Update on Project – Wirelessly Connecting Youth for Future Success

As Project Officer of the iPad E-Learning Project, I have had the privilege to work with many enthusiastic students whilst trialing various apps on the iPad 2. Students have also had the benefit to undertake the literacy and numeracy assessment using the iPad 2. I will endeavor to inform you of some of the outcomes through this blog.

Student 1, let’s call him Peter, has a vision impairment. Previously Peter has used a desk top and laptop to complete the online literacy and numeracy assessment. Peter finds it difficult to see the keyboard and takes a long time to read information on the screen. When I gave Peter an iPad to use, he informed me that the keypad was much easier to see. Also, Peter could pick up the iPad and bring it close to his eyes in order to read the information. This would be quite difficult to do when using a desk top or laptop. Peter also, found it easy to navigate and search for things on the iPad.

Another group of students I worked with had the opportunity to research educational apps that could be used as learning tools to improve, spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, numeracy, multiplication, subtraction, addition, division, fractions, shapes, area, perimeters, mapping, measurement, problem solving and time management. The group of students spent several hours trialing various apps and commenting on their usefulness. All students thoroughly enjoyed the activity and are eager to embark on this activity again. In a later activity the same group of students will be trialing specific apps (that I have researched) which they will rate by completing an ‘app evaluation form.’ This data will be collated and displayed on graphs etc and will be shared via this blog.

I hope to update blog readers on a regular basis about this wonderful project. If you require further information Malcolm Jolly (Team Leader – Innovation, GippsTAFE) malcolmj@gippstafe.edu.au would be more than willing to assist.

Until next time…..

Tanya Joiner Project Officer