Zsofia A-Jakab's Learning Diary for European Schoolnet's Creative Use of Tablets in School MOOC by Z. Jakab

A little bit about me

zjakab1 — 2015-04-20 20:31:48 UTC

Hi, I'm Zsofia and I work in an international school in Hungary. I am currently Head of Secondary and also a Secondary teacher, actively involved in teaching MFL (French) and EAL. As I am also the whole EAL coordinator, I spend a lot of time exploring new opportunities and learning methods. We are a small school and access to technology is developing at a steady rate. We are looking at implementing BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) in Secondary and I want to learn more avout tablets and their use in the classroom. I myself own an Android tablet, and have not yet finished exploring its usefulness in the class room. I hope to learn a lot more during this course!

Module 1:Edmodo-looove it!

zjakab1 — 2015-04-27 18:28:29 UTC

I've been using Edmodo since it's beta phase, and I love it! I am also an Edmodo Ambassador,so if you have questions, don't hesitate.

I use it to post videos to enrich my lesson, or to watch at home if we haven't finished in class, same for presentations, articles and all materials relevant to the studied topics. Students post homework (their virtual backpack can be coupled with Google drive, so it's pretty handy). I can also set them quizzes in Edmodo.

For the comments, students can be set to "read only" if they can't behave according to the rules set.

There is also a huge network of teachers and a wealth of good advice and resources. It is not only an app but also a great community that keeps developing.

There is also an app store with some useful apps like Educanon (one of my personal favourites).

Edmodo is part of my teaching.There is no going back!

Module 1:What is your main reason for using or wanting to use tablets in your classroom?

zjakab1 — 2015-04-27 18:35:29 UTC

I would like to use tablets in my classroom to put some interactive content and action in the language class (ex.Kahoot). We are also short of ICT space in the school and being able to access ICT based resources in the classroom would be convenient. It would also help differentiation, as I could have students doing different things on their tablets. We could also learn some research skills, do real time competitions and explore together some apps like Duolingo.

As I use Classcraft in my classes, students could access their accounts and the game would be more lively.

Module 1: What whole-school challenges do I already face or do I anticipate facing when using tablets?

zjakab1 — 2015-04-27 18:38:22 UTC

The first challenge I can see is having other teachers being reluctant to jump on board of the technology train. Students are naturally drawn towards technology and a teacher who still uses the "old fashioned" ways of teaching is quickly going to lose them. Even with professional development, there needs to be a genuine change of mindset in teachers and a real aspiration to learn new technologies to be able to move ahead as a team.

The other challenge I can see is that not all students will have their own devices, and for now, this is the option we are moving towards as a school in Secondary.

Students will also need to learn how to use their tablets for school work, as they are for now sources of entertainment and a platform for social media. Making sure that they actually do work and don't surf on irrelevant websites is probably the biggest challenge of all, and requires a good deal of training,and trust.

Module 1:What classroom challenges do I already face or do I anticipate facing when using tablets?

zjakab1 — 2015-04-27 18:42:46 UTC

I currently face the off task challenge, meaning that the student will go on various sites, or play games, instead of working. This is especially true for mobile phones. As not all students have tablets, we sometimes use phones to work in class and the temptation is quite big for students to go on facebook or play games.

Students also have different devices (apple,android) and not all applications are compatible with these devices.Many apple apps don't exist on android,and the choice is even more restricted if students have a windows based device such as a windows phone or tab.

We need to have digital citizenship lessons for our students, as some of them don't realize the impact they can have on others,especially if they use apps inappropriately.

Module 2: Learning scenarios

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 15:20:39 UTC

I have not heard of Learning scenarios before coming to this course but find them very interesting. I started planning some activities which I could use after our school exams.

Module 2: What kind of content can you produce with your class

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 15:21:36 UTC

I can produce videos, cartoons, comic strips and animations. We also use Tellagami www.tellagami.com to practice speaking and writing speeches.

We also going to start a video based project soon simulating TV news and TV broadcasts (EAL class). We'll use phones and tablets and video editing software.

Module 2: Content created

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 15:28:18 UTC

This is a short video I created for my students with classroom instructions, to show them also what they can do on Powtoon:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL5Mhlkm8_s

Module 3: Student collaboration with tablets

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 15:39:59 UTC

How do you keep your students focused and on track during collaborative projects?

