Countdown

     I've done the research, attended the presentations and followed the blogs, posts and tweets of the trailblazers. Now it's time for action. Yesterday I picked up our shipment of 32 iPADs. The iPADs are bar coded, labeled, in their cases and ready to be received into the hands of my 140 eager seventh grade students. The kids have anticipated their arrival; every day since their return from winter break I have been bombarded with the question, " Are they here yet?" the moment they walk through the classroom door. As we venture into the unknown tomorrow, I know that I'm ready, exited, anxious to jump in and too be honest, just a little nervous.

     Many of the articles, presentations and conversations that I have seen, read and participated in about iPADs in the classroom focus on the ability of this tool to fundamentally change the look and feel of learning (student learning and teacher learning) both inside the classroom walls and beyond these same walls. I am both intrigued and excited to see how our classroom evolves with the introduction of the iPADs.

     I embark on this journey with an open mind. I already cultivate a minds-on, inquiry based classroom environment. My classroom has been a 1:1 laptop classroom for 2 years. Our focus is science but I am a powerful advocate for allowing students to use technology as a tool to help them make meaning of the science they are immersed in, to apply what they know and understand to solve relevant and novel problems and to think outside the box as they create and innovate. I believe strongly that the iPADs will provide my students with even more opportunities to create, innovate and direct the course of their own learning.

     I also hope that our classroom becomes a model for other classrooms and teachers in my school and my district for ways to effectively integrate iPADs as a powerful learning tool both in the sciences and other subject areas. I will be transparent and honest in my postings as I reflect on our successes and our struggles. 

    So, come Monday morning, let the learning and transformation begin; ready or not, here we come.....