What happens when you put six adults in a Suburban, load up with Apple MACbooks and point it at Chicago?
A lot of quality professional development.
Apple rolled out the red carpet and engaged Justin Rapier, Joan Clinton, John Arp, Rex Mehrhoff and Judy Griffin (AEA 13) the way we hope to engage our students starting in the fall.
Apple's iLife curriculum infuses writing with video, photo and podcasting production to embed learning into the minds of ... well anyone who puts in a minimal effort.
Those of you saying to yourselves..."What does playing around with video, photos and recording your own voice have to do with education?"
Hmmm we spent all of 100 minutes working on a podcast, embedding pictures with voice, adding sound effects and background music, and I remember more about the cicada from that activity than my course on insects at the University of Northern Iowa.
Using the powerful software hits the learner where they live whether they are a visual learner, learn through hearing or reading. You get multiple contact with the information as you research the most basic ESSENTIAL facts.
We had to write a script and follow basic expectations similar to meeting requirements set in a rubric or expectations draw out before any project. These are important to have, the use of a minimum amount of vocabulary and facts.
Do it and then publish it.
Then, it's there. There for the student, teacher and family to see. In our old system the student just produced things for one person - the teacher. If they didn't like that person AND didn't care what they got as a grade, what type of effort were they going to put in? Less than minimal.
Now, if they know their parents, friends and peers are going to see. Well then, that's a different story. Publish it and you've got their attention.
If you doubt my thoughts here, ask one of the Spanish students who have their video on YouTube what they think.
It's obvious they cared and are now proud of an assignment they did in school!
