We started our iPad 1:1 initiative at Upper Cape Tech in 2012 and now have over 24,000 apps installed on school owned iPads with 3600 unique apps installed!

Let that sink in for a second…

This staggering app usage has been achieved in four short years on a device that was only invented 6 years ago! Mobile apps became a mainstream phenomenon back in 2008 with the launch of the iPhone and have been a game changer ever since. The success of apps has continued with the invention of the iPad in 2010 and has been a major part of the success of our 1:1 program. Teachers and students can now easily individualize their learning environments with interactive apps that deliver digital assignments, ebooks, multimedia, quizzes, social media, and assistive technology for a diversity of learners. We are proud of the educational successes we have achieved using apps on the iPad.

To better understand the use of apps at UCT, we took a deeper look into the specific apps staff and students are installing and found the vast majority are productive and educational. The top 10 apps are a mix of school standards like Google Drive and Powerschool and core classroom apps like Quizlet, Socrative, notability, and Google Classroom. Notice that none of the popular non-education apps made the top 10 list. There is always a concern that the iPad will become a distraction with the vast availability of games and non-educational apps but the first game only makes an appearance on our top list at #30.  The dominance of educational apps is especially interesting given the fact that we do not restrict the App Store so staff and students are free to install apps on their iPad. This is a departure from the more restricted Windows environments we have been used to for over 30 years where apps typically need to be installed by IT. The freedom to install apps has brought a new dimension of creative control to the the 21st century classroom. We are looking forward to the infinitely creative ways apps will continue to transform our classrooms.

Please feel free to comment about your experiences with apps in the classroom

Upper Cape Tech Carpentry teacher Joe Zajac is leading an initiative to integrate interactive technology into the Carpentry shop.  We had the opportunity to test drive the latest LCD interactive panels by Cleartouch and it was well received by the students. It was amazing how fast the students took interest in the device and starting creating content. The intuitive touch interface makes it easy for teachers and students to be productive without any special training.

Sophomore students Sophia Klenert and Kelsey Ireland quickly began demonstrating the value of the panel by designing building floor plans and 3D walk-through’s using the app Room Sketcher. It was impressive how quickly they could create complex building designs and eye catching 3D walk-through’s. We are looking forward to see how cutting-edge tools like this can help engage students in new ways. #UCTEDTECH

To help guide teens to appropriate social media apps and web sites, we need to know what it is they are using. Most teens like a variety of apps which can change quickly to the next trendy thing.

As teachers, we need to learn as much as we can about what kids are using in social media in order to guide them and give them solid advice. Gone are the days of saying “don’t do it!” They are doing it! According to the the Pew Research Center, 94% of teens go on line daily. Online activity can be for a plethora of reasons. I am going to talk about social media in this post.

There are so many apps kids are using for several different reasons. I will be talking about just a few in each category. Keep in mind this is a short list and there are many more apps in each of these categories and more categories of apps teens are using than listed here.

• Texting Apps
  • Kik messenger- this is a free app (basic) and doesn’t limit characters
  • ooVoo – is also free and has video, voice, and messaging. This app allows group chats free up to 12 participants
  • WhatsApp – users can text,voice,video and photos for free
• Free Video Chat Apps
  • IMO – make free calls and stickers
  • Rounds – group video chats with text
  • Fring- free video calls

• Blogging Apps and Sites
  • Instagram- this one is big now with teens. With this app the user can take a photo or short (15 sec.) video and share with friends or public who can comment or “like” the post.
  • Tumblr- is blog/scrapbook site which is sharable publicly
  • Twitter – microblogging 140- characters teens use to keep up with celebrities, movies, fashion, etc…
  • Vine- which is the video version of Twitter (6 sec. video)
• Live-Stream
  • YouNow – allows users to stream and watch live broadcasts. It is set up like a game so users can buy gold bars to give out to other users
  • Periscope is a live broadcast app that has become popular with news stations.
  • Facebook Live- a new app on FB which users can post live feeds.
• Secret Apps
  • BurnNote – this is a self destructing text message app that allows users to write notes that will only live for a few seconds after it is opened.
  • Snapchat a self destructing picture app which recently added text and video
  • Whisper- this app lets users tell secrets and choose a picture to match their emotion
  • YikYak – free social app that is like Twitter but limited to 1.5 mile radius  

My hope is to keep teachers and parents informed and know what they might explore to see what students are using to communicate.

