iPod Touch Schoolwide Implementation
There are a number of posts from individuals interested in using iPod Touches for teaching and Learning. At Culbreth Middle in Chapel Hill, NC we began a pilot this past August to place the iPod Touch in the hands of staff and students.
Our staff development for faculty to roll out the new technology centered on teacher coaches leading their groups in exploration through professional learning communities.
Our AVID students use the iPod Touch in the AVID classroom and in all other courses. They have piloted this program, using the iPod Touches daily for note taking, keeping individual agendas, translation for world languages, and accessing research through the Internet. In addition, our AVID students use many of the apps that teachers sync with these mobile devices. As student leaders, they’ve understood their responsibility to work and share this learning tool in collaborative groups.
This winter we were able to add iPod Touch labs for each of our seven interdisciplinary teams and two labs for our exploratory and resource teams. The interdisciplinary grade level iPod Touch labs are housed with each team and shared among the four content teachers (math, language arts, science, and social studies). These teachers plan together so that their students have access throughout each day. They access the internet as needed and use many apps as well.
Teacher current app favorites include: WordBook, Thesaurus, USA, Countries, Brain Tuner, Blanks, Whiteboard, CoinToss, Lose It!, Word Warp, FlipBook Lite. Of course they are using the included apps: Calendar, Calculator, Notes, Clock, YouTube throughout each day.
We held an iPod Touch Day last week with visitors from all over the state and from across the country. We even had a group from the UK come see our students and teachers in action with the iPod Touch. With almost 400 iPod Touches now in use at Culbreth, we’re happy to share what we’ve learned and what we’re learning.
Our staff development for faculty to roll out the new technology centered on teacher coaches leading their groups in exploration through professional learning communities.
Our AVID students use the iPod Touch in the AVID classroom and in all other courses. They have piloted this program, using the iPod Touches daily for note taking, keeping individual agendas, translation for world languages, and accessing research through the Internet. In addition, our AVID students use many of the apps that teachers sync with these mobile devices. As student leaders, they’ve understood their responsibility to work and share this learning tool in collaborative groups.
This winter we were able to add iPod Touch labs for each of our seven interdisciplinary teams and two labs for our exploratory and resource teams. The interdisciplinary grade level iPod Touch labs are housed with each team and shared among the four content teachers (math, language arts, science, and social studies). These teachers plan together so that their students have access throughout each day. They access the internet as needed and use many apps as well.
Teacher current app favorites include: WordBook, Thesaurus, USA, Countries, Brain Tuner, Blanks, Whiteboard, CoinToss, Lose It!, Word Warp, FlipBook Lite. Of course they are using the included apps: Calendar, Calculator, Notes, Clock, YouTube throughout each day.
We held an iPod Touch Day last week with visitors from all over the state and from across the country. We even had a group from the UK come see our students and teachers in action with the iPod Touch. With almost 400 iPod Touches now in use at Culbreth, we’re happy to share what we’ve learned and what we’re learning.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mallory Burton on -
This is fascinating! I hope you keep posting to this discussion or perhaps blog about this experience on your own page. Is there another place I can follow what you're doing?
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Permalink Reply by Susan Wells on -
I'll keep posting here. You can also find information on our school webpage http://www2.chccs.k12.nc.us/education/school/school.php?sectionid=4
It is exciting work for our entire school community.
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Permalink Reply by Lauren Cipriano on -
Mallory I agree with you this is so interesting. I would love to some day have the funding in my classroom to be able implement something such as ipods in my classroom. Such a change from when I was in elementary school no more than about 12-15 years ago!
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Permalink Reply by cprofitt on -
I am curious what reasons you had for not using net books given the price point of the iPod touches. Obviously in this case being able to run applications was important. At $219 for the 8GB model I would have taken a look at the HP2133 which goes for $249 and the ASUS Eee PCs which go for $299 but come with 1GB of memory and 160GB hard drives.
You are the first person that seems to have a plan for them so I would love to get more details.
