Apple iPod Touch Getting Started - Page 8

Getting Started with iPod touch: 8 A guide for using iPod touch and iTunes for teaching and learning Why iPod touch and iTunes for Education? Innovative educators are using iPod touch and iTunes as powerful educational tools to meet students' academic needs and to help them achieve 21st century literacy. With the pocket-sized iPod touch, students have a tool that's custom-suited to the tasks they need to handle every day. Addressing students with special needs, such as visual and auditory impairments, is also made easier with the use of iPod touch and iTunes. • iPod touch is a mobile learning tool-allowing anywhere, anytime access to applications, video, audio, photos, and to the Internet and email via a wireless network. Its mobility also means that students can readily share their work with classmates and family members. • Because the iPod touch offers mobility, it "time shifts" education, allowing the learner to access content at the most convenient time, and as many times as necessary. • iPod touch and iTunes are tools for delivering differentiated curriculum to learners at teachable moments at different times and locations. This is especially important for students performing below grade level because it gives educators a way to accelerate and extend the students' learning time beyond the school day. • Teachers can provide background information for students to access on an iPod touch outside of class, which allows classroom time to be focused on discussions and deeper exploration of content. • Whatever the subject, teachers and students will find invaluable resources to support learning from the thousands of educational applications available through the iTunes App Store for iPod touch. And, with a wireless network, all of the Internet is readily available as well. • iPod touch is a valuable aid for student collaboration on projects-for communicating with other students, teachers, and outside experts by email; tracking due dates with the calendar; taking notes; performing Internet research; and more. • iPod touch gives educators a way to easily harness the power of the spoken word for students, both on its own and combined with videos, photos, and other images. • iPod touch and iTunes are a perfect way to present interdisciplinary lessons that link music, art, and literature and to enrich lessons. • Another big plus is the motivation factor of iPod touch and iTunes. They meet the mobile and media-rich learning styles of today's students and allow them to learn as they live-on the go. Teachers are using iPod to help students learn a foreign language, become better readers, reinforce math and science concepts, and support the diverse needs of today's learners. The opportunities are endless.