I mentored a part-time librarian, a friend and colleague, in uses and implementation of one iPad in each classroom at my child's grade three through six elementary school. The librarian purchased one iPad for each teacher and was looking for assistance in finding best uses and practices for the teachers with the new devices. They had approached me for help as they were not quite sure where to even begin. I started with researching recommended subject-specific apps and sharing them with my mentee. We then remained in regular weekly contact trouble shooting and evaluating the direction we were heading. I collected data through my own reflective journal after each interaction with my mentee. I also observed the teachers' responses and their embracing or ignoring of the apps presented, and planned to send a survey via survey monkey to the teachers if I did not get a good read from my observations. Since my child is a student in the school I also got a sense of the impact any apps had on his particular learning.
Reflective journal:
Week 1: We started off strong with me sending them a quick list of apps to explore and get a feel for what is out there. It was greatly appreciated and shared with any one who asked.
Week 2: Our next interaction she felt slightly overwhelmed on how to weed through the list ever growing list. We discussed looking at prices and reviews to start. She also asked specifically for some teacher approved apps.
Week 3: I responded with teacher recommended apps from classmates and on twitter as well as an image on keeping the use of technology on focus. This was met with gratitude and a calmer sense of this is doable.
Week 4: My mentee approached me with some apps to research which I followed up on and we then discussed getting together to look at and discuss apps. Definitely a sense that she needed more assistance.
Week 5: The librarian thanked me for the provided apps. She was planning an 'apps with apps' meeting and wanted me in attendance. Appeared very grateful but uncertain about being able to setting time for meeting in the near future.
Week 6: No correspondence.
Week 7: Sheepishly admitted teachers have been using iPads and just looking at list of potential apps as necessary. Still dedicated to having a bigger meeting to introduce more apps to teachers but appeared mildly embarrassed the meeting didn't happen first.
Observations of teachers:
Within the first week of providing a list of apps for my mentee, I was approached by another teacher in the building for help finding subject specific apps for two of her students. I quickly sent a list off to which she responded, "Wow! Thank you" and referred to me as a technology guru. I also ran into another parent around town two weeks later who thanked me for the apps, the librarian had passed my list on to her, and she was extremely grateful to have a 'guide' for apps for her kids to use rather than 'spending two or more hours every night' searching and not finding much. There seems to be a definite need for assistance in wading through the endless apps available.
Survey:
I felt I had a pretty strong read from my observations on how the apps were being received. Since we have yet to hold a meeting to formally introduce the implementation and uses of the iPads an survey of my mentee and teachers did not seem appropriate or necessary.
Student learning: My own child's teacher has the iPad in her class and occasionally lets students use it as another computing device for an online exercise. It has not been used beyond that as far as he reports.
Overall, it was a mainly successful endeavor however I need to keep the ball rolling. It was easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of the year and push this project aside for both myself and my mentee. But we are not finished yet. She has requested assistance using the Reflector app which we both believe will open doors for many new uses of the iPads for the teachers. The shear volume of apps available is definitely overwhelming for many so it is useful to have a PLN to help navigate and share findings with to educate others. Finally, technology integration takes time and will evolve as needs and opportunities arise.
Karimi, S. (n.d.). How to Write a Data Analysis. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_4830939_write-data-analysis.html
MENTOR. National Mentoring Partnership. Retrieved from http://www.mentoring.org/get_involved/for_mentors
NCWIT Mentoring-in-a-Box: Technical Women at Work. Mentoring Basics - A Mentor's Guide to Success. Retrieve from http://www.ncwit.org/sites/default/files/legacy/pdf/IMentor_MentorGuide.pdf
Week 1: We started off strong with me sending them a quick list of apps to explore and get a feel for what is out there. It was greatly appreciated and shared with any one who asked.
Week 2: Our next interaction she felt slightly overwhelmed on how to weed through the list ever growing list. We discussed looking at prices and reviews to start. She also asked specifically for some teacher approved apps.
Week 3: I responded with teacher recommended apps from classmates and on twitter as well as an image on keeping the use of technology on focus. This was met with gratitude and a calmer sense of this is doable.
Week 4: My mentee approached me with some apps to research which I followed up on and we then discussed getting together to look at and discuss apps. Definitely a sense that she needed more assistance.
Week 5: The librarian thanked me for the provided apps. She was planning an 'apps with apps' meeting and wanted me in attendance. Appeared very grateful but uncertain about being able to setting time for meeting in the near future.
Week 6: No correspondence.
