Final ITouch

I have enjoyed exploring the Ipod touch this last quarter. I had never looked at it as a means of education. The endless educational applications are intriguing. I wasn't really able to use my ITouch in my main placement, but I was able to use it in my experiences through literature class. I also got the chance to use it with my math assignments and explore the opportunities it brought me through this. Mostly I've been given a stepping stone to find resources to expanding my teaching and education through technology. This was major part of the steps I'm taking to keep technology present in my teaching and in my own learning.

The most efficient way I've been able to consistently use my ITouch is through the option of voice memo.During all my one on one meetings with my literacy buddy, I was able to use the recordings to further my learning from my buddy. It wasn't too difficult to keep track of my conferences with E during these visits because I only was dealing with one student. However, when I have twenty one on one conferences these recordings will be extremely helpful. I can keep track of growth and progress in a more detailed and exact way! I can use it to show the students their personal growth. Conveniently it can all be stored in my pocket! I hope I am able to bring the many other applications and uses that I've been learning about through both other technology blogs and my cohort member. Even if the voice memo is the only thing I get to apply for now, that is still a tremendous help. I look forward to expanding my use with the ITouch for differential learning and sharing technology skills. 

ITouch Differentiated Learning 2

In my thinking about how to use the ITouch in the classroom, I am really stuck. I love the ideas my cohort members have and are sharing via our Wiki site. Using the ITouch for the entire classroom's use and/or for my use with students, sounds like an interactive and exciting way to keep the students involved. Most ideas really utilize time and efficiency. It's beneficial to both me as a teacher and my students. I truly do look forward to using these ideas in my classroom instruction.

 In our literacy class, we get to use it a little with our buddies. So far, my buddy gets really excited that we are using the technology with him. It even seems to let him know that he is so important to us, that we are willing to use this tool to enhance our experience/learning together.  

However, I'm struggling with using the ITouch for differentiated instruction....Other than the ideas  I was able to pull out that could possibly help Cornelius, Bruno, and Maximus. I struggle to find ways in which students who are struggling can find support from the ITouch, especially if they are on their own. If they are struggling to keep up, how will they be able to handle the ITouch? So I guess, I'm wondering how to let struggling students use this tool individually?  

I'm going to need to stretch my mind in the next few weeks. How else can I use this to help my struggling students do better and without my complete support? (other than using apps that scribe the lesson for them etc....)?

IPods for Differentiated Instruction

Three students who come to mind that benefit from differentiated instruction in my class are "Bruno", "Cornelius", and "Maximus" (Pseudonyms for all). These students vary in a multitude of ways, but I'll explore possible ways the IPod Touch can benefit them in the class and limitations it might also have with each of them.

Bruno is a very intelligent boy. He is the first to finish most assignments and enjoys challenges. He prides himself with his organization and preparedness. I am continually impressed with Bruno; however, I struggle to find the time to give him the challenging work he deserves and would benefit from. Using the Touch with him could potentially do great things. He would be comfortable using the technology if promptly shown how. He could use applications to strengthen and push his skills when I am unable to give him other work to do after finishing the normal class work. Having various math applications that are beyond what the rest of the class is doing, would be beneficial and fun for him after he finishes his normal class work. I worry that this might deepen the gap between him and his classmates thus making it harder to help him in whole class work. This student also speaks two languages fluently and is learning a third. If I could find an application that would help his speech, that would be another way to utilize the extra time he has after completing his assignments.

Cornelius is a whole other story. I struggle being able to give him the time he needs to comprehend my instruction and direction. I feel guilty when I move on, because I am unsure he had grasped my entire lesson. Using a Touch for support in his differentiated instruction would be helpful if I had an app that recorded my instruction as I said it. This way he could reference it when needed if he had missed something. His family could also use this recorded instruction to help him at home with his school work. If the recording was in script or in audio, they both would be helpful. I worry that using this in class would slow him down more. He already has a hard time finishing his work in the allotted time. Wouldn't this slow him down more? But if he is gathering the information better, then isn't it worth that time? At least the time at home, would be very helpful. I could even email the written recorded script of my lessons to his parents, for easy access while doing homework and maybe even daily reviews.

Maximus is challenge and a delight. His learning disabilities cause his mind to be all over the map throughout the day. Keeping his attention for more than one minute is a feat! Having the application that records my lessons into script would be helpful for him in similar ways as Cornelius. Having it to take home, or send home etc. I wish there would be an option to take that text and re-size it. Maximus has a hard time taking information from up on the doc cam and transferring it to his paper. It is most beneficial when he has the information right on his desk. If I could have a personal Touch for him at his desk, that I could re-size my recorded scribes for him, I believe would benefit him greatly. His attention span requires information to be directly in front of him; not up on the board. If I can't find a way to re-size the text, the Touch would be far too small of font to keep his attention.

Why Blog? Well, I'm not so sure...

I guess I have to start this thing somewhere, even if I am feeling slightly apprehensive. My time is precious these days. I'm wondering, how will spending time on this benefit me?

After reading "Why Blog" and watching our "Video" for class ....
My reaction is...apparently, this is a major key to my growth. Well, that's a good enough answer! The outcome of it all, rests on me. Isn't that just the way life is in general! You get back what you put into it right?...theoretically I think it can work that way. I'm just gonna roll with  it...

Since our classes have taken a major shift lately this really does prove to be a way to reflect personally and with each other. I used to feel that we had the time in class to do so. However, now we are having our brains jiggled in a much more jerky way...there is a lot less room for fluffing our teacher souls and encouraging growth. Our brains are being stretched and pulled everyday. I seem to be in a constant state of unfamiliarity, and I'm finding myself being uncomfortable for the majority of my day.

So given the need for comfort from my fellow cohort members, the need for growth with other professionals, and the need to express and digest my state of whirlwinds...I might just find this blogging thing a key in my journey of finding a restful state of being...