My Discussion with Larry Kahn, one of our Connected Coaches

Hi, team!

I had the opportunity to Skype with Larry Kahn, one of our Connected Coaches (and with Susan Davis as a bonus) this evening, and I did my best to report where we are in our Action Research. I am definitely pleased by our conversation. He and Susan were very supportive, and provided our team with a ton of wondering questions and ideas about where to go from here. I will summarize our conversation as best as I can.

Here are some questions/observations Larry and Susan had:

• Aside from our survey, how do we know if the iPad is really effective for learning? With the surveys and student responses, we'll just be left with a bunch of vague "impressions."
  
  (I didn't know enough about Kathy's plans to answer that question, but Susan suggested that the class be split up and have one group read/analyze/write about a passage with a physical book and the other with the iPad)
  
• What are the measures of student reading ability do we have?
  
• How can we continue to incorporate a social element to our research? There are obviously many schools using iPads in the classroom. Can we use Twitter to connect with other teachers? Do we want to share our research project with other schools thinking about adopting the iPad, who might want to replicate our study? Can we "piggyback on anybody else'  research?
  
• Are there studies from research universities on the iPad in the classroom?
  
• Since we are looking at adopting the iPad at GFS, there is interesting and relevant information out there to share with the Board especially if we are considering it as an e-reader:
• Brain research related to the effects of reading on a back lit screen for long periods of time, especially at night before bed
  

One of my big questions for our team is this: 

Since only a few of us are using iPads in our classrooms for the Action Research, what can / should those of us who aren't piloting the iPads do with this time before the culminating event on May 7th?

Larry and I brainstormed on that topic:

• interview the 4th grade students to get a better idea of their work with the iPad this year (I think we could adapt the survey ...)
• Go to our PLNs (on Twitter, Community Hub, etc) for any iPad data we can gather -- who is using it? What have they found?
• Look for any studies done on the iPad in the classroom (or on e-readers in general) and analyze them

I know this sounds overwhelming!  Larry emphasized that our Action Research need not be done by our May 7th culminating event. I know we are all eager to "check something off of our lists," but it is also important not to feel overwhelmed at such a busy time of year.

Thoughts? Concerns? Share them here!

-Alice