via vimeo.com

Towards the end of 2010, students from Ringwood North PS were invited to be a part of the WEE (Web Elements Engaged) Project. This project was run in conjunction with the ‘State Library Association of Victoria’ and the ‘Department of Education and Early Childhood’ in Victoria. The aim of the project was to develop Web 2.0 resources for teachers and students that could be uploaded to the Department’s ‘FUSE’ website, to support the effective use of ICT in the classroom.

This project came at a unique time for our school - a time when we were looking to really extend what was possible with our 1:1 iPad trial. Up until this point, iPads were still being discussed as only a tool for accessing content, and so, we used this opportunity to embark on a challenge that highlighted the use of the iPad as a creative tool.

We chose to look at creating a series of tutorials which could fit under the heading of ‘That’s Apptastic!’ The basic idea was the students were going to solve everyday problems for students and teachers by sharing their knowledge of specific apps, which would ultimately make life easier. The last part of the challenge was that the entire production needed to be completed using only an iPad.

The example above was made by Cassie, Rachael and Keeley in Year 5. It was amazing to see their ideas come to life, and the way they used the technology to complete the task. Besides the storyline and outstanding acting, one of the most amazing things I saw was the girls create their own ‘sets’ or backgrounds in the app ‘DoodleBuddy’ and then project them onto a wall. They then proceeded to act out their roles in front of their original backgrounds and do a fantastic job of completing the task. Everything, from the poster frame to the final film was created by these talented students.

Congratulations to the girls on an outstanding job and we hope this tutorial helps other students and teachers to utilize the benefits of this app.

Also a big thanks to Tony Richards from ITmadesimnple (@ITmadesimple) for his support and work in getting this project off the ground.

That’s Apptastic!