# data[].attributes.body
Thanks a lot for giving us great ideas to prepare our learning diary.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, my name is Natascia Pica and I'm a teacher in a primary school, in Italy.
I would prepare my learning diary for the new course on eTwinning world.

# data[].attributes.body
I use this tool I'be learnt to use it through etwinning and other courses

# data[].attributes.body
Hello! I am Loredana, from Romania.

# data[].attributes.body
Great idea.

# data[].attributes.body
I love these tool and I use in daily school lessons. Thank You!

# data[].attributes.body
Thank you for sharing. Great projects and ideas.

# data[].attributes.body
I use this tool in daily school routine.
eTwinning showed the use to me.
Thank you eTwinning and School Education Gateway !

# data[].attributes.body
Great

# data[].attributes.body
Rula bsoul, Jordan
Thanks to give me a very good idea for learning plans and learning diary.
It's great and perfect.

# data[].attributes.body
Online education as a result of this pandemic has been a great challenge for all actors: teachers, students, parents. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this course and learn many new things. I have been working since April 2020, on the Gsuite For Education platform and I have offered my special students, numerous interactive exercises on the platforms: https://learningapps.org/user/vioricagreab, https://quizizz.com/admin/private, https://www.jigsawplanet.com/vioricagreab?viewas=0e82241851bd

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, again!
In Classroom I really like to use interactive exercises for my students, along with the textbooks made available on edu.ro and presentations that I usually do in Google Presentation. I really like the Learning APPS platform: https://learningapps.org/user/vioricagreab

# data[].attributes.body
Thank you very much

# data[].attributes.body
Thanks a lot for giving us great ideas to prepare our learning diary.

# data[].attributes.body
Modül 3
I teach elementary school 1st grade students. I continue by transforming the modules. I wish there was an easier way.
I hope it will contribute to myself and my students.

# data[].attributes.body
I am Happy TEXT
  I am a Turkish teacher. I proceed by translating. I wish it was an easier way. I'm burning the inadequacy of the English taught to us.
I hope it will contribute to myself and my children.

# data[].attributes.body
I am Mutlu METİN
I am a Turkish teacher. ı live in Samsun. I proceed by translating. I wish it was an easier way. I'm burning the inadequacy of the English taught to us.
I hope it will contribute to myself and my children.

# data[].attributes.body
Debating is great. I use sometimes Moodle and Google classroom for the same

# data[].attributes.body
I like your ideea.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello I am from Azerbaijan. This very helpful course. I hope to learn useful information from here. A have a problem to translate all text from English to native language is difficult

# data[].attributes.body
yen

# data[].attributes.body
Hello from TURKEY...
I like the ıdea...

# data[].attributes.body
I am Selma KURTOĞLU
modül 1 ile başladım ama çok yavaş ilerliyorum.sürekli çeviri yapmaktan bıktım.keşke daha kolay bir yolu olsa.bize öğretilen ingilizcenin yetersizliğine yanıyorum.
4.sınıf öğretmeniyim.umarım kendime ve çocuklarıma katkısı olur.
I stardet modüle 1.but I m moving very slowly.I m tired of constantly translating.I wish it were the erasier way though.I m burned to the inadeguay of the English we are tought.Iam a 4 th grade teacher.I hope it helps me and my students.

# data[].attributes.headline
I like the idea so much!.. Thank you for your sharing and letting us know about it!..

# data[].attributes.subject
I like the idea so much!.. Thank you for your sharing and letting us know about it!..

# data[].attributes.headline
Selam,2 yıldır etwinning projelerinde yeralmaktayım,Öğrencilerimin yaratıcılıklarını ortaya çıkarmada çok katkısı oldu.

# data[].attributes.subject
Selam,2 yıldır etwinning projelerinde yeralmaktayım,Öğrencilerimin yaratıcılıklarını ortaya çıkarmada çok katkısı oldu.

# data[].attributes.body
Oggi sono andato a scuola e ho fatto francese che mi doveva interrogare sulla ricerca che ho fatto sulla torre Eiffel, ma ha deciso di interrogarmi domani. Poi ho fatto la verifica di inglese che penso sia andata bene e infine ho avuto le ultime 3 ore la prof Moriconi che ha spiegato geografia e letteratura. Dopo scuola sono andato a casa ho mangiato e sono andato al corso di inglese, poi sono tornato a casa e ho fatto algebra. Questa era la mia giornata.
Simone Del Vecchio.

