Assignment 2

IDENTIFYING AN AREA OF NEED

Just as innovations made possible by evolving technologies create exciting opportunities for global connection and growth (Friedman, 2008), they also have the potential to create divisions and unequal power relationships. While the inequalities in access to digital resources between developed and developing nations need to be addressed, we must also acknowledge the existence of groups within developed countries who ( for different reasons)  are affected by significant inequalities of access. As digital technologies become ubiquitous, a significant proportion of our population are excluded from aspects of social, economic and political life that are taken for granted by the majority of Australians.

Within Australia, age is a major factor in predicting access to the internet and use of digital resources. Australians over the age of 65 are significantly less likely to have internet access (ABS, 2014) and to know how to access online information and resources (ACMA, 2009a). As more and more information and services (including government services) move online, unequal access to the digital world becomes a source of disadvantage.  This has led Australian policy makers (Ryan, 2013) to classify connectivity as a human rights issue that significantly affects older adults and recognise the need for initiatives designed to support their engagement with the digital world (Adult Learning Australia, 2013).

The following examples of government initiated and supported programs provide evidence that equal access to the digital world for senior Australians is considered a priority.

Whether equal access to digital technologies and online opportunities for seniors is an issue that has long term relevance is also worth considering. It can be argued that as younger generations age they will bring technological skills with them (Fiest & McDougall, 2013) and consequently the current “digital divide” will disappear within a generation.  On the other hand, nearly two- thirds of Australian adults report that they find it difficult to keep up with the rapid rate of change brought about by technology (ACMA, 2009a). Considering the likelihood of (as yet unimagined) innovations occurring in the future, perhaps supporting older adult’s participation with technology will be a continuing challenge for our society.

The relevance of this issue is not limited to Australia.   Globally, the proportion of the population aged 65 and above is increasing to a level never before seen (WHO, 2011). The World Health Organization (2014) has identified “optimising opportunities for health, participation and security” as a key strategy to enhance the quality of life as people age.  The success of this strategy relies on supporting older adults “continuing participation in social, economic, cultural, spiritual, and civic affairs” (i.e. “active aging”). The all-pervasive nature of the internet within modern society makes it a valuable tool for supporting this participation. The remainder of this post will explore how younger generations can contribute to the quality of life of older citizens by assisting them to connect with the world through mobile and digital technologies. 

FACTS & FIGURES : A tale of two contexts

REFRAMING THE PROBLEM

Mobile devices themselves may go a long way towards reducing the barriers to connecting with the digital world for older adults. In a study conducted before the advent of the iPad and smartphone (Saunders, 2004)., seniors reported the following areas they would like to see improved :

• ·       Less expensive computers.
• ·       Higher comfort levels and more adaptable devices
• ·       Greater ease of maintenance.

The majority of seniors also report not needing high level computing functions (Whitehouse et al, 2013).

It is very interesting to note how closely this “wish list” matches the capabilities and attributes of mobile devices, a fact that would account for the recent and rapid shift from PCs to mobile devices by this age group (Whitehouse et al, 2013).

Along with the use of mobile devices, there is also the potential for partnerships between younger and older generations to bridge the digital divide for older adults.  Lack of training at their level is one of the major barriers to learning about technology reported by older adults ( Haukka  ,2013 )  . A recent Australian study confirmed this view, concluding that there is “an untapped market for ICT training and support for older people through local community groups, especially in rural areas” (Feist & MacDougal, 2013). Many rural towns have the basic infrastructure for training in the form of Broadband for seniors Kiosks but do not run formal training programs. One of the greatest obstacles to providing this training is a shortage of volunteers with the skills to teach the latest technology in a one-on-one setting (Whitehouse et al, 2013). If the preferences of older learners, for personal, individual instruction (Saunders, 2004; Haukka. 2013) and informal learning (ACMA, 2009a), are taken into account the need for one-on-one tutoring becomes even more important to the success of training programs. 

