iPAD Wiki is Live

iPAD Wiki is Live

The iPAD wiki is finally live ready to support faculty and students at ACS Egham through the initial stages of the trial so make sure to not just watch this space but also that space at –

www.ipadegham.wikispaces.com

Can the iPAD Deliver as an eBook Reader for Education.

Can the iPAD Deliver as an eBook Reader for Education.

We all know that the Kindle does deliver much more than the iPAD when it comes to leisure reading… the use of the e-ink display has no flicker and so is kinder to the eyes rather than the iPad with its LCD backlit display that flickers at a frequency that over long periods of time will cause tiredness. BUT would an iPAD work for textbooks – as these are not read over long periods of time but in short bursts and if the software offered the ability to annotate and collaborate it could even add to the model and use of textbooks. Obviously beyond cost and the benefits of not carrying around a bag full of brick heavy books – there are many more advantages however up until now this has not led the shall we say traditional textbook publishers to rush forward with ebooks and systems that would work for students.

In fact while designing and writing one of the new Pamoja online IB courses – it was evident how difficult it was to persuade publishers that this could be a fabulous way ahead and not ruin there current ‘business models.’ Often the rental models used and software is so intrusive or costly that it is cheaper to buy two physical copies. However things seem to be changing and recently we took part in a Cambridge trial of Read and Note software where Cambridge Unviersity Press are actually publishing and sharing official IB books and software that allows collaboration. Great news but as the Read and Note software is browser based would it work well on the iPad? Below and some screenshots showing it in action on the iPad.

ReadAndNote in Action2

ReadAndNote in Action2

ReadAndNote in Action

ReadAndNote in Action

Initial thoughts are it is fine but could be better and if Cambridge want to expand in this area then making the browsing experience on mobile devices there number one priority will be essential. Obviously Cambridge do not provide the technology and so will need to lean on companies like Read and Note to keep on improving the user experience and often the only route is to go down a native app route rather than through a browser to make sure that the user experience is a reliable and smooth one. One of the most frustrating areas was that none of the annotation tools worked to any level of use… but all I can say is it is a start and something our school can carefully consider if the iPad trial moves forward quickly.

Although to finish – one thoughtful blog writer suggests that however good those apps become for reading books it will not help when you come to students trying to study from 4 0r 5 texts at once?

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Latest Implementation Plan – Will it Work?

Latest Implementation Plan – Will it Work?

BOLOGNA, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 17:  Staff attend t...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

As part of the iPAD implementation team at our school – we have recently updated the implementation plan to look at a number of phases to the process. I think most interesting and thought provoking with ideas for such a program that is not going to be led by teachers but by students’ themselves is the understanding that in some way we had to develop “champions” that could as part of the process support other students throughout the implementation. A number of discussions have led to the idea that although the iPAD should not lead to many of the technical problems of a 1-to-1 laptop program – students will need support in how they use the tool and utilise to maximise its potential within their own learning. The “Genius Bar” approach so exemplified by Apple – is an idealistic view if dealing with very busy IB Diploma students which led to the idea that a small group of students if placed within an early phase could be coached as part of their program and course of study in setup and ways to maximise the potential of the iPAD within their studies and organisation.

The ideal students being the small group of Information Technology in a Global Society students who as part of their studies are not only looking into IT and how systems work but also its affect on societies and cultures – in fact the perfect fit. Below is the latest updated implementation plan as an embedded GDOC or click here to go to a copy – still much to work on, but definitely becoming feasible. We will see over the next couple of weeks if the trial implementation is given the go ahead. Exciting times we hope for all our Grade 11 students.

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iPAD Interesting Articles This Week…

iPAD Interesting Articles This Week…

 

Thought this was an amazing project and great idea to show the creative side of producing apps that have a social and ethical conscience.

Interesting documentary if a little US biased regarding the use of iPADs with special needs students and especially those with Autism.

This site shows how far parts of the US education system are buying into the whole iPAD system and ethos.