# data[].attributes.body
Ciao mi chiamo Simone ho 12 anni e mezzo, vado in terza media e mi piace giocare a calcio

# data[].attributes.headline
I use brain storming, cooperative learning and flipped classroom. I’d like using debate. Here there are my students’works. 

# data[].attributes.subject
I use brain storming, cooperative learning and flipped classroom. I’d like using debate. Here there are my students’works. 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
ProProfs presents you this info-graphic that introduces the concept of flipped classrooms. It offers you information on how teachers and students respond to this new idea of learning.

Also, you may want to check The Educators' Guide to Flipped Classroom, where you will find answer on how does a flipped classroom contribute to student learning, the top benefits and disadvantages of a flipped classroom, and last but not least, how to successfully Flip your classroom.

Finally, I highly encourage you to check:
Progressive Education: The Rising Power Of Student Voice
Read many current educational articles or twitter feeds, and it becomes pretty clear that progressive educationalists are gaining voice. Project based, constructivist, experiential, problem solving curriculum is lauded and promoted at every turn, and thankfully so. Learning becomes deeper and more meaningful when students participate in knowledge building. However, there are a few educationalists who are really pushing and disrupting the boundaries of progressive education. They are those who believe in student generated content.
A strategy for creating a School e-learning culture
Education is constantly changing the way students learn and how instructors teach. Technology is often the driving force behind many of the world's changes and innovations. In education, creating an e-learning culture is more about developing and tweaking what already exists, sharing a common vision, and doing things a little differently. The purpose of this article is to identify and outline a strategy for creating an e-learning culture within a school system ready to step away from traditional teaching.
The Concept of Individualized Learning Plans in eLearning
Individualized Learning Plans constitute a user-specific learning program or strategy that resembles a mapped academic plan, reflecting each learner's unique set of strengths, weaknesses, goals, needs, abilities, preferences, and interests. It constitutes an educational technique, undoubtedly easier to implement in the field of eLearning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is a Flipped Classroom Infographic Plus The Educator Guide to Flipped Classroom - e-Learning Infographics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ProProfs presents you this info-graphic that introduces the concept of flipped classrooms. It offers you information on how teachers and students respond to this new idea of learning. Also, you may want to check The Educators' Guide to Flipped Classroom, where you will find answer on how does a flipped classroom contribute to student learning, [...]

# data[].attributes.body
Edpuzzle

Padlet or Linoit

Explain everything

# data[].attributes.body
PARENTS and time for preparing materials.

# data[].attributes.body
I haven't tried flipping classroom yet. In my opinion it really needs a huge support from parents.

# data[].attributes.body
Many interesting things and ideas have been said. I would like to emphasis that in my opinion it is very important that student can choose (even from a small amount possibilities) what to do and how to do it.

# data[].attributes.body
I feel we have a lack of getting information about our students and their learning styles here in the Czech republic. But I know that there are different divisions of learning styles. I personally like MBTI a lot. I took some trainings in it and I like the way how tasks are given and communication is led in this typology. In USA students even work with MBTI typology and they try to judge themeselves which type they are and they are trained to work with it - how to relax, how to learn and so on

# data[].attributes.headline
Ten tips how to use PhotoFunia in lessons

# data[].attributes.subject
Ten tips how to use PhotoFunia in lessons

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The award winning iPad educators site brings you feature articles, app spotlights and exclusive interviews with both innovative educators and app developers.

# data[].attributes.headline
Actionbound for revising measuring of mass

# data[].attributes.subject
Actionbound for revising measuring of mass

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
App for multimedia guides, interactive scavenger hunts and rallies for smartphones and tablets.

# data[].attributes.body
An article

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Greg Kulowiec begins his session by asking, "Why limit our students to one tool at one time?" With App Smashing, students can create content with a variety of apps and then publish it to the web - don't let content "die on your iPad."

The general concept between App Smashing is merging content from a variety of apps. Greg likes the word App Smash, but Lisa Johnson (@techchef4u) calls it App Synergy.

Toolkit for App Smashing - keep it simple!

