In a previous post, Evaluating Apps with Transformative Use of the iPad in Mind, I describe my ambivalence about teacher asking my for the “perfect” app to teach this or that.
I have teachers ask me frequently about app recommendations for different subject areas.
- “What app could I use to teach subtraction?”
- “What app would you recommend for my students to practice writing?”
- “I want to use iPads in my Science class. What app is good for that?”
I usually sigh to myself, when I receive questions like that. While I am not against in suggesting apps ( which I love doing), I am not comfortable with the level of disconnect between the teacher (who knows her/his students best) and the curriculum related skills and objectives and pedagogical relationship that needs to be in place for an app to be a match to use in a classroom or with an individual learner.
In a recent article, titled ” How the iPad Can Transform Classrooms” by Ben Johnson on Edutopia, raises awareness of the difference between using the iPad as a way to teach students versus the iPad as a tool to learn for students.
The lesson planning questions I hope my teachers will learn to ask will change from “How can I teach this content?” to, “How can I get students to learn this content?” I hope they will answer this question with open-ended learning activities rather than saying, “I have an app for that.”
He calls for the paradigm shift in seeing the iPad as a TOOL TO THINK WITH:
Sure there may be some useful apps that help the student gain the skills, knowledge or insight into the subject, and a teacher might want the class to do it together, but focusing solely on the apps, or student control, limits the true potential of the iPad — “a tool to think with.”
images used with permission from Andrea Hernandez @edtechworkshop
In an effort to NOT see only apps and to turn the focus on pedagogy and the iPad as a LEARNING and THINKING tool, I am continuing to try to bring attention to apps THROUGH THE LENS of Bloom’s Taxonomy, Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and 21st Century Skills and Literacies.
You can download all four images as a pdf.
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iPad apps and Bloom’s Taxonomy
iPad apps and The Digital Learning Farm
Loved it, Silvia! And will certainly share it with the teachers I work here in Brazil.
Thanks,
Carla
Thanks for this! I plan on sharing your ideas with my staff.
There is More to iPads in the Classroom Than Apps | Langwitches Blog http://t.co/NVfBuRzo
There is More to iPads in the Classroom Than Apps | Langwitches Blog http://t.co/v5WiHwvw #khspd
There is More to iPads in the Classroom Than Apps by @langwitches http://t.co/HE1Nc3aBSU #abed
There is More to iPads in the Classroom Than Apps | Langwitches Blog http://t.co/Bia1NpMDuc
Love this graphic! The iPad-a tool to think with
There is More to iPads in the Classroom Than Apps http://t.co/iHhUmwXGzY
Oh my goodness thank you so much for sharing these resources to help my students LEARN! I’m new to using an ipad in class and really didn’t know where to start searching for good apps that I could use to transform my teaching into something better. And here you did all the searching for me! Thank you so much!