Virtual Field Trips and Global Education

Virtual Field Trips and Global Education

Basis for the Workshop:

            This staff development workshop will take place in the library media center at a middle school serving grades 5-8.  All teachers and subject areas will be welcome to this workshop as it will be encompassing a teaching and learning series on the importance of global education, and innovative ways to build student’s global perspectives.  The workshop will focus on the teaching and description of two resources named by AASL as the best websites for teaching and learning global education (http://www.ala.org/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/bestlist/bestwebsiteslandmark).  These resources include Google Earth and Field Trip Earth, and can be utilized in countless ways throughout middle school curriculum.  The workshop will provide two handouts for teachers with step-by-step instructions and overview of Google Earth and Field Trip Earth.  The itinerary of the workshop will include a beginning presentation of each of the resources and their importance, examples for use in teaching and learning, as well as a walk-through of the programs on the projector.  The ending of the session will be a hands-on workshop with time for the teachers to explore each resource, as the library media specialist walks around to help and answer questions.   

            While many teachers may be familiar with Google Earth, they may not be aware of the current version available, and of all the possibilities it has for education.  Field Trip Earth is probably a resource less well-known among the teachers, but is a unique website worth sharing, as it allows students and classes to take virtual tours around the world through videos, pictures, reports, and interviews with field researchers around the globe.  Google Earth and Field Trip Earth are related in their promotion of global education, and have the possibility to be used together for many educational purposes.  For example, classes taking a virtual field trip through Field Trip Earth, can switch over to Google Earth for further information on a specific area like the current weather, 3D views, or just take a look at the location they are studying.  Whether used together or separate, Google Earth and Field Trip Earth present countless opportunities for students to learn about the global community, and give teachers endless possibilities to connect with the curriculum in interactive, creative, and fun ways. 

Listed Below are links to Google Docs of the materials involved in the Staff Development workshop including the following:

1. Document including Rationale for Workshop as described above, Agenda, hand-out for Google Earth, hand-out for Field Trip Earth, and Evaluation

 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YiYeLYooUHIZpAm7d9c_-y1n8BT5tcfVWV1bXO71xWc/edit

2. Workshop Flyer

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6onuvFBS3O4dXNxX0FXc0h6Nmc/edit

3. Part 1 of the PowerPoint presentation including introduction, and Google Earth, and short video

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6onuvFBS3O4blBTWU9lLWdZdWc/edit

(This is the video in the PowerPoint from slide 10 that won't covert in Google Docs)

4. Part 2 of the PowerPoint presentation including Field Trip Earth and conclusion

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6onuvFBS3O4djBsS0ZKNzZyMGM/edit

Final Reflection of the Inquiry Process

            Throughout the development of my inquiry project, I gradually found that the I-Search model really worked well with research methods I already used, but helped me to better organize and utilize the information that I found.  I really enjoyed researching iPads in education, and using a specific research model in order to do so, as I’ve never studied inquiry models in the past.  Although I decided to use the I-Search model based on my own research style, I couldn’t help looking over all the inquiry models, and thinking how these might be used to help students in the library with their individual research needs.  I think following an inquiry model is a great way for students to keep focused and complete the exact task they have set out to accomplish.  While the I-Search model definitely seems to be a more flexible type of inquiry model, overall I think all of these processes provide steps to follow for success in research and are definitely methods I could see being extremely helpful to students in the library. 

Selecting a Topic:

            This first phase of the I-Search model, is probably the one I most enjoy, as it allows me to explore many of my interests, and browse a variety of resources.  When this project first started, and I was debating which topic to focus on, I really appreciated this phase.   Once I decided to research iPads, I had the opportunity to explore many different aspects of the iPad in order to discover if it was really an area of technology that interested me, and also choose a specific question about the iPad to focus on.  Since I entered into this project knowing an extremely small amount about iPads, but was also simultaneously intrigued by them, I decided to make an inquiry question slightly more general, as I wanted to provide room in the research process to discover all the numerous benefits and drawbacks of the iPad, and then after this overview was developed, I chose more specific aspects of iPad to focus on when researching its benefits and drawbacks.   In order to complete this first stage of selecting a topic, and forming my final inquiry question about the benefits and drawbacks of iPads in the school library media center, I first began with a simple Google search, that included recent news articles, and Apple’s website in order to focus my interest on the iPad, and begin moving into step two of the I-Search model. 