The key to App Smashing is the camera roll - use apps that can save to camera roll or take screen captures and bring them in. What's important is that content be created, but it doesn't have to be digital. Imagine a student who creates in the real world, takes a picture or video, brings it into a product, and publishes to the web. The idea is creation and publishing without limits.

While the concept is to create content, get it into a central location, and make something with it, now, what can you do???? What can you prompt students to create.

App Smash Creations

Create a multimedia book about whatever concept, topic or idea is happening in class. Content comes from students exploring resources and creating something new.

Create a published web-book that can be exported to the web as a PDF. These completed products can be viewed in Issuu or Flipsnack. What about when students don't have access? Greg has a solution - create on paper, take pictures, and publish to the web!

"Making books if fun, but advanced video can be more fun," says Greg. Consider the potential of creating video content in a variety of formats, sending it to iMovie, and then publishing via YouTube or Vimeo. "Don't let people tell you that iPad can't be public-facing. Get the content off." Greg continues - even if it means putting all of it on a teacher YouTube or Vimeo channel. For a "meta experience of app smashing about app smashing," check out AppSmash Round 1.

The ThingLink Smash is one of Greg's favorites. With ThingLink, you can create interactive images with hotspots. If you create ThingLinks from a computer, you can link any content created on iPad and published to the web: YouTube, Vimeo, SoundCloud, or even upload from the camera roll. While it is possible to upload video from the camera roll, it works better to have them linked from the cloud. For students, it's a great opportunity to share and showcase their work. It is important to remember that once you create a ThingLink on the iPad app, you can't go back and edit. However, the web version of ThingLink works in Safari on iPad as well as anything else with a web browser. One great solution from the crowd is to "Device Smash." Use iPhone panorama pictures to capture student creations across a wall and then use it as a ThingLink background.

RSA Animate Smashes are much like the professional videos created for the Sir Ken Robinson talk, but all created on iPad. Greg shows how Explain Everything can make this possible by creating the video, exporting to the camera roll, speeding it up in TiltShift Video, and then adding voice over via iMovie. Another option is to point an iPad towards a dry-erase board to create these videos in the real world that can be published via iPad. Greg showed this video about how to do create an RSA video on iPad.

Common Craft Videos are also possible as App Smashes. Create paper objects either on paper or with a drawing app, bring them into Explain Everything to move around the objects, save to camera roll, bring into iMovie and then publish!

Green Screen App Smashing is now possible thanks to the DoInk app. To do this, create video pieces in Explain Everything and/or Tellagami with a chroma-key background and then layer the videos in DoInk. The completed project can then be saved to camera roll and then brought into iMovie. In other words,

Collaborative App Smashes

The first key to App Smashing is AirDrop on the newer iPads. Students can easily push content to each other via AirDrop.

However, Drive or Dropbox could also be used to share content. Explain Everything and Book Creator are both great apps for collaboration because the actual projects can be imported and smashed together. The capacity now exists to co-create and co-publish all from iPads. Consider the potential for wide-scale collaboration!
>> View Greg's presentation materials
Want to learn more? Join us this coming year!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Unleashing Creativity: Greg Kulowiec App Smashing - from Beth Holland - EdTechTeacher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Greg Kulowiec begins his session by asking, "Why limit our students to one tool at one time?" With App Smashing, students can create content with a variety of apps and then publish it to the web - don't let content "die on your ... Read more

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.smore.com/55c7d

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Perparing to go for a field trip

On Monday we are leaving for a field trip. For five days we will be exploring our limits, our relationships and having fun. We will also try new sports and prepare a group play. And last but not least we will our iPads with us.

Grand opening

We will open our geolocated game for public on 10th June. Come and play with us. Live through one day during WWII with little Annie. Help her to find a shelter. Why? Will she survive? You have to come and play our game Spirit of Čakovice with us.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Petra's News - What's new around me by Petra Bohackova | This newsletter was created with Smore, an online tool for creating beautiful newsletters for educators, nonprofits, businesses and more

# data[].attributes.body
Wow, so many apps (and suffer for me because I feel like an app collector, each app I see must try and have in my iPad :-).

For collaborative work I use Google Drive - Google docs or presentations mostly. And I must forget Book creator.

