Digital Learning Reimbursement 10 - Music

I don't use the music capabilities of my iPad as much as I'd like. For school use, I like to play music sometimes when the students are coming in. I have a cord I can hook to the speakers in my room, and in the morning, it seems to perk some kids up. I also like to use the radio app, Tune In, to play. Music softly while students have group work or work time. It seems to really encourage productivity in certain working times. For personal use, I like to listen to the Tune in radio while I do dishes or we have company over. It provides nice soft background music. I don't usually use the iTunes music store, unless I want to put a cd on iTunes and play it on my iPad. Another app I frequently use is Pandora. I really enjoy Pandora because you can type in an artist or a song, or even a genre, and it creates a radio station with songs and artists similar to the one you originally typed in. While I really like how I can find more songs and music I like this way, it does have ads and commercials every few songs. While they are omelet story appropriate ads, I find that if using it in the classroom, it would be wise to have access to a mute button during those few seconds. Pandora also has you create a login and saves your information so if you want to login into another computer, your stations will be saved. Overall, I would say Pandora and Tune in are very similar, but I have a preference for Pandora. 

Digital Learning Reimbursement 9 - Discovering Apps

Normally I simply use the App Store to look for apps. Since I'm cheap and I think there are many great apps for free, using some of these apps to find new free apps for me is very convenient. Apps Gone Free is the app that I really liked. I like how it notifies me of the free apps, and I can simply take the few minutes to look over them to see if I want it. I'm always looking for great educational apps to try out for my classroom. If  I could get the apps free, that would allow me to use the app for as to determine if i anyway voted to continue using it, or find something else. In addition to school, I would like to find more free apps for my little girl to use. She's getting to the point where she can sit down and play an app quietly for 5 minutes, and the selection I have now is limited. I don't want to spend a lot of money on apps because as she grows she will want more challenging and different apps. Usually I use a google search and go on blogs to find out about educational and free apps. There are some ESL blogs and websites that mention some free apps. Simply google ESL free apps, and there are multiple links that have information. 

Digital Learning Reimbursement 8 - Sharing Photos

As mentioned several times, I love the sharing options. Of the apps listed, I like the air share and other sharing options the best. I use Instagram for personal use, and I cannot see how I would use it professionally. In my last post, I mentioned how I intend to use the air drop with my students when doing assignments or bell ringers/ starters. It will be easy to provide background knowledge for my ELL students about a concept by simply showing them a picture or sending it quickly to their iPad instead of projecting on the screen and changing things up. I also like the idea of using it as a problem solving tool. I could easily taking a picture of a homework page and ask a teacher, or the student could take a picture and send it to me. I have other ideas on posting pictures to a forum or blog and having students start a journal using their pictures. This could be a way I encorporate their writing skill into my ELL math classroom. I could then use these blogs to show parents at conferences, and also track growth. If  I chose to use the google drive, I would be able to provide feedback as well. Pictures are so important for my students, and it opens a whole new set of skills I can use to help my students learn in a new way. 

Digital Learning Reimbursement 7 - Taking and Editing Photos

I've already mentioned photos in previous posts and how I love the accessibility of being able to send them easily from my iPad. I have already used the built in photo editing tool, so I explored the color splurge app. I liked the versatility of being able to change the pictures. I'm not a huge fan of adding text to pictures and making them look "unnatural" but the free app was a nice way to change some pictures. Using the photos at school makes it easy to share pictures or ideas with students. This fall, when each of my students have an iPad, I will be able to share a picture or math problem using the air drop, and have them do seat work instantly. I like that the accessibility of the pictures is immediate. Growing up when digital cameras have taken over, I never take the time to upload them, and then to transfer them to my school info is time consuming. This way, I can take the pictures, and send them within the same minute. I don't know how much editing I will do with my school pictures, but for personal use it's great! 

Digital Learning Reimbursement 6 - Social Media

I have never ever explored the realm of using social media with school. In my personal use, it helps me stay connected with friends and family. When I think about using it in my classroom,  I think the sole purpose of using it in my classroom would be to keep students engaged, connect with them outside of    school, and connect with parents. By posting things such as assignment reminders, or simple tips, the use of social media will definitely grab the students attention. Also, by updating it gives students information in real time, most likely at the place where they currently are. I could also create communities and do discussion forums. This could be used as a way to assist my students with homework in the evenings if they do not to have assistance at home. While I'm not sure I will use these tools, it is great for me to see how they work and be knowledgable about them. 

Digital Learning Reimbursement 5 - Blended Learning

Although I have never used Edmodo or Educreations, based on the videos I can see how these apps would be useful in bathe classroom. 

Edmodo - This appears to be a great tool to build community in my classroom. I can see how using quizzes and posting assignments would be a great way to engage the students. I also could see this as a way to keep parents informed and make connections with their child at school. As an ELL teacher, I love the idea of being able to attach pictures since my students' background is limited. I'm not sure the use of this app during everyday classroom activities, but I could see it as a weekly activity. It is exciting to see this app because all of my students will be getting iPads next year, so the use of more apps will be much more accessible.

Educreations - I was excited to see what this app could do. I have been wanting something similar to this for my ELL students. They struggle with taking tests, so adding an oral piece to a project gives me much more insight into their learning than writing a paper does or taking a multiple choice test. Using this app, I could have them create word cards, picture cards, or simply dictate a summary from a book to me. I also like the idea of using this as a way to assist when I am absent from the classroom. I could record a lesson, and students could watch it and work with it individually. Or the sub could play the video and assist as needed. I have tried making videos before, but the accessibility for the students and sub were hard to make easily. This app is exciting to me, and I can definitely see myself using it this coming school year. 

Digital Learning Reimbursement 4 - Creating and Editing Documents

Currently, I use google drive to store many documents, both personal and professional. During the school year, I used google drive to store my learning goals on a PowerPoint. Since is shared a classroom and had to travel, being able to store all my lessons, worksheets, learning goals, etc. in none place was invaluable. I could work on them at home or in a different building, and still have them ready and available for me during the class time I needed them. 

One way I have used google docs with my students was creating presentations. Although they could not edit on the iPad, we were able to collaborate and share. I used the comments section to grade and provide instant feedback on assignments while students were working. I have also done collaboration with groups writing papers. Each student has an iPad, and each of them need to create a document. I set it up so a each student has a color, so I can see what each student is contributing. I have also used the forms and had students use the iPads to do quizzes or answer questions for formative assessment. 

I would like to incorporate a grade book into google docs with my students. To post their missing assignments and keep a running total for their grade so they can see how they're doing in class.