Sarah

Inquiry Goal: How iPads can be used in the classroom to support inquiry and creativity.
My plan is to investigate the following:


 * Videos on Youtube and Teachertube to look at how ipads are used in the classroom
 * Follow ipad discussion on PYP threads
 * Discuss with Rhona Polonsky how to use the new 14 iPads in my class to promote inquiry and creativity
 * Follow Twitter #ipads
 * Diigo Site for IPads in a primary classroom http://www.diigo.com/list/isocs-library/ipad-for-junior-primary-class

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 * Tony Vincent's Learning in Hand
 * Ipads used in Project Based Learning
 * Bloom's Taxonomy and Ipads
 * 68 Interesting Ways to Use IPads in the classroom

Links

IPads in the Classroom

IPad Studies ** What do we know? **
 * Tuning In **

I have my own personal iPad and have been exploring how to use it. So far, as most people say, I have used it for consumption, for reading emails, browsing the web and have not used it so much for creativity. This is the one thing I really wanted to explore.

Another tool I wanted to explore was Voicethread. I have used Voicethread before and know how valuable a presentation and collaboration tool it can be on the Mac. The Ipads is even more exciting as it means people can easily record their voice comments as the iPad is so much more portable but even more important is that the students can easily take photos and videos and upload them to Voicethread effortlessly.

We spent a lot of time one seesion talking about the virtues of Twitter today and how it can be used to connect with other educators across the globe and how you can get wonderful resources and links form it. Everybody set up a Twitter account and started tweeting. I felt this was a great experience as it gave people the confidence to try something new and will hopefully help them in their individual inquiries.

Still want to explore effective ways to utilize using Voicethread in fostering innovation and creativity and how I can incorporate its use into my Grade 4 class. teaching and learning.

**Finding out**

I want to know how to share Voicethreads easily form my Voicethread account to individual/multiple iPads

Really I am looking at the concepts of form in looking at the what is each tool and then function into how does it work and then taking this further by looking at how does it work in fostering creativity and how can I use it for the inquiry process.

I discussed with Rhona about the logistics about borrowing and using the 14 school ipads. I used Toontastic app with Digital Storytellers after school activity group. I have done Google searches on 'using Voicethread IPads' I have a series of links (above) that I have looked at. I tried to use Bookcreator in my after school activity class which I think will be another useful publishing tool. The students found it extremely easy to use and created excellent books incorporating photos they had taken and pictures downloaded form the internet.

Found another app talking about the Voicethread iPad app: [] I have set up Voicethread accounts today for my kids and need to take their pictures so they will have a photo identity.

** Sorting out **

Another app I learned about yesterday which will be useful in creative projects is comic book which I will try and use soon with my Grade 4 students.

Trying to use appropriate apps with my Grade 4 class students

Have used **Hungry Fish** to practise number bonds with my students **Name that Numbe**r - Every Day math app **Beat the Calculator** - practise multiplications facts
 * Maths **

These however were not really for inquiry or creativity, more drill and kill, rote practice.

The following apps are more appropriate for **creativity:**

**Book Creator** - to create a book on the writing process **Toontastic** - to create cartoons and stories **Make me Proud** - we personalised this story for our Grade 1 reading buddies
 * Language **
 * Numberlys - ** We shared this interactive book with our Grade 1 reading buddies

** Taking action **


 * I am continuing to review apps on Twitter.
 * Sharing with Rhona and Tanja and other iPad users.
 * Reading reviews on blogs.

** Going further **

I will continue to find useful apps to use in the classroom and share this information with other teachers via my new blog :

@http://disting.blogspot.com/2012/01/ipad-apps-in-4th-grade.html and via Twitter @picklennium

I will also continue sharing apps with parents via the Grade 4 website www.tinyurl.com/g4pickles and www.ipadcafeaccra.blogspot.com

Equally I will continue to follow blogs and Twitterfeeds I have found such as:

@http://teacherswithapps.com/ Teachers With Apps @iitch_inc @http://digital-storytime.com/

@http://pypthreads.ning.com/ @PYPthreads