# data[].attributes.body
I have been working as an ewtinning ambassador for two years. From my experience the most successful projects are those where students work in international groups. But these project are the most difficult ones to manage.

# data[].attributes.body
I monitor my students during their work. I encourage them to ask me questions if they do not understand something properly.

# data[].attributes.body
I also use different ways. Sometimes, students can choose themselves, sometimes I put them into groups myself. I almost always insist on that different roles are taken by students (e.g. one who writes, one who reads, one who draws, ...). I also use Team up or different apps like Pick a Student or Decide Now.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The SAMR Model

The SAMR Model, developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, describes technology integration through four levels defined as follows:

Substitution: Technology is used as a direct substitute for what you might do already, with no functional change.
Augmentation: Technology is a direct substitute, but there is functional improvement over what you did without the technology.
Modification: Technology allows you to significantly redesign the task.
Redefinition: Technology allows you to do what was previously not possible.

From http://www.maggiehosmcgrane.com/2010/03/samr-model.html

While the first intuitive step for using any new classroom tool is to substitute it for what you already do, the goal for a teacher in a 1:1 classroom is to move beyond the substitution and augmentation levels (Enhancement) and toward the modification and redefinition levels (Transformation).

Here's an informative article from EdWeek about a teacher who redefined her classroom instruction as a result of the technology, in particular, iPads.

In this article, EdTechTeacher blogger Beth Holland provides a healthy perspective on SAMR, technology integration, and the Redefinition stage.

The TPACK Model

TPACK stands for Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge, and the interaction between these three concepts as they relate to teaching in a technology enhanced learning environment.

Here's a terrific video explaining the TPACK model, from Candice M, TPACK in 2 Minutes.

See Dr. Matthew Koehler's definition of What is TPACK?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The SAMR Model, developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, describes technology integration through four levels defined as follows: Substitution: Technology is used as a direct substitute for what you might do already, with no functional change. Augmentation: Technology is a direct substitute, but there is functional improvement over what you did without the technology.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The tablet has changed the landscape of classrooms around the world, from flipped learning to augmented reality. A much needed balance between function and affordability, tablets of all shapes and sizes are being embraced by teachers in millions of different ways. The Tablets for Teaching Kids Infographic provides an overview of how this shift is taking place.

Teachers and kids are increasingly tech savvy
Types of interactive tech teachers use:

93% use Laptops/Desktops,

55% use Interactive Whiteboards,

34% use Tablets/iPads,

34% use handheld devices and

5% use multi-touch tables/surfaces.

More than 50% of teachers as well as administrators said children use technology 5 days a week in their classroom and less than 10% of them said children use technology less than once a week.

iPads and tablets are already widely used in the classroom
In elementary school:

1/3 of students surveyed (32 percent) said they use small tablets versus 21 percent using larger tablets.

26 percent use basic ebook readers

5 percent netbooks

a full 35 percent use smartphones

In middle school, the numbers skew slightly more toward smart phones and laptops:

25 percent use small tablets

23 percent use larger tablets

17 percent use basic e-book readers

12 percent still use netbooks.

70 percent of middle school students use laptops for learning

66 percent use desktops

47 percent use smart phones

And in high school:

19 percent use full-size tablets for educational purposes;

17 percent use small tablets;

16 percent use basic e-book readers; and

10 percent use netbooks.

75 % use laptops

65% desktops

60% smartphones

Why should technology be used in the classroom?

80% of teachers and 69% of administrators said, "The children enjoy it".

54% of teachers and 48% of administrators said, "Technology helps children meet the goals of the program".

60% of teachers and 54% of administrators said, "To support dual language learners".

65% of teachers and 69% of administrators said, "To support children who have special needs"

And less than 10% of them said that they used technology only for teacher-controlled activities.

Ways students use tablets/iPads in school

70% for research

70% for homework

55% check assignments

47% take notes in class

46% read digital textbooks

39% check class schedules

33% take exams

8 million: number of iPads in classrooms in first four years after introduction

94%: Apple's share of tablets in education [see pros and cons below]

107,844: number of education apps in Apple's App store

97,000: number of educational apps in Android's Google Play store

Pros...and cons of iPads in k-12
iPads, Pros:

Students love them - iPads in the classroom will get even the most stubborn students excited and engaged.