Finding Information:

This step was probably the most lengthy, and one that I returned to several times, as I really enjoy researching, and discovering new information sources, so even as I moved into step three, I still continued to find more information, and see what other possibilities the iPad had for education.  During the beginning of the this stage I moved from simple Google searches, to the suggested types of sources on Blackboard including personal oral communication, blogs, wikis, online discussion forums, listservs, websites, and articles.  I was lucky enough to have a personal interview with a co-worker and librarian who uses an iPad, and was able to explain to me firsthand what she enjoys most about the iPads, and why she believes they are such a strong educational tool.  She especially stressed how much she likes reading and using them for books.  I also had the pleasure to interview with a Sales Associate at the Apple store, who has much experience using and selling iPads.  During this interview, he especially stressed the accessibility features for people with disabilities, and also the organizational apps that he believes could be greatly utilized by librarians.  This oral communication was very important to my inquiry process as it opened me up to other ideas about the iPad that I hadn’t quite thought about, and ultimately led to my further research about iBooks and the accessibility functions of the iPad, and how these connect with education and the school library.  While each new source I discovered served its own significant purpose, I found that the interviews, the LM_NET listserv, and the Apple website, really helped bring me to the information and understanding I was looking for in this part of the process. 

Using Information:

As I moved into the third step of the I-Search model, I began to sort through the abundance of resources I had found and stored through bookmarking and Zotero.  I first created a word document listing all the sources I had found, and then re-examined each separately in order to refresh myself on the information I had found.  At this point I also organized what I would like to include in my final synopsis, and focus on as the major benefits and drawbacks of the iPad in school libraries and education.  Through my analysis of the collected materials, I typed up brief notes on each source that I wanted to include, and specifics of each aspect that I wanted to remember.  This is a usual tactic that takes place as I organize my research, and make sure I don’t forget the points or aspects of a source I want to remember, and is a major reason I chose this inquiry model to follow as it ties in closely with how I research already, but makes my process more defined and systemized. 

Developing a Final Product:

As I began developing my final product, I first went through the word document of listed sources with their attached notes and examined them each one more time.  I then formulated this into an informal outline prior to writing my final synopsis.  Since the synopsis was basically a short and general summary of my findings, I knew it would be impossible to include all of my sources, but looked for a way to touch base on all of the main benefits and drawbacks that these sources presented, as well as look for ways to show common premises that many of the information types shared, such as the topic of iBooks, educational apps, accessibility, price and budget constraints. From the outline I created, I was then able to move easily into writing up a synopsis of what I learned, and believed to best answer the question of the iPad’s benefits and drawbacks in school libraries.  Overall, the I-Search inquiry model is a straightforward way to research information, and works well with research habits that many people already have.  I think the school library media specialist could easily utilize this model when teaching information literacy, and while helping students succeed in their own research and inquiry projects.

Synopsis of What I Learned and List of Sources

Through my research of the Apple iPad and its place in education, I discovered more than hoped for, as I now wholeheartedly support iPads for student learning.   While the obvious drawbacks of price stand out to many educators, as well as the price of accessories such as storage devices for the iPads, as this equipment easily adds up to a pricey sum, the overall return of what you buy is well worth its initial cost.  While the benefits that I discovered from the Apple iPad are numerous, the most prominent aspect of iPads in education today is their program, iBooks, and its capabilities for textbooks.   There are thousands of educational apps available as well through the iPad that can’t be accessed through other types of devices, such as eReaders.  The possibilities for the iPad seem endless, and so it was difficult for me to find any major drawbacks of using them in education and in the school library setting.  Even with the minor drawbacks that I did discover, such as with price, I quickly discovered solutions including Apple’s education pricing program and the volume purchase program that both work to help educators attain these life-changing learning devices (Apple in Education, 2012).