The fact that most high school age students (ages 15-17) already have a comprehensive and up-to-date, working knowledge of mobile devices and the internet (ACMA, 2011) places them in a unique position to act as tutors.

There are a number of different models for projects that pair technology tutors from younger age groups with seniors. These range from small scale, individually driven projects to a large scale project sponsored by a major company.

Created with Padlet

 A POSSIBLE SOLUTION

A community based- school partnership where high school students use the infrastructure already in place to provide 1-1 tutoring for an older adult with little or no experience with digital technology. The Broad Band for Seniors kiosk in my community (Gayndah) is located within the nursing home (Gunther Village) which would provide a venue for students and seniors to work together. Senior participants would be invited to bring a device they wish to learn to use. Students would be guided through the process of creating an individualised program based on the specific needs of an older adult.  A teacher would plan activities to prepare students for their role as tutors and provide support and guidance throughout the project. Students would be required to engage in preparation activities specifically designed to provide them with the understanding and skills needed to create learning experiences suited to the unique needs of older adults (Jones & Bayen, 1998). and would also be supported in researching online open resources and volunteer communities. To ensure relevance, this process could be linked to the current design and technologies curriculum or framed as a service learning opportunity.

The design of the project would be guided by research based principles for success in which learners are introduced to devices that are user friendly, training matches personal needs/ interests and ongoing support is provided within the local community (Feist & MacDougal ,2013).

The  Know Your Gizmo  project provides an extremely useful insight into the logistics of running a project like this. 

The following prezi presents some possible benefits to each age group of such a project. It is not intended to be a critical review but rather to provide a view of the potential for positive outcomes and learning opportunities.

OERS

There are a number of open resources designed to provide beginner level tutorials for those wishing to learn the basics of mobile or desktop devices and internet tools. While it is unlikely that these resources alone would provide sufficient guidance for older adults who are complete beginners, they do provide an invaluable resource for volunteer tutors searching for resources to meet the specific needs of these learners. Uses may include revision (many older learners require repetition in order to learn new skills  [Jones & Bayen, 1998] ) ,printable instructions/ visual prompts and as a resource for individual exploration as  learners become more confident.

Arguably the most comprehensive and useful resource is the Broadband for seniors wiki page as it provides a space where volunteers can collaborate and add to the existing bank of knowledge. It may also be beneficial to set up a smaller scale space for collaboration where participants in the project can ask for support and share their successes. This might take the form of a wiki space or private Facebook group. To be most effective the format would need to be negotiated with participants to ensure that it meets their particular needs and preferences. 

Created with Padlet

REFERENCES 

Adult Learning Australia. (2014). Bridging the digital divide. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from https://ala.asn.au/news/bridging-the-digital-divide/

Australian Communications and Media Authority. (2009a). Use of digital media and communications by senior Australians. Canberra: Australian Communications and Media Authority. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310665/use_of_dmc_by_older_australians.doc

Australian Communications and Media Authority. (2009b). Australia in the digital economy. Report 1: Trust and confidence. Canberra: Australian Communications and Media Authority. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from

http://archive.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311655  

Australian Communications and Media Authority. (2011). We like, we post, we share-the online lives of Young Australians. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from http://www.acma.gov.au/Citizen/Stay-protected/My-kids-and-media/Kids-online/we-like-we-post-we-share-the-online-lives-of-young-australians

Australian Communications and Media Authority.  (2013). Communications report 2011-2012 series. Report 3- Smartphones and tablets. Take up and use in Australia. Canberra: Australian Communications and Media Authority. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310665/report-3-smartphones-tablets-comms_report_11-12_series.pdf

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2014). 8146.0 Household information technology Australia. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/8146.0Chapter32012-13

Boulton-Lewis, G. (2010). Education And Learning For The Elderly: Why, How, What. Educational Gerontology, 36(3), 213-228.

