While K-12 schools around the country search for funding to provide iPads to every student, an education researcher in North Carolina has found that even a single iPad can make a huge difference in the classroom.

The results of her experience with student teachers at Wake Forest University appear in the December/January issue of Learning & Leading With Technology, the magazine of the International Society for Technology in Education.

“Because they’re truly part of the digital generation, our pre-service teachers and the K-12 students they teach have a natural aptitude for tablet devices,” said Kristin Redington Bennett, an Assistant Professor of Education at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Though iPads can cost more than $500 with 3G access and a budget for apps, Bennett said, “Don’t discount the device because of its price. We found that just one iPad allowed teachers to design creative lesson plans tailored to individual learners.”

One of her pre-service teachers even used the iPad to solve a problem with a disruptive student who made trouble in the reading center every morning. When the teacher showed the student how to download books on the iPad, he read with focus for 20 minutes each morning – a goal he had not achieved until then.

“Anything new and different is engaging for kids,” said Nancy Davidson, a senior elementary education major at Wake Forest who used an iPad in her student teaching last semester. “Tracking student growth through apps, pictures, and videos became more efficient for me and more interesting for the children. Using the iPad in class started as a luxury, but quickly became a normal part of their learning process.”

Bennett’s pre-service teachers used the iPads in three ways:

*Comparing students’ progress on identical tasks using the iPads, interactive whiteboards, and desktops to see if the less-expensive iPad would work as well.

*In groups of two or three, working out a problem together. This approach required a set of rules (only one set of fingers on the iPad) and specific tasks for each team member. The group would capture an image of their work and store it in the iPad’s photo album for teacher review.

*For the teacher only, taking the place of other digital displays. One teacher took photos around the school and flipped through as she explained geometric shapes occurring in the school and in nature.

“What often happens in schools is that they purchase this new technology and expect teachers to use it with little training in how to design successful instruction with it,” Bennett said. “My goal is to train our elementary education candidates to graduate from our program with the skills and fluency in the use of mobile technology to support teaching and learning. This has allowed many of our graduates to be leaders in their schools even as a first-year teacher.”

Based on her experience, Bennett recommends these top 10 apps for use with elementary-school students:

1. Google Earth: (all ages) Take a virtual field trip to anywhere through this app that uses global satellite and aerial imagery with a swipe of a finger.

2. DoodleBuddy: (all ages) Students and teachers can use this across all content areas as a whiteboard equivalent to paint, draw, sketch, and write.

3. Story Buddy: (K-2nd) This app allows kids to create, read, and share stories that they create with the iPad.

4. Stack the States: (2nd-6th) An animated, game-based way to learn state locations, capitals, shapes, abbreviations, and nicknames.

5. Geocaching: (3rd-6th) In this global treasure hunting game, participants hide and seek containers, called geocaches, outdoors, then share their adventures online.

6. Numberland HD: (PK-1st) Twin heroes teach numbers using the Montessori Method.

7. Corkulous: (2nd – 6th) This app allows students to collect, organize, and share ideas through notes, labels, and photos.

8. iThoughtsHD: (3rd-6th) This mind-mapping tool can be used to sequence ideas, write mind-maps, organize thinking, and assess interrelatedness.

9. Coin Math: (K-3rd) Students learn both sides of a coin, how to add them, and how to pay for something with the correct coins.

10. StarFall ABC’s: (PK-1st) Students learn to recognize letters and develop skills as they begin to learn to read.

The article Teaching is Improved with iPads appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The importance of social media in Turkey has increased considerably in recent years, which in turn has led to a mounting interest in the phenomenon and its overall impact on the Turkish society. Sharing her opinions on the matter, Gulay Ozkan, a Turkish internet and mobile entrepreneur, suggests that the increasing popularity of social media is mainly to do with the large percentage of young people in the country’s current population.

Different types of social media, such as Facebook or Youtube, can indeed be very appealing to young people all over the world. Turkey is a country where 70 percent of the population is actually under 35 years of age, a fact that makes her explanation both valid and rational. “Social Media is a very hot topic at the moment as it brings freedom to a culture that traditionally is shy”, Gulay says.

She lays emphasis on the idea that social media offers free and open communication, which is perhaps the aspect that appeals the most to young Turkish users. Currently, the most popular social network in Turkey is Facebook. The popularity of the well-known networking website rose to such an extent that Turkey has now become the fourth largest nationality on Facebook in the world.

However, Twitter and personal blogs have also gained popularity recently. Turkey’s mobile penetration is larger than internet penetration, which is an immediate consequence of people’s using mobile phones to access their favorite social networks. Gulay also predicts that this trend will grow even more in the future.

Increasing internet censorship is still a problem in Turkey, a situation that has led to numerous protests organized by youth groups. Although some networks such as Youtube may still be banned there, the restriction does not seem to prevent young Turkish people from freely accessing it by using DNS switching and other proxy settings.

This can be interpreted as a sign that the population is ready and wishes to open up to the new form of communication. In fact, it has been this extensive use of social media which have allow Turkey to join the global community. Information spreads far easier and faster via different kinds of social media outlets than via traditional media or educational platforms.

