iPad Technology GrantProject Leader:

Stephen Schawalder

Project Grade Levels:

Grades 9-12

Project Subject Matter:Spanish

Project Goals:

The teacher will more efficiently collect and utilize data in lesson planning and execution. The rigor of the curriculum will be enhanced through higher order thinking skills, problem solving and group work. Collegial collaboration will be increased through shared use of the iPads.

These goals align with the Mission Statement of the WCPS World Language Program: CAPABLE:

Communication and Cultural exploration throughAuthentic tasks and themes that areProficiency-basedAcross disciplines, WCPS World LanguageBuilds global connections and Literacy skills toEngage 21st Century learners.

Project Description:

• Use iPads to create collaborative small group activities in Spanish that engage three learning modalities: visual, auditory and kinesthetic.

The learning styles and needs of students require tactile, visual, and auditory experiences. Students need practice and repetition with the many concepts that are part of learning Spanish. Students gain from working together, guided by a teacher, and yet they also need the leeway to work at their own individual speed and developing skill level. Based on the experiences of educators in this country and around the world, I would like to implement iPads as a learning device that can provide unique and rich learning experiences for this age group.

• Use seamless technology that is a manageable size and involves minimal distractions.

The intuitive quality of the iPad, with its manageable size and touch screen operation, makes it a tool that students learn to use quickly and easily. This allows teachers and students to focus on content and activities, rather than on the technology. An iPad starts up in approximately thirty seconds, has an eight hour battery life, and is lightweight enough for any student to handle it. This makes it an easy tool to work with throughout the school day without frustration or failure.

• Purchase a class set of student iPads for this pilot program.

I propose to purchase 30 iPads along with relevant educational applications. This will provide a set of iPads to share between the two Spanish classrooms for student use.

• Use dedicated CFIP time to train teachers and plan the integration of iPads in the current Spanish curriculum.

During our regular CFIP team, the two Spanish teachers will work together to explore the applications currently made for this age group, learn from schools currently implementing iPads, and design a curriculum plan to integrate iPads for small group work throughout the school year

Curricular Context and Rationale:

We propose to follow the lead of many schools in this country and around the world that are effectively using iPads as tools for learning in education. Until now, students at Clear Spring High only have access to technology through their teacher’s use of a laptop, document camera, and LCD projector. Students have access to one computer lab, one set of computers in our library, and one laptop lab. The iPad offers an opportunity to enhance our students’ learning with the direct and effective use of an easy to use and highly interactive technology tool. Although iPads are relatively new to schools, there are many examples of successful integration of iPads. Please see the list of resources below.

• Classroom ideas for learning with the iPad - http://www.edgalaxy.com/storage/IPAds%20for%20Learning%20Getting%20Started.pdf

• Some sample lessons - https://sites.google.com/site/ipadined/sample-lessons

• A collection of tips for teachers using iPads - http://www.diigo.com/user/Cnansen/iPadTips

• A sample iPad user policy - http://www.gfw.k12.mn.us/school183/images/files/gfw_ipad_policy.pdf

• Broad list of resources on iPad use - http://www.educause.edu/tags?filters=tid:37605

• One of many app-review sites - http://www.edgalaxy.com/teaching-apps/2010/6/7/5-ipad-apps-for-busy-teachers.html

The iPad as a Learning Tool:

Students will be able to work in multiple modalities (tactile, visual, and auditory) that will motivate them to practice new concepts and enhance their ability to share their thinking and learning. The applications written for this age group include immediate feedback that motivates either correcting mistakes or moving forward to new challenges.

Here are just a few examples of ways in which the current curricular goals in Spanish can be individualized, met and enhanced with the use of the iPad.:

• Voice recording capabilities to facilitate storytelling, creating class-made audio books in the, and sharing a student’s thinking about a project or drawing.

• Drawing programs with a wide range of tools that can be managed with a fingertip

• A listening center on the go when loaded with audio files and podcasts. Read and record your voice reading stories you want your students to read and listen to.

In addition, teachers will be able to develop a digital portfolio of student work to share with parents, creating a clearer and more comprehensive view of the child and his/her progress in school.

The iPad as Age-Appropriate Technology:

The iPad’s design enables collaborative group experiences because as a slate, it has a more open format than a laptop. It is also light and, with only one navigation button, it is less complicated for less-experienced students to manage.

Alignment to Standards:

With the use of the iPads, all Maryland State Curriculum World Languages standards will all be addressed. This is possible through the various ways the iPad will be routinely used to enhance the curriculum as outlined above. As part of an everyday routine, the teacher is able to change the content while still engaging students.

In addition to following the World Language standards, the following Common Core standards will be addressed:

English W.9-10.6 & W.11-12.6, Science and Technical Subjects WHST.9-10.6, & WHST.11-12.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.

English SL.9-10.5 & SL.11-12.5: Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphic, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence to add interest.

Assessment/Evaluation Plan:

• Data will be used daily to determine in-class groupings for differentiated centers

• Data will be used weekly to determine students’ retention of the material

• Data will be used every 1-2 weeks to determine mastery of the content and whether re-teaching is required

• Data will be used annually to determine students’ mastery of Maryland State and Common Core Standards

Professional Assessment of iPad Integration:

Category Poor - 1 Good - 2 Excellent - 3

Frequency of use iPads are used less than 1 time a week in Spanish

iPads are used 2-3 times a week in Spanish

iPads are used 4-5 times a week in Spanish

Collaboration Teachers do not meet to discuss the use of iPads and student work

Teachers meet monthly to discuss use of the iPads and student work

Teachers meet bi-weekly to discuss the use of the iPads and student work

Feedback to Students

Students do not receive feedback

Students receive feedback (conferencing, digital comments/feedback, online self-assessments less than once a week

Students receive feedback (conferencing, digital comments/feedback, online self-assessments at least once a week

Student Progress Students make less than a 5% gain on the benchmark scores

Students make a 5% gain on their benchmark scores

Students make more than a 5% gain on their benchmark scores

Collaboration & Dissemination of Project to Colleagues:

If we were to receive the iPad technology grant, we would not only be able to share the technology learning and our experience with our school’s onsite faculty and staff, but also with

the teachers at the other WCPS network schools through network meetings and curriculum work.

Currently, we meet bi-weekly as a departmental team to discuss student work and teaching strategies. If we were to receive this grant, we would meet bi-week to continue the above, but also discuss our technology integration and schedules for sharing the materials (ie, how to pass them from room to room, how and when to charge the iPads, use of the projector, student assignments for each iPad, student expectations and routines for handling the iPads).

Each meeting will have a specified agenda and meeting notes with “next steps.” The meetings agendas will include not only “bookkeeping” items (such as the material routines listed above), but also identify points on the rubric above to evaluate our technology integration. Additionally, we will analyze student assessments from the assessment chart above to reflect on our use of the technology and our instruction and consider if anything needs to be adjusted to better serve the students and utilize the iPads.

Additionally, we will request a slot during a PD day towards the end of the year to present our work and findings with the school. At this point, we will describe our experience, successes and failures utilizing anecdotal records, student work samples and data. All rubrics created, assessment templates, graphic organizers, routine protocols, etc will be shared and evaluated in whole and small groups with our school and network.

Our grade level, school and network all put a high priority and emphatic focus on our professional learning community. We are constantly discussing, reflecting on and evaluating our practices and students’ progress. The iPad grant will give our community another branch on which to grow and help us to become better educators in the 21st century.