Feist, H., & McDougall, K. (2013). Older people's use of new communication technologies: Research findings and policy implications. Australian Population & Migration Research Centre, 1(8). Retrieved September 2, 2014, from

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/apmrc/pubs/policy-briefs/APMRC_Policy_Brief_Vol_1_8_2013.pdf

Friedman, T. (2008). Keynote address. MIT Milestone Celebration. Lecture conducted from MIT, OCW. Retrieved September 19, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcE2ufqtzyk

Green, M. (2012). Global Citizenship – What Are We Talking About and Why Does It Matter? Retrieved September 17, 2014, from http://globalhighered.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/global-citizenship/

Hatton-Yeo, A., & Ohsako, T. (2000). Chapter Twelve: The United States.Intergenerational programmes: Public policy and research implications an international perspective (pp. 57-62). UNESCO Institute for Education. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/pdf/intergen.pdf

Haukka, S. (2011). Older Australians and the internet: bridging the digital divide. Braddon, A.C.T.: National Seniors Australia, Productive Ageing Centre. Retrieved September 18,  2014 from http://www.cci.edu.au/sites/default/files/shaukka/Older Australians and the Internet report FINAL.pdf

Jones, B. D., & Bayen, U. J. (1998). Teaching Older Adults To Use Computers: Recommendations Based On Cognitive Aging Research. Educational Gerontology, 24(7), 675-689.

Macpherson, K. (2013). Digital technology and Australian teenagers: Consumption, study and careers. University of Canberra: Australian Computer Society. Retrieved September 18, 2014, from http://www.canberra.edu.au/researchrepository/file/fde6c9c8-0f73-47a6-afb2-e476699be44b/1/full_text_final.pdf

Raco, E. (2014, July 1). The ACMA. Aussie teens online. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/engage-blogs/engage-blogs/Research-snapshots/Aussie-teens-online

Ryan, S. (2013). Australian Human Rights Commission. Older people need the internet too. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/opinions/older-people-need-internet-too

Sayago,S., Forbes, P., Blat, J. (2013), Older people becoming successful ICT learners over time: Challenges and strategies through an ethnographical lens. Educational Gerontology, 39(7), 527-544.

Saunders, E. J. (2004). Maximizing Computer Use Among The Elderly In Rural Senior Centers. Educational Gerontology,30(7), 573-585.

UNESCO. (2011). UNESCO Mobile Learning Week Report. Retrieved September 19, 2014, from http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/ED/ICT/pdf/UNESCO%20MLW%20report%20final%2019jan.pdf 

Whitehouse, E., Brentnall, D., & Young, M. (2013). Efficient seniors training using broadband technology. Sydney: Australian Communications Consumer Action Network. Retrieved September 2, 2014, from https://accan.org.au/grants/completed-grants/464-australian-seniors-computer-clubs-association-ascca

World Health Organization (2011). Global health and ageing. World Health Organization. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from http://www.who.int/ageing/publications/global_health/en/

World Health Organization (2014.). What is " active ageing?". Retrieved September 22, 2014, from http://www.who.int/ageing/active_ageing/en/

Assignment 1 : Benefits of Mobile Learning in a Primary Classroom Context

With the rapid rise in the popularity of mobile devices ( Anthony, 2012 ), the uptake of these devices in the business word (Upside Learning, 2013 ) and the predictions of recent Horizon reports  (2013)  it is clear that mobile learning has an important role to play in preparing students for future success.

Though there are academic studies devoted to exploring the benefits of using mobile devices within classrooms (Swan, et al., 2005), convincing evidence of the benefits of mobile learning comes from listening to, and reading, the testimonies of students and teachers who have used this mode of learning successfully in their classrooms (Rural and Distance Education ; Cline, 2012, Education Queensland, 2014 ).  These success stories have not come about by accident. A clear vision, ongoing reflection and professional support  ( Education Queensland, 2014) have all played a part in overcoming the financial, organisational and technical obstacles to implementing mobile learning within a school context ( Joyce, 2014).

