iPad INSET

Doesn't Niki look like she's having fun?!

The above was done very quickly on the ipad during an INSET morning I delivered, to show everyone how easy the blogger app is. This was met very positively and hopefully even our EYFS children will be blogging soon. Our year 2/1s have been doing a great job on our class blog. 

During this session I had also prepared a QR code quiz. It involved placing QR codes around the school, which had to be found using a map. The codes linked to 10 different websites, with a common theme. I thought it would be easy, but not all of the teams got the answer (mostly because they were over-thinking it). 

Before they started the quiz I gave them a little warm up sheet with personalised QR codes, so for example Niki's code linked to 'Right Move' (she moves annually.) Becca has a new Bedlington puppy, so her code linked to a Bedlington website. Joe's link was to a book entitled 'Working With Women' (poor chap).  

If you want to have a go at the quiz check out these codes and see if you can guess the common theme*.

During the morning I shared some tips, such as four finger swipes, deleting multiple pictures and sharing films or photos. We then looked at ways of getting the children to challenge themselves using the ipads, by recording scores on maths games and trying to beat them. I have recording sheets stuck in the front of my children's maths books.

 We also explored different ways of using the ipads for group intervention, particularly using Mr Thorne does phonics and a range of maths apps. I showed the ipad record of achievement that I have made (see my ipad site for this) then we looked at some of my favourite apps for 'talking and writing', like audiboo, notability and voicethread. The morning went too quickly and I had so many more things to share, but in the words of a wise teacher 'It is better to learn a few and use them well than to be bombarded with many.' It is clear that training/sharing ideas needs to be continuous and that both ipad management and teaching/learning with the ipads are very separate, but equally important areas.

*There is a red herring in the quiz as one of the codes didn't take them to the correct page, just a 'landing' page.