What can I do with iPads?

On my journey last year as TILT, my focus was on getting devices into the hands of teachers and students and helping users become comfortable navigating the software that Apple technology puts forth.  This year, I feel my role will have much more to do with answering the question, "We have iPads, now what can we do with them?" We all know the value that this technology can bring to teacher instruction and student experience in the classroom, but figuring out how and when iPads should be infused into teaching and learning is definitely a learning journey.  Infusion of technology is not about relying on the novelty of the device to keep kids engaged, it is about extending the learning experience of students so that they can feel empowered, do things they couldn't otherwise without the use of tech, and deepen their understanding of concepts.  That being said, here are a few starting points to meld the use of iPads with all the wonderful things that you are already doing in your classroom:

1- Reporting-  Using the iPad to take photos and blog about experiences in the classroom allows students to have a voice and feel like they are a published author.  I know what it feels like when people have read posts that I have written and put out there, I can only imagine that it would be as powerful and motivating for students to be a reporter live on the scene of their own classroom.  Kids will be motivated to write if they report on something they've done in class and read it with their parents on the web when they get home that same evening. Alternatively, have students take photos using the iPad while on a class trip and create a narrated slideshow of their experience using the PixnTell app.

2- Centre-based learning- iPads can easily be set up as a centre.  With features such as guided access and restrictions, you can safely set up an iPad centre, allowing students to work on concepts that you have already taught while using carefully selected apps.  This will provide you with the time to work with a small group, strengthening areas with which these students may be struggling.

3- Virtual experience-  When you are learning about cultural dances in Africa and can't travel the 13,000 kilometers to witness it firsthand, pop onto the YouTube app, connect your iPad to your projector (using a VGA adapter cable or the Reflector or AirPlay apps) and kids can experience it through digital means.  Use Google Earth to explore places that you are learning about in Geography.  Peruse street level and aerial views of places that students wish to experience visually using the Sphere app.

4- Connectivity- The iPad offers a myriad of opportunities to connect your students to other classrooms. Students can compare cultural similarities and differences through the creation of a digital postcard using the LifeCard app. With this app, they can add photos and text to share their own cultural experiences with a pal many miles away. Get your class signed up on Mystery-Skype to connect with a classroom in the United States.  Students can learn about some of the distinctions and similarities between Canada and the United States through the lens of a student their own age.

5- Creation- This is probably the most fun of all reasons to become buddies with your iPad.  Kids are creative and want to tell stories.  Give them the Toontastic app to create an animated show with their own narration.  Get the Pictello app for students to create a TWAS (This Week At School for those in the senior years) book to send home as a PDF for mom and dad on Friday afternoon.  Use iMovie to create a movie trailer for a book that they've recently finished.  Have students demonstrate their own understanding of a concept by creating a 'how-to' tutorial on Educreations.  There is a wide array of apps for creation. Choose a handful, get to know them really well, and introduce them to your students. Learning the ins and outs of one app a day will broaden your horizons and increase your comfort with infusing them into a lesson plan.

6- Student support- I've already posted about the many ways that the iOS 6 software and apps can be used to support students. Search 'accessibility'and 'student support' on this blog and you will learn about the ways that Apple technology can help students with specific needs.

iOS 7

The Internet is abuzz with news of Apple's release of the iOS 7 software update for iPhone 4 or later, the iPad 2, and the iPad mini.  The update, released in the middle of last week, brings the intuitive nature of iDevices to a new level, making it possible for you to send and manage information effortlessly, particularly to your contacts who have iPhones or iPads, and access instant updates from your reminders and calendars. As the screens and app thumbnails will change, it may take time to adjust to the new vista on your device. The last iOS 6 update meant great additions in accessibility options, but I am hesitant to recommend jumping into this new update.  First, it is a major overhaul of the screens and settings accessibility.  It may be harder to find the tools and settings that were once second nature.  Because this is a major update, it requires a great deal of storage, which may cause you to have to sacrifice some of the apps on your device. Also, the battery life of iPhones have a shorter life span, according to some of my colleagues on Twitter.  For students that are used to navigating the iOS 6 software, it may be best to stick with the old software. I'm holding off for now, until the apps I treasure, such as Evernote, demand that I upgrade.

