The Big Question

ITSC looks at web 2.0
Interstingly apple or at least ITSC is embracing web 2.0 tools. After feedback from last years conference that ITSC lacked a relevance to what was really happening.
This year around half of the sessions are web 2.0 based or related, of course with a bent towards apple linked or dependent tools.

Beyond Podcasting – Mogopop in the classroom
I was lucky to attend the Beyond Podcasting – Mogopop in the classroom

Mogopop is a program that allows you to create a lesson, sequesnce or learning event
This is then uploaded to an ipod and students can follow a series of pages with tasks, links to photos, movies and music.
We created an “Amazing Race” discovery based journey around Sydney, published this to Mogopop which fellow participants downloaded and transfered to their ipod.

They then completed the excursion guided by their ipod and gathered photographic, video and “real” resources to complete the journey.
When the group had completed the excursion they then completed a quiz on the ipod to reinforce the learning from the excursion. This was created in either iwriter or iquiz maker.
Sound cool?? It was. Would it work in the classroom? Not sure, read on!!

Mogopop
What was good?
Mogopop is free and quite easy to use.
Your mogopops are published and easy to get to the students

What wasnt so good?
The images, movies and music are links not usable in place
It will not work on a ipod touch, some nanos and older ipods.
The resources can be hard to read due to the screen size

iwriter
Pros
Capable of quite detailed resource creation
Cons
Costs money
No one in the group including instructors could get it to upload to the ipod to use!!

iquiz maker
Pros
Completed quizes look quite professional
Cons
The students must buy iquiz to complete the quiz
Will not work on the new nanos, touch, shuffle or older ipods

The round table discussion at lunch after the final session probably summed up the group feeling on these tools. At a table of 10 educators who had just devoted 3 days to learning about this use of technology, no one felt they would implement the tools outlined within their schools or classrooms.

However more importantly each teacher had developed ideas about ipods, education and learning. As with any of these technologies we need to use the most appriopriate tools for the job, the tool that will enhance student learning.

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