The term mobile devices applies to a number of devices, mobile phones and smart phones, e-book readers, tables, MP3 players and portable media players. In my discussion of mobile learning, I focus almost exclusively on the affordances of iPads.

After considering the tangible benefits of mobile learning in relation to my particular context , I chose the following to explore in more depth.

• immediacy of communication
• encourages reflection in close proximity to the learning event
• increases accessibility for learners with special educational requirements

REFERENCES

Anthony, S. (2012, December 13). Microsoft’s share of the consumer market has dropped from 95% to 20% in 8 years | ExtremeTech. Retrieved August 10, 2014, from http://www.extremetech.com/computing/143277-microsofts-share-of-the-consumer-market-has-dropped-from-95-to-20-in-8-years

Education Queensland.(2014) mLearning :  Educator’s guide to mobile devices and learning V1.0 retrieved August 9, 2014,  from https://staff.learningplace.eq.edu.au/teaching/pedagogy/Documents/mLearning_guide_v2.0.pdf

How are others using mobile learning?. Rural & Distance Education NSW. Retrieved August 9, 2014, from http://www.rde.nsw.edu.au/how-are-others-using-mobile-learning

Cline, B. (2012). Reflections on an Elementary iPad Trial. YouTube. Retrieved August 9, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmulWr39yw4

Mobile devices for learning: What you need to know. (2012, January 1). Edutopia. Retrieved August 9, 2014, from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED539398.pdf

Joyce, K. (2014). Kylie Joyce eLearn Reflections EDEL20003. : Mobile Pedagogy: iPad Affordances. Retrieved August 10, 2014, from http://kjoyc263m3.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/mobile-pedagogy-ipad-affordances.html

Sparking innovation, learning and creativity.. (n.d.). NMC Horizon Report > 2013 K-12 Edition. Retrieved August 10, 2014, from http://www.nmc.org/publications/2013-horizon-report-k12

Swan, K., Hooft, M. v., Kratcoski, A., & Unger, D. (2005). Uses and effects of mobile computing devices in K-8 classrooms. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 38(1), 99-112. Retrieved August 1, 2014, from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ719939.

Why Mobile Learning Is The Future Of Workplace Learning. (2013). Why Mobile Learning Is The Future Of Workplace Learning. Retrieved August 10, 2014, from http://www.upsidelearning.com/infographics/why-mobile-learning-is-the-future-of-workplace-learning/

Immediacy of communication

Teachers spend a lot of time reinforcing guidelines for participating in whole class discussions. This system of one speaker and respectful listening is necessary in many learning situations, but inevitably involves students waiting to share ideas and ask questions. In whole class situations this leads to frustration for some students as they wait to voice “burning” questions or ideas and allows others to sit back without engaging. While I use non technological methods to provide students with increased opportunities to respond (response cards, mini whiteboards and talk-to-your-partner), these methods do not allow the teacher to capture and make visible all responses.

My experiences with teaching  via Web Conferencing (Collaborate) introduced me to the benefits of the chat function and shared whiteboard as spaces where all students are able to contribute, answering each other’s questions building on the ideas of others and actively engaging in the activity or presentation rather than being  passive recipients. An overview of whole class thinking ( in real time) , also provides a basis for further discussion and supports higher order thinking through analysis and reflection. This experience inspired me to explore backchannelling in regular classrooms (Byrne, 2013).

While the following back channelling tools are available on desktop devices, accessing them from a mobile device allows them to be easily utilised in a regular classroom as part of everyday learning activities.

Learning Activity :  Students pose meaningful questions about the life of Indigenous Australians before and after colonisation.

Apps/ Native functions : Access to Padlet/TodaysMeet through Safari App, wireless connection

In this artefact I have used Padlet as a tool for whole class brainstorming as part of the Australian Curriculum History where students are required to pose questions about life for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples both before and after colonisation. The Padlet could be kept open throughout a series of lessons. The free form layout option of  Padlet makes it particularly useful in this situation, as questions can be grouped and re grouped according to different criteria.