IB Conference at the Hague – The iPAD Sessions and the “APP OFF”

IB Conference at the Hague – The iPAD Sessions and the “APP OFF”

The IB Hague conference was excellent and using the conference app – although badly publicised was very useful. There were a great variety of  workshops and time was short so I decided not to go too many of the iPAD demonstrations. However I did wander along on day two to see what a couple were like. To be honest I was not overly impressed as the Apple Distinguished educators although excellent in their knowledge seemed to work through such basic elements that there was little to challenge to even the most digitally immigrant of teachers. Maybe it was just me – and that I am almost incapable of listening through very traditional linear demonstrations 😉

However I did attend one session that was great fun – the “APP OFF” in which two different presenters had to demonstrate a favourite app in 1min 30 seconds showing how it worked and how it could be used within the classroom. This was all timed using the simple but fun iFlipTimer by a third presenter and then finally the audience all had to vote. After 5 demonstrations the scores for a winner were added up. Great fun and immediately I could see this taking off as a great way of the iPAD champions – students who are leading the initiative to be able to do as a demonstration to spread good ideas and use of apps. Would need to make sure the educational element was pushed to the front – but otherwise could be great fun…

An IB Evaluation Visit – Did the Kensington Keyboard fulfill its Promise?

An IB Evaluation Visit – Did the Kensington Keyboard fulfill its Promise?

So how does the iPAD hold up to three days of continuous notetaking during a continuous set of meetings – where not only are you the minute taker/important point taker but also the questioner. Add to this you have little time between each meeting to prepare yourself and often have to move from room to room to meet different groups – all with different conditions. Yes an almost impossible but enlightening challenge – and can technology help or hinder this?

Kensington Key Folio in Action 2

Kensington Key Folio in Action 2

Well the obvious answer is help – and after my last IB Evaluation visit where I felt very much the digital immigrant relying on a moleskin notebook with pen and pencil to write all my notes. Only to find that night when reading through my notes not being able to read most of my own writing. The problem has always been that using a laptop however small – in any sort of meeting ends up with that feeling of a barrier between interviewer and interviewee/s. And my preference is always to have no barrier rather than an easier notetaking method. However if I could have both then it would make the meetings and then the feedback much more efficient.

So when the iPAD presented itself with added keyboard peripheral – I decided to see how effective it would be in this situation and then would have a better understanding if it would then be able to be used in a similar way within the classroom?

The first question is obviously why the keyboard when you have a touch screen interface and on screen keyboard? Well as many will know – extended typing on an onscreen keypad however good you have become at the tapping is never going to be as quick or accurate as that of a normal QWERTY keyboard. So maybe the combination of the two would be an excellent method of combining speed and usability alongside portability and on the move quick notes.

Kensington Keyboard

Kensington Keyboard

So how did it work you ask? Well in many ways well – setting up the link through bluetooth was very easy and then typing into my favourite Daily Notes application was excellent. The rubber keyboard is definitely not the best – but perfectly suitable for the job in hand.

But as with everything there is always a number of downsides which I will explain below:-

* While typing the keyboard had the habit of dropping out – as the bluetooth connection for whatever reason decided to stop working correctly. In the middle of a typing session and mid interview I can say this is not pleasant and I did become very adept at retyping and connecting but I would imagine for many this would be off putting.

* The reason the iPAD is the iPAD is because it is not a laptop – hhmmmm? What I mean by this is the Kensington KeyFolio although not overly cumbersome does make the iPAD become much thicker and less agile to handle – and especially when flipping the keyboard around to use the touchscreen.

* The stand is a little shall we say difficult to get at the correct angle with only one main viewing angle really allowed – I believe more thought would need to be put into its design long term to give it more flexibility.

So the ultimate verdict – will I use it again. Simply the answer is yes – whatever the downsides the effectiveness and reasonable usability meant it made my notes very effective. I will be off to the Hague for the IB Conference this next weekend – so undoubtedly will use again and hopefully you will be seeing the immediate outcomes of my notes to the number of IB / iPAD sessions that I will be attending.

NOTE – after this article I have researching and Kensington has updated the keyboard although supposedly the quality of the case might have been reduced?

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7HDnotes App the Way Forward or Backward?

7HDnotes App the Way Forward or Backward?