The importance of iBooks textbooks for the iPad, and the benefits from this program alone are monumental.   The thin, and sleek design is user friendly, and attracts the digital-native students of today.  Even if a school is only able to purchase a few iPads for use in the school library, this is easily enough to begin to engage learning as students have the opportunity to come into the library and access education apps, textbooks for their classes, other books for reading, and use other features such as email, and the web all in a new, vibrant and interactive format that just may be the spark a student needs to be turned on to learning.  Even with the skepticism that naturally comes over the Apple iPad’s improvements in education, it’s difficult to ignore the “exuberant and unnecessary amount of money on paper textbooks year-after-year” and realize that “it’s highly likely that when teachers or students do use these more classroom-friendly Apple devices, it will improve the learning process” (Cheredar, 2012).  Some specific benefits that the iPad offers for school library media centers and the education system as whole from just iBooks textbooks alone is the development of a textbook that is completely “Multi-Touch,” as well as filled with “engaging layouts, interactive images, 3D graphics, and more” (Apple in Education, 2012).  There are so many types of these interactive features that help students learn and succeed, such as the built in dictionary that allows students to find out the meaning of a word in their readings by just a tap of the finger, or rotating “a 3D object to show a human brain from every angle” (Apple in Education, 2012).  Apple’s iBooks textbooks also helps to solve the much debated “textbook dilemma” as “budget constraints force schools to use the same books year after year, long after the content is out of date, but with textbooks on iPad, students can get a brand-new version each year, for a fraction of the price of a paper book” (Apple in Education, 2012). 

The next major benefit of the iPad in education and the school library media center are the “more than 20,000 educational apps” for both students and teachers. (Apple in Education, 2012.)  There are apps for students to “track assignments, take notes, and study for finals,” and apps for school library media specialists to “give lessons, monitor progress, and stay organized” (Apple in Education, 2012).   Apps such as Keynote for example help both library media specialists and students create “presentations with stunning animations and effects,” while video mirroring allows these presentations, lessons, and web pages, to be shared on the big screen for the entire class (Apple in Education, 2012).   While these apps are extremely beneficial and not found on most other educational tools, the iPad is also universally accessible to those with hearing, or vision impairments, and physical or learning disabilities.  All of these features are included with the iPad and include aspects such as a screen reader, support for playback of closed-captioned content, the multi-touch display, countless languages, and zoom capabilities just to name a few (Apple in Education, 2012).  An iPad is incredibly helpful for students that struggle in school, and could be the very tool a library media specialist needs to reach a particular student with a disability, and make sure that he or she is receiving what they need to learn and succeed.   

Even with the easily recognizable drawbacks such as the fact that more students still need easier access to these devices due to price and other restrictions, and the worry that budgets will be blown on iPads while forgetting about “other non-digital materials that could be just as helpful,” the benefits still seem to outweigh these factors (Hardawar, 2012).  While Apple is criticized for their overly idealistic ways, my research has shown the company’s gradual and steady commitment to improving education through the iPad, and their efforts to correct any problems, as is shown with their revised version of iBooks textbooks that makes textbooks even more accessible, as they have created a program for publishers and authors to create these books for free (Apple in Education, 2012).  Overall, through my collection of information from new articles, interviews, the library media specialist listserv, other related websites, and the Apple company, I have discovered an educational tool that seems to have endless possibilities in the possible ways it may help each individual student, librarian, and teacher.  While there are major capabilities that many will benefit from such as iBooks textbooks, and certain apps for learning, this is really just the beginning of all that the iPad can do in terms of engaging students, and improving the educational system.    

References:

(2012, Month. Day ). In Apple in Education. (chap. The device that changed everything is now changing the classroomTextbooks; Apps; The Classroom; Accessibility) Retrieved Feb. 15, 2012, from http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/

(2012, Jan. 20). Cheredar, T. Can Apple’s new textbook initiative save U.S. education?. The Washington Post Retrieved Feb. 12, 2012, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/can-apples-new-textbook-initiative-save-us-education-infographic/2012/01/19/gIQABD7JEQ_story.html.

Barack, L. (2010, May 1 ). Is the iPad fit for school?. School Library Journal from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6727279.html?q=ipad.

Cormier, C.. (2011, Jan. 20 ). In ConnSENSE Bulletin. (chap. Apps for Education) Retrieved Feb. 12, 2012, from http://www.connsensebulletin.com/2011/01/apps-for-education-update/

Hardawar, D.. (2012, Jan. 20). The dark side of Apple's digital textbook utopia. The Washington Post Retrieved Feb. 12, 2012, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/the-dark-side-of-apples-digital-textbook-utopia/2012/01/20/gIQAQjuIEQ_story.html.

