Grant gives teachers a new tool, iPods

Grand Island Central Catholic is bringing more technology into the classroom thanks to a TASTE grant from Educational Service Unit No. 10 in Kearney.

Forty iPods are now in the hands of students after reading teacher Dee Hanssen and religion and study skills teacher Deb Houdek teamed for the grant which includes a sync station to charge 20 iPods simultaneously.

Hanssen and Houdek also each received an iPad and a MacBook to download apps to the student's iPods.

The new technology is worth $6,943.

The TASTE grant provided additional funds so Hanssen and Houdek each could have four days of intensive training during the summer to learn how to use the new technology and another four days of training during the school year.

Hanssen said she has her students use their iPods to help them expand vocabulary.

If a student encounters a word they don't know the meaning of, the iPod can be used to discover the definition.

Likewise, if a student doesn't know how to pronounce an unfamiliar word, the iPod can give the correct pronunciation, Hanssen said.

Houdek said students use a "3-Minute Retreat" app that allows them to hear music and view tranquil scenes as they move from reading a Bible verse to reading a short meditation, and finally, answering questions based on that day's Scripture and meditation.

Houdek said students respond to questions by using old-fashioned pen and paper to write down their answers.

There are times when low-tech methods remain preferable to the latest technology.

Likewise, Houdek and her students are still using traditional printed religious textbooks for classroom lessons.

Because she also teaches study skills, Houdek has loaded flash card and organizing apps.

She also has a "Stack the State" app that helps teach students about United States geography.

Because students enjoy the technology, they seem to enjoy reading more, said both Hanssen and Houdek.

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