A Year Later
July 17, 2013

The iPad Project started just over one year ago. The school now has thirty-two iPads and a new laptop to coordinate the purchase of apps and the syncing of iPads. The sign-out system works well; about half of the teachers at the school use them sometime during the week and they are out of my classroom for about one-third of the available instructional time. The focus has been on activities to support literacy and numeracy.

Meeting for iPad Project
June 12, 2012

A group of interested teachers met to discuss iPads and their use at the school.

Equipment
– we have 19 iPads
– we have our sync/charge cart
– we have funds to order a new laptop
– we will pursue Configurator in the Fall to help project to be easier for teachers

Money for Collaboration
– Don has .1 Literacy/Numeracy role for next year
– .1 will be used to focus on iPad support for Literacy/Numeracy – an ALART grant will be pursued
– a grant proposal for $ 5000 is also underway; money will be used for release/collaboration time
– all of these funding sources will be used to support teachers working together to design, implement, and evaluate the iPad Project

Ideas for use
– use small groups of 6 – 7
– use for centers
– divide between classrooms
– sharing iPads promotes social aspect and strategy sharing
– guided reading might work, A to Z Reading is available for iPad
– use for differentiating curriculum
– use earphones to cut down noise
– divide iPads into three groups that can be signed out in a single or multiple sets.

iPad Essentials for Classroom Teachers
June 2012

I participated in an online workshop series on the use of iPads in classrooms hosted by The Principal Center.

Getting Started
Spring 2012

I have been discussing technology with my school principal and the idea of iPads came up. We discussed their use to support learning and decided to set up a trial run.

I started by visiting David Shortreed at George Jay Elementary School. As the school’s technology resource teacher, he had a wealth of practical information about iPads. I spent some time watching students use them. I left with a lot of ideas and a shopping list.

We started with a dozen iPads, a cart for charging and syncing, an old laptop and a couple of interested teachers. The iPads were housed in my classroom. I took responsibility for purchasing apps, programming the iPads, and developing a system for sharing them with the rest of the school.

The presence of iPads created a lot of interest amongst students, teachers, and parents. The project developed momentum and continue to grow.