Who are you planning to connect with through your project? What are the qualities and characteristics of the learners who will participate in this project? What might their history or experience with ICT be?

• Junior grade teachers (4 – 7), teacher librarians and possibly technology faculty and/or decision makers. Eventually I would like to specifically target the website to girls schools, using the research into the difference’s between the ways girls learn and their brains, and targeting the iPad related activities to that information.
• Generally, our audience would be comfortable with technology overall and are open-minded to trying new technologies,
• Many are like Julie & I who have had iPads ‘dumped’ on them with little PD, or thinking behind why buy them, yet want to use effectively and authentically in literacy related activities.
• Our audience is B U S Y, they don’t have time to read through “75 Ways to Use iPads” or “50 Great iPad Apps for Teachers” which seems to be the pervasive type of iPad information out there.
• They need quick-to-read and easy-to-process, useful information that is not overwhelming and easily implementable in classrooms and libraries.
• We are assuming a wide range of experience, but will target our site to a general to intermediate level of comfort with opening websites, using iPads and ability to try new thing.

How can you design your project to maximize the possibility to foster connectivity?

Originally we wanted to set up an RSS feed so that users who are interested can receive an email when we update the site, however, we have since discovered that Weebly does not offer RSS feeds on their free websites. Now we are thinking we will have a Twitter feed linked to the sight, @iPads4Literacy, along with a hashtag, so that we can create a PLN specifically related to this use of iPads.

 Why is this project important at this time in education?

When I found out I had access to a class set of iPads coming this fall, I was thrilled… and then overwhelmed when I began to research ways to use them. As I said before, there is a plethora of ‘lists’: 150 Great iPad Apps for Education! 49 Ways to Use iPads in Your Classroom! and more. Agh! I needed a site that was direct, simple, concise and targeted to my grade level(s) and to skill areas (e.g. literacy). If I’m feeling that way, I am positive others are too.

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Project Scope: 

Last week I described the need for a funnelling or narrowing down process as “iPads in the classroom” is just too broad a topic. From there, Julie and I have chosen to focus on iPads in literacy class, and in particular for reading. Our project will comprise of a website (made via Weebly) with 6 sub pages divided into the following topics:

1) Reading Fluency

2) Responding to literature

3) Accessing literature

4) Use with lit circles

5) Use for classroom management/how to manage them in the classroom

Within each section, we want to include related apps, video (if applicable), examples and photos (if applicable).

Even as I type this I am wondering about other topics within our topic of literacy — including writing with the iPad, speaking/listening with the iPad, digital literacy via the iPad and more. Typical me, to be shooting off in a million directions. Thank goodness Julie and I worked on a project scope!  And, I know this doesn’t have to be a final, finished product project. I can add to this website in the future, and could even make it my own and more specific to girls’ school culture by importing it into a separate website.

Both Julie and I are adamant that the website is not overly wordy, that it is simple, and that it offer clear, easy advice that benefits student learning and won’t overwhelm teachers. Today was my first time playing around on Weebly and I was glad to see that it offers simple layout ideas and themes, clear fonts and a simplified palette of colour options. I personally prefer a very clean, simple look, similar to this blog, for a website.

Julie and I have divided up the actual content and will separately on it, then come together to work on the coherence of the site and ensure we are using similar tone and style in our writing, conventions, font and colours.

I’m excited!

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Institutional Isomorphism

Dynamic Conservatism

Sociolcultural Homeostasis

Today we were introduced to three brand new terms. Despite Jenny giving an enthusiastic and passionate lecture, with many excellent examples, I am still working on processing them and applying to my own experience. Reading Terrence’s and Julie’s blogs did help, but I think I will take some more time to let them roll around in my brain box and hopefully they’ll gel and I’ll begin to make connections and find some clarity. The crashing headache I have had since 6 a.m. probably didn’t contribute to my comprehension abilities!

Despite the headache, Julie and I had a great discussion re: narrowing down our topic. We agreed that we will focus on using iPads in literacy, a passion for both of us, with a side dish of lit circles. Carefully sleuthing via Google, and my Twitter PLN, we found some more great sites and ideas that we added to our mindmeister. As an aside, I must say, I’m not finding mindmeister that easy or intuitive… compared to other mapping programs (Kidspiration, Padlet) but no matter, maybe I’ll adjust and grow into liking it.

Making the rounds on my Twitter PLN today was the following graphic:

I like it! Such a great reminder. BUT I think it should not be titled “What do you want kids to do with technology” instead, “What do you want kids AND teachers to do with technology” — I see myself as a learner along with my students, and it’s easy to get caught up in thinking about technology as a only a FUNKY way to essentially word process. I know that’s often what I use it for. Even brainstorms work just as well on piece of chart paper  — yes they’re fun on the iPad or the computer but it doesn’t mean they’re better (unless there is a way to make them ‘better’?)

I know that most teachers in the junior school at Branksome are just having students use the computers to draft and publish writing, do internet research, and play math games. Not that there is anything ‘wrong’ with that. But I think we could be doing so much more. I want to share the graphic with my colleagues, as a way to get a conversation started about how we are approaching technology in our classrooms. WAIT! I think I am referring to institutional Isomorphism?! Wow!

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With so many great topics for inquiry flying around the circle today, I found my interest on overdrive! I wanted to join so many topic areas, including the nature and technology one, the learning commons inquiry and the curation one! However, this is typical of me – the woman with 5 apps open, along with 6 different safari tabs while simultaneously flipping through a magazine and having a texting on my iPhone with a friend, all while watching TV.

SO, I am sticking to my original ‘gut’ topic inquiry: Using iPads effectively in the classroom. Luckily, Julie Mason, another student in class, is also interested in pursuing this area. She teaches Grades 6 & & Language Arts, and I teach Grade 5, plus we seem to have similar work styles and views about using technology, so I think we will work well together while also pushing one another. She has already share some great blog websites about iPads with me (and hopefully vice versa).

In the inquiry cycle, we’re in the Finding Out phase (from Kath Murdoch): gathering information from a range of sources, working as researchers, continuing to raise questions, learning skills of investigation. The problem is there is SO MUCH out there (there being on the internet). Many pilot projects, lists of apps, ideas, problems, solutions, websites, policies, blogs — you name it, it’s out there on iPads in the classroom.

SO — tomorrow, it is important that Julie and I try to narrow down the topic within iPads.

As we are both committed advocates of literature circles, we already like the idea of inquiring into using iPads to enhance student learning and engagement in them. I’m sure we can come up with an inquiry vision or statement to do with iPads and literature circles. From there, we’ll continue on a more manageable, narrow path of Finding Out and then proceed to… Sorting Out: reviewing information, analyzing information, looking for patterns and generalizations.

I’m excited! In typical me fashion, I am already worrying about problems… problems with sharing iPads at school, problems with how to save student work when the iPads aren’t one-to-one, problems with accessing apps I want to use but having to go through some hoops to get them onto the iPads. One step at a time though!

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