Created with Padlet

TodaysMeet is another backchannelling tool that is very simple to use and is easily accessed through Safari on an iPad. TodaysMeet places posts in chronological order and automatically tags entries with the name of the contributor and time they were entered. Silvia Tolisano (2009) discusses the practicalities of using this back channelling tool in her blog post and outlines useful guidelines for supporting students to contribute positively.

Learning Activity :  Shared reading. Analysing the language used by author’s to portray characters, analysing the development of a character throughout a quest novel (i.e. Rowan of Rin).

Apps/ Native functions : Access to class Edstudio ( chat function)  through Safari App, wireless connection.

I am very aware of the security and safety issues that are a part of working with young students in a school setting. The Learning Place is continually upgrading to provide similar capabilities for interaction as open access tools (such as TodaysMeet or Padlet).  I recently joined a Web Conference presented by Stephanie Hendy around backchannelling in the Learning Place (Hendy, 2014) and discovered the chat function within EdStudios. This tool has several advantages that make it particularly suitable for classroom use. The setting options allow the teacher control over when students can access the chat, as well as functions that may be distracting for students such as emoticons or font and colour and banned words/ banned contributors function.

The purpose of the shared reading is to develop an understanding of how an author portrays a character over time and how that character changes throughout the book. EdStudio chat enables the teacher to easily create new chats (for each chapter of the book)  and organise these on one page. Chat transcripts can be downloaded as pdfs and printed for comparison and discussion or provided as notes for students who were absent. Chats from earlier chapters can easily be viewed beside chats from later chapters to support discussions that compare and contrast.

Backchannel Ed Studio Access key: S245154381  https://staff.learningplace.eq.edu.au/lp/pages/default.aspx?pid=1464499

Opportunities to transform learning 

 Because Padlet, TodaysMeet and EdStudio Chats all provide access to real time communication regardless of location, there is scope for the transformative use of backchannelling by including students and teachers from other locations.  Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano (2010) provides an inspiring example of this in her simultaneous use of Skype ( on mobile devices) and backchannelling to make connections between her own class and students in countries all over the world through online “ visits” .

Learning Activity : Explaining mathematical thinking during a math investigation ( patterns) and evaluating explanations.

Apps/ Native functions :  Socrative App ( student and teacher)  ,wireless connection.

Socrative allows teachers to create and set quizzes that provide students with immediate feedback. As well as share quizzes with other teachers. The results of quizzes can be organised by question or student and accessed as pdf or Excel documents via email, download or Google Drive. Teachers are able to collect and organise data around responses.

The idea for this activity came from a demonstration of inductive teaching methods in mathematics I observed recently. The goal was for students to discover the solution to a problem involving patterns. This lesson involved whole class discussion as students shared their solutions and discussed different ways of thinking about the problem. I noticed that students were very engaged in forming their ideas but did not listen to, or build on the contributions of their peers during discussions, preferring to share their own idea even if it had previously been offered by someone else. I felt that the immediate communication afforded by mobile technology might be useful in this situation.

The activity uses the “quick question” option within Socrative as a forum for sharing and evaluating responses. This option is accessed through the teacher dashboard. It allows teachers to select anonymous/ named and single/ unlimited responses. Once responses have been collected students are able to vote. The results of the vote can be displayed and used as a basis for further discussion.

Using Socrative to share student ideas simultaneously would allow all students to be heard and avoids the problem of quieter students being overlooked.  It also allows students to pay attention to the discussion. Posting solutions anonymously removes the fear of being incorrect, encourages risk taking and removes the risk of embarrassing students when using the vote function to evaluate responses.

From my observation explaining their mathematical thinking is also something many students find difficult. Viewing and evaluating anonymous responses in later lessons would also support a change in focus, from the methods used by students, to the quality of their explanations and use of mathematical language.

