COE Exchange

Part of me wishes that I could employee folks like Billy Mays, Anthony “Sully” Sullivan or any other TV pitchman to sell folks on the idea of using the iPod Touch in the classroom. The iPod Touch is a personal computer, but many still believe the iPod Touch is only a music player.

This article focuses going beyond the iPod Touch solely as a music player by focusing on hardware specifications and software applications that make it ideal for educational settings. This article also concentrates on how the iPod Touch is used in UMSL ED TECH courses and beyond, including best practices with real educator application.

Background Information

I must admit that I too thought of the iPod Touch as only a music player, but my preconceived ideas were shattered when I started filling out the application for the fall 2008 UMSL Innovation Grant. I started researching the possibility of using the iPod Touch in the classroom, especially for the courses that I teach in the UMSL’s College of Education ED TECH program. My idea for a grant was to equip each student in EdTech 5340, Selection and Utilization of Multimedia, offered in the spring 2009 term, taught by Carl Hoagland and myself assisting, and the summer 2009 term, taught by me, with their own iPod Touch. Each student in the course was training to be a teacher or a practicing teacher and they wanted to learn more how to leverage the power of technology in education.

As I was preparing the paperwork for the grant, there were some preliminary questions, so I talked to Eddie Bell and Mike Bombich from Apple—at this point I am still thinking the iPod Touch as only a music device—and they helped me see the iPod Touch as a hand-held computer. They also mentioned that I needed to incorporate a workflow in using the iPod Touches. “Workflow is a term used to describe the tasks, procedural steps, organizations or people involved, required input and output information, and tools needed for each step in a business process.”¹ With this in mind, I understood them to mean I needed to come up with a way for the students to create content, upload the content to the web and then download the content to iTunes on their individual computers and synch the content to their iPod Touches. So, I had to design a way for the students to create, communicate and collect data in the classroom and beyond.

To help in the workflow, we set up a WordPress blog on the Technology and Learning Center’s development server. There is a WordPress app that allows users to write a blog entry and submit it straight from the iPod Touch to the blog. Also, we installed a plug-in in WordPress called podPress which turns the blog into a perfect place to host podcasts. We also installed WPtouch iPhone Theme which allows the WordPress to be viewed perfectly on the iPod Touch.

Some of the other activities we wanted to incorporate into the class using the iPod Touch were:

• Social networking through Facebook or MySpace,
• Downloading podcasts/videos on the computer using iTunes and then synching the podcasts/videos to your iPod Touch
• Creating podcasts using the portable version of Audacity.
• Web searches using Safari
• Twitter
• Google Apps (Google Mail, Earth, Docs, Talk, Reader, News, Notebook, Photos, YouTube and Translate),
• VNC-this is remote control software that allows for you to connect your iPod Touch to a computer and fully interact with it over a wireless network.
• Email

At one time all these activities required a laptop or desktop computer, but can now be accomplished with the iPod Touch. Information and creation is in the palm of your hand.

The grant-related outcomes I am hoping for are:

• Learning that can happen anywhere and anytime.
• Increased student communication and collaboration leading to an increased sense of community and dynamic learning.

Results

At the end of the ED Tech 5340 (18 students enrolled) during the spring 2009 term, students were given the following survey that asked two questions:

• How did you use the iPod Touch? And what programs did you use the most?
• If you used it for class, did it enhance your learning experience? Is so, how?

Some of the anonymous replies to the first question were:

• “I used the iPod Touch mostly recreational. I loved carrying it around with me and listening to You Tube music videos. I like the mapping application, and I liked using the blog in class. I wish we had used it more for assignments, but we were learning so many other things at that time. I just recently started facebook, so I would have liked to have used the Touch with that. I tried to use SIS for attendance in class, but it did not work. I was able to get on my school email, but I did not get a chance to use it much in class. It was cool though to do a real time survey and watch our professor show us the results of our survey on the smart board.”
• “I used it only for facebook and email, and occasionally internet. However, my cellphone has all of these functions and does not require WiFi, so I chose to use my cellphone instead most of the time.”
• “I could only use the iPod Touch at my sister’s house once a week. My school tech could not get it to connect to our server at school. I do not have wireless at home. For me it was a burden to have the responsibility of not getting it damaged this semester. Initially it was a fun electronic toy. But after a couple of weeks, I was done with it. I would have enjoyed having it more if it had a camera or if it were an iPhone. I used email, youtube, weather, and facebook the most.”
• “I mainly used the iPod for checking my email and listening to music.”
• “MP3 player, internet access, online polling for class. I used the MP3 player daily and the internet access whenever i could to check e-mail.”
• “I used the i-touch for mostly personal use. I did use it also to stay organized in this class. I mostly used the music function, the calendar function, and the internet. I loved being able to check email and facebook on it.

