Taking iPads on camp with 8 year olds

My Year 4s had their first taste of adventure by venturing into Malacca on school residential trip.

The children had traditional pencil and paper to record the children’s thinking and experiences.

But They also had… iPads

For those worried about a school camp where the kids were on their devices the whole time, the iPads were only used when we were out on the field. The rest of the time they were in a teacher’s bag.

However if the iPad is to be a true tool of learning, then they need to go wherever it is the kids are learning. In this case over the border from Singapore into Malacca.

Through taking the iPads the children learned:

• to listen carefully to the guide first before taking pictures so they understood more about the pictures they were taking
• to take time to line up shots and make sure they are in focus
• to care for their iPads in a public space
• to record their thinking and understanding
• to document an experience
• to blend time and space

Part of the fun today was going back into the iPads, deleting bad photos and uploading the good ones to flickr. The children were able to share their own personal albums home to share with Mum and Dad which keeps those learning conversation going.