Professional Learning Goals

• Developed lesson plans using iPad apps to engage students in mathematics
• Targeted the in-risk students by using alternate apps or work one-on-one with them
• Increased professional knowledge of and comfort with technology in math class
• Increased assessment and instructional effectiveness and efficiency

Activities and Resources

• Explore variety of math apps and games to promote student engagement.
• Resources required is the purchase of four iPads for the classroom so that they would be accessible to students at all times. This was crucial for the project as the iPads were daily learning tools for the in-risk students.
• School supported the project by purchasing the chosen apps for the 20 iPads that are shared by the entire school.
• Ongoing collaboration with the instructional technology resource teacher.
• Professional reading (board, ministry and other published resources) and exploring Engage Math website for Peel District School Board, Clips for Math, and various other websites.

• Math Strands	App Titles
  Number Sense Integers	Interactive Integers Addition and Subtraction
  	Integers for Monkeys
  	Orbit Integers
  Algebra	Substitute in algebraic expression
  Patterning	Linear Sequences
  Geometry	Pattern Shapes by Math Learning Centre
  	Geometry Combat
  	Co-ordinate Geometry (has transformational geometry also)
  	PolyNGons
  	Common Geometry
  Fraction	Fraction Calculator Plus Free
  	Brainingcamp: Virtual Manipulatives
  	Fractions: Brainingcamp (app) https://www.brainingcamp.com/ (lesson plans)
  	Oh No Fractions!
  	Motion Math: Fractions!
  Games	http://www.mathplayground.com/measuringangles.html Measuring Angles Game
  	http://www.hoodamath.com/ Integer Orbitz Game Integer Warp Game
  	https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/menus/integers.htm Variety of Integer Games PacMan Game on Understanding Integers
  	http://www.mathies.ca/activities.html
  Other	www.mathclips.ca

Unexpected Challenges

• Installing the apps on the school iPads took longer than expected under the new procedure where it is done centrally at the board office
• Because of the delay, some of the apps, such as Interactive Integers, could not be used as teaching tools but were used for reinforcement and review of the concepts
• Some of the apps that were purchased and explored were not used by the students. They were either difficult to navigate, not engaging or simply did not meet the desired learning goals of the lessons.
• Initially we purchased inexpensive cases for the iPads to save money. However, with the daily use by many students, some of the cases ended up breaking and we had to buy two new cases.

Enhancing Student Learning and Development

• The students were more confident and self-directed learners. They would independently use the iPad to assist the learning, as needed.
• When iPads were included in math activities, students appeared to be more eager and immersed in learning
• The iPad became an interactive textbook for the in-risk students
• The apps built math fluency as it allowed for practice of foundational math skills and helped in closing learning gaps
• The use of iPads increased student engagement as it addressed both the different learning styles of students and the competencies of 21st-century learners
• The iPads promoted the use of virtual manipulatives to demonstrate and model abstract concepts
• The apps offered immediate feedback to the students and unlimited practice to show their learning
• The touch-based technology in some apps was simple to use and made learning more interactive
• The apps offered differentiation of instruction that fostered math skills and, at the same time, promoted independent learning
• The iPads allowed for achieving learning goals and meeting the success criteria in an alternate way

Sharing

• We kept ongoing minutes of various meetings using a Google Doc
• We collaborated with other Grade 7 teachers who used the apps throughout the project and offered constructive feedback to us
• We have accepted positions at different locations and will be sharing our knowledge/experience of the apps there
• We created a list of the apps that we used to be shared with the staff via Google Docs

Project Evaluation

• It was noticed that student engagement increases with use of technology, especially math apps and games
• The apps are very useful to reinforce the concepts through practice
• The students get immediate feedback on their progress only on some of the apps
• There are not enough apps that allow students to manipulate or are not interactive enough
• There is a huge selection of apps and it is time-consuming to narrow them down for purchase
• The storage capacity of the iPads that we bought was 32 GB. We felt that we should have bought iPads with at least 64 GB as the apps take up a lot of space.
• We should have invested in heavy-duty cases for the iPads and having attached keyboards would have been an added benefit