Let's Get Started!

Class introductions got the students to jump into an engaging, experiential activity using APPs that most were not familiar with. Exploring the APPs was simple, fun and easy to learn in a few minutes. Telligami which let the user make an avatar and add voice, would let students who struggle with class presentations have an alternative option. Working at the high school level, I see some students become anxious about the presentations that are required in most of their courses. This APP as well as Videoscribe, could be used as a first step to get the students comfortable with the presentation process.

The TED talk by Todd Rose was thought provoking. The analogy of the classroom being the "cockpits of the economy" really made the viewer stop and think of how many students do not fit the one sizes fits all concepts in our education system. Being a high school resource teacher, I see students every single day that are trying to fit into the "mold". Most feel trapped, disengaged, unintelligent and don't feel they belong. Every year I see students who end up getting so frustrated and feeling helpless, that they miss time, refuse support and become totally disengaged. I wonder how many of these students who do not conform to the average philosophy, and drop out, could have been something great. I saddens me to see student's light burn out because they are just too tired to continue trying to be something they are not. 

Accessibility options on the IPad would be beneficial for a variety of challenges students may face. The zoom option and larger text would be a features that could be used for students with visual challenges. Other options such as assistive touch, switch control and touch accommodations could be used with students that have mobility issues. To access the accessibility options you just go to your settings in the IPad.

Book Creator was easy to use and could be easily implemented into any high school curriculum. Students are regularly asked to completed projects such as book reports, research projects, power points and brochures. This fun simple, APP would make the daunting task of research more engaging which in turn means more learning. Students could learn to use this APP quickly and make a more interactive projects than the old stand bys. 

The Book Creator lets you use many APPs so you are able to do an APP Smash, which means exactly that!...using a bunch of APPs and putting them into the book. The experiential way of learning, gets the student engaged and using the APPs. "Doing" is a much more effective ways of learning than listening. 

This type of assignment would be an effective way to get students to experiment with unknown APPs which would help develop skills such as problem solving, tenacity and creativity. Working with others on this project would let students develop communication and collaboration skills. 

APPS!

• Toon Camera

This APP takes a picture and then changes it into a cartoon! This could be used for projects, and art assignments. It could be used to create creative posters or brochures for fundraisers, school dances and other activities in school. 

• Visual Poetry

An excellent APP  to engage students in making their own poetry. I find students often complain about the poetry unit in English classes, so if teachers can find ways to make it more engaging, I say go for it!

• Chomp

Fun, simple APP that uses your picture to make you a character. It has voice overs and animation, so it could be used for presentations, visual calendars for students that need to see their schedule every day. It could also be used to create social stories and help promote discussion.