Today we taught a math lesson from Nelson Mathematics: Exploring Part-Whole Relationships with Addition and Subtraction. One half of the students used the ideas for representation that were suggested in the teacher’s guide. The other half of the students used the iPads and the ShowMe app. Upon completion of the activity, we brought the students back together and reflected on the usefulness of each tool. Some students observed that using the iPad was better because they were able to use their oral expression to communicate their findings. Others liked that when they erased something on the iPad it got rid of ALL the lines which are usually faded when you erase pencil marks. A few students were frustrated with the iPads because instead of using the eraser button, they erased their entire screen and so had to start over. It was interesting to us that some students would have preferred the pencil/paper option instead.

As teachers, we also reflected. The students who were using the counters and paper, were more hands-on. Each partner was engaged in the task and had an equal amount of ownership. The fact that they had to ‘write’ the number sentence in a specific box, also allowed for them to follow the directions with minimal assistance. With the iPads, often the children ‘forgot’ to add the number sentence, and there was usually one, more dominant partner who did most of the talking and/or most of the drawings. Here is an example when using the iPads did not enhance their understanding or encourage communication, in fact, it actually hindered their communication with one another. This was very interesting for us to consider as we attempt to integrate this technology into our everyday teaching.

Lesson #1

We thought we were all set to teach our first official math lesson with the iPads and had carefully planned and created task cards and materials for half the class to use the iPads and the other half to complete a similar task with pencil and paper. Our initial goal was to see the difference in communication for the 2 activities, which were essentially teaching a similar concept. We carefully and thoroughly took the students through each step on the task card for the iPad activity. We were using the Toss Up and ShowMe apps for this lesson. For the other task, we were using a game from Nelson Math that involved flipping coins (click here to see task cards).

Our plan was to have 2 table groups complete the iPad centre and the other 2 table groups would complete the Heads and Tails game. We were then going to trade the centres so that each group would complete both tasks. As the students worked away at the centres, we quickly realized that those using the iPads were independent and needed very minimal teacher assistance. This was NOT the case with the pencil/paper task. The students required teacher intervention and instruction each step of the way. It became apparent that we needed to bring the children together to review the steps for this game before we could switch the centres. Unfortunately, we were out of time and had to postpone the second round until the following morning.

The following day we re-taught and modeled the Heads and Tails activity and reviewed the iPad task. The results were much more positive. Was this due to the re-teaching that happened? Likely this is the case.

Our initial observations include: the students were more engaged in the iPad activity and needed less teacher assistance to complete the task. They were able to keep an accurate tally of the number of tosses and could orally explain their findings. Did using the iPad increase their ability to communicate their understanding of probability language and concepts? At first glance we would say yes since those completing the paper task, were expected to ‘write’ their responses and when using the iPads, the students were expected to orally express their ideas.

As we prepare our next lesson, we are mindful of the growing pains that occurred during our first lesson. We are rolling dice and predicting the likelihood of rolling doubles…what will happen next?

It is very exciting to finally have all 20 iPads in the classroom and ready to go. Jane has been tirelessly trying to get the iPads to a state where we can manage the charging, sync the apps and add new apps as we find them. I can’t imagine doing all of this and trying to teach grade one at the same time. The management of these tools is a full time job unto itself.

Each day we find new ways to use the iPads in the classroom. The other day we were teaching a lesson on addition and subtraction and each pair had an iPad at the carpet. We explored with Drawing Free and the students drew representations of the number 6. For example: The students drew a muffin tin with six spots and showed all possibilities of cupcakes if they had chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. This isn’t a ‘new’ idea, yet we found it had the students ‘doing’ instead of watching. In the past, we may have demonstrated the concept, sent them off to use manipulatives, teachers circulate to make observations and then come back and discuss their findings. Using the iPads allowed for the students to have the ‘manipulatives’ right at the carpet, the explorations and discovery happened in front of us and kept them focused on the lesson. The tool is helping us to change our thinking and spend more time on the discovery part of the lesson.

Always thinking of the iPads has been the challenge to our creativity. As we become more familiar with the different apps, we believe it will become second nature to use them in our everyday lessons.