REFERENCES

Byrne, R. (2013, June 13). Free Technology for Teachers: 5 Benefits of Using Backchannels In Your Classroom.Free Technology for Teachers: 5 Benefits of Using Backchannels In Your Classroom. Retrieved August 8, 2014, from http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/06/5-benefits-of-using-backchannels-in.html#.U9zFS_mSyis

Hendy, S. (Director) (2014, August 7). Backchannelling in the Learning Place.Contemporary Practice Resources: Spotlight. Lecture conducted from DETE, The Learning Place. https://staff.learningplace.eq.edu.au/OneChannel/Pages/Program.aspx?cid=2&eid=12905

Tolisano, S. R. (2010, April 11). Skype Jobs for Students. Langwitches Blog. Retrieved August 9, 2014, from http://langwitches.org/blog/2010/04/11/skype-jobs-for-students/ 

Tolisano, S. R. (2009, November 19). Backchanneling with Elementary School Students. Langwitches Blog. Retrieved August 9, 2014, from http://langwitches.org/blog/2009/11/19/backchanneling-with-elementary-school-students/

Encourages reflection in close proximity to the learning even

We sometimes ask students to reflect on their learning in situations where their attention is taken up with the cognitive demands of completing the activity. There is little left over for self-awareness. The voice/ video recording and playback functions afforded by mobile devices allow students to review their performance in isolation from the event and support them to reflect constructively on their performance.

Learning Activity:  Reflecting on reading fluency ,errors and fix up strategies used.

Apps/ Native functions:  voice recording, storage and playback, Easy Portfolio App

In this activity students read a short passage of text. They immediately listen back to their own reading, pausing the recording to identify errors and fix up strategies they could use to repair meaning and accuracy.

Student may also use this strategy to improve their fluency and expression. In my experience students have a lot of experience with listening to expressive, fluent reading. They know how it sounds. What they may not be aware of is how their own reading sounds. Repeated reading of a text with a focus on fluency and expression focuses students' attention and provides a platform for reflection on their own performance.

Students may also be unaware of the progress they have made. Listening to an earlier recording and comparing it to a recent one provides students with a concrete illustration of how much they have improved over time and can be a great confidence builder.

If students use an iPad rather than an Mp3 player, recordings can be organised and stored in an App such as Easy Portfolio. It allows users to create multiple portfolios enabling a teacher to create a portfolio for each student. Voice recordings added to portfolios can be replayed before saving. Teachers are able to access portfolios to provide verbal or written feedback to students.

 

Learning Activity:  Small groups conduct a fair test and evaluate their scientific investigation.

Apps/ Native Functions: Video and image capture ; Show Me App

Prior to carrying out their investigation, students have been involved in discussions of fair testing and know that a fair test requires them to change one variable, measure one variable and keep all other variables the same.

Students are able to use an iPad to record (video) themselves conducting a single trial of an experiment and then discuss all of the aspects they need to keep constant. They then conduct a second trial and replay the video to evaluate how closely they replicated the procedure. This process can be repeated over a number of trials to allow for fine tuning of the investigation and develop awareness the investigation process. Watching the video allows students to observe the task separately from engaging in the task and allows students time to discuss solutions with their group.

Using the same device (iPad) students use Show Me to capture a still image of their investigation setup. This application includes the option of taking a photograph within the app itself which is automatically inserted onto the whiteboard ready for students to add voice over and annotations using the pen tool.

In order to share their reflections, groups of students may rotate to view each other’s Show Me presentations or the presentations could be uploaded to the Show Me site and viewed by the whole class on the interactive whiteboard.

Using a mobile device allows students to move seamlessly from conducting the task, reflecting in order to improve, explaining their process and presenting their thinking to peers.

Opportunities for transformation:  A class Show Me account or accounts can be created using generic email addresses where student work samples can be shared with the wider learning community without creating safety and privacy concerns. 

