KS4 and their new iPods

Over 50% of KS4 students have now taken up the offer from Moorside of an iPod touch at a price subsided by the school.
We have seen the iPods quickly become a norm within the classroom. Internet research, email, translators and apps of every conceivable use, have given students so much independent control of their learning, that the Maths department are having a torrid time telling the students that they cannot take the ipods into the exam. They are now just so used to using the calculator on the ipod, as they do in lessons!


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New Technology for Year 9 – Set 1 - iPods.

Our set was given the opportunity to try out Ipod touches in the classroom, to see if we found them a useful device to have. I’m sure I am speaking from the whole of 9-1 when I say we have had the best time ever using these devices. At first we found them a bit difficult to use in class, but we were just getting used to them, but after a while we all learned how useful they actually were. From simple things like using the calculator or using the dictionary, to having the Internet in almost every classroom and been able to individually do our own research.

We used them quite a lot in History and Geography, for geography we downloaded an app, which had all of the countries in the world on it and lots of different bits of information about that country, also we did a lot of work on the ‘draw it’ app, which was basically just like paint, but you used your finger to draw, this was quite a funny experience. Then we would email what we had created to our class mates and our teacher. In history we used the Ipods a lot to watch videos, instead of watching it on the board, you could plug in your headphones and use your device to watch it individually.

In English we would use them to read, Mr Jamieson created an app in which allowed us to read the book we were studying in class ‘Of Mice & Men’. It was so much better reading from an Ipod, than having to give out books to everyone.

I believe the whole of 9-1 has enjoyed having the Ipods for their own personal use as well, having your own personal device which you could add games and your own music to, believe me they are so much more fun to carry round, rather than a learning passport.

Everything in which your learning passport contains you can have on your Ipod, the diary, the traffic lights and many more.

When we have to give our Ipods back to school I’m sure we will all be upset about it, but we have enjoyed every minute of having them, and I hope maybe one day they will actually be given to everyone in school instead of just planners.

Nicole

Glastonbury day

Ok it's not iPods but it is something that is amazing happening at school.

Glastonbury Day

Heads Blog

Mr Morris has been blogging for over a year on his own blog. This week has been the first video blog and the iPod lesson managed to get featured.

Here is a clip;


For the full video click here

This Weeks lesson (Videos)

This weeks lesson task was to create content which could be given to subject leaders to show how the iPods could be used in their lessons. There was no guidance to what the pupils should create just access to our networks software and Creative Vado video cameras.

Here is a few examples of what they have done!






ICT Website
Geography
Chemistry
Biology

Initiative and Hard Work VERSUS iPods. Which wins?

Thank you to all of the year 9 pupils who created a mobile website for their last English IS. As always, I was amazed by the ability of you all and just how good some of the finished products were. For example, here is a link to Jack Griffiths' web site: happykittens.co.uk/wc

As you'll see from this, pupils are able to make great looking, easy to use, resources very easily. However, I'd like to pay special praise to pupils such as Jennifer Hall and Nicole Martin. Some pupils aren't as proficient at technology or simply aren't interested in making web sites. And that's fine. What was brilliant is that both Jennifer and Nicole made their web site, but then wrote a document about it (a task many pupils would be more comfortable with). In these written documents they both showed outstanding writing skills and therefore hit all of the English criteria for the task.

One or two pupils complained that the task was just too difficult. Others didn't. Others simply found a way to make the task suit them. Ultimately, all of the technology we have available to us now still doesn't mean much if we lose sight of the really important skills - initiative and hard work.

iPod revision app

Check out this new app that has been released by EDEXCEL...

http://www.edexcel.com/Subjects/English/Pages/ViewEditorial.aspx?editorial=159