IPAD Professional Development at OU

As a graduate of OU School of Education, I was invited to participate in the first IPAD training of their education students in collaboration with alumni.  You were to chose two workshops.  I chose to learn about two applications, iExplain with Explain Everything facilitated by graduate student, Russ Cole and iEdit with iMovie, facilitated by social studies teacher, Nicole Pearce.  Our head librarian attended the workshop with me.  She attended, iResearch with OU libraries, facilitated by Molly Strothmann, and iLearn with Apple Apps facilitated by OU Staff, Keegan Long.

My first surprise, as I entered the school of education, was how much it had changed.  It is a welcoming and beautiful facility that now honors the memory of Jeannine Rainbolt.  My second surprise was that every OU education student had a new IPAD which they will be required to use as their books are all online.  Students can keep their IPAD if they graduate!  My third surprise was the food they provided for the end of the day refreshments; fruits and vegetables.  Water and lemonade, but NO Water bottles!  They are practicing what they preach!

We connected to the organizers of the event to follow-up with further training and collaboration.  An instructional Sunday afternoon!  I can hardly wait to purchase the Casady YAC Ipad Mini donated by the CPO to enhance our outreach work using technology!

While I was at OU, I spent many wonderful teaching and learning hours at Kauffman Hall.  I had a feeling of sadness and nostalgia when I entered this influential building in my life. Sadness because compared to the education building, very little had changed. Nostalgia, because I could see where as a 21-year old student, I learned about life and Latin American and Hispanic Literature from professors who were incredible master teachers and mentors.