We are storytellers!

Hello girls!

This time we are Andrea and María writing together a post related to the use of iPads in the school.

The last 29^th of May we attended our last ICT session with Maribel Benito, who shared with us a list of recommended iPad apps suitable for use in the class.

First, we talked about the increasingly popular QR codes, short for Quick Response codes. These codes are used to take a piece of information from a transitory medium to the cell phone, and once there give you details about a specific business. Nowadays, you can see QR Codes in many different places like magazine adverts, billboards, and webpages. They are more practical than a standard barcode because they scan (and digitally present) much more data, including URL links, Geo coordinates, and text. Moreover, these codes can be scan with almost any smartphone or tablet device and do not demand the use of a  chunky hand-held scanner. If you wish, you can find the full Wikipedia description here.

But can we use QR Codes and its advantages to enrich the teaching-learning process? Of course! In fact, the use of QR codes in the educational field is on the rise because they are intriguing and motivating, but at the same time they are easy to create and use. But how can we use them in the classroom? Here you can find a Pinterest Board full of great ideas and by clicking here you can download a pdf file named “40 interesting ways and tips to use QR Codes in the classroom”. We hope you like it and find it useful!

Then, we went through the list of apps placing special emphasis on the most interesting ones and briefly getting to explore some of them. We had time to explore Class Dojo an app which is an alternative to the conventional classroom management tools. This app offers the possibility to communicate with the parents and track the behavior of the students. Then we experimented with Skitch, an app to write and draw on pictures. Also, we became makers with the app Tiny Tap, a multimedia game creator. And finally, we chose Toontastic for the designing of our HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) activity and spent the last two hours of class working on this.

We choose this app because it is intuitive, simple and full of possibilities. In a few simple steps, it enables children to create their own animated cartoons. First, you can either create your own characters or choose among the given ones. Then, you create the scenes and press the button to record the voice while you move the characters as you want them to move in the final movie. And finally, you add the music and the credits.

Due to its characteristics, we thought that this app could be of use in the designing of our Project for the Elective subjects of the Master’s Degree. For this project, we have designed a unit in which 5th graders go over 5 different versions of the classic Cinderella story, from different countries and time periods. Reflect upon gender, class, and racial stereotypes around the world. Acquire the needed language to write a story (connectors, descriptions, and verb tenses).  Learn about the structure of a story (beginning, middle and end).  And finally, create their own “Breaking Stereotypes Story” and share it with the rest of the school.

The use of this app for the creation of the story could make the whole activity easier and more motivating. Not only the app scaffolds and guides children through the creation of the story, but also gives a final product which is visually appealing. Therefore, we are considering the possibility of using this app to carry out this HOTS (High Order Thinking Skills) activity, which we believe inevitably and conveniently entails the use of LOTS (Low Order Thinking Skills) like applying and remembering what has been learned throughout the unit. Among other things, this unit  aims to shape critical and creative citizens. Below you can find the story that we have created with this app.

To sum up, after two lessons learning how to use iPads as an educational tool, we believe that they can certainly make learning more engaging and memorable. This interactive technology encourages participation, allows the creation of adapted and personalize materials, encourages the creation of appealing products using English and reinforces communication  through countless possibilities and proven enthusiasm. Moreover, the use of the latest technology provides students with a set of digital skills necessary in today’s world.

Exploring the use of Interactive Whiteboards (IWB)

The creation of the first internet protocol in the early 1960s and the introduction of personal computers as mass-market consumer electronic devices in 1977 are two relatively early events that changed how we learn and access information. However, in less than four decades new technologies have made their way into the world and have changed human lifestyle at dizzying speed.
A month ago I was talking with two friends in their thirties about the use of laptops, interactive whiteboards (IWB) and tablets in schools. Strangers to the educational reality, these two friends listened to this information as if it was a series of science fiction novels. They were shocked to hear that textbooks and classic school chalkboards are very often replaced by laptops and IWB.

"The rapid and constant pace of change in technology is creating both opportunities and challenges for schools."(Education Week, 2015) I strongly believe that IWB are a powerful tool when use properly, which add interactivity, collaboration and motivation to daily classes. Therefore, I am happy to have the opportunity to learn how to use them to their full potential.

To explore the possibilities of IWB as pedagogical tools, I have created three different activities. These activities are designed around Bloom's Revised Taxonomy classification for different learning objectives. 

