In the classroom, it isn't just the student that can benefit from the IPad. The teacher can use it to make her work more effecient, thereby concentrating more on the learning needs of the student. There are many apps that the teacher can use for this, so let's look at a few, shall we?
First, there are apps for attendance. Instead of the teacher going to her desk to call out names and enter them into the computer, she could be entering it into the IPad. The app could be a list of names, or maybe a layout of her classroom, showing the desks. She just clicks on the desks to show the empty ones. With assigned seating, this would work out great for the teacher. She would be able to breeze through her attendance in less than a minute, instead of 5 minutes the old way. Over the course of time, this can add up to some serious addition of class time.
Controling her smartboard/projector. The teacher can control these with the IPad instead of going to her desk every time she wants to activate software, such as Power Point. She will be able to proceed with her presentation with minimal interuptions, allowing her to keep the focus of the students for the entire time. She can also walk around the room with it, making her presence known to the students. This will help with talking or whispering in class during a presentation.
Assigning homework. The teacher can teach her class, and if this school is full of technology, can email hte daily assignments to her classroom. Each student would recieve this email with the homework in it, thereby ensuring that they won't "forget" to write it down. Also this can add students that are absent that day, due to illness or such. They won't miss assignments, and the teacher can keep on track with those assignments as well.
This is just a few of the many apps that the teacher can implement in her classroom. There are many, many more that can be used, so long as the teacher can implement it seamlessly into her class.
I love the idea of using an iPad app to help with attendance. In a time where we only have 50 minutes for instruction, any non-instructional duties can really take away from the momentum of a lesson. If I had the ability to immediately start my lesson and use the iPad to take attendance it would really save some time. Sure, it may only be a few minutes each day...but over the course of a week those minutes add up. Question...do they have this app for all tablets or just iPads? Do they make an iPhone app for this?
ReplyDeleteBeing mobile in a class is critical with regards to classroom management. If you are "stuck" at the front of the room taking notes on the board, there is a chance that students away from the teacher will be off task. I love the idea of using proximity control during instruction. While my school has several Smart Boards, I have never used one. I have actually never seen one being used in a real lesson. Sure, I have seen them in demonstrations, but never in a "live" classroom lesson.
How can a teacher go about getting an iPad or tablet for their classroom? If the school will not purchase it...and they are not in my budget...is there a grant system out there for such a piece of technology?
Good post!
Mike
I'm sure that they have this app for Ipads, Iphones, and other tablets. It all depends on how you are going to use it, since it will be independent from the school attendance sheets. You can check them out, but be aware of things such as permissions of the sodtware, so no private info can leave the app. Also, depending on your desires, look for choices on the app, such as printing the results, how long the app keeps track of the students (daily, month long, year long). Also, look for if you can run any little reports, such as number of missed days and such for the student.
DeleteAs for getting an individual Ipad for the class, I don't think there is much hope for a grant. Those grants are more designed for the entire school of Ipads. But look around, you may get lucky.