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iPod touch iPod Touch in Elementary Classrooms..Need Ideas
- Thread starter phowler13
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Wow! There are a lot of negative people around here.
Technology in the classroom is always a tool that can be beneficial. There will always be some students who abuse their privileges. This isn't any different than issuing books to students only to find that some wrote in them or didn't take care of them as well as they should have. The OP made it clear that he/she wasn't too concerned about this aspect of the issue.
I think there are some applications in the App. Store that can be extremely useful for teachers. Imagine using the iPod for math flash cards, logic games, learning about Presidents, the Constitution, etc. Imagine using a maps application to learn the location of different states or countries or the capitals of the same. I don't know of one, but there is probably some application for learning proper grammar and spelling.
Of course many of these things can be done on a regular computer or maybe even a netbook, but that's not the point. The OP wants to try something that many of you are too close-minded to think seriously about. I think the iPod Touch and iPhone are vastly under-appreciated as a learning tool.
I commend the OP for thinking outside the box, despite what the majority of people who replied to this thread think. I'm not saying it will definitely be a success. I'm saying that if everyone had the same negative attitude as many of the responses of this thread thus far, we would never learn anything.
"If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative" - Woody Allen
Technology in the classroom is always a tool that can be beneficial. There will always be some students who abuse their privileges. This isn't any different than issuing books to students only to find that some wrote in them or didn't take care of them as well as they should have. The OP made it clear that he/she wasn't too concerned about this aspect of the issue.
I think there are some applications in the App. Store that can be extremely useful for teachers. Imagine using the iPod for math flash cards, logic games, learning about Presidents, the Constitution, etc. Imagine using a maps application to learn the location of different states or countries or the capitals of the same. I don't know of one, but there is probably some application for learning proper grammar and spelling.
Of course many of these things can be done on a regular computer or maybe even a netbook, but that's not the point. The OP wants to try something that many of you are too close-minded to think seriously about. I think the iPod Touch and iPhone are vastly under-appreciated as a learning tool.
I commend the OP for thinking outside the box, despite what the majority of people who replied to this thread think. I'm not saying it will definitely be a success. I'm saying that if everyone had the same negative attitude as many of the responses of this thread thus far, we would never learn anything.
"If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative" - Woody Allen
Yes, I've seen all those education apps in the app store, and I imagine that if I had a young child, I would seriously look into the possibility of getting a Touch, and some of those apps, for my child. But I rather think that most of the activities provided by current educational apps available in the App Store tend to be individual activities, more suited for out-of-classroom contexts. If I had kids, I wouldn't want them sitting in a classroom tapping away at an iPod -- there's plenty of time for that outside of school. During school I want them to interact with the teachers and other kids. And I'm just having a hard time imagining ways in which the Touch can be used in a socially interactive way. For one thing, the screen is too small for more than one person to look at it comfortably. I imagine that's why the OP was asking about a "whiteboard" function. (btw, a jailbrak app just became available that would display anything going on on a Touch's screen on a TV) But if you are going to project what's going on on aTouch on a larger screen, is there any difference that you are projecting from a Touch as opposed to from a regular computer?
We may get a device that's perfect for interactive classroom use several generations down the line, and when that device arrives, I'll gladly support efforts to get that into as many classrooms as possible. But IMO, the Touch isn't that device.
Ugh there so many opposing opinions on this it makes my head hurt. I vote this should be turned into a poll! 
I think your idea has potential.
Especially if you scale it down. I don't think have a classroom (24+) full of ipods will work due to logicistics...charging battery, syncing and etc...
But I think a hand full (4-6) would be a great asset. I have a 5 and 8 year old boys who enjoy "playing" many educational games dealing with spelling and math problems.
I can envision using the ipod touch as a way new way to test a students ability.
Good Luck and Keep thinking outside the box
Especially if you scale it down. I don't think have a classroom (24+) full of ipods will work due to logicistics...charging battery, syncing and etc...
But I think a hand full (4-6) would be a great asset. I have a 5 and 8 year old boys who enjoy "playing" many educational games dealing with spelling and math problems.
