DFI Session 7 Devices

I was very much looking forward to today's session on devices. I am not yet in a 1-1 digital class, but being able to learn how the children use their chrome books and Ipads was going to be a good way for me to start the transition to 1-1.

Manaiakalani

Like always we started with the link to Manaiakalani (still love using text blaze to write this). The topic today was being cyber smart. I took away from this learning that it is so important and empowering to use positive language around anything techie with the children. So not using negative words like bullying and safety and using instead the positive language that has been designed especially for all the learners. Like smart learners, smart relationships etc.

I can really see how this will have a big impact on the children when they are using their devices and navigating the real word when everything is visible and personal.

1-1 Journey with Chrome Books

It made so much sense to me that there was a reason for having all children on the same devices. At a previous school we were not very techie. In my class I had a few big old black laptops, a couple of smaller red things, a couple of chrome books and two ipads. We also had a school server with class folders and google drive. It was a nightmare. We even tried BYOD. And it made me laugh with Dorothy's term Bring Your Own Disaster! As it was a disaster every time. I would spend the whole time trying to get the children on to the school internet and then there was no way of accessing their files from the server and we never knew the children's google logins or passwords. So it just became easier to not use the computers or devices except for publishing stories or playing games when they had choice time.

I liked that everything made a link to the 3P's or the Treaty. Partnership between whanau and letting them have a say. Participation with everyone having the right to participate. Protection being the programme designed to make sure all the children become cyber smart.

Digital Dig Chrome Books

I am glad I was able to use a Chrome book for this session as being able to do what the children are was very helpful. I did not know how to 'right click' on the chrome book or how to take a screen shot so I am now confident with this. Also the slides would be very useful to use with the children in my class so that I then know they can do all of things and use all of the shortcuts. I will definitely make sure to start with a session like this with my own class.

Digital Dig IPads

Explain Everything seems like a really neat programme to use for 'everything' you would do with the children in the class on IPads.

It was enjoyable creating one for ourselves.
Below is what I was able to create in a very short amount of time.
Next was having an explore of what can be done. I liked that it can be so hands on and interactive for the children. I looked at some maths examples where children where writing in the family of facts. Being able to draw straight on to the page and also record themselves saying what they were doing will be so useful. There are so many opportunities to use this for the younger children.

Creating Task

This afternoon we spent time using one of the tools to create a lesson on one of the apps. I chose Explain Everything as I have never used it before and wanted to become confident with it.

I was not that sure on what to create as there were so many different options so in the end I went with Smart Media. In the past I have found it hard to help children decide on when things they see or read on the internet are real or not. As most of the time they believe everything even the most out there things. I tried to create a task that would help introduce this and it is below.

In conclusion

I am really looking forward to being 1-1 digital and feel like I have more understanding of how to use a Chrome Book and Ipad the ways that the children will be doing. I would love to see more examples of Explain Everything being used well to get more ideas on what the possibilities are.