Day 5: Off to the iTunes Apps Store We Go

We had two presentations this morning, one from our group about Sally and the second from the other half of the class about Charlie.

It is just amazing how much work can be done by a team of focused professionals in a very short period of time! Some individuals brought a skill set to share, while others were fast adopters of the technology. The process really reaffirmed Barb's repeated message that everyone needs to "buy in" if the adoption of high tech AAC devices like the iTouch is going to happen. I saw the positive results of the "buy in" today, and I am sold on the foundation that with plenty of planning and sharing of skills and support, high tech AAC devices surely have their place in our schools. The only real hurdle is the cost, and the users (both students and teachers) will get through the rest together.


Late this morning, we started Assignment 2, an individual assignment. Our task is to find apps at the iTunes store which would benefit a specific student. After a brief discussion and OK from Barb, I started to look for iTouch apps that might be useful for N___'s IPP.

N___ is now entering Grade 3 and has been identified as gifted in Mathematical reasoning, performing six grade levels above his peers. N___ already enjoys playing Chess (we introduced him to the game last year through the ChessMaster software CD), and enjoyed the regional chess tournaments this past winter; he is keen to play at even higher levels and to compete against even older students next year. He has now developed interests in two new areas: bird watching and robotics. He shares the interest in birding with his parents, and they are planning a visit to a local staging area at the Codroy Valley Estuary in NL this October. His interest in robotics is being sparked by a friend who is two years older and is just starting to use Lego Mindstorms kits to do basic computer programming. With these details in mind about N___, I headed to the apps store to look for free apps related to introductory algebra, chess, bird watching, and robotics programming.

With a little wandering at first, I found the free iBird Explorer 15 app. I selected this free trial because the screen shots showed colourful and detailed bird identification photos, an alphabetized listing of species, and the opportunity to purchase other apps by the same developer later at a cost of $4.99 for the Backyard version or only $9.99 for the full Canadian guide, should we decide that it's a persisiting interest and a way to advance N___'s IPP.

(If you have a student interested in nature or birding, then I encourage you to visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology online guide.)

I also choose a simple equation solver app to support his academic abilities within the classroom environment. It appears to be an introduction to manipulating the key elements of an equation, but I will have to wait until I get the iTouch in my hands again on Monday to see if the app is appplicable to N____'s emerging needs.

I then searched for free Chess player apps. I selected the free app from Chess.com because, again, if we find that it matches N___'s growing interest and desire for higher challenges, then this is a free preview of a commercially available product.

Existing chess skills were estentially self-taught last year and he was quite proud how well he did at his first regional tournament. Since no classmates or neighbourhood friends play at the same level, this app may meet this need to compete against intellectual peers.


N___ is just beginning to explore robotics and computer programming (a very logical expansion of his Mathematical reasoning abilities) with his older friend. They have a shared interest in Lego MindStorms. Like many boys his age, N___ is a reluctant reader of fiction, but he really enjoys comic books. This iRobot app supports the emerging interest in robotics but also will provide opportunities for discussions with his teacher about ethical issues related to AI (artificial intelligence). The central question to the comic is "Would you trust a robot who can kill humans and chooses not to?" I am especially delighted to find this app since it is very difficult to find age-appropriate opportunities for an 8-year old to discuss such ethical issues.

Ya just gotta love the potentials and possibilities of these apps (and 100s of thousands more like them) and this device! I am really having to resist driving up the road NOW to make an impulse purchase of my very own iTouch! I SO love my techie toys.