We need a place to go...

What are my current thoughts about using Touches for differentiated learning in the classroom?


My thoughts have not changed much over the course of the last few weeks. The possibilities are endless; it’s just a matter of having the time and opportunity to talk to like-minded professionals to help wade through vast array of applications that are available. Time is short for lesson planning, with or without this added technology. I do believe that this will serve as a valuable resource in our future classrooms, but we need to come up with a “one-stop shopping” source for ideas on how to use it. A place that is logically *organized* where teachers can submit their ideas, their tips they have thought of and used. A place where I can type in…polynomials…and I can pull up the app ideas that other teachers have used in their classrooms when differentiating this concept. Without the time, energy and resources, I am afraid that the Touch will end up being a really handy recording device (which I do LOVE, don’t get me wrong) and calculator in the classroom…and not much else.

And then there is the question of apps that are not free. If we have a class set of Touches (lucky us!) and we find a really fabulous app that costs $2.99, how do we pay for each Touch to be able to run it? Some free apps are great, but others cost money. Grants are one possibility, maybe, but they take time and the class that is sitting in front of me this year who could really use it might just be out of luck.