iPads as learning journals

During our week 8 term 3 student free day we discussed ways in which to collect and store evidence of student learning. One of these was the idea of using the iPad as a Learning Journal in particular for practical subjects. PE, Food Tech, Art, Science and Technology are all areas that could benefit from this type of learning journal. This is not to say other areas would not benefit but practical areas lend themselves to recording evidence of learning through photos and video.

The example below is a learning journal for Year 9/10 PE (Volleyball). A simple explanation of this journal is that it provides task outlines, success criteria , images and video that support those criteria and spaces for students to insert video and text explaining their learning. I have also created one for my 7/8 Badminton class.

Of course there are hurdles to over come to make this work.

  • Students need access to the same iPad, not every lesson but on a regular basis during the term.
  • The teacher has to create the learning journal in Book Creator and Airdrop (or FileBrowser) it to Book Creator on all student iPads .
  • Students need time in lessons to complete journal work (hwk not possible using school iPad).
  • Students need the opportunity to back up their journal on a regular basis to their student folder using File Browser incase their book is erased (accidentally or intentionally).
  • Students will need assistance and scaffolding to help them use apps like Book Creator and iMovie as well as any other app that might be used to create content for the journal i.e. Popplet and Explain Everything.

Once students have completed their journal the easiest way to hand it up is to Airdrop it to the teachers iPad (teacher opens in iBooks). This could potentially cause another issue as so many journals containing video will require a certain number of Gigabytes of free space on the teachers iPad. However if this is not a problem then the teacher now has access to all the students journals in their iBooks app.

Note: Students should also upload a copy of the ePub file to their student folder using the File Browser app. This allows the book to be deleted from the student and teacher iPads in the future while still providing access to it if needed i.e. a parent teacher interview.

It will be interesting to see how this process works. It is the first time I have tried it on a large scale (46 students across two classes).

Update November 2014 – A completed student journal

Australian Curriculum Update – Technologies and HPE

ACARA has released three new videos to support the Australian Curriculum.

  • Digital Technologies
  • Design and Technologies
  • Health and Physical Education

If you would like to see other videos created by ACARAedau click here. Includes videos on senior maths, science, history, geography and English.

Digital Technologies: An introduction

Design and Technologies: An introduction

Health and Physical Education: Teacher Video

Augmented Reality – Aurasma App

I found this app a long time ago but it was really buggy and I didn’t have the patience at the time to use it. It now works better than it used to and although it does not work through our wireless network it will work through a smartphone hotspot. I have put it across the student iPads as it has the potential to be used by students if a teacher wants to use their phones hotspot for students to create ‘auras’ in the app. Note: an internet connection is only needed to create the ‘aura’ and trigger, once completed it needs no connection if the video is on the iPad/iPhone being used.

I decided to try it out with my 9/10 PE class who are doing volleyball this term. To make it easy I used my school iPad, my personal iPad and my iPhone so students had 3 devices to use in the hall during lessons. We have been using it this week and I think it has helped students to understand the serving skill (our focus this week) and given them a point of reference they can go back to without me having to be alongside a student helping them out. This keeps certain students engaged in a task while I can work with other groups in other areas of the hall. I can see potential for this app in any subject area  – imagine a student poster with images that when an iPad is held up to them turn into videos created by students elaborating on the content of the poster.

To understand what it is that I have been talking about watch this video it demonstrates how I have used it with my volleyball unit.

The next video is from Aurasma and gives a more detailed look at how the app works.

How do I use my iPad to assist student learning?

There are a range of apps and tools that I use with my iPad to assist student learning.

Obviously having one iPad in a classroom has its limits so once we get our class set up and running the flexibility and independence the students will have with their learning will be significant. My use use of the iPad is subject specific to HPE but there will be ideas that are transferable.

Apple TV, Wireless Router, Speakers, Data Projector

These tools allow me to use my iPad in the gym effectively. They are also easy to use as they are permanently set up on a trolley. Once the power is turned on the Apple TV and iPad/iPhone connect with no prompting. I can project video, student work or presentations onto a large screen in the gym to assist my students learning. The Apple TV allows me to do this wirelessly which is brilliant. A great example of the benefit of wireless connectivity is when I work with the JP students. I use a lot of music to encourage movement and engagement. Instead of having to have my phone plugged into the stereo I can walk around the gym and be with the students and still control the music.

So what apps do I use as a HPE teacher?

iMovie

I produce videos for my senior PE students to assist with their learning. I have made multiple videos explaining concepts from skill progression to components of fitness and body systems. Making instructional videos for students could be done in any subject for any year level. To store these videos I use various places on the Internet including You Tube.