Good battery life.

Apps galore.

Platform for e-textbooks.

Communication tool - Have any shy students not willing to speak out in class? Using iPads in the classroom can help fix that.

Great content viewer.

User-friendly to students with disabilities- There are many apps for students with cognitive disabilities.

Lightweight and portable.

Fast and easy to use.

Cons:

Doesn't support flash- one of the biggest criticisms of the iPad is its lack of ability to work with Adobe Flash and JavaScript.

No USB port.

Lack of multi-tasking- multiple windows and files can't be kept open side by side. Expensive.

Potential to be distracting.

Lack of production capabilities- a great content viewer, but not as great for content creation.

Typing is sometimes frustrating.

Not good for sharing. With the incapability to enter logins, each student needs his/her own. Personal information can't be stored if students are sharing iPads.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tablets for Teaching Kids Infographic - e-Learning Infographics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Tablets for Teaching Kids Infographic provides an overview of how tablets of all shapes and sizes are being embraced by teachers!

# data[].attributes.body
Webinar How to engage parents

# data[].attributes.body
Webinar How to engage parents

# data[].attributes.body
Webinar How to engage parents

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dr. Puentedura graciously Creative Commons-licenses some of his papers to allow for reproduction on other sites with attribution.

I have taken one of the PDF files and turned it into a slideshow below. I have included links to the original PDF files in case you want to download it from Dr. Puentedura's site.

Bloom's and SAMR:
​My thoughts based on the work of R. Puentedura, A. Churches and L. Nelson

I feel teachers need to both create tasks that target the higher-order cognitive skills (Bloom's) as well as design tasks that have a significant impact on student outcomes (SAMR). A visual to illustrate that follows.

Educators will argue they have seen redefinition tasks that only target the remembering level or have a creative assessment that is only at the augmentation level. Of course that is true, but I believe we should be planning for technology tasks, activities, and assessments that include both the higher levels of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and the transformation area of the SAMR model.

My vision of how the Bloom's and SAMR models work together and intersect follows below.

Bloom's and TECH: My thoughts

Work by others

Videos by others

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
SAMR is a model designed to help educators infuse technology into teaching and learning. Popularized by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, the model supports and enables teachers to design, develop, and ...

# data[].attributes.body
possible Christmas present :-)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Publisher's Acknowledgments

1. There's an App for That!

2. Photography and Tablets

4. Using Tablets to Enhance Speaking and Listening

5. Student Authors - Compose and Publish

6. QR Codes in the Classroom

7. More Ideas for Creating Content

8. Incorporating Tablets Into Instruction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Publisher's Acknowledgments 1. There's an App for That! 2. Photography and Tablets 4. Using Tablets to Enhance Speaking and Listening 5. Student Authors - Compose and Publish 6. QR Codes in the Classroom 7. More Ideas for Creating Content 8. Incorporating Tablets Into Instruction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
rom September, coding will be part of the primary and secondary education curriculum in the UK, as part of wider changes designed to boost computer literacy alongside reading, writing and maths skills for British children.

Some independent schools are already providing a glimpse at the potential. Which is why I recently found myself in Cambridge, watching a classroom of Year 5 girls - 9-10 year-olds - practising their programming skills on iPad apps like Hopscotch, Move the Turtle and Kodable.

The school is the Stephen Perse Foundation, where I later see a Year 7 class sat at computers getting hands on with MIT's Scratch programming language, then meet members of the school's App Club, who have been making their own apps using Objective-C.

It's fair to say this school is still an exception rather than the rule for the British education system: it's an independent school with more freedom to set its own curriculum, and the resources to have rolled out an iPad for every senior-school pupil, with more available for younger pupils to use too.

The Foundation even has its own director of digital strategy, Dan Edwards, who is one of more than 2,000 Apple Distinguished Educators dotted around the world. It's a powerful case study for what that company is doing in the education sector, but one that also raises thorny questions about the strategies of other schools, technology companies and governments.

The way tablets were introduced at the Stephen Perse Foundation followed an increasingly common pattern: first a limited pilot with teachers using the devices, then a trial with children, and finally the full rollout across the school.

