Journal Post #4

For my final project I am interested in researching iPad use in the classroom.  My students, grades 7 and 8 all have iPads.  I am interested in looking at this through multiple lenses.  First, being student engagement.  I want to look at the research showing how to grasp and maintain students in the lesson.  Secondly, I want to look at how to use the iPads to encourage and promote literacy in the mathematics classroom.  Today, I am not only a math teacher, I am also an English teacher.  The gap in the students reading level and the curriculum I am expected to teach is a struggle everyday.  Third, I feel that there is a disconnect from the administration to the students.  I want to look at research that could connect administration to the students.  There are many apps such as google classroom, that would allow for the administration to communicate directly with students and teachers.  

With that being said, I feel I have a lot of material to cover for my final project, but I think that with this research I will learn about ways to apply technology directly to my math classroom.  This research would not only be able to benefit me but also the students.  

Beschorner, B., & Hutchison, A. (2013). iPads as a Literacy Teaching Tool in Early Childhood. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 1(1), 16–24. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1055301

       In this research article it examined iPads as a took to for teaching literacy.  Implementing and using iPads in an appropriate manner is essential for the students development in literacy.  This particular study was in two preschool classrooms.  The preschoolers were given the time during centers to use the iPads.  They used pre-selected apps by the researchers and the teachers created lessons around and using the apps.  The iPads were used for individual classroom time and for whole class instruction.  The results showed that in the preschool classroom the use of iPads can allow for students to navigate and work independently.  This is a difficult skill for preschoolers and I think teaching them these skills at a young age is essential to their success in the future.  

       This poetical research article could apply to my classroom because it reminds be that I can instruct the students and allow for them to navigate and work independently.  While developing literacy skills not only at the preschool age but at the middle school level as well.  The apps listed are ones I could use to help my students listen, use, and draw the mathematical vocabulary.  

Dogan, B., & Almus, K. (2014). School Administrators’ Use of iPads: Impact of Training and Attitudes Toward School Use. Computers in the Schools, 31(3), 233–250. http://doi.org/10.1080/07380569.2014.932660    
        Implementing and using iPads in the classroom can be very difficult.  Teachers are afraid to use them and they often are intimidated by technology.  This research article looks at how implementing iPads in the classroom needs to start with the administration.  This particular research looks at 51 elementary teachers and administrators.  It surveyed these participants.  Results showed that iPads were used to promote scheduling and use in the classroom.  The research also showed that proper training on the iPads is essential to their success.  This research applies to my final project and everyday in the classroom.  In order to get the teachers and students to agree to use the iPads we need to have the administrators sell them.  Our administrators are working to use google classroom to send out the announcements everyday.  They want to be able to send weekly email/updates to the students so they can stay connected.  

       

Liu, N. (2013). iPad Infuse Creativity in Solid Geometry Teaching. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology - TOJET, 12(2), 177–192. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1015420

       This research was very interesting to me.  It was conducted in Taiwan, where they looked into the use of iPads with the geometry curriculum.  Taiwan was looking to enhance and supplement the geometry curriculum.  They wanted to used the iPad for the teachers to become aware of their students’ cognitive skills, attitudes, and misconceptions.  Upper-level Geometry can be a very difficult topic for students because it is very abstract and is not like other math classes students have took before.  The use of geometry apps allows for the students to visualize and see the geometry they are working with.  The research showed that the iPads provided flexibility in the classroom, faster more dynamic way of engaging the students, and the iPads allowed for students to share activities as well as group work. 

       This relates to my classroom because it allows for me to find apps that would let my students visualize the abstract math concepts.

Mango, O. (2015). iPad Use and Student Engagement in the Classroom. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology - TOJET, 14(1), 53–57. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1057341

      In this research it applies to iPad use in the foreign language classroom.  It discusses student engagement and active learning in the classroom.  This particular study looks at 35 students who are enrolled in semester 1 and 2 of Arabic.  The students are given an activity and they are required to use the iPads which are owned by the department.  The iPads are used for mini projects and they allowed for visual and oral practice with the Arabic language.  

       With the results it showed that the students found the iPads to be beneficial to their learning and really enjoyed using them.  The results from the study also showed that students felt the iPads allowed for them to collaborate amongst peers and classroom engagement.  

       This article will be extremely beneficial to my final project because it will allow for me to look into and use the same apps mentioned in the research and potentially create similar projects. 

Moyer-Packenham, P. S., Shumway, J. F., Bullock, E., Tucker, S. I., Anderson-Pence, K. L., Westenskow, A., … Jordan, K. (2015). Young Children’s Learning Performance and Efficiency When Using Virtual Manipulative Mathematics iPad Apps. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 34(1), 41–69.

      This research looks at children’s learning performance and efficiency during clinical interviews where the child interacted with a variety of apps on the iPads.  There were 100 students interviewed ages 3 to 8.  The students were asked to use pre-assessment, learning, and post-assessment apps.  There was observation, video, and pre-and post surveys done with the students.  The results of the study showed the impact of iPad use on student learning was positive. 

       This applies to my classroom on a daily basis because I do not do lessons on the iPad.  I use the iPad in my room as an enrichment opportunity.  Often times it is the extra credit.  But this research shows that if you incorporate the iPad at various parts of the lesson the students learn and retain the information. 

After the research I have found, I am very excited to hear and see the research that exists.  I think this is solid groundwork for my final project.  I am excited to finish and complete my final project to collect and connect ways to use the iPads in my classroom.