1/21/2015 Casa Latina Workshop Willa

Casa Latina
January 21st, 2015
4:30 PM  - 7:15 PM

Ivette, Brad, Klarissa, and I left from the University Washington around 4:30. We had previously been working on setting up the tablets for the children. Ivette had purchased three iPad minis for the children along with a couple games such as Osmo Words, Osmo Tangrams, and Tiggly. I set up the iPad minis with no passcodes so that it would be easy for anyone to use them. I think it allows for greater freedom of use: where one does not need to ask to use the technology, but know that s/he can use it as her/his leisure. I also made sure the location services and automatic diagnostic reporting were turned off because it helps put an additional barrier between the children's privacy and big data information. I also set up an Apple ID so that the apps that we download on one iPad would automatically be downloaded onto all of them.  I also set up restrictions so that no one could download music, videos, and podcasts. Also, in restrictions, I made restricted the adult content. I am not particularly worried about the children misusing the technology, but I would rather be on the safe side.

I worked with the children literacy program. The theme for the day was origami. However, initially, the children were more interested in playing with the iPads. There were only three children and so each could play with an iPad. We played with the tangrams first, but it was hard to tell whether or not the camera could see the pieces we were playing with. It started to get frustrating before I realized that the camera needed to be repositioned. By that time, the children were uninterested in playing with it. Then we also played with words, which was much more successful. The only issue with the Osmo apps is that you have to take the iPads out of their cases before use. We also played with the Tiggly apps. The tactile counting aids were really hard to work with and I'm still not sure how to use them. This was also frustrating with the kids.

Once they had tried all of the apps we had already downloaded, they had their own ideas of what to play including: Candy Crush, a make up game, and AngryBirds. Initially, I downloaded them, but I will remove them next week because I realized that the apps should be more focused on learning and less on play. After I explained that to the kids, they started to suggest apps and programs that they had encountered at school.

Towards the end of the time, we did do some origami. We made penguins, which was fun but also confusing. The kids were all really patient during the learning and adapting process.