Visioning for Future Learning:
Integrating iPads
using the e-Learning Planning Framework
Tara Fagan & Tania Coutts, CORE Education, April 2013
Are you thinking
about purchasing iPads for your school or early childhood centre? If so,
you won’t be alone - many educators from around New Zealand are integrating
iPads into their classrooms and early childhood centres. In our research
and work, we are noting some common trends around the implementation of these
devices.
Successful
integration involves planning and discussion. One tool that some schools have found useful to support their
discussions and e-Learning vision is the e-Learning Planning framework (eLPF).
The five dimensions of the framework - Leadership, Teaching and
Learning, Professional Learning, Beyond the Classroom and Infrastructure and
Technology - provide good discussion guides in planning for how your school
or centre will deploy these devices. Each dimension of the eLPF needs to
be considered for the iPads to be used effectively. For example, it can
be difficult to manage a class set of iPads if the infrastructure is not robust
or it is not based on a good understanding of the pedagogy - it is not about
using the iPads to replace a pen, it is about using the iPad in a creative way.
Under each dimension
of the e-Learning Planning Framework, we have compiled reflective questions to
help you with the process of integrating iPads into your setting.
Leadership
What is your vision?
- How will iPads enhance your school/early childhood curriculum?
Have you thought
about:
- the potential of these technologies (or is
this a given)
- how these devices are being used in education
- whether these will be BYOD, 1-1 or school
owned/leased sets of iPads?
- the needs of your community?
- The professional development needs of your
teaching team?
- How you will review if the iPads are making a
difference to student learning?
Teaching and Learning
How will iPads
transform teaching and learning in your school/early childhood centre?
How will you:
- introduce the iPads to your teachers and
learners?
- ensure teachers and students have an
understanding of what it means to be cybersmart?
- support collaborative learning with the iPads?
- encourage creativity with iPads?
- ensure that learning is blended so it is about
the learning rather than the iPad?
- use iPads to make connections with other
learners?
- use iPads to make connections across the
curriculum?
- ensure iPads are part of the ‘everydayness’ of
the classroom?
- enable students to make a choice about what
tool they will select for their learning?
- ensure the apps that students are using are
appropriate
Professional Learning
How will professional
learning support the successful integration of iPads in your school/early
childhood centre?
In what ways will:
- the teaching team develop an understanding of
iPad pedagogy?
- teachers’ innovative practices be modelled and
shared?
- teachers explore the iPad before integrating
it into the classroom?
- there be opportunity to build teacher and
student expertise?
- the Virtual Learning Network (VLN) community
become a tool for learning?
Beyond the Classroom
How will the use of
the iPads extend beyond the classroom?
How will:
- your families/whānau and the community be
involved?
- the iPads support sharing learning with
parents?
- iPads be used to communicate beyond the
classroom?
- iPads be used to collaborate beyond the
classroom?
Technology and
Infrastructure
How have you
considered the infrastructure supporting the implementation of iPads?
- Can our current infrastructure support iPads?
- What are the insurance requirements?
- Where will the iPads be stored?
- Who will have responsible for ensuring that
the iOS and apps are up-to-date or will it be a team responsibility?
- How will the iPads be charged at the end of
each day?
- Will it be part of the environment or will it
be stored away?
Good practice we have seen in settings implementing iPads include:
- Teachers being given the opportunity for
hands-on exploring time with iPads prior to the devices being used in the
classroom
- Teachers taking ownership of their class
iPad/s and having a budget for apps they can choose to support their
students learning needs
- Students being given the same opportunities
for exploration and play
- Students and teachers being given the
opportunity to take control of their learning and find the apps/tools that
support their learning
- Leaders building expertise amongst students
and teachers, this is vital for sustainability
- Teachers creating their own Professional
Learning Network eg VLN to seek guidance and support from others as well
as share their successes
- Strong infrastructure that supports the
integration of multiple devices
- Sharing the experiences and learning with the
community
- Integrating thinking and learning around
digital citizenship into the school curriculum
A
strong vision, supported by a robust action plan is essential in leading the
way to successful integration. As we have highlighted, the eLPF will help
guide these decisions and support leaders and teachers as they implement a
blended learning programme. The importance of engaging, motivating and
inspiring students continues to be at the forefront of teaching. The
words of Kevin Honeycutt sum this up beautifully:-)
“The killer app for the 21st century is to inspire kids to learn to love
to learn.”
“L2L2L”
Kevin
Honeycutt
If you would like to
explore the eLPF further you can find it here...
http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/e-Learning-Planning-Framework2
If you would like to
join in with discussions on the VLN you can find the school iPad User Group
here...
http://www.vln.school.nz/groups/profile/26613/school-ipadipod-user-group/
Explore the human body with The Human Body app. Suitable for young children upwards, this interactive app shows how the human body works. Users start by creating a profile then choosing which aspect of the human body to focus on. Vision, hearing and brain function are detailed using the iPad camera and microphone. 
