Cameras in the classroom

There is much ongoing discussion about the use of cellphones in the classroom.  People reflexively dismiss the use of them with the ready retort of, "Why do kids need to phone people from class?"  Well, they don't, as a rule.  But when you consider the reality that many of us use our smart phones for a LOT more than just their phone features, it all starts to make sense.  In fact, I use my phone very rarely to make telephone calls.  Kids are using them for the same reasons we are - clock, reminders, calendar, flashlight, calculator, mail, social media, and quick, handy internet access.

One of the handiest things to consider the use of cellphones in the classroom for is the fact that they all have cameras.  In fact, there are very few now that won't even do video too.  Here are a few ideas for using cameras in the classroom:

• oral presentations for students to record instead of presenting them live.  If you don't like the first take, you can do another... and another... and another...  (IEP accommodations!)
• Be in two places at once!  Record your lesson and play the video, freeing you up to either monitor student progress, or even provide instruction in an alternate location.
• Recording and evaluating musical and drama performances.
• Documenting peer or teacher feedback.  Set it up to record, and get a chance to observe that group providing their peer feedback at some point later.
• Students can draw diagrams and make models to post to a blog, or they can even describe what the viewer is seeing in the format of a video.
• photographing the blackboard, paper notes, etc. for later recall.
• photographing student work for an electronic portfolio

These are just some more examples of some *very* simple things you can do to start integrating simple but authentic and useful technologies in your classroom.

Using the iPad in the Classroom - Voice Memos

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the latest gadgetry that we overlook the power of the very simple things.  Let me present to you the "Voice Memos" app found on virtually any iDevice with a screen.  Some of you might remember "the old days" when we thought, "Gee, it would be nice to have a tape recorder, except the last time I wanted it, it was down at the other end in the building in the library, and when I got it, and finally found the blank cassette tape in the bottom of that one drawer, I found out the tape recorder didn't even work!  Argh!"

Enter "Voice Memos."  Whip the iDevice out of your pocket or your drawer, zoom along to the app, press record, and you're off!  No mussing about with blank tapes (oops.... I was sure that one was blank....), no looking for a place for students to work that is near an outlet, and no traipsing to the other end of the school to round it up.  Some considerations for this app:

• oral quizzes, reports for students to record instead of writing them down.  (IEP accommodations!)
• Be in two places at once!  Record your instructions and then send the students off to go listen to them and work in an alternate location.
• Documenting oral reading.  (DRA anyone?)
• Recording and evaluating musical performances.
• Documenting peer or teacher feedback.  Set it up to record, and listen back to that group providing their peer feedback at some point later.

Here is a neat thing I did with this app.  I recorded students playing recorder pieces while I accompanied them on the guitar.  I then brought those clips home, imported them into Cubase (a music editing/recording program), synced them to a click track, programmed some drums, recorded a bass guitar part and a couple of guitars, and shared the track with the kids on our class website as an mp3.  Parents, family and friends could all hear them "Rocking out with the band" from anywhere in the world.  Yay!