Hu, W... (2011, Jan. 4). Math That Moves: Schools Embrace the iPad. The New York Times Retrieved Feb. 6, 2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/education/05tablets.html?_r=2.

(2012, Jan. 19). Ingraham, N. iBooks 2: First Impressions. The Washington Post Retrieved Feb. 16, 2012, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/ibooks-2-first-impressions/2012/01/19/gIQAeIjCBQ_story.html

(2012, Month. Day ). In iPads. (chap. iPads in Schools; Is iPad fit for school) Retrieved Feb. 10, 2012, from http://newtoolsworkshop.wikispaces.com/iPad

Kehoe, Michael. Personal interview. 19 Feb. 2012.

Kennon, Caroline. Personal interview. 20 Feb. 2012.

LM_NET Archive. LM_NET. List Archives. http://lmnet-archive.iis.syr.edu/

(2012, Jan. 19). Tsukayama, H. iBooks 2, iBooks Author, deals with publishers. The Washington Post Retrieved Feb. 10, 2012, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/apple-announces-ibooks-2-ibooks-author-deals-with-publishers/2012/01/19/gIQAcS35AQ_story.html

As I Develop my Final Product...

I’m now at the point in my inquiry project, where I have analyzed through my sources and completed the Using Information stage of the I-Search model.  As I work to create a write-up of what I learned and discuss my final reflection of the inquiry process, I’m working through the final step of the I-Search model, which is the Developing a final product stage.  I have decided which sources will be used to support both the benefits and the drawbacks of using iPads in the school library media center, and I’m very happy with the information I was able to find throughout this process.  One specific piece of information I found, came from Apple’s website, and really helped me to gain a strong understanding of what the iPad can actually do for schools, students, and teacher.  It’s a video from Apple relating specifically to iBooks textbooks accessible through the iPad, and I found it not only filled with important information, but actually inspiring in the way it explains iPads to be helping education.  Even if your not studying iPads for an inquiry project, I think all aiming library media specialists hesitant about the iPad and confused over its capabilities like I was, will find this video especially interesting. 

Continuing Research...

As I continue to research and follow the I-Search inquiry model, I'm still working through the Finding Information and Using Information phases.  I'm beginning to analyze and decide what information I want to use in my final project, from the sources I've already found, but I'm still looking for more useful and current news articles, blogs, related websites, and most recently I've figured out how to access archives from the LM_NET listserv Judy suggested for use.  After having some troubles subscribing to the listserv for emails, I seem to have found that I can search for information in the archive website, http://listserv.syr.edu/scripts/wa.exe, for specific posts on i-Pads in the school library.  I have already found an abundance of information that I definitely want to use as I continue the inquiry and include in my final product.  One specific post that I found from 2/13, was from a school librarian who just received her first and only i-pad for the school, and was looking for suggestions on how to best utilize it for the students.  She received numerous responses and advice that has lead me to discover many more helpful sources of information on the benefits and drawbacks of iPads in the school library media center.

Final Topic Question

What are the benefits, as well as possible drawbacks of using iPads in the School Library Media Center?

First Reflection on Inquiry Process

So far I'm working through the first two steps of the I-Search model, which is Selecting a Topic, and Finding Information.  I knew I wanted to conduct research on iPads and their use in schools, but at this point I'm narrowing down this research so that I can form my specific focus and question regarding iPads and schools.  The concept model I created has really helped in this process, as it allows for me to quickly and easily jot down ideas and information that I stumble across.  The first step of I-Search, Selecting a Topic really focuses on exploring the ideas I come up with, and browsing different resources, which is what I have spent most of my time doing so far.  Since the information needs to be current, and preferably from the last twelve months for this type of assignment, I have been using many different blogs, and news websites as sources of information.  I have also used some oral communication with people that know more about iPads than I do, which is how I discovered the upcoming use of iPads in Canisius High School.  As I continue in the first step, I would like to explore some other sources of information, such as related listservs.  Although, I still plan to collect more information, I have began to move into the second step of I-search with the information that I already have collected as I've started formulating questions, arguments, and exploring each specific resource more in depth.