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New iPod touches

iAchieve began in 2010, placing over 700 iPod touches in our third grade classrooms creating a 1:1 mobile device environment to support reading comprehension and fluency. They have been a very effective tool and our students and teachers love using them. We also have lots of iPads in the district but the iPod touches are a great tool especially for our younger students.

The project began with Generation 2 iPod touches and they are still going strong. They just can't be updated or loaded with some of the newer apps. So last summer utilizing some year end funding, we were able to purchase a enough Generation 5 iPod touches for our third grade classrooms.

The new iPod touches did not arrive until after the start of school and our teachers didn't know that they would be getting new ones. It was so fun getting them set up and surprising our teachers. There were lots of squeals of excitement when we met to give them the good news.

We did have one big challenge. Our Bretford iPod touch carts were designed for devices with the 30-pin sync cable but our new iPods used the new lightning cable. What to do? We contacted Bretford and they suggested we re-wire the carts with the new cables and even sent instructions. It was a challenge but it worked!

       

The students and teachers are so excited and love their new devices. They are treating them with so much care. This is our first day with the new iPods!
         


We continue to see improved skills in oral reading fluency with the use of Voice Memos for fluency recordings. The teachers seem to feel that the newly updated Voice Memos app in IOS7 is much easier for the students to use.


Mid-year ORF results from a 3rd Grade ELD classroom

Happy Students & Teacher!!
PS: Someone asked what we are going to do with the old iPod touches that are still in good working condition? We do have a plan for them - more to come!


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