I make videos to share what happens in my junior PE classes with parents by uploading these to You Tube and embedding them on my juniorhpe blog for parents to view. Click here to visit this blog.

I have downloaded Just Dance videos from You Tube, put them together in iMovie to create one file and then played these through Apple TV to use with students. This has been very engaging and a great way to teach dance to students. Click here to view my Year  1/2 PE students using Just Dance.

TimeMotion and DartFish EasyTag

These apps provide a simple and easy way to collect data during games and then analyse and reflect on that data to help improve student knowledge of things like movement, tactical play and use of skills.

Ubersense/Coaches Eye/Coach My Video

Using these apps I am able to assist the development of student skills through video analysis. Ubersense in particular has the ability to compare two videos side by side. All have a variety of tools that allow for analysis of video.

Fotobabble and PixnTell

Students are able to record photos of skills, or games and add audio over the top. Fotobabble allows one photo at a time while PixnTell allows multiple photos to be put into a sequence with audio. Great for analysis and reflection.

Giant Scoreboard, G.A.P.S., CoachNote, Badminton, PE Plus, PE Games, Group Games and TGfU

These apps provide me with a range of tools and resources to assist me with my PE lessons. From Giant Scoreboard to apps like PE Plus & TGfU that have a range of games and activities on them grouped by sport or skill type.

CardioBuddy, This is my Body – Anatomy, Virtual Heart, 3D Brain, Skeletal 3D and a range of other anatomy apps (there are so many)

CardioBuddy allows measurement of heart rate, while the anatomy apps are useful for my older students to review body systems. This is my Body – Anatomy is a great app for JP/Middle primary students.

Workouts, FitDeck Junior and Ripdeck

These fitness apps provide a broad range of fitness based activities. They allow the user to run pre made circuits to custom made ones at a variety of intensities. I have not used these yet with students but intend to very soon. I have some disengaged girls in my year 9/10 PE class who have said they would be interested in doing some fitness based activity instead of the current traditional sports unit. My intention is to get them to design their own fitness routines and provide time in and out of class to improve their fitness.

These are the apps that I have found to assist me with helping students learn in HPE. It has taken a while and often trial and error has been involved.

I can’t wait to get the class set up and running and see how it further enhances student learning in my classroom and is utilised across the school. What apps have you found that work for you?

 

Easy Portfolio App

Something that that I am trying to improve in my teaching (slowly) is the recording and use of more formative assessment.

I need to understand more accurately where my students are at with their learning and feed this back to them on a more regular basis. How do I record the formative assessment that occurs in my HPE classes more effectively, in a way that I can easily access later/immediately?

My solution at the moment is the Easy Portfolio app for iPad. Here is an App that has powerful uses from Reception to Year 12. Once you have entered your student names you can build a portfolio for each student. You can add the following types of files to the student portfolios:

1. Video – add video taken at another time or take a video within the app and add immediately. Oral presentations, video of models and projects, video student collaboration. I have used this during term  3 to video my 7/8 students in practical lessons completing Touch Football drills (short 20 second videos).

2. Images – ad images stored on your iPad or take a photo within the app to add instantly to the portfolio. Take photos of student work or students completing tasks/working with others. I used this the other day with a student whose work would not save on the computer  or USB (it was an image with 5 associated words) so I took a photo of it and stored it in that students portfolio. Perfect for taking photos of student writing in junior primary, easy to see class/student progression in one place (on the iPad) instead of having to take home 17 books to look through.

3. Audio – add audio. This could be a conversation between you and a student (conferencing) or record a students oral presentation and instantly place it in their portfolio.

4. Notes – add notes. Type in notes about students attitude, behaviour, absence, performance, learning etc…

5. URL – add a URL. Add web addresses that contain student work ie a Glogster poster, a photo stored on Flikr, a blog or a website that enhances work they completed elsewhere.

6. Documents – add a document. Documents (all office documents) can be uploaded to the Easy Portfolio app. You do need a Dropbox account  (online/cloud storage 2G free) as the  creator of the app has linked it with Dropbox. I have used this function with my year 9 students by getting them to save a document to my USB. I then copy and paste them into a folder in drop box, assess them/add comment then upload them to the portfolio app. You can’t edit them once they are in the portfolio app. Two minute video explaining Dropbox click here. Download Dropbox click here.

This app would also be great for parent teacher interviews. Connect it up to the white board and show parents and students examples of work completed over the term or semester to enhance discussions about student learning. No need to have piles of books, paper, posters, projects within reach when conducting parent teacher interviews.

To see how the Easy Portfolio app works watch this video made by its creator Jared Robinson.