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy

1. Create your own character

Please click here to download this activity

Age/ Level

This activity has been created to work with primary education students. However, depending on the level of the class this activity could be used with all ages.

This activity aims: 

- To review content vocabulary.

- To use the content vocabulary in a sentence.

- To create children's literature characters who break stereotypes. 

Competences:

- Communication in a foreign language.

- Digital competence.

- Social and civic competences.

* Key competences for lifelong learning. European Reference Framework

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

This activity offers an opportunity to enhance both lower- and higher-order thinking skills.

Lower order thinking skills. 

• Level III: Applying (using the knowledge in a variety of ways): This activity provides an opportunity to apply, use and practice the content vocabulary in a sentence (context-meaningful use).

Higher order thinking skills. 

• Level VI: Creating (create new products or points of view): This activity gives an opportunity to randomly combine the names of different characters in children’s literature, with adjectives and places.

Suitable Topic

This activity has been created within a project called "Alternative endings". This project's aim is to: encourage children to think about the stereotypes perpetuated by Children’s Literature, to awaken their critical thinking and creative imagination, to teach them break down stereotypes, and to produce a modernized versions of children’s literature stories.       

How to play

Children will roll the dice and complete the sentences with the given words. At the same time, a list of characters can be created with the new characters provided by these random combinations. Later, a series of activities can be done with this list. For instance, the creation of a new story can be done.

2. Parts of a flower.

Please click here to download this activity

Age/ Level

This activity has been created to work with primary education students. However, depending on the level of the class this activity could be used with all ages.

This activity aims: 

- To introduce the content vocabulary: Flower, stem, leaves and roots.

- To provide information about a flower and its different parts.

- To help review and study the content vocabulary: Flower, stem, leaves and roots.

Competences:

- Communication in a foreign language.

- Digital competence.

- Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology.

- Learning to learn.

* Key competences for lifelong learning. European Reference Framework

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy.

This activity offers an opportunity to enhance lower order thinking skills.

Lower order thinking skills.      

• Level II: Understanding (Explain idea or concept): This activity gives the opportunity to explain and recognize the different parts of the flower.

•  Level I Remembering (Remember or recall information): This activity gives the opportunity to recall the different parts of the flower and help students check if they remember them. 

Suitable Topic

This activity has been created within a science project. This project's aim is to learn about pollination of flowers and the importance of pollination in agriculture.

How to play/ use

After having checked for previous knowledge and presented the topic in a way which captures students’ attention. The teacher will present and comment on the different parts of the flower.

In future classes, this same activity can be use to help review, study and evaluate content and vocabulary.

3. Back from holiday.

Please click here to download this activity

Age/ Level

This activity has been created to work with primary education. However, depending on the level of the class this activity could be used with all ages.

This activity aims: 

- To encourage written production.

- To prompt oral production.

- To contextualize vocabulary like:

-  Beach, mountain, village, city and country names.

-  Family, friend, best friend, mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, aunt, auntie, dog.

-  Swimming, playing, sunbathing, eating, sightseeing.

* Alternative and spontaneous vocabulary which suits the topic.

- To provide a space for sharing personal experiences.

Competences:

- Communication in a foreign language.

- Digital competence.

- Social and civic competences.

* Key competences for lifelong learning. European Reference Framework

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

This activity offers an opportunity to enhance both lower- and higher-order thinking skills.

Lower order thinking skills.

• Level III: Applying (using the knowledge in a variety of ways): The activity gives the opportunity to apply, use and practice the vocabulary learned during previous school years

• Level I: Remembering (Remember or recall information): The activity gives the opportunity to remember and review vocabulary from previous school years.

• Level II: Understanding (Explain idea or concept): The activity gives the opportunity to understand new vocabulary and concepts.

Higher order thinking skills. 

• Level VI: Creating (create new products or points of view). The activity gives the students the opportunity to create a piece of text to talk about their holidays.  

Suitable Topic

This activity is included in a package of activities which has been created to start the school year. These activities provide a space to share personal experiences in English and to start the school year in a meaningful way.

How to play

With the included help tool, guidance from the teacher and peer assistance each student will fill in the spaces including a chosen holiday picture and mark the destination in the map provided. Then, the student will talk about their holidays in front of their classmates and teacher. 

Please click here to download these activities