Increases accessibility for learners with special education needs

 Mobile devices are regarded by many teachers as easier for learners to access than desktop devices (Cline, 2012). These same features (portability and intuitive user interface) also make them highly useful for supporting students with special needs or in special circumstances (Duncan, 2011). Mobile devices can also be customised, through accessibility functions and applications, to create a suite of tools housed within one device that is available to students in their academic social and home lives. One of the major advantages of using mobile devices in this way is that because they are so pervasive there is no stigma attached to their use.

There are a plethora of documents developed by educational institutions for supporting teachers to choose applications that meet the specific needs of particular students (Queensland, Northern Territory, Victoria ). Any discussion of these is only meaningful when viewed with a particular student and very specific context in mind.

The following is a brief discussion of two of the accessibility functions of iPads and a brief example of how they might be used to support students who struggle with classroom literacy tasks. 

Dictation is a cloud based function, accessed through a microphone icon on the keyboard, that allows the user to dictate text in any application where the keyboard is available.

I have been pleasantly surprised at the accuracy of this function of the iPad. After reading more about exactly how it works ( iPad Speech Recognition, 2013), I am even more surprised at its speed. One limitation is that this function is only available with internet connection.

Speak Selection is accessed through the general settings under the accessibility tab. Users are able to select any text that is displayed on the iPad (whether it is online or as part of another program iBook etc.) and choose “Speak” . The text will be read.  The speed at which the text is read can be adjusted to suit the needs of the particular learner.

There is also the option for the Speak Selection function to highlight each word as it is read. This has the potential to assist readers – as long as the reading speed is kept quite low. If it is set to a fast reading pace this function could easily become confusing and/ or frustrating. This function is not reliant an internet connection.

Learning Activity :  Students write a piece of realistic dialogue. The following activity may be used to support reluctant writers and students with low literacy levels.

Apps / Native functions:  Puppet Pals 2 App, dictation (function of keyboard), Speak Selection function,  Notes

After whole class discussion and brainstorming, students work in pairs using Puppet Pals 2 App to practice role playing dialogue around a specific topic or situation (Gleeson, 2012). They listen back and rerecord until happy with their dialogue. Students then use Notes and the dictation function of the iPad to convert their spoken words to text. By swiping between applications they are able to listen to their recording in Puppet Pals 2, pausing at each line of dialogue, and then dictate their dialogue in Notes.  The example below is my first read through of the dialogue. There are some errors in the dictation; however these can be corrected through editing. To edit students would select all text and choose the speak function. Each word is highlighted as the text is read, focusing students attention on this aspect of the text. Students may go back and type corrections or use dictation to rerecord specific words. The text in  Note would be saved or a screen image taken to preserve the work.

In a later lesson, this initial dialogue could be used as a basis for writing direct speech with correct punctuation ( speech marks, punctuation inside the speech marks, saying verb, name of the person speaking) or to create a cartoon with speech bubbles.

I recently found this  iPad licence course for students with Learning difficulties that would be a useful guide to further exploration in this area.

References

Cline, B. (2012, May 7). Reflections on an Elementary iPad Trial. YouTube. Retrieved August 9, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmulWr39yw4

Duncan, L. (2011, April 13). Slide2Learn Talk - Gayle Thomas.YouTube. Retrieved August 9, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFZYKBaLuJ0&list=UUcuI92mYJm6ewX4

Gleeson, L. (2007). Writing like a writer: teaching narrative writing. Newtown, N.S.W.: Primary English Teaching Association.

iPad Speech Recognition. (2013). iPad Speech Recognition. Retrieved August 9, 2014, from http://www.speechrecsolutions.com/ipad_speechrecognition.html

Initial thoughts : Tangible Benefits of Mobile Learning in context

Week 4 Initial Exploration of Mobile Device ( iPad2)

Created with Padle http://padlet.com/sjshannon47/uz1fcoh0mf38