Thursday, May 2, 2013

When 2 Great Apps Come Together


When creating lessons, one of the things I love to do is take two great apps and merge them together to create an engaging experience for students.  Recently, while working with Ms. Rowse and her English class we used Maps and Doceri on the iPad.  Google Drive and the camera app was also used.  Her students are reading J.D. Salinger’s, Catcher in the Rye, a staple assignment in a high school english class.  Ms. Rowse wanted the students to have a clear understanding of the main character’s time in New York City.  Since we couldn’t take the students to Central Park, we took Central Park to them through iPads and the Maps app.  Students identified places in New York through the Maps app where Holden, the main character, might have gone and used screenshots to capture those images.  Next, kids opened up Doceri and imported their screenshots and added arrows, text, shapes as well as audio clips to explain the Holden’s journey.  


Back in January we weren’t sure we should use iPads with this class.  This particular group of kids started out using the iPads as their personal mirrors, writing inappropriate notes on the devices, and sending out random iMessages to each other.    During this lesson, however, the entire class was engaged, chatty, and productive.  The noise was fine, because they were talking about Holden, Central Park, 5th Ave, and the Chelsea Hotel.  They were busy the whole time.  Students then opened their Doceri files in Google Drive App and shared it with Ms. Rowse.  Here’s one example of what the students created. With patience, practice, and high expectations they have come a long way!


Written By Jennifer Krzystowczyk
@jennykbps
With help from Julie Rowse
@msrowse

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