The importance of social media also extends to Turkey’s public relations campaign. There are many instances when international public opinion on Turkey have been shaped and influenced through the use of social media, which should propel the country to engage more in the use of social media as a means of promoting its own image.

One such example is the case of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan abruptly leaving a panel discussion on Gaza with Israeli president Shimon Peres in 2009. His gesture received a lot of media attention. At the time, hundreds of thousands visited Youtube to watch the video of the Prime Minister. Links of the video began to be circulated via Facebook, fan groups and other web applications were launched, all of them carrying the name of Erdogan.

The politicization of social media in Turkey is becoming more and more obvious. Many analysts recognize the role social media is starting to play in politics. “For the past two years, as the political environment has become more severe, the political weight of social media has increased,” Ozgur Uckan, a professor at Bilgi University, said in an interview discussing the relation between social media and politics in contemporary Turkey.

“Blogs on the one hand and social media on the other have begun transforming into a political agora, a forum space,” he added. However, the politicization of social media is seriously threatened by internet censorship. Besides Youtube, many other websites, such as Blogger, have also been banned in Turkey. This phenomenon has led to the foundation of groups such as “Don’t Touch My Blog”

Moreover, national protests have been organized in reaction to the government’s attempts to impose internet censorship. Such is the case of the national, multi-locational protests that took place on May 15 in response to legislation planned to impose filters on internet access.

“I think we will see more of these sorts of interactions in the future,” says Yaman Akdeniz, a law professor at Bilgi University, who also added that political parties themselves have begun using social media in their campaigns.
Faraways / Shutterstock.com

The article The Importance of Social Media in Turkey appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Mobile campaigns can be divided into two types – pull or push campaigns. A pull campaign works as part of a larger media campaign since the campaign has to be advertised using other means. The organization might use email, television, the Internet, or billboards to advertise a mobile marketing campaign.

The user responds to a call to action by texting a certain keyword or message to a common short code. On the other hand, a push campaign requires an initial opt-in database of mobile numbers, although organizations should be aware that the Mobile Marketing Association’s Code of Conduct stipulates that users must opt in to a campaign in order to contact.

Since push campaign do not require additional marketing in other media forms, they are easier for an organization to set up and manage if the organization already has a database of constituents.

However, in order to reach a successful mobile campaign, a non-profit organization needs to take many strategic steps into consideration. Jenifer Snyder, Executive Director of The mGive Foundation, an organization that solicits contributions in all states working to enhance the mobile giving ecosystem, came up with some essential tips for non-profits hoping to start their own text-based initiatives.

Know The Rules
In order to launch a mobile campaign, organizations must have 501©(3) non-profit status, file a form 990 demonstrating an annual budget of at least $500,000, have been in operation for at least a year and report all of its expenses to the public.

“However, with non-profit organizations that can’t have a half a million dollar annual budget, MobiPledge and Momares are one of appropriate solutions designed specifically for small non-profits with shorter histories” said Jenifer Snyder.

Build Your Foundation
It’s a fact that a mobile campaign can do much more than just ask for money. Before your organization thinks about a fundraising campaign, you need phone numbers. Consult with your provider or with other organizations that have used mobile campaigning to determine the number of people you can expect to participate in your campaign.

A strong database is one of the most important aspects to consider before launching a mobile campaign. Once you have collected a large group of phone numbers and organized the lists, it’s time for your organization to kick off the campaign.

Engage
Your key task is to turn your campaign goals into reality by figuring out how to reach your audiences and get them to participate. Do not send an immediate request for money without making a good first impression of your organization and your mission.

Remember that with your marketing effort, you can appeal to your subscribers’ emotions and then lead them join your mobile campaign.

Think Big
“Big events with big audiences are the best opportunity to solicit text message donations. Because text campaign seek micro-donations, the moment your non-profit has its largest captive audience is best to launch a campaign” Jenifer Snyder emphasized.

Think Outside the Box
Mobile messaging is about interaction, not just a one-way pitch. This offers your organization a unique opportunity to find volunteers for specific events or inform people about rally. Your organization should concise that mobile campaign is not only to solicit donations but to do much more.

Don’t Oversaturate
Snyder claims that 85% of text messages are read within 15 minutes of being received. This mean that there is a higher chance your audience will read text messages sooner than email in their inbox.

Text messages generally have better conversion rate. Nevertheless, your organization should be aware that the messages can become overwhelming and unwanted .

Try to limit donation inquiries to once a month, followed by a message of appreciation to those who donated. Encouraging ongoing engagement is an effective way to retain your participators.

Know the Limitations
Even though itis likely that a mobile campaign’s advantages outweigh its disadvantages, the non-profit campaigns still need to be aware of their limitations. For example, while this sets a minimum (usually $5 or $10) for donation, it also limits larger donations, unless users want to text 100 times.

With the widespread of mobile technology, a mobile campaign today is a good tool for non-profit organizations.

The article Creating a Mobile Campaign for a Non-Profit Organization appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.