Technology Reflection: Instructional use of IPAD

Description/Experience

In the last seminar we attended we were taught about how IPAD’s can help students. I learned that IPAD’s are great tools to use for practice. They have many apps that you can use to reinforce what you have taught them. For instances if your teaching a spelling lesson you can first go over the words with the class. Instead of practicing these words in a boring way such as writing them five times each, the students can get on a spelling app and work with it to help them better learn the words.

Application

The learners for this exercise would be would be students in the 5^th grade. I want for them to learn where each state is located as well as how to spell each state properly. At the end of the activity I will be giving the students a blank map and I will want them to be able to spell and place each state in the correct spot.

The students were familiarized with the IPAD’s in a seminar the school held at the beginning of the year. Our lesson would begin with the students joining me at the front of the room with near the map. I would read off each state while pointing to it to show them where it was and how you pronounce it. I would then partner the students and have them share an IPAD. Once they were settled and opened the state’s app I would have them work through the app together. This would have to be a multiple day project because the students would not be able to learn all 50 states in just 1 day of working. Once I felt comfortable that the students knew the states and that they were going to be able to perform, I would give them a blank map for them to fill out.

Reflection

The use of the IPAD will make it fun for the students to learn and memorize the placement and spelling of the states. I feel it is important for students to know where each state was, but I know that it is a hard topic and it needs to be as fun as I as a teacher can make it.

I believe that this technology for this project will be extremely effective. Students do not want to be bored with paper and pencils. In practicing with the IPAD they can just drag the states into the map. The IPAD also allows for the students to get direct feedback. It is important to see direct feedback because it will allow for them to see what they know and what they need to work on.
--Pedagogy-Content:

I would start by giving the students an instruction with the map in the front of the classroom. I will show them where each state should be located as well as how you spell it. Once I feel as the teacher I have taught the students and they understand I will let them loose on the IPAD’s to practice.

I would be concerned that the students in my fifth grade class would have not been taught about a map before. If this was the case I would have to take more time in order to instruct the students on the basics of a map. I would not have a concern about the children’s ability to use the technology. As I stated early the students attended a seminar on IPAD’s at the beginning of the school year and are comfortable using the technology.

--Technology-Pedagogy:

The IPAD would be used specifically for the use of practice. I would have already taught the students about the placement of the states and the spelling of the states. Once I did that the students would use the apps to practice spelling and placing the states.

The technology would be a back up to assist me in teaching the students. I would take the time to teach them about the topic. The technology would then back me up and allow for the students to practice and receive feedback on their progress.  

In using the IPAD I have to pair the students together because we do not have enough for each student to use. I need to make sure that each student is receiving equal time with the technology. If one student gets more time they will have a clear advantage on the quiz and that would not be fair to the other student.

--Technology-Content:

In teaching this topic with the technology it allows for two things. The students will be able to have fun and use the technology for fast feedback. The other alternative would be using a paper map and a pencil. This way of working on this project would be extremely boring. The teacher would also have to go through each individual student’s paper and grade them. This would get rid of instant feedback.

This activity would allow for the students to practice in a fun way as well as giving the students instant feedback. It allows for the students to not have to use a paper and pencil. Also it allows for the teacher to not have to grade each individual’s paper therefore allowing the teacher to spend more of their time helping the students then grading them.
--Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

I feel that the teaching of a map has to be visual. The first thing I will do in teaching the students is show them the map and allow them to analyze it. They will then visually use the IPAD to place each state in the proper spot.

The use of the IPAD will allow for the students to get instant feedback and work quickly and efficiently on the task at hand.

I would teach the students in a big group and then break them into partners. While they are working with the apps I would walk around and make sure they were not having any trouble.