I consider myself pretty lucky when it comes to technology in my classroom. Every teacher and every student in the Deuel High School has a laptop with wireless internet and wireless projectors. Almost every teacher has a Promethean Board and there is a slough of overhead projectors in the van garage if we ever desired… (of course I am joking about the overhead projectors, and with a great risk of sounding like my Dad, those are ‘old technology’ from ‘back when I was in high school’). 

This upcoming year we will have a great option to use an iPod Touch cart. I have the distinct feeling that the cart will be a hot commodity. It is currently stationed in the Elementary grades, but we will all share it. We also have most students in our high school with some form of an iPod or mp3 player. 

Some ideas for integrating iPods can be used with any iPod, computer, or mp3 player that is synched to iTunes. There are some phenomenal podcasts out there that can be used to open up students’ eyes. For example, I downloaded a podcast from Rick Steves’ about Minneota, Minnesota author and former SMSU Professor Bill Holm and listened to it on my way to Sioux Falls today. (Do not worry, I can actually use an aux cord to hook my iPod up to my car’s stereo, I was not listening with headphones.) 

There are a lot of great podcasts that you can have your students listen to for class. One of my favorite is from www.HowStuffWorks.com and is about the ‘Stuff You Missed in History Class’. Another that I enjoy listening to is Grammar Girl, but do not forget that there are many that are on technology and are ‘how to’ mini-sessions. Don’t forget that there are many video casts out there, too.  

Some apps that I am sure I will use are iPresenter, Google Earth, the Dictionary.com app, and the Remote function. I am anxious to see how the various Google Books functions will work on the iPod as well.

As I am an English teacher, I will not be using, but have seen the scientific calculator app, math quizzer app, anatomy flashcards app, an app that works with the iPod touch’s built-in accelerometer to graph, and many music apps that could be used in the classroom that are extremely cost efficient. I am also hoping that soon an app will be developed that has a centio-type or remote-clicker function so that students can click in their answers. 

Right now, I do not have a lot of solid plans, but I have a lot of ideas. I will continue to post lesson ideas when they become more concrete. Next week I am attending a 21st Century Skills Master Teacher Academy in Sioux Falls, SD and I plan to work on integrating the iPods into these refurbished lessons also. 

As I tell my students, do not be limited by my creativity, go out there are find an app or let your students loose and ask them what they think. I am sure you’ll be surprised when you give them a chance to be the creators.