I use a tool called Classcraft www.classcraft.com. Students are in teams and they are part of a role playing game which is running during class. There are set rules that the students and the Gamemaster (the teacher) have to follow. XP points and Gold Coins are a great incentive. I also monitor what they do and if they work effectively together.

How do you ensure all students contribute to the task?

There is the peer pressure involved due to the game element and that if one member of the team doesn't work,the others quickly remind him to participate or else the whole team may suffer.

If you have organised a similar project share your experiences (positive and negative) here.

I've never organised a similar activity as in the video but it is very interesting to see all the possibilities that such an activity offers.

Module 3:School to school collaboration with tablets

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 15:46:59 UTC

And even if you are no etwinner yet, what do you think are the success factors for a school-to-school collaboration project?

I am an etwinner, but not an active one. This is something we sould like to develop in the future as a school. For a successful collaboration project, schools need to have effective communication and make sure that they coordinate what is happening in both schools and that designated people are dealing with communication.

Using fairly similar technology and applications is also key for a successful collaboration.

Module 3: Assessment of group work

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 15:59:19 UTC

I am clear from the beginning on the assessment criteria for the group work so students are absolutely clear on the expectations., both for the task and for their participation in the group's work.

Module 3: Apps for collaborative learning

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 16:02:38 UTC

My favourite app for collabrative learning and classroom management in general is Classcraft.

I sue it from the beginning of the school year right until the end. It has made a real difference for my classes, especially in terms of the game element, peer pressure and real collaborative spirit, and not just when it comes to group projects. It has an Android and iOs app interface which makes it easy to use, either on tablet or phones.Check it out here: www.classcraft.com

Classcraft:Must have!

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 16:02:58 UTC

www.classcraft.com

Compulsory for gaming teachers and RPG fans.

Module 4:Personalising learning with tablets

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 18:21:07 UTC

What others ways can you think of how tablets can be used to personalize the learning experience of your students?

I use Edmodo with all my classes and find it extremely useful. I also use Classcraft for classroom management and to put a game elemenet into my class. Students can directly access these apps on their phones and tablets and they can engage better with the class and their peers. Tablets also allow them to progress at their own pace, which is vital for slower students.They also come with different skill sets, so will choose different platforms to work on and share their knowledge.

Module 4: Introduction to the flipped classroom

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 19:19:30 UTC

Have you tried out the flipped classroom model already?

I started to introduce it to some of my lessons but the concept is still difficult to grasp fro some of my students who are used to a more traditional way of teaching. It is also not a model that has spread in our school, so I will wait a bit more to implement it.

You've never heard of the model before but are curious to try it out?

I heard of it and I am definitely curious to work with it!

How would you start to implement it in your school and classroom context?

For the school, we would first need a Digital devices policy and have BYOD to start working thoroughly with technology. I would also inform parents first and get them on board, as the biggest resistance often comes from parents. Staff inset trainings would be crucial, so that the flipped classroom model is not limited to just some of the more adventurous teachers. Students will then also need training on how to learn with this model.

Module 4: Flipping the classroom with tablets

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 19:26:27 UTC

What do you think are the key challenges to implementing the model with tablets in classrooms?

Key challenges:

-getting parents on board

-getting staff on board and training them,not only on the model, but also on use of technology to create content

-have the right technology to make tutorials

-making sure the student has access to technology at home

-preparation time can be a lot for the teacher

-funding

-monitoring that students do watch the materials posted online and come to class prepared

Module 4: Apps for personalised learning and flipping the classroom

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 19:41:45 UTC

I use the following apps on a regular basis:

Edmodo

Classcraft

Zondle

Quizlet

Tellagami

GoAnimate

Powtoon

Prezi

Youtube

Edmodo and Educanon

zjakab1 — 2015-05-12 20:15:15 UTC

Edmodo has a welath of inbuilt apps which can be used in class as well as for flipped learning. One of my personal favourites is Educanon with which you can create videos and embed in them questions, tasks. For multiple choice questions, the programme grades the students performance at the end. Great for language leanring and listening comprehension.

www.educanon.com

My learning diary reads from bottom to top!:)

zjakab1 — 2015-05-13 16:06:22 UTC

My lesson plan Module 4.8.1

zjakab1 — 2015-05-13 16:12:21 UTC

Find it here