The process has included training teachers, evaluating apps and constructing courses using Apple's iTunes U service, as well as frequently shaking up the strategy when, according to Edwards, the girls blaze through a course or app that he thought would present a challenge for their age group, and demand to move on to the next level. "When we're planning for next year, we genuinely don't know where they'll be," he says. "When you remove barriers, it's amazing how quickly things move."

It's interesting to see how the tablets are being used across the school's curriculum, rather than being hived off into specific ICT lessons, as they might be in schools where the devices are more limited. The Year 5 class use the Pages app to create field trip reports and mock up newspaper front pages, and other apps for tasks like creating comic strips about the sinking of the Mary Rose.

Their teacher tells me the emphasis is on using tablets to create, rather than consume; a message later reiterated when I sit down with the school's principal, Tricia Kelleher. "If you're a school, you have to get beyond this just being a device that you use. You can create what's on it as well, and that's been the transformation in the last year. Otherwise, students are just being consumers," she says.

Hopscotch is one of the coding apps being used at the school. Photograph: PR

Kelleher also tells me about the Foundation's decision to make tablets such a core part of its teaching, which she says was grounded in a wider strategy of reaching out to Cambridge's thriving technology community, while providing skills that - even if pupils don't end up in tech-related careers - will serve them well in the workplace.

"It's about not just seeing a child as being a set of subjects, but looking at their world and the world they're going to live in. And we had a lightbulb moment about five years ago, realising there was something missing here," she says.

"Pupils would happily go into IT rooms, do their IT, go to another lesson and then not remember what they'd just done in IT. We realised that it needed to be embedded in what they do. We weren't sure about the full potential of the iPad, but we took the risk. We can't be telling our young people they should be risk-takers if we as an institution can't take a risk."

Those coding apps at junior-school level are laying the foundations for some students to explore the discipline when they reach senior school, through its App Club. It's run by Rob Percival, once a teacher at the Foundation who quit to run his own business, but now helps out with the club.

I meet four members - Trinity, Michelle, Laura and Emi - who've already made one iOS app - a tool for helping teachers track their "House Points" system of rewards for students - and are about to begin work on a second.

"The coding games and Scratch are wonderful, but it's nice if at the end of it, you can produce something that's of a quality that other people can use and enjoy," says Percival, who says the club doesn't shirk the initially-steep learning curve of Objective-C.

"There's a huge amount of initial enthusiasm, because they've all got ideas, and they think it's cool and fun. Tapping into that is quite easy, but it's a bit more difficult when they sit down to actually make an app," he admits. "There's a massive high, then quite a fast low, but once they manage to get through that, they can make something happen."

The girls say they're enjoying the challenge. "It's interesting to solve the problems that come with it. We all made mistakes when we started, but it's interesting to solve our mistakes and know not to make them later," says Michelle.

There's always a media fuss when a teenage developer and/or entrepreneur has some success - Nick D'Aloisio selling his Summly startup to Yahoo for a rumoured $30m being one prominent example. Actually, the prospect of whole year-groups of schoolchildren learning even just the basics of coding is just as interesting.

'We can't be telling our young people they should be risk-takers if we as an institution can't take a risk.' Photograph: PR

But that brings me back to some of those thorny questions. My two sons go to a great primary school that's a long way from having tablets available for every child. My children are lucky, with a tech hack for a father and tablets, apps and an enthusiasm for early coding close to hand. I recognise their privilege, but can't help wondering about wider accessibility issues.

Apple has iPads going into a wider range of schools than you'd think - Hove Park school is another flagship case study - and rivals are also thinking about these problems. Just this week, Samsung announced an expansion of its Europe-wide "smart classrooms" initiative, which focuses on 6-16 year-olds at schools in disadvantaged areas, for example.

Samsung also signified its presence at this month's BETT 2014 education technology event in London with a survey of more than 500 parents of primary and secondary school children in the UK, finding that 57% of them think schools do not invest enough in technology.

Perhaps if Apple and Samsung carry their fierce rivalry in the consumer technology world into the education sector, that will help. Libraries, too, could have a powerful role to play in boosting access to technology, although here too, there are complex and sensitive questions of resources. Initiatives like Code Club, which runs more than 1,800 after-school coding clubs around the UK, are also encouraging.

