What a Loser #7: Mastery Connect Standards Apps

20140321-064839.jpgAs part of our continuing iPad App March Madness promotion, I’m featuring the “losers” from our March Madness bracket as they are eliminated. The losing apps featured in this post are useful for teachers, but I consider them more of a teacher tool as opposed to a toll that students would use or that would really allow “modification or redefinition” of classroom tasks. This last statement refers back to the SAMR model that represents the way new technology impacts the classroom. The researcher behind this model claims that the normal progression is for new technology to simply become a SUBSTITUTE  for a task that was before done without technology. Accessing the standards on paper flip chart is certainly an option so, this app could fall into this type of task…the classroom isn’t really changed because of the use of this app. The task of teacher accessing the standards isn’t really much different. The A in the SAMR model is for AUGMENTATION. A slightly higher level of technology impact happens when the task is augmented in some way by the use if the technology. One could argue that these apps do augment the accessing of the standards because it is handy to have them in a tapable, scrollable, format that doesn’t require the teacher to lug around a 3-inch binder or flip chart. However, beyond that, these apps really can’t fall into the MODIFICATION or REDEFINITION categories of the SAMR model. In both of these levels, what students are asked to do in the classroom should change in some way. Either the teachers modifies a task in a way that was impossible to do with trout the use of the new technology or redefines the task completely because of things that are possible with the technology that were not previously possible. So while we hope that technology is allowing students in our classrooms to experience modification and redefinition of tasks, it is unlikely that these particular apps will be the cause of it! They are certainly still useful, though, and I hope you’ll check them out.

20140321-070012.jpg When you open the Common Core Language Arts and Math app, you’ll be presented with the choice of subject matter then grade level to select the standards list that you want to view.

20140321-070141.jpg Once you’re in the correct standards list, the screen operates in a split screen design where the standard displays in full on the right when you select it on the left. The Next Generation Science Standards app works generally the same way with a small variation.

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When you first open the NGSS app, you are presented with the various ways these standards can be viewed. This can be a little confusing the first time you look at the standards until you have a discussion about the way your state is choosing to set up their standards.

After ch20140321-070714.jpgoosing the view you want, select the grade level and then you’ll see the familiar split screen view with the standard displayed on the right. A nice addition to the NGSS is the cross-curricular links to the appropriate ELA and Math standards if one exists for each standard you view.

The SAMR model links in this post are to Kathy Schrock’s post on the topic.  I love how she explains things and regularly follow her blog and work.  If you’ve never checked her out, please do!  If you’re really interested in Dr. Ruben Puentedura’s work with the SAMR model, his own web presence is found at
http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/.

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