Recently I was lucky enough to be selected as part of a group of teachers who will be developing iTunes U courses aligned to the Australian Curriculum for Years 7 to 10.  I’ve subscribed to a few iTunes U courses and collections over the last year and I had signed up to iTunes U course manager and made a start on an Algebra unit for my Yr 7 group.  I won’t be using that until October, so with no real urgency it’s been a work in progress as I’ve spent time on other things.  Selection for the course writing team involved attending a workshop with Apple, so in preparation I wanted to trial a course with my students.  We were finishing off the term studying data and statistics, so I started a new course and had my students enrol. One of the great things about this mode of delivery is that it can be edited on the go, immediately updating the course that the students have subscribed to. Some students took a little while to work out that they needed to work through the posts in order, rather than scan for fun videos, but once they did, the class were overwhelming positive about the format.  Posts include links to online activities, instructional videos, worksheets of practice problems and links to apps.  The clear message from students was that they loved being able to take responsibility for their own learning and to work at their own pace.  This format allows clear opportunities for differentiation. If individual students were already confident in any of the content or skills, they were encouraged to move straight to the included quizzes to check, and then, as long as they did well, to move on.  Posts can include alternative ways for students to access the content including videos, ePubs and interactives. These are available for students to revisit wherever and whenever they need. For teachers, a log is kept of when students access the course, which is handy. The option of writing posts in draft form and sending out as needed is there too, but the risk is that keen or able students may not be able to  move forward as quickly as they might like.

So last week we travelled to Sydney for the Apple workshop. What an amazing experience. A dynamic team from the education arm of Apple led us through two full on days. The scene was set with a reflection on the SAMR and TPACK models.  We then had the opportunity to meet with people from ACARA to discuss the courses that we were planning to publish and to get their advice and feedback.  While the strengths of participants lay in a variety of areas, there was something for everyone. Sessions on copyright,  Advanced Keynote, producing quality video, iBooks Author and converting webpages to ePubs. There was discussion on what makes a good course and how each of these tools could be used to maximize the learning experience for all. It was all great and I learnt heaps. For me, however, one of the most powerful sessions was on Accessibility.  The features available on the iPad in particular, many of which I had been unaware of, were demonstrated and we were shown how to embed accessibility when creating with iBooks Author. The potential to support students, particularly those with learning difficulties, through options such as VoiceOver,  AssistiveTouch, Speak Selection and Guided Access, is immense.

There is no doubt that we were all on a high from the opportunity to connect with each other. It was a pleasure and a privilege to work with teachers from across Australia, all of whom are passionate about improving the learning opportunities for all students and harnessing the enormous power of technology used effectively. We were all keen to share our knowledge and experiences and to learn, not just the presenters, but from each other. Unlike any PD I have ever been to. Not the slightest hint of negativity from anyone in 2 days. Not a single ‘but..’, though a few laughs when the technology occasionally hiccoughed, even for Apple!

The draft course I have been trialing with my Yr 7 class is already so much better and I’m working on producing a high quality iBook to link it to. When I revisit the Algebra course, it will be with a whole new outlook and a much higher bench mark.

If you haven’t checked out iTunes U, I recommend it. If you are an educator in Australia, then keep an eye on the iTunes U catalogue. Our courses, 27 of them from across the Australian Curriculum subjects of Maths, English, Science and History will be appearing in the iTunes U store sometime after the end of August.