The visit also made me realise how there is more to tablets in schools than, well, tablets in schools. Look at the ecosystem around Apple's iTunes U, iBooks Textbooks, Distinguished Educators and even lesser-reported moves like the Educations Collections section within the App Store, which groups apps and e-books by discipline (maths, science, history etc) with teachers in mind.

Can Google and/or its device partners build a similar educational ecosystem in the months and years ahead, to complement the growing numbers of affordable Android tablets that may be an appealing alternative for schools and school authorities, for example?

Visiting the Stephen Perse Foundation and seeing how tablets, apps and coding are woven into its curriculum rather than hived off into "ICT" was an inspiring experience, but it's made me want to know more about how this can be brought to many more children in the years to come.

As a last point, it also made me think about the role of humans: from head teachers like Tricia Kelleher pushing through the resources and reforms required; through figures like Edwards who are figuring out how to use the new devices and give colleagues the support they need; through to those teachers using the technology on a day-to-day basis.

It reminded me that humans are important, rather than simply boiling these issues down to "School buys X tablets" headlines. "Speaking as a history teacher, the power of the story and the ability to have them in the palm of your hand? We mustn't lose that," says Kelleher.

"That's the human contact. We must not become so focused on the technology, we forget the importance of the relationships that are part of learning. The thing that holds this together is the teacher."

This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set. More information.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tablets in schools: coding, creativity and the importance of teachers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
rom September, coding will be part of the primary and secondary education curriculum in the UK, as part of wider changes designed to boost computer literacy alongside reading, writing and maths skills for British children. Some independent schools are already providing a glimpse at the potential.

# data[].attributes.body
CC

# data[].attributes.body
Manuals for measuring the weight. Done via Halftone 2.

# data[].attributes.body
This was created for an eTwinning project. We used Photo speak 3D.

https://youtu.be/CIDt9s_f6iA

# data[].attributes.body
I have use the Scenarios during CCL project. First, I din't know how to use them but then I got used to them and now I often prepares lessons having phases of learning scenarios in mind. I find phases make - ask - remake the most challenging for my students. They feel that if they did the work, it is ok and just wait for a grade. So nowadays I am trying to persuade them to find the mistakes and remake their work.

# data[].attributes.body
Sorry, only in Czech but it is important for me

# data[].attributes.body
Thank you for sharing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find new ideas and tips for teachers who use technology in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
As we are using Moodle in our school it is unlikely that we would use Edmodo, too. But I registered myself two years ago and got in touch with a few teachers from over the world. So I used it for my CPD :-). I did a year long project about waste with one of them.

# data[].attributes.body
A lot of pieces of advice have been given here. I have only a remark - when introducing tablets for the first time, let students to play with them for some time ... Let them explore and try apps, even if you think they are only playing. Maybe they are. But when you start serious work, they will be more concentrated and will work better.

# data[].attributes.body
I can see two challenges in our school. First is wifi that is REALLY working - anytime anywhere. Not like today - sometimes, somewhere.

It is a problem that we have been trying to solve for a long time ...

Second is a training for teachers. I think we should meet and share more often ...

# data[].attributes.headline
		
	
	
		
			
				
					Viewing mobile learning from a pedagogical perspective 
				
			
		

# data[].attributes.subject
		
	
	
		
			
				
					Viewing mobile learning from a pedagogical perspective 
				
			
		

# data[].attributes.body
Computer users should follow the 20/20/20 rule - after 20 min of comp use, look at sth 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. #tabletscourse

# data[].attributes.body
very interesting reading. I went through ergonomy part very thoroughly.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
University of Minho Tablets in Schools Report

# data[].attributes.body
Creating manuals for measuring mass with six graders today. Used Halftone 2.

# data[].attributes.body
We have known each other for almost 20 years.

The school is situated in the suburb of Prague. I teach children from 12 to 15.

In our school we have about 60 iPads which teachers can take to their lessons.

I took a part in Creative Classrooms Lab project. Here you can see what we have done.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Creative Classrooms Lab - Tablets in schools - Czech Republic

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone,

my name is Petra Bohackova, from the Czech republic.

I am an English and Physics teacher.

I have been an eTwinning ambassador for two years, too.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petra.bohackova.92

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bohape

Google +: google.com/+PetraBoháčková