The “App-ril” Amazing Race - Digital Tools PD

I’m excited to share a gamified professional development model our district is implementing in April, called the “App-ril” Amazing Race. Inspired by the success of our “iPad Productivity March Madness Activity” bracket last year, we aimed to shift the focus towards a collective goal. Instead of simply “knocking out” tools, our staff is actively collaborating to assemble a “Essential Travel Kit” filled with the most crucial digital tools for our classrooms.

The Concept:

We’ve designed a three-week journey spanning three technology distinct territories:

  1. - The AI Archipelago 🏝️: This territory focuses on exploring time-saving AI tools that enhance teacher productivity.
  2. - The Accessibility Alps 🏔️: Here, staff will master built-in iPad and Mac features such as Live Captions and Speak Selection.
  3. - The Creative Coastline 🌊: This territory delves into multimedia, exploring Screen Recording and Markup capabilities.

How it Works:

  • Daily Roadblocks/Challenges: Each morning, staff members receive a “Roadblock”—a concise, 2-minute task involving a specific Apple tool or feature.
  • The Weekly Pit Stop: Every Friday, staff votes on their favorite tool of the week.
  • Filling Essential Travel Kit: The tool with the highest vote count is added to the Essential Travel Kit.
  • **Optional:** The Collective Reward: By the end of April, filling the Essential Travel Kit unlocks a community prize, such as a catered breakfast or a “Jean Day.”

This activity will be facilitated by the Digital Learning Leaders (DLLs) at each school. To make it more exciting and engaging, we’re printing large maps with stickers for each day. These maps will be hung in a public place where teachers can easily see them. Additionally, DLLs will add the weekly “Essential Tool” winner to the Tool Kit on the map. To simplify the process, we’ve created a guide that includes email templates that can be easily copied and pasted.

What do you need?

  1. App-ril Amazing Race slide deck with step-by-step instructions (Canva)
  2. Map (Canva)
  3. Stickers (attached)
  4. App-ril Amazing Race Guide with email templates (attached)

#OPSProud

Attachments

Attachments

Accessibility Mac iPad Professional Development

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