Week 7: Sheepishly admitted teachers have been using iPads and just looking at list of potential apps as necessary. Still dedicated to having a bigger meeting to introduce more apps to teachers but appeared mildly embarrassed the meeting didn't happen first.
Observations of teachers:
Within the first week of providing a list of apps for my mentee, I was approached by another teacher in the building for help finding subject specific apps for two of her students. I quickly sent a list off to which she responded, "Wow! Thank you" and referred to me as a technology guru. I also ran into another parent around town two weeks later who thanked me for the apps, the librarian had passed my list on to her, and she was extremely grateful to have a 'guide' for apps for her kids to use rather than 'spending two or more hours every night' searching and not finding much. There seems to be a definite need for assistance in wading through the endless apps available.
Survey:
I felt I had a pretty strong read from my observations on how the apps were being received. Since we have yet to hold a meeting to formally introduce the implementation and uses of the iPads an survey of my mentee and teachers did not seem appropriate or necessary.
Student learning: My own child's teacher has the iPad in her class and occasionally lets students use it as another computing device for an online exercise. It has not been used beyond that as far as he reports.
Overall, it was a mainly successful endeavor however I need to keep the ball rolling. It was easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of the year and push this project aside for both myself and my mentee. But we are not finished yet. She has requested assistance using the Reflector app which we both believe will open doors for many new uses of the iPads for the teachers. The shear volume of apps available is definitely overwhelming for many so it is useful to have a PLN to help navigate and share findings with to educate others. Finally, technology integration takes time and will evolve as needs and opportunities arise.
Karimi, S. (n.d.). How to Write a Data Analysis. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_4830939_write-data-analysis.html
MENTOR. National Mentoring Partnership. Retrieved from http://www.mentoring.org/get_involved/for_mentors
NCWIT Mentoring-in-a-Box: Technical Women at Work. Mentoring Basics - A Mentor's Guide to Success. Retrieve from http://www.ncwit.org/sites/default/files/legacy/pdf/IMentor_MentorGuide.pdf
I was thinking about the "next steps" of your project. I think you need to teach your mentees some self-sufficiency as they continue their incorporation of iPads into their teaching. If you continue mentoring, could you give them some blogs to follow for iPad apps? Then maybe meet with them as they begin researching apps on their own? Otherwise you are going to have a lot of work to do in the future researching for them. You know that "teach a man to fish" saying...
ReplyDeleteYes!! Thank you Barbra! I will definitely get them set up following blogs to research apps on their own. Always a curse for me being to eager to help rather then empower ;)
DeleteAndrea - Another thing that you didn't mention, but that I think would be helpful, would be to make sure the teachers have the "dongles" for the iPads so that they could use them on their projectors or SmartBoards. This would allow a more varied use if the iPads. Finding ways for the teachers to incorporate the iPads into centers would be a good use also. It's great that the librarian was forward thinking enough to be able to get these for the teachers, but will be a shame if the students don't get their hands on them or get direct interaction with them via a projector. I agree with Barbara that the teachers need to find some way to be empowered to do their own learning with these devices. There are just too many "10 apps all teachers must have" lists out there, and it can be quite overwhelming. Perhaps if they were hearing about them from someone they trusted (you or the librarian), and would get some practical ideas about how to use them that could be a good start. It seems like your friend trusts you a lot in terms of suggestions and advice concerning their use - more motivation for her to move forward!
ReplyDeleteYes dongles! Thank you! I had sent them a blog that explained specifically how to use Reflector which included dongles. I have yet to hear back on how that was received. The staff in general are pretty techie, most have smart boards etc. so I am fairly confident they will embrace the iPads, but that 's not to say they won't need some encouragement or hooks to get started! I do plan to follow through with a meeting with the teachers to demonstrate possible uses and give them ideas on how to search for apps on their own as you and Barbra suggested. Thanks for your input! Always appreciated.
DeleteAndrea,
ReplyDeleteI too have an iPad within my classroom (only 1), and I often find it difficult to find apps that are relevant and useful within my classroom. In researching for these educational apps, I found a ton of great resources that list apps, and what they are used for. Perhaps it is something you may want to check out for additional ideas http://www.appolicious.com/education/articles/13035-top-35-must-have-educational-iphone-and-ipad-apps-used-by-real-teachers-in-the-classroom
Also, since I just LOVE scholastic I figured I would check out what they recommended for classroom use. Check them out here: http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/more-homework-help/9-great-apps-math-grade-grade-guide Scholastic breaks up the apps according to grade level, so this may also be useful for the teachers. Good luck, hopefully some of these will been useful!