Day 41 - Making Mistakes or Too Taxing?

When you're feeling unwell, especially as a teacher, the reactions of the students to your lessons can be magnified disproportionately.  It leaves me with the question when the tasks don't go as I intended, was the reason that the task was too taxing for them. I failed to differentiate adequately. Or did the students just make mistakes that will enable them to grow as learners and build on in the future? In marking policy terms...green for growth?

As a reflective professional I enjoy the mental gymnastics that are needed to quantify the lessons that I have delivered. By comparing the work that I have planned, delivered and reflected on with the TPack model or SAMR, I feel able to discuss the authenticity of iPad use in the classroom. Was the iPad the right tool for today's tasks did it hit the learning objective appropriately?

What have I used in the classroom today? 

1) Showbie - delivery of content, text marking, filing and grading work. Including adding peer assessed pieces of work into an individuals' profile.
2) Echalk - www.echalk.co.uk How tall is the Giant? 
3) Popplet - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/popplet-lite/id364738549?mt=8 to gather keywords from research topics.
4) iMovie - teacher made examples of work.
5) Camera & Book Creator - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/book-creator-free-make-books/id661166101?mt=8

So, although the work was iPad based and purposely focused on the use of the device, how did each lesson fair to the success criteria/demands of the SAMR model?



1) Showbie Maths task - Substitution as the resources were screen shots of the original task sheet. However the direct link enabled the children to work interactively by inputting their estimates.


2) Maths Task - Augmentation as the students were given a direct link to the task on echalk website, giving the student improved access to the task. Modification came for some students when they chose to utilise the iPad built in camera to take a shot of their partner being measured and comparing it to the original task.

3) Popplet - using research techniques to read and comprehend the non fiction text. In partners allowing the students to read and make sense of the passage. Modification due to the 'speak function' the ability to have the passage read to the students who are daunted by an extended text allows the student to remain independent within the task.
As this was the first time the students were asked to pull out key facts from a text and place them in a mind map, it was challenge for the students to also consider how a mind map is constructed. Digital literacy skills are inherent in the task and need teaching as much as the content. The simple process of adding the work to the child's portfolio (by tapping on the star icon) means the cycle of assessment is completed and totally in the hand of the student. Their profile truly reflects their own individuality and approach to learning.

4) Modelled iMovie work is very powerful. When that modelled work is interactive and engaging then it captures the audience and encourages them to strive for their best...bordering on redefinition? No boring worksheet here!!!

5) Camera and Book Creator - Redefinition. period. Why? Independence. For me the ultimate aim is for the students to use their iPad to show how they understand the task. This would mean that the outcomes of the task are very different and have individual flair and accents on which elements of the task were selected to be put forward for grading. As always with self assessed tasks work that is chosen has to not only be explained but justified. With the voice recording option in Book Creator, the student can submit, in their own words, why they have chosen the work.