[stylist] {Disarmed} Reposting with text: NFB mentioned in article about using iPads in classroom

Tue Mar 19 20:53:04 UTC 2013

Friends,
I noticed that the URL in the last message is all messed up. It is write in
my outgoing e-mail, but the system seems to have added html to it. So,
here's the text.
Block quote
Study Shows iPads Could Improve Literacy Skills in Young Children

Posted by Marianne Stenger on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 . 
A recent study has found that kindergartners who use iPads in school are
likely to score higher on literacy tests than those who do not.

The study, which was carried out in Auburn, Maine early last year, looked at
266 kindergartners who had been given free iPads to use in class as part of
an experiment. Out of the 266 students, 129 were given lessons using iPads,
while the remaining 137 were taught through traditional methods.

The results, which were published on Apple's unofficial tech blog, TUAW,
showed that in addition to better scores in every literacy test, children
who were taught through the use of an iPad also showed an increased interest
in learning and were more enthusiastic about going to school.

The trend of using iPads in the classroom has steadily been catching on in
schools around the globe, with public schools in New York City having spent
$1.3 million on iPads for educational purposes and a private school in
Sydney, Australia that has even begun requiring its students to own iPads.

[Check out our article: iPad Apps For Education]

With an increasing number of educational apps these days, the level of
teacher involvement required is minimal, making them a popular choice in
schools where the student-teacher ratio is imbalanced or with parents who
are looking for productive ways to keep kids occupied at home.

An example of one such app is the interactive English learning iPad app
created by educational experts at busuu.com, a leading online language
learning community. The application guides kids through a series of
interactive illustrated and animated games and activities that are designed
to teach them the intricacies of the English language.

But, while the iPad certainly has huge potential as an educational tool,
experts caution that on its own, technology, such as an iPad, is not enough
to bring about positive results in the classroom; a lot depends on how it is
implemented as well as the teaching methods employed.

John Armstrong, parent of two and avid user of the iPad for educational
purposes, commented that one problem he has encountered is that teachers
don't have enough control over what apps the kids are actually using in
class.

"Teachers put the kids in one app but the kids end up in whatever is their
favorite app and no one is the wiser," says John. "This totally subverts the
iPad's proper use. We've watched this over and over in our sons' classes and
it's frustrating."

Donna W. Hill, writer, speaker and publicist for the National Federation of
the Blind also cautioned that educators looking to implement iPad learning
in their classrooms should be aware that learning institutions that receive
federal funding are required to choose devices and apps that are accessible
to students who are blind or have a print handicap.

[Check out our article: How to use tablets to enhance learning]

This holds true regardless of whether or not the school has such students at
the time of implementing the technology into their curriculum.

Although it's not yet clear whether the iPad will become a permanent fixture
in the classroom, there are signs that this technology could revolutionize
the way we learn. In any case, the initial results have certainly caught the
attention of parents and educators around the globe. 

About Marianne Stenger

Marianne Stenger is a self-employed freelance journalist with over four
years of experience in writing for publications, online resources and blogs
in the education industry. She believes that online education is the way of
the future and is passionate about promoting online learning tools and the
use of new technologies in the classroom.
Block quote end 

  _____  

From: Pam Bilyeu [mailto:psbilyeu at gmail.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 4:08 PM
To: Donna Hill
Cc: GDF Talk
Subject: Re: [GDF-TALK] OT: FYI, GDF grad & NFB mentioned in article about
using iPads in classroom

Donna,
The links say error page not found. Perhaps if you could copy and paste the
text of it into your post. I would love to read it. 

I would have responded to her had I known. The PDF texts for iPad now how so
great. I have some that i utilize for teaching at a local university. I
would love to see a larger version of the iPad And I would call it an iDesk,
where a book could be made to be huge like 2x2 ft.  The detail that can be
enlarged to explore would be exceptional. 

Many texts have embedded video, expanded content that put my textbooks of my
grade school time to shame. The most vibrant exciting thing we had then were
the encyclopedias with the pictures, or maybe the a national geographic
magazines, which some teachers wouldn't let us look at on the library
because there were naked people in them!  Hehehe. 

Pam

Pam 

Pam Bilyeu
1st Vice-Chair Alumni Council 
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, IncR 
and America's VetDogsR, The Veteran's K-9 Corps IncR 
Providing "Second Sight"R since 1946

371 E. Jericho Turnpike
Smithtown, NY 11787
Consumer Services Office: 866-282-8047
Toll-free: 866-282-8047 Fax 631-930-9009
psbilyeu at gmail.com Personal Cell: 920-687-9999

To make a donation that can change a life... 
Contact the Guide Dog FoundationR
at www.guidedog.org
or America's VetDogsR  the Veterans K-9 CorpsR
at www.vetdogs.org

Visit us on facebook at:  www.facebook.com/GuideDogFoundation 
or www.facebook.com/AmericasVetDogs

On Mar 19, 2013, at 2:37 PM, "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net> wrote:

Hi Friends,
Recently, I ran across a journalist's pitch saying she was doing an article
about the use of iPads in the classroom and wanted experts to comment. I'm
not an expert, but I figured no one else was going to tell her about the
need for accessible materials and devices for print handicapped students, so
I wrote to her. Well, she mentions me, the NFB and the issue in the article:

<http://newsroom.opencolleges.edu.au/news/study-shows-ipads-could-improve-li
teracy-skills-in-young-children/>
http://newsroom.opencolleges.edu.au/news/study-shows-ipads-could-improve-lit
eracy-skills-in-young-children/

Donna

-- The Heart of Applebutter Hill, a novel on a mission:
DonnaWHill.com

Read Donna's articles on Suite 101:
http://suite101 <http://suite101.com/donna-w-hill> .com/donna-w-hill

Connect with Donna on
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/dewhill
LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/dwh99
FaceBook:
www.facebook.com/donna.w.hill

Hear clips from "The Last Straw" at:
cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill

Apple I-Tunes
phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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