I can envision using the ipod touch as a way new way to test a students ability.
Good Luck and Keep thinking outside the box
Can I please alert you to this thread.
Im sure you intend it's use for other things, however prevention is better than the cure as they say
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/637734/
Im sure you intend it's use for other things, however prevention is better than the cure as they say
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/637734/
your reasons for wanting to utilize ipod touches in the classroom are as horribly gimmicky, absurd and desperate as the ones you cited for not wanting your tech comfortable pupils to use netbooks are stupid and contradictory.
i have a feeling that the money wasted on a classroom of ipt's would be better spent on the salary of someone who knew what they were doing.
i have a feeling that the money wasted on a classroom of ipt's would be better spent on the salary of someone who knew what they were doing.
I think having iPod touches in the classroom would be alright, just make sure you fully supervise the students using them at all times (which is what teachers do best ). I recommend putting a barcode at the back of all the iPod touches and scanning them when they are on loan and returned, similar to how library books are done. My school has barcodes on all of their laptops that are used in classrooms. That way, you have peace of mind that they have all been returned safely and, if they have been damaged in any way, you know the last person/group that used it. I also recommend buying covers for all of the iPods so that they get less scratches and other problems, which will make them last longer. Silicon cases ensure a great grip on the iPod.
). I recommend putting a barcode at the back of all the iPod touches and scanning them when they are on loan and returned, similar to how library books are done. My school has barcodes on all of their laptops that are used in classrooms. That way, you have peace of mind that they have all been returned safely and, if they have been damaged in any way, you know the last person/group that used it. I also recommend buying covers for all of the iPods so that they get less scratches and other problems, which will make them last longer. Silicon cases ensure a great grip on the iPod.
I think it's great to encourage new ideas in the classroom.
As far as applications go, check out the "Education" section in the App Store. Also, many games have a local WiFi gameplay setting, meaning that you can play wirelessly with other players, but only those who are networked with the same router... I play Monopoly with a couple of friends like this. Many kid-friendly games offer this feature.
Also, I don't think comparing the Touch to a Netbook in this case is a good comparison. The Touch is far more interactive and fun to operate. It will hold a child's attention far better than just a mini-laptop. A child gets to interact a lot better with a Touch, which is what a classroom environment needs to encourage - interaction.
9th grader speaking here...
IMO, it's a very vbad idea to bring iPT's into the classroom. They're fragile, the screens break easily, the bacs scratch easily. And there isn't really and educational benefit to iPT'. I would say that spending the money on Netbooks would be a better idea. Netbooks can be used for research, and can be used for online ebooks easily. Plus, there's a smaller chance that Netbooks will get stolen.
Don
IMO, it's a very vbad idea to bring iPT's into the classroom. They're fragile, the screens break easily, the bacs scratch easily. And there isn't really and educational benefit to iPT'. I would say that spending the money on Netbooks would be a better idea. Netbooks can be used for research, and can be used for online ebooks easily. Plus, there's a smaller chance that Netbooks will get stolen.
Don
is this to make up for your lackluster teaching?
im sorry this is such a terrible idea.
really....its not like they can do research on those things. typing would take way to long.
watch youtube videos? yea...you could just have one center projector...
do math on them? just get a calculator
games? thats just a waste
once again, i think ipod touches in elementary schools, hell even highschools is a complete waste of money, waste of childrens time, and just a poor way to teach kids.
not to mention the time it would take for them to actually learn how to use them.
perhaps...instead of spending money on ipod touches they can hire a mentor for you so you can come up with creative ways to teach kids rather than relying on technologies that have NO use in the classroom.
im sorry this is such a terrible idea.
really....its not like they can do research on those things. typing would take way to long.
watch youtube videos? yea...you could just have one center projector...
do math on them? just get a calculator
games? thats just a waste
once again, i think ipod touches in elementary schools, hell even highschools is a complete waste of money, waste of childrens time, and just a poor way to teach kids.
not to mention the time it would take for them to actually learn how to use them.
perhaps...instead of spending money on ipod touches they can hire a mentor for you so you can come up with creative ways to teach kids rather than relying on technologies that have NO use in the classroom.