A sample of anonymous responses to the second question were:

• “It was SO great to be able to blog and control the computer all from my phone. I loved learning how this new technology can be used. I feel that it really enhanced my learning and also kept me in touch with the world while out of town or not in class. It was also great not to have to use the computer.”
• “Yes, I learned how to use iTouch to blog and post on our web site. because I was put in a position to have to learn to use the iTouch I am now a committed user. Thanks”
• “Yes, because I was like a fish out of water. This was a opportunity to learn a devices that I never used in my life. I was frustrated at first but gradually got into the groove of things.”
• “I did not use it for class outside of what we were required to do in class the first couple of weeks.”
• “I downloaded 5 youtube videos and showed them to class by connecting it to my MAC laptop, then to a projector. I had to have the school tech person download an upgrade to my computer to do this. Once she did this, it worked fine.”
• “The use of the iPod for various assignments enabled me to dispel any fears I previously had about its applications and functions.”
• “Yes, because before this class i was under the impression that ipod was only for listing to music. However, this class has taught me that the ipod is much more useful in everyday tasks, etc.”
• “It really helped me to stay more organized during this class. Between the calendar function and being able to access my gateway at anytime. I always felt plugged in and on top of things.

After reading these responses more apps and activities were added for ED Tech 5340 summer 2009 session (13 students).

The apps that were added were (search using iTunes store):

• Skype
• Linkedin
• Twitteriffic
• Free RSS reader
• BBC Reader
• NPR Addict
• WikiHow
• Dictionary.com
• Free Translator
• Allthecountires
• Math Ref Free
• MiniPiano

At the end of the ED Tech 5340 (13 students enrolled) during the summer 2009 term, the students were the same questions as the first group:

• How did you use the iPod Touch? And what programs did you use the most?
• If you used it for class, did it enhance your learning experience? Is so, how?

Some of the anonymous replies to the first question were:

• “I love my iPod. I like the internet and podcast features in my iPod touch.”
• “I used it to explore the programs, download music, complete tasks in class, looked at podcasts, and searched online.”
• “I use it mostly to look up homework assignments from the class website and I most often use the facebook app. as well as the weather app.”
• “I like exploring with the iTouch. I’ve been using it to check my email and trying different apps that is on it. Goggle earth is pretty neat.”
• “In class I used it educationally (blogging, movies, etc.),Educationally I enjoyed the internet that was “portable” and I liked google map. At home I used it recreationally to upload itunes.”

A sample of anonymous responses to the second question were:

• “Yes, there were a plethora of icons I could choose from to use on the itouch. It is wonderful to know I am not tied down to my computer at school or home. I would be able to have a blog to give out to my students and they could comment back to me. This way I have an idea of what I need to teach or re-teach.”
• “Have not used it for class yet, but plan to!”
• “Yes by allowing me to access the class at many times and in almost any place”
• “I feel that the devise gives me more opportunities to stay connected in more places and I have the tools at my fingertips in order to meet the class requirements.”
• “It was interesting to explore what technology was available. I was already very familiar with the device. I do think it is wonderful in my personal life.”
• “Yes, I learned how to use an iPod touch so I am not so out of it. I learned how to keep in touch using a portable device”

As an instructor, I learned two major items using the iPod Touch:

1. One day in a summer session course in which each student had both a laptop and iPod Touch, I admitted to one student I was struggled creating/designing activities for the iPod Touch in class. She wisely stated in class they use the laptops as their main computer. With this phrase she reminded me again the iPod Touch is a computer and the students in the class had two computers. Therefore, I designed a scavenger hunt – students were instructed to take their iPod Touch and input the data they found straight into a Google Spreadsheet. While the students were out collecting data, I was able to pull up and by using a projector display the exact Spreadsheet. I could see their data populate the cells in real time. When the students returned to the classroom they were able to see their results.
2. I learned another major item using Google Forms embedded in the course blog. The students were able to access the Google Form on the blog, take the survey and the results would display in a Google Spreadsheet in real time. This became a way for me to check comprehension in real time or in essence a clicker which are becoming popular in education.

Here are some screenshots of the Google Form for a survey as seen on the iPod Touch:

As the students clicked on their answers, the results fed into the matching Google Spreadsheet in real time. It was also possible to display a summary of the results in Google Spreadsheet in real time as well.

Some students also had success using their iPod Touch in their live classroom:

• One student/teacher reported he was able to take their iPod Touch, join the school’s wireless access and log into their music program he uses with the students and “wander” around the lab checking on student’s work progress. Formerly, he had to be tethered to his computer to check on student progress, but now he could freely move about the lab giving more personalized attention to his students and handle classroom management.

• Here is a short video from another student:

(Click on video to begin)

Or permalink for video

Resources

• Since January 2009, I have been collecting web resources through Google Alerts and I have posted them on Diigo for you to view.
• Here is the PowerPoint Presentation–iPod Touchs:Touching lives in the classroom and beyond

Conclusion

This grant has taught me a lot. I am continually reminded of the power of the iPod Touch both inside and outside of the classroom environment. Students used it for educational activities when prompted, but most student use occurred outside the classroom when students did not have access to desktop/laptop computers. They were able to use the iPod Touch to connect and communicate with others.

Two student statements served to make this point very strongly:

• “Yes by allowing me to access the class at many times and in almost any place”
• “Yes, I learned how to use an iPod touch so I am not so out of it. I learned how to keep in touch using a portable device”

With these two statements and the objectives of the grant, we can see that:

• Learning can happen anywhere and anytime.
• Increased student communication and collaboration increases student community and learning.

I believe, the objectives for the grant were met.

I again offer my thanks to UMSL for the new learning and the opportunity to purchase the iPod Touchs which impacted student learning and collaboration.

Footnotes

1. Tang Wulong, “What is workflow,” SearchCIO.com, August 21, 2001 [↩]

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