 

It is an interesting thought that some believe the reason the iPAD has flourished unlike many other handheld devices and the tablet laptops that came way before is that they did not focus on handwriting recognition and instead focused on the simple touch keyboard. This may seem strange as you would imagine that the use of handwriting with a stylus if perfected would make it the perfect notetaker and so would establish itself much better within a classroom environment.

Immediately when I heard there were a number of handwriting recognition apps out there – I was intrigued and after much searching decided upon 7HDnotes as this had received the best reviews.

Did it work well yes it is very good – getting even my handwriting most of the time.

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However the problem is the application itself is limited – and as you know I am pretty much sold on using the app Daily Notes for my day to day notetaking of meetings etc. And yes you have guessed when it comes to exporting from 7HD it does not go to Daily Notes immediately and so I would have to copy and paste of export to one document and then across to another.

20110915-084650.jpg

I know this may not seem that much of an issue – but it is again one of those almost ‘dealbreakers’ which has meant to this stage the 7HD app is very underused by myslef and I would rather rely on using the keyboard? Will this change – maybe if I was using it for a different reason for example to write an essay as students may be doing then maybe the export to Writeroom etc would be wonderful – who knows until it is tested under those conditions?

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So we will see in the future whether that beautiful Bamboo Stylus I bought is an essential tool – or gets lost at the bottom of my pencil case?

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Validation of an iPADs Ability to Improve Student Achievement?

Validation of an iPADs Ability to Improve Student Achievement?

Oh that www.good.is website just keeps on delivering and finding great stories and articles – if you have never been there or do not subscribe to their RSS feed – do it now! Some of their infographics are just amazing.

Anyway they have just published a recent article showing one teachers’ iPAD experiment to show that the use of such mobile technology can and actually does raise achievement. Although as the author of the post suggests this is not peer-reviewed research it definitely puts at least some positive backing to the idea of the iPAD as more than an expensive toy.

“Harmon’s experiment hardly measures up as a peer reviewed study, but one teacher’s experience is valuable too. Let’s hope more teachers take the initiative to see if new classroom technology is worth the investment.”

Jim Harmon the English teacher who undertakes the research is working in the context of a state school where students and parents are disenfranchised  with school in general and there are a large number of issues with literacy and numeracy. The research showed that the iPAD raised “excitement for learning” which I do wonder is enough to suggest that any improvement in literacy can come about due to the fact that students like playing with an Apple device simply because it is “cool” and easy to use. However the report is an interesting read and worth a delve into.

The report also provides food for thought at how we as a school go ahead with a program and then ensure that there is a way to measure its impact on the students learning and as importantly their management of learning.

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iPAD deployment : 1-to-1 but how…

iPAD deployment : 1-to-1 but how…

Featured Image Above…Interesting weblog post from Wesley Fryer’s weblog regarding iPAD deployment in Western Academy of Beijing – which as with many of these discussions still comes up with more questions than answers :-

Here come the iPADs – now what? iPAD Deployment.

Most interesting point however is the title to this weblog post – surely this means the school is buying the iPADs and then thinking of how to use them – which seems a crazy way forward – hopefully at ACS even if our timeline is slightly longer we should be able to have a full plan of action of how and why we are deploying in a certain way. Or actually is the experimental way the most sensible way forward – as the use of the technology like the iPAD’s may often produce surprising results and outcomes?

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Initial Meeting and Ruminations…while using Daily Note

Initial Meeting and Ruminations…while using Daily Note

Daily Notes - the best Notetaking App on the iPAD?

We had out first planning at the end of last week to discuss through some of the initial constraints and ideas related to the iPAD iniative. It was an interesting discussion as it showed what a great deal of work needs to happen to be able to facilitate the implementation properly and hopefully ensure its success. Below are some of my initial notes that I wrote on the App “Daily Notes” which so far is my pick on the many note taking apps out there.

I have also tried – Bamboo Paper, Note Taker HD, Notes Plus and Noteshelf which all have some great tools but for some reason the link between a notetaking app and a diary calendar view just seems the right way forward for my organisational style and also how I work within school. So the notes below were written in Daily Notes. The missing link with all of these notemaking apps though is that the handwriting recognition apps are all separate – which is just so annoying at this stage. However more about those in another post.