Social Scripting for AAC Device Users

One of the most challenging parts of creating effective and meaningful conversation for AAC users is that interactions can get "stuck".  Part of the reason that happens is because the AAC device user has not developed what Caroline Musselwhite calls "an ear for conversation". To remedy this, she suggests developing social scripts for students.  Understanding that conversations have a pattern of interaction between two or more participants is key to developing scripts for AAC users (see the chart below).  From there, you can sit down and develop a conversation script with the communicator to use to interact with one or more people, providing ample communication opportunities. This will allow the AAC user to discover the natural pattern of turn taking and statements that occur in conversation. When you sit down to develop the script, you can provide examples of statements that the communicator would like to use and program it into the device the communicator is using. For some examples of social scripts, check out Musslewhite's website at www.aacintervention.com.

Anatomy of a Conversation

From Musselwhite's Can We Chat: Social Scripts for AAC Users Professional Development DVD

Step One	Attention Getter (Greeting)	“Hey! What’s up?”
Step Two	Conversation Starter (Conversation initiator)	“Guess what?”
Step Three	Maintainers, Holders (Statements that keep the conversation rolling smoothly)	“It was so embarrassing” "Can you believe it?"
	Interjections (Statements in response to information shared by the communication partner in response to the conversation topic)	“Cool!” “Yikes!” “Really?”
Step Four	Closing	“Great talking to you!” “See you soon” “Catch you later”

Kelly Fonner- Open Access Resource Centre Conference

On May 15, I attended a conference at the Viscount Gort hosted by the Open Access Resource Centre.  Kelly Fonner, invited by OARC, presented on improving communication for students who use Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC).  Fonner, a self-employed consultant and assistive technoloy expert with over 30 years of experience working with individuals with disabilities has worked in the field from the ground up, starting her journey as an educational assistant and moving upwards from there. Fonner presented all the components of designing and implementing an effective AAC program for working with individuals with a communication disability. She suggested an intervention framework based on 'lessons learned'. Considering purposes for communication, examining the behaviour of the communication partner, setting up the environment to encourage communication, providing the right level of support as communication partner, and creating a plan to encourage communication are all key to having the student become more fluent in AAC.  She suggests working on a Participation Plan in Classroom Settings Worksheet with resource teachers, classroom teachers, and EAs to plan what communication will look like in the classroom setting.  From there, SST members can use a Communication Activity Planning Worksheet to plan for a greater number of communication opportunities for the student.  Fonner's systematic approach to AAC addresses all the considerations of fostering communication. If any of my ISD colleagues are interested in viewing these materials, I can certainly visit you in the fall to develop a plan!

Resources for Sensory Processing Disorder

I am having a heyday on Twitter this morning.  I've recently started following a few really amazing people who have posted some great information and links to resources that are really quite applicable for the special education teacher.  If you are working with a student who has sensory processing disorder, I would highly recommend checking out the Sensory Street website.  There is a whole host of great resources, checklists, pdf posters, and other practical suggestions for working with students with sensory processing disorder.

Discovering Primary Sources

If you teach senior years history, it might be worthwhile for you to check out this site.  It allows you to create online activities that students can work on to discover, compare, interact with, and make connections using primary sources.  I haven't looked into this fully, but found a link to it on Twitter.  It could be a great way to engage students while instructing them on the importance of first-hand historical perspectives.  Peruse Docs Teach to learn more about this interactive opportunity. If you'd like a little more background information about how this site works and some other alternatives for primary source instructional opportunities, please visit this webpage.

Visual Supports and Students with Autism

A month ago, I attended the Linda Hodgdon session titled, Discovering the Possibilities with Visual Strategies: Meeting the Communication, Behaviour, and Social Skill Challenges in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Related Learning Needs.  The Autism Society of Manitoba invited Ms. Hodgdon to speak about the supports that educators can put in place to meet the needs of both visual learners and students with Autism. Linda spoke about the communication needs of learners, honing in on the fact that a great deal of behaviour issues are related to communication.  Often, learners behave inappropriately or in a negative way because they are unable to comprehend the requests or instructions delivered by the instructor.  Hodgdon offered many different low-tech and high-tech possibilities for supporting visual learners and those students requiring visual supports, including picture cards that indicate the desired behaviour, apps, visual schedules, and videos.  These tools can be used to provide structure for students, model appropriate social skills, and assist with learner communication.  I found a great video on the Ohio Centre for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) YouTube channel, which I think provides a great rationale for building visual supports into the educational setting. You can view the video here.  If you are interested in learning more about Linda Hodgdon's work surrounding visual strategies, please check out her website.