Ever heard of Lego Mindstorms/NXT? If you really want them to learn something, ditch the Touches and try to get just as many Lego NXT kits, they'll have a great time and learn tons more than they would with an iPod.
iPods in 4th grade classrooms are great
Someone once said that if Rip Van Winkle came back today the only thing he would recognize would be the schools. Sadly in many cases this is true. With falling test scores and our education rating world wide decreasing, we have to change the way we have been doing things. I truly believe that the iTouch is the way.
I have been teaching for 30 years, and was burned out and ready to quit. A young teacher introduced me to an iTouch. I thought like many of you, that I didn't want this kind of distraction in my room along with everything else. It took her a year to finally get through to me. How wrong I was!
The day I walked with into classroom with my iTouch was truly magical. That was back in Nov. and it is still magical. We have to reach the kids before we can teach the kids. I believe this is the way. We are capitalizing on "real world" technology that is extremely effective and highly motivational.
I teach in a rural low-socioeconomic area. With the cut backs, we are all experiencing, funding is not available to replace our aging computers. itouches are the answer. Amost every teacher in our school wants them. We are raising money, writing grants, and anything else we can think of to get itouches. Our goal is to provide an iTouch for every child by 2013.
Please before you write them off as just another distraction, borrow one and down load Apps that align to your state standards, and take it to class. Watch the magic begin.
Someone once said that if Rip Van Winkle came back today the only thing he would recognize would be the schools. Sadly in many cases this is true. With falling test scores and our education rating world wide decreasing, we have to change the way we have been doing things. I truly believe that the iTouch is the way.
I have been teaching for 30 years, and was burned out and ready to quit. A young teacher introduced me to an iTouch. I thought like many of you, that I didn't want this kind of distraction in my room along with everything else. It took her a year to finally get through to me. How wrong I was!
The day I walked with into classroom with my iTouch was truly magical. That was back in Nov. and it is still magical. We have to reach the kids before we can teach the kids. I believe this is the way. We are capitalizing on "real world" technology that is extremely effective and highly motivational.
I teach in a rural low-socioeconomic area. With the cut backs, we are all experiencing, funding is not available to replace our aging computers. itouches are the answer. Amost every teacher in our school wants them. We are raising money, writing grants, and anything else we can think of to get itouches. Our goal is to provide an iTouch for every child by 2013.
Please before you write them off as just another distraction, borrow one and down load Apps that align to your state standards, and take it to class. Watch the magic begin.
Wow!!!
I know this thread is old and no one will probably ever read this, but for the people who wrote all the negative remarks above I bet you can look back at this and think "what was I thinking"!!! I hope this 4th grade teacher wrote the grant for the iPod Touches for her room. She didn't ask for advice on whether she should get them, but on how to use them. As an educator, we should have collaborated instead of bashing. The iPad and iPods are implemented on a daily basis to enhance learning and to create projects. This has grown rapidly over the last few years and nothing is stopping them now. These devices play an important part in my classroom and MANY classrooms around the world. It is very helpful with Project Based Learning and reading. These apps are productive and entertaining for the students. These devices provide immediate feedback (formative assessment) for the teacher which saves time for MORE instruction!!
I know this thread is old and no one will probably ever read this, but for the people who wrote all the negative remarks above I bet you can look back at this and think "what was I thinking"!!! I hope this 4th grade teacher wrote the grant for the iPod Touches for her room. She didn't ask for advice on whether she should get them, but on how to use them. As an educator, we should have collaborated instead of bashing. The iPad and iPods are implemented on a daily basis to enhance learning and to create projects. This has grown rapidly over the last few years and nothing is stopping them now. These devices play an important part in my classroom and MANY classrooms around the world. It is very helpful with Project Based Learning and reading. These apps are productive and entertaining for the students. These devices provide immediate feedback (formative assessment) for the teacher which saves time for MORE instruction!!