Time is flying by this year!  I can’t believe we are on the last quarter.  Eight months has past now and I am starting to get the lay of the land.  It has been very interesting learning about what this school offers and how it’s different from other schools I have experience with. It fascinates me to see the projects and activities the students participate in.  But mostly, I have been intrigued with the staff. I have had the chance to at least have a conversation with most of you. If I haven’t please stop by and chat with me! I would really like to get to know all of you and learn how to support you.

The UCT staff is filled with interesting people with awesome stories. I learned one staff member is the sister of a running friend of mine while another was in my running club. There is a staff member whose father started professional wrestling in this area. He told me stories of growing up with the wrestlers coming to his house and he would help his dad by working the events. We work with a gentleman who recently took a long weekend to Dublin with his bagpipe group! While still another told  stories of when she and her husband lived on a ship and she was the cook for the crew.  I could go on and on with these stories. I’m grateful to be working with such a colorful and dynamic group.

As I was writing this blog entry, I could see something stirring in the library, so I asked what was going on.  I was told Eugene Kelly was presenting his story to the students.Melinda Adams asked if I would take a few pictures. I went out intending to snap the camera a couple of times and return to my work. When Jean started to speak I was immediately captured by his story. I could not believe the emotional reaction I was hearing about his story of survival on the Marine Electric. If you have not heard his story read the book, “Until the Sea Shall Free Them” written by Robert Frump. Or better yet, ask Mr. Kelly out for a cup of coffee and listen first hand to his incredible account with the sea!  

I’ve had the opportunity to assist teachers with iPad set ups and interesting apps. I have worked with a couple of the shops to do student projects using technology. I’m starting to get into the classrooms a bit more and be able to assist in many different ways.

I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to meet all of you. I look forward to the remainder of this year and working with you in the future.  

My next blog entry will feature the Marine Shop and their new ticket system!  

Upper Cape Tech Environmental Technology Shop teacher Kathleen Gausman is leveraging cutting edge tools on the iPad to deliver an engaging educational experience. It’s hard not to enter Mrs. Gausman’s shop wide eyed as you witness a vast array of fish tanks, sounds of gurgling filters, and students propping iPads up around the tanks completing online assessments and filming video projects. It’s a fun and productive environment thanks to Mrs. Gausman’s fearless use of technology to keep the students engaged. Using the Socrative app on the iPad, students can complete custom online assessments while Mrs. Gausman monitors the real time results. Mrs. Gausman showed us how easy it was to conduct a pre-test to assess the students comfort level with the material and then quickly re-test after going over the material. These cutting edge tools not only provide new and innovative features but offer the ease of use teachers need to focus on what is important. Students are using their creativity to complete video projects using the camera on the iPad along with fun and powerful editing tools like iMovie to create captivating final projects. It was inspiring to see students so engaged and having so much fun. We hope you enjoy this video that highlights the experience.

Upper Cape Tech math teacher Josh Shireman has brought his cutting edge vision for technology in the classroom to life. One step into Mr. Shireman’s  classroom and you will immediately notice a sea of iPads with students plugging away at their assignments like seasoned professionals. Using Google drive to distribute course materials and notability to seamlessly markup and submit their work, math comes alive in a symphony of student engagement. The Notability app on the iPad offers many great features like pinch zooming in and out to precisely notate long hand math problems and colors and shading to demonstrate complex solutions on coordinate planes. Mr. Shireman never seems to stop moving around the classroom engaging his students while wirelessly presenting and notating his presentations on the projector using his iPad and AirPlay technology. The flexibility of being able to freely move around the classroom is something Mr. Shireman considers a game changer in his classroom. Our Edtech team was lucky enough to be invited into Mr. Shireman’s classroom to witness his innovative use of technology first hand and we hope you enjoy this video that highlights the experience.