Class # 4 - Apps Presentations

I was blown away by the amazing presentations during class #4. There was so much great information on different apps that can be used with a wide variety of students. I was rather shocked though to see the huge differences in the availability of mobile devices and apps in the different schools. Some schools are very fortunate to have class sets of iPads loaded with apps while others have none or very few! After listening to the presentations, I find it such an injustice to our students not to have class sets of these devices available to our students! The first presentation was on the use of mobile devices with students that are physically disabled. There is such a broad range of physical disabilities. The group did an excellent job introducing what a physical disability is, examples of them and apps that can assist the physically disabled in their learning. One app that I really liked was SoundAmp app. I think this is a great app for those hard of hearing. It is amazing how it can turn your mobile device into a hearing aid. It has been my experience, young students can be very self-conscious of wearing a hearing aid or using FM system, this app can make a student’s disability a little less noticeable in the classroom therefore reducing the self-consciousness. I also liked the ThinkGeek Joystik accessory. I think this would be great for games. I use many educational games in my teaching and this accessory could benefit some students with some of these games. The next presentation was my group on Communication Disorder Apps. I did not realize there were so many apps to assist students with communication disorders. Like I said in my presentation, I recently sat in on a group of students using the iPads. This is when it really hit me how truly powerful these devices are! I was amazed at how comfortable they were using the device and the increase in their level of independence and time on task using them. One particular student was using Touch Chat Suite app. This app runs for about $300 but the Resource teacher said it is worth every penny! She has seen some big gains in some of her students that have been using this app, and they have only been using it since February! It was not until doing this project that I found out mobile devices and apps were in the early stages of implementation with some of our students. Right now, they are mainly used in small group settings in YSF, Resource and Early literacy with some use in the class during in-class support with student services. On Friday part of our in-service was an introduction of the 5 iPads and the apps available to our students. Teachers seem very excited by the presentation and are interested in meeting and getting more training. For the last two weeks I think I have met with one of the student services teacher 3 out of the 5 days to discuss the use of mobile devices and apps. She is so happy to see someone just as excited over them as her! The next presentation had to do with Apps in Action for Early Learners. This group did a phenomenal. Their background and research section was very detailed and I found very interesting. It was interesting to see the evolution of the history and attitudes behind the use of mobile devices. We have come a long way, but feel we still have a way to go! They also spoke of the importance to chose apps carefully as they can be very overwhelming. All the apps they mentioned were excellent and well priced (little to no cost, easier to sell to administration when requesting apps!). The last presentation was also very interesting. The segment that really inspired me was the video clip from an episode of 60 Minutes on the use of iPads (see video below). The part of the video they showed a teacher first using a paper and pencil approach while working with a student with autism. The student was unfocused and restless. When the teacher put away the paper and pencil and brought out the iPad you would swear it was a different child, she was focused and engaged! The next day I sent out a link for this video to my administration and student services teachers so they could watch it. If showing this video does not get us more iPads I don't know what will. We have several students who are on the autism spectrum who would definitely benefit from the use of mobile devices. And like the group alluded to, studies show that the number of children with autism, or at least diagnosed, does seem to be rising. As I listened to all the presentations I was excited and angry at the same time. I was excited at learning all the different apps that can assist so many of the students I teach now and students I will have in the future. I was also angry, because after talking to the Resource teacher she said they have made several applications for more mobile devices and apps but has been declined. How could any educator refuse students access to devices and apps that would, not could, improve their learning!! All they have to do is watch the video above! I have offered my help and support to the my staff in the fight to obtain more mobile devices for our students who so dearly deserve them!