPad initiative and is feeling a bit queesy about updating our 135 iPads to the new iOS 5 operating system.  We just recovered from the interesting task of unboxing, tagging, registering, loading apps and updating.  When the thought of now installing iOS 5 crosses our minds, I admit I become a bit anxious.  I need help!

 

Who out there has tackled the update for a large number of iPads?  When I attempted to update 5 at a time via…

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After finally getting the 20 new iPads set up and ready to use (a major undertaking for which I take no credit-- read about it here), I am planning to embark on an explorative journey of how to best use these tools to transform learning in 2nd grade.

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One of the "quieter" new features of the new iOS 5 system release is the expansion of its AirPlay functionality. In fact, if you skim Apple's marketing for iOS 5 it trumpets a host of important new features while AirPlay is relegated to…

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Since its introduction in 2010, Apple’s tablet has become an increasingly popular choice for students as they select a device to carry with them to college. The iPad offers all of the most basic functions college students need for academic success in courses on campus and online. Word processing, spreadsheets, and integrated digital media presentations are all readily available and user-friendly, which…

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We have traditionally viewed school architecture as a means of satisfying utilitarian functionality. Rooms segregate groups of children and academic departments. Boards are placed at the front of the room to enable frontal lecturing and seating is arranged accordingly. Hallways allow easy transition of groups of students from room to room. Play and eating areas serve their very specific roles. Colors? They are normally bland and "institutional".

 

When you…

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From month to month, the number of articles discussing the distribution of iPads in schools is on the rise. The Apple tablets are becoming quite the rage in our educational institutions.

 

The video below provides some perspective on how 2011 may be “The Year of the iPad in Education”. Of course, if the trend picks up, perhaps 2012 will even more rightfully own that title. Only time will tell.

 

 

Check out the…

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