Week 8: Using Ipad Apps to support Literacy Learning

We created an animation movie on the app Puppet Pals 2. This app supports literacy learning because children can create their own animated stories (Camila, 2013). You can use existing characters or take pictures for example, of yourself to put into your movie. The characters can be animated where they can move and talk by recording for example, your own voice. Background settings can be also chosen and objects can be animated too.

I enjoyed creating our movie because we were part of the movie and we could create our own story line. I learnt many skills such as, how to make objects move. The experience will positively impact my practice because I can use this app with my class, where they can create their own animation movies for example, on lego adventures, to create a relevant and meaningful movie (Futurelab, undated). Spectronics (2013) argue that using the app allows children to practice their language skills. The skills can be transferred to other animation apps to support my teaching which will enhance children’s cross curricular learning and ICT skills (Camila, 2013). I was confident with using the app because it was very simple to use for example, icons were easily accessible such as, the recording symbol was clearly visible.

I did not experience any challenges however, I would have liked the app to allow you to insert speech bubbles to include what the characters are thinking. If the children did not receive any input on how to use the app they would experience challenges of using it to their full advantage. They would not know what they can do on the app to support their literacy learning. However, control is in the children’s hands they can be creative in their learning. Hutchinson, Beschorner and Schmidt-Crawford (2012) argue children need to be taught the skills to use the app effectively which will enhance their digital literacy skills. Teachers need to make the time to teach the relevant skills and give input on what the app can do.                                                                            

The implications that could occur are teaching children the skills to use the app, which can be time consuming. The app is child friendly because the existing pictures are appropriate for primary children to use and look at. I cannot think of any threats that will negatively have an impact on the children’s learning, as long as guidance and structure is given by the teacher, because teachers may find the children can take inappropriate images to use in their movie. Teaching input needs to be provided on what the children can make their movie on therefore, planning ideas need to be generated such as, mind mapping what the story line will be and what actors will be in the movie (Spectronics, 2010).

In conclusion, children should experience using the app Puppet Pals 2 because it does enhance literacy learning and it is a fun, creative and engaging way for children to make animation movies, and not even realise that they are learning (Spectronics, 2010).

Bibliography

Camila, A. (2013). Puppet Pals 2. Geeks With Juniors [www] Available from: http://www.geekswithjuniors.com/blog/2013/2/19/puppet-pals-2.html (Accessed: 04.03.2014)

Futurelab. (undated) Digital literacy across the curriculum. [pdf] Available from:  http://www2.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/handbooks/digital_literacy.pdf  (Accessed: 04.03.2014).

Hutchinson, A., Beschorner, B. and Schmidt-Crawford, D. (2012) ‘Exploring the Use of the iPad for Literacy Learning’ The Reading Teacher, 66 (1), pp15-23. [online] http://www.academia.edu/1201816/Exploring_the_Use_of_the_iPad_for_Literacy_Learning (Accessed: 04.03.2014)

Spectronics. (2010). Puppet Pals 2. [www] Available from: http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/apps/puppet-pals-2/ (Accessed: 04.03.2014)