Taking Photos - A Success Criteria

Kindergarten are learning to take photos using iPad. We first got them into the learning commons, we wanted to get them just taking photos, so we learned how to take a selfie (an important skill in today's world).

Then we switched to the other camera and learned how to take a photo of an object. We then created a success criteria of how to do so. The students came up with the criteria. I provided them some words to help describe each criteria.

Now we have something to refer to when we taking photos in the future.

Documenting in Kindergarten

In Kindergarten, we are always looking for new and engaging ways to use technology. Today we started a centre type activity where small groups of 6-8 are coming into the learning commons to take part in a sorting centre.

The students have been learning about grouping and sorting and this was a chance for them to independently apply their new learning in a way that suits them.

We used iPads to help them document their learning. Once they completed their set, they used iPad to take a photo of their work. Then they tried to make a new set.

 

To keep their work amnd to access it later on, we simply added a name tag to the work so we could track it later, once downloaded to another device or computer.

With todays work, we exported the finished images by using Airdrop to get them all onto one device before downloading.

  

Documenting Trees with iPad

This week I started a project with a grade one class to do with trees and changes. The plan is to take photos of trees through the different seasons of the year.

Taking photos and DC

Firstly we had to learn/review how to take photos with the iPad. We also looked at some digital citizenship around taking photos with a mobile device as well as some handling guidelines. We decided to have each student in the shot for ease of organizing the photos once we downloaded all the photos off the iPads.

First go at it

We headed outside and broke the class into two smaller groups (about 12 students) we walked around the school to find trees and take some photos. After a little bit of modelling, we all chose our tree and then took our first photos.

  

Review and full class assessment 

After completing the outside task, we headed back in to view some photos and clean up the camera roll from the extra shots. We quickly realized that the students were not able to take photos of the trees  as we had hoped. There were cut off tress, crooked photos, unrecognizable students etc, etc

Success criteria 

We selected a few examples and non-examples of good photos and had a discussion with the class. Using a Google presentation, we made notes on what we noticed was wrong with the photos and what was good about the photos. We also added some tips about what the photographer could do improve on that photo.

More practice

After creating the success criteria and tip sheet, the student once again took some photos using the iPads. This time, we just worked in the learning commons and took photos around the inside space, being mindful of the composition of the photos.

Outside: Part 2

After having further practice, we moved outside for the second time and tried taking our photos again. It turns out that the practice and discussion about how to be successful made a big difference.

Watch the blog for some of the things we do next with our photos.

    

Documenting Learning with iPads

Sarabeth Asis, Teacher, Bridlewood School

This year, my grade 5 students and I learned the value of using mobile devices, such as the iPad, to document our learning during a problem-based learning activity. While exploring the question, How can we use our imaginations, prior knowledge and research to create an electrical toy car model?, my class used iPads and a workflow of productivity apps to make student-created artifacts representing their learning. Our pre-planning stage involved using Popplet Lite, a mind-mapping app, which students used to brainstorm what they already knew about electricity and what questions they needed to ask to help them to build an electric toy car. These questions guided their research and students used Safari and YouTube apps to help them find information. Their research notes were recorded on Notability. Later, they used the app, Idea Board, to draw their electric car designs. Throughout the building and testing stages, students used the iPad’s camera to take photos and video. Finally, when the electric cars were complete, students took all their digital artifacts and created a reflection video using Explain Everything.

Benefits

The first benefit I noticed while using the iPads during this problem-based task was increased student engagement. Most students were focused on the task at hand throughout the majority of the project, with minimal reminders to stay on task. After each learning activity, an artifact was created to represent thinking (mind maps, design drawings, notes) or be used as a topic of discussion (photos of building the cars). I also noticed the increased speed in student ability to get their ideas down into a digital artifact that was legible and visually appealing, whereas traditional paper and pen activities might have proved challenging for some students with fine motor difficulties or would have taken a longer period of time to add visual appeal.

Some affordances provided by use of the iPads with my students included multi-modal features and a streamlining of the documentation process. The iPads provided for various multi-modal methods for students to represent work, such as drawings, voice, text and video. All available tools and creations were stored in a single, portable device. Students could take the iPad to various classroom or school locations conducive to group work and building throughout the learning activities.
The apps we used in this inquiry were open-ended to encourage creativity in the students but also revealed levels in their ability to think critically, problem solve and reflect. For example, differences in the Popplet webs, prototype designs, and reflections in their Explain Everything videos gave me insight into a particular group of students’ thinking and learning. Through use of the iPads in this process, I felt I learnt more about my students’ learning and thinking processes through these artifacts, rather than using traditional paper and pen assessment methods.

Sarabeth (@Sarawa81) has a passion for using EdTech to support learning. She looks forward to new adventures as LL at Royal Oak School next fall.

Creating Digital Fairy Tales using Puppet Pals/ Sketchbook Pro/ iMovie

We loved the idea of using iPads to help guide students through the process of learning. When Google Drive was placed on the iPads at our school we knew this would be a way for us to transfer student work off devices and eagerly planned a project to utilize the technology. 

We asked the Students in our Grade 3/4 classes to make their own original digital fairy tale. Using a hook, relating to the Calgary flood of 2013, students wrote a fairy tale for a character displaced by the flood. Students were guided through a variety of writing lessons, based on Barbara Mariconda’s work, students worked in groups of two to write, illustrate and produce an original fairy tale iMovie.

Drawing Characters and Scenes

Sketchbook Pro

When students completed the writing process they sketched the characters and setting using the app Sketchbook Pro. The app was very easy to use and provided students with a variety of tools to draw with. We highly recommend this app! The app is easy for students and provides a variety of drawing options. The app is available in the iTunes store for $4.99.

Storytelling

Puppet Pals HD

Next, students imported their images into Puppet Pals. They had so much fun using this app! It was easy to use and allowed students the ability to move their characters and change scenes in one recording. The free app includes a wild west background and some characters. If you purchase the director’s pass a variety of themes and characters are available. The students were able to add characters half-way through a scene by placing them off the stage and moving the character into the frame when needed. One handy bit of information we discovered once the projects were completed, is that the Puppet Pals logo, which shows up for a few seconds at the end of each scene, could have been turned off in settings. The Puppet Pals HD Director’s pass is available for $2.99 in the iTunes store.

iMovie

Finally, students imported the scene segments from Puppet Pals into iMovie to add details and complete their final project. When done, they uploaded the movies onto Google Drive so final projects could be shared and saved for future use.

Students learned so much during the project! They were engaged, eager to start working on the project and they gave and received feedback in order to make their stories and projects better. 

Thank you for inviting us to share.

Rahimay and Nadine