As one of the younger members on this site (13) I can see the advantages and disadvantages of this.
I go to a private school, and the most electronic devices we have are smartboards and computers.
The PC's are used in every classroom, and we have two computer labs, one for student research and another for a computer class. The students are permitted to use both labs, but are not allowed to use the teacher computers unless under permission.
We're also not allowed to have electronics, including iPods and iPhones, but in Middle School and High School the teachers get more leniant, I have three or four teachers that don't care if you have it out most of the time.
We have filters up on our internet, but I'm just going to remind you that the only thing a filter does is block the online websites you can access, and not the apps that can be downloaded, and the ones that come pre-downloaded. If youtube is enabled for the school network so that teachers can pull up videos online, that also makes the entire youtube app available, as well as it being available on the Safari browser, because the youtube app feeds off of youtube.com. Simplified, that means whatever you can access on the school internet the kids can access on the iPods and through apps.
There is also no way to remove the pre-downloaded apps without jailbreaking the iPods, and that itself can unleash another whole stream of events.
Apart from kids getting into things they shouldn't be, there's also the kids' responsibility. There's a neighboring school to ours where the kids use iPads, (which are only available to MS and up children) which I think would be a better idea. iPods are so fragile and breakable, no telling what a fourth grader would to do one. And during group projects the kids may fight over who gets to use it, even Middle School students fight over who gets to use the computer on a group project and who gets to make the powerpoint slides...
So, in conclusion, I don't know if this is what you have in mind or not. I think most schools have gone this long without them, it's not necesarry. IT's too much risk for kids that may not be responsible enough, and the fighting over priviledges. Also some fourth graders might decide not to turn in an iPod and keep it. You never know. I'm sure that there would be tracking numbers and costs for missing iPods, but if it's a classroom activity each student wouldn't be assigned a number and there would be no way to tell who took what.
In my opinion, stick with the textbooks and handout papers. This really isn't necesarry.
Also, sorry if I'm rambling. It's 2:21 A.M. where I am and I should really sleep.
I go to a private school, and the most electronic devices we have are smartboards and computers.
The PC's are used in every classroom, and we have two computer labs, one for student research and another for a computer class. The students are permitted to use both labs, but are not allowed to use the teacher computers unless under permission.
We're also not allowed to have electronics, including iPods and iPhones, but in Middle School and High School the teachers get more leniant, I have three or four teachers that don't care if you have it out most of the time.
We have filters up on our internet, but I'm just going to remind you that the only thing a filter does is block the online websites you can access, and not the apps that can be downloaded, and the ones that come pre-downloaded. If youtube is enabled for the school network so that teachers can pull up videos online, that also makes the entire youtube app available, as well as it being available on the Safari browser, because the youtube app feeds off of youtube.com. Simplified, that means whatever you can access on the school internet the kids can access on the iPods and through apps.
There is also no way to remove the pre-downloaded apps without jailbreaking the iPods, and that itself can unleash another whole stream of events.
Apart from kids getting into things they shouldn't be, there's also the kids' responsibility. There's a neighboring school to ours where the kids use iPads, (which are only available to MS and up children) which I think would be a better idea. iPods are so fragile and breakable, no telling what a fourth grader would to do one. And during group projects the kids may fight over who gets to use it, even Middle School students fight over who gets to use the computer on a group project and who gets to make the powerpoint slides...
So, in conclusion, I don't know if this is what you have in mind or not. I think most schools have gone this long without them, it's not necesarry. IT's too much risk for kids that may not be responsible enough, and the fighting over priviledges. Also some fourth graders might decide not to turn in an iPod and keep it. You never know. I'm sure that there would be tracking numbers and costs for missing iPods, but if it's a classroom activity each student wouldn't be assigned a number and there would be no way to tell who took what.
In my opinion, stick with the textbooks and handout papers. This really isn't necesarry.
Also, sorry if I'm rambling. It's 2:21 A.M. where I am and I should really sleep.