Meeting Notes and Questions…

– iPad ownership – how does the trial work
Logistics of 1-to-1 ownership dsicussed at length including  payment, vouchers/redemption codes – key apps…not sustainable

Members of team will continue to go on School visits… of schools of excellence – Cedars hosting an event, 29th/30th

hardware – numbers, teachers involved – paragons in each department, 3G …
How will the trial become sustainable … long term there will be a fee if taken forward, or do we take device…
If paid for –  it is the students and so will look after more?

– software issues – legal, base apps, free apps, gifting
Ideas – jampf, mobile iron…purchase licenses
Apple – speak to apps…different apple store education
Precedent…be careful…
Key apps… Parents? A cost –  parent engagement…
What if kid has one already?

– policies and standards
Damage on devices – 1% to 5% , 11-13 year olds?
Insurance – bundle discount…
AUP
Talk inspirational – genius bar environment

– communication –  parents, students
Event evening – needs everyone involved… will be incredibly important
Unknown territory? Parents concerns…Responsibility of use…

– timeline … Stop dithering, however needs to be structured… Needs success, longer term – move this on
Team… Who is this?

As you can see alot was discussed with no real answers – however at least Daily Notes was up to the task 🙂

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The iPAD arrives, First Thoughts…

The iPAD arrives, First Thoughts…

Well the tablet and the iPAD is everywhere in the news, whether it be Pilots throwing away their manuals and going completely tablet based or even bigger stories heralding that the iPAD is taking over the workplace whether that is schools, colleges, American football teams or even hospitals. The question however is whether these are the start of a flood and a new paradigm that is beyond that the tablet is a fun and entertaining device – and will lead to a real change in how we all work and communicate?

Obviously the reason I and many educators are asking this – is that we are on that same verge where many schools including mine are looking at implementing an iPAD program but want to make sure it is more than a gimic but is an actual game changer. 600 + districts in the US definitely think so but do I after having played with my shiny new iPAD for just over two weeks?

As a proud owner of an iPHONE for over 3 years – I know and can understand the allure of Apple products but it is I always believe important especially in a school environment that you look beyond the shiny Aluminium shell to what lies beneath. The interesting question however that I must layer on top of  ‘is the iPAD going to be useful in education’ –  is in what way will it be useful and to what age groups?

Our intention at ACS Egham is to follow a 1-to-1 program with DP1, Grade 11 IB Diploma students who are aged 16 and 17 years old. Where the iPAD will be used in a very similar way to that of myself or any other professional – in that it will be used to organise, plan a students two years of study while allowing for unparalleled collaboration and sharing. More to follow shortly…

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My Masters blog – remastered as the iPAD iniative begins…

My Masters blog – remastered as the iPAD iniative begins…

Welcome to the revived and remastered ConstructICT weblog. It has been a long while since my Masters in ICT and Education has finished – and there has been a great deal of technological surprises that have been as ever pushing for attention in the Educational world. Not least is the in the last two years the new paradigm of the “slate” taking all of us by surprise as the piece of hardware that is most changing the way we work and for that matter the way students in the long term may learn.

But as always with any new technology and innovation especially after so many in recent years – there is a growing skepticism that technology often detracts or even gets in the way of student learning – or at least is not the best way to spend such a large amount of money when other simpler things such as reducing class size, or simply the pedagogy of how we teach would have more dramatic affects.

Anyway enough thoughts for now over the coming year the purpose of this weblog is to one document how and if an iPAD iniative will go ahead at my current school and then what affect if any it is or could have on learning. Over the coming posts I will set out the reasons and ideas for the initiative and why the iPAD and then begin to introduce and build upon ideas of its pedagogical and theoretical use. Inbetween these posts there will be the usual posts on new apps, hardware, administration techniques etc that may or may not help the iniative.

To start with I would like to seed a thought from a video I recently came across from the well known Sir Ken Robinson – regarding Creative Leadership that may feed more thoughts regarding the ideas for this iniative. Do you think this may have an impact on how we teach and use technology to foster creative students?

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