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Permalink Reply by Susan Wells on
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We believe now as we enter our 8th month with iPod Touches in the classroom that they offer unique advantages, especially for middle level students. To begin, our environment is not exclusive to a singular device. Our course we have desktop and laptop computers. For composing and production those devices are necessary. We did look at the netbooks and those appear to be a good choice for some although not something we've chosen. The iPod Touch offers something in addition for our environment and offers some critical things to the middle school learner. The "in your pocket" mobility is where our kids function, what they're accustomed to and the technology they're most comfortable with. This is apparent each time our students pick up this device and use it with ease. The touchscreen/touch keyboard and their ability to take notes in much the same way they text is compelling for students. Immediate access to the internet in their pocket and the "on the go" field research in various content areas including Science and even PE they're able to conduct are just a few of the reasons this device is working so well for us. Of course the apps once synced that then do not need to access the net are a huge draw of this tool. We'll keep sharing what we're learning. Thanks for asking!
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Permalink Reply by cprofitt on
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Yes, for pocket mobility iPod touches are the only non-phone way to go right now. There used to be a lot of choices in the days of PDAs (before all PDAs included cell phone capabilities). I wonder if the iPod touch has success if more manufacturers will offer non-phone PDAs again. I would love to see Google take their Andriod to a non-phone device.
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Permalink Reply by Benjamin Skipper on -
We have done a similar pilot but have been limited to a classroom set of 30. With both a mobile laptop lab and the iPod Touch lab, the students much prefer the iPod Touch for many of the reasons Susan points out. Operationally, it has been easier for us to maintain and keep the iPod's running smoothly in comparison to the laptop lab and especially in terms of power considerations. This month we are piloting the next big step with take-home iPod's and the implications in the classroom with students in more control of the content on their devices. Well done Susan. Has there been any research into the effectiveness of one tech over the other (laptop vs. iPod) for your students? How has it changed the classroom pedagogy if at all?
We are also wrapping up a few projects for the pilot to roll out with a typical camera-enabled cell phone. I'll post more as it develops.
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Permalink Reply by cprofitt on
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Do you think the iPod caught on when PDAs did not due to the touch screen?
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Permalink Reply by Benjamin Skipper on
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I think it had more to do with the fully-functioning (for the most part) browser experience and the success of the app store and its developments. Many people are still looking for the haptic response in the touch screen or a full keyboard so I don't put as much beef behind the touch screen (though it deserves credit). The iPod Touch also took the success and relative ease of the iTunes/iPod experience and placed it in a high-end video playback device and gaming center.
The click-wheel definitely feels very turn of the century:)
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Permalink Reply by cprofitt on
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I wonder if it was just timing... iPaqs (made by HP/Compaq) had about 600 applications for them and several very unique tools at one time. The tools included GPS add-ons for plotting locations while doing environmental classes and probes for various science applications.
Some current iPaq offerings:
iPaq 310
Several PDAs
Given that list the biggest draw back I see is the lower memory specs and price.
iPods have the 'hip' factor working in their favor though.
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Permalink Reply by Susan Wells on
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Indigo and Benjamin,
I've been following your discussion and think it all fascinating. There are many tools out there and of course the one I can talk about in great detail is the iPod Touch. I do think there are a unique combination of factors we've found to make it the right choice for us including- the size of the unit; the customization of apps for teachers to choose from; the student voice in their app interest and motivation to share this with their teachers, then to see those apps and tools so easily appear for their use; the touch screen with the resizing ability and gyro feature; the access on and off internet for information.
The unit is absolutely cool, no question, but it brings amazing functionality to hand as a learning device.
The conversation is great!
Thanks,
Susan
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Permalink Reply by H Nelson on -
Hi there,
Just jumping in:)
This spring, our middle school bought 100 iPod touches to replace middle school social studies textbooks. I have two main questions for you: How do you handle responsibility (signout, security, recharging, etc.) of the units and how did you offer professional development to your staff to help them actually use the new technology?
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