emints_ipads

STEM...STEAM...Potato...Potato... Whatever the acronym, education in the US these days is focused on improving learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths. Wise educators recognize that the Arts are a critical component of this process. How can we build if we can't design? How can we design if we can't imagine?  There are many great STEM resources out there on the iPad. Personally, I am a bargain fan though so I am highlighting free resources. You don't get any better than free. 

When I received the invitation from the new Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, I decided to completely upgrade two seminar workshops. Dr Ian Green from the School of Education here at Adelaide and I have used Padagogy101 (introduction to iPad in HE) and Padagogy201 (more advanced use for L&T) to train over 600 faculty from universities in Australia. For Singapore, Ian wasn't going to be with me and I was solo, as well I needed a better way to leave resources in place for people to revisit. However I was completely surprised at what else happened. During my research I saw lots of great work done by others using Bloom's Taxonomy including the Revised Taxonomy which has now become the Bloom's Digital Taxonomy. However when I discovered the excellent pioneer work done by Kathy Schrock with "Bloomin' Apps" I got the idea for the Padagogy Wheel. Dare I say it but it is the next version for mobile learning of the ongoing importance of Bloom's Taxonomy. Bloom's is still fundamental to good teaching and learning.

iPads have exploded throughout schools and classrooms. Their flexibility, versatility, and mobility make them a phenomenal learning tool. As teachers seek ways to integrate these devices, we recommend focusing on specific learning goals that promote critical-thinking, creativity, collaboration, and the creation of student-centric learning environments.

I've started creating a table of important skills, some derived from the Padagogy Wheel, and actions, some derived from iPad As… What I am planning to highlight is that there are many apps that can be use for many purposes and for developing many skills. For example, I have already added "Explain Everything" to 9 categories as I see it as a multifunctional app and one worth its price because of the educational benefits it provides. Over the coming months I plan to add text descriptions to each category to explain how the apps listed address the skill or action they have been linked to and may also link them to other online sources that show them in action. I'll also provide direct links to the App Store, as I always do on this blog when I mention apps so you can check them out yourself if you want.

Content Curation  Promising for using with iPads