iPad Lesson: Painting a Sentence and Image Inspired Writing

This is a great lesson written by Lisa Johnson @ComputerExplore. It is interesting how she always gets her students to use a series of apps and that the apps are always just the tools and not the reason for the lesson. This is a good example of how a teacher uses the appropriate technology to get their students to delve into their own learning often using tasks that reference Bloom's Taxonomy as the basis for a deeper understanding. 



Read full lesson:
http://tw.neisd.net/webpages/ljohns22/files/ela_photo%20friday.pdf

This lesson would be just as effective in an Art class where instead of writing the students were asked to create a drawing, painting or mixed media work with the same prompts. It could be used in a History class or even a Social Studies class with images from a historical event or different cultures you are studying. This really is a versatile concept from Lisa.

Hidden Control Panel accessed from your Screen

This is a quick and easy how-to from the guys over at How to Geek. It is a basic one but useful in its simplicity. Your students may not be aware of this feature. Enjoy!!!



If you upgraded to the latest iOS release on your iPad, only to figure out that the screen orientation lock doesn’t work anymore, here’s how to lock the screen using the new, annoying method.

We’re definitely irritated with Apple for making this change—the hardware screen lock was one of the best features of the iPad, and now it’s gone. At least you can still lock it.

Locking the Screen Orientation
Start by holding the iPad in the direction you’d like to lock it, and then press the Home button twice quickly, like a double-click.


The new task switcher will show up at the bottom of the screen, and then you’ll want to slide your finger over to the right to access the new screen hidden on the left.


Once you can see the new screen, click the button on the bottom left-hand side of the screen, and it will lock.


If you wanted to lock the iPad in landscape mode, you’d have to hold it in landscape mode before going through all of this.


Once in this Control Panel you also have access to your Screen Brightness, Volume Control and Play, Rewind and Skip buttons for your Music.




iPad Lesson Plans: Mathematics and Social Studies

Michele O'Dell of the Douglas Country School District has constructed two interesting iPad lesson plans as part of her ETIL study group. This is an excellent example of a classroom teacher, being given access to both the technology and the appropriate in-servicing so they can focus on the pedagogy. Michele has put together a couple of comprehensive lesson plans that could easily be used as a template for other teachers. 

ETIL is the state of Colorado's acronym for Educational Technology Information Literacy.  ETIL expectations are a part the requirements set forth by No Child Left Behind and C.I.T.E. (Continuous Improvement of Teacher Effectiveness). Michele has made good use of her time at the ETIL Academy.



ETIL Lesson 
Michele O’Dell 
Storyrobe with iPad


Your Name:     Michele O’Dell
Grade Level / Subject Area: Mathematics






1. Which essential question, content area GLE / Standard, or ISTE NETS for Students or NETS for Teachers was the objective of this lesson?  

ISTE NETS for Students
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes
using technology. Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities.

2. What resources (technology / information) did you use to help achieve this objective? 

Doc Camera
iPad
Storyrobe iPad App
Whiteboard App
Everyday Math Curriculum - Unit 6 Geometry
Coolmath’s Online Dictionary
morgueFile Photos

Read full article:

WiFi Printing from your iPad

This is from a website called Netputing and offers a way of WiFi sharing a printer. Hit your print button on your iPad from anywhere within the WiFi range. This is handy if you or your students are needing to print within the classroom. I know, I know, we shouldn't be printing anyway but every now and again there is something that just needs to be printed. Here is one option and it only takes about 2 minutes to set up. Enjoy!!!

AirPrint Activator: AirPrint is a small application that will enable a Mac OSX 10.6.5 + iTunes 10.1 hidden feature to allow your shared printer to be visible on your iOS 4.2.1 devices.  AirPrint allow you to print from new generation of Apple iPhones,iPad and iPod Touch to a printer shared over your personal WiFi network.
You only need to run AirPrint Activator once.  Once AirPrint has been turned on it will remain on even after a reboot.
Download:
Download the latest beta version compatible with OSX 10.5,10.6 and 10.7 (Lion) from the AirPrint Activator v2 web page.
Download the latest version: AirPrint Activator v1.1.3
              or
use version 1.1.2 if the latest version is reporting that it is not supported on your system: AirPrint Activator v1.1.2
Apple requested that I take down the AirPrint Hacktivator page as they stipulate that the application is distributing copyrighted source code and/or software. @irPrint Activator is now replacing the defunct AirPrint Hacktivator application.  It provide the same functionality without the use of any Apple files.
You can use AirPrint Activator as a replacement of the previous generation Hacktivator application.  If present, it will take care of cleaning any Apple files installed by the previous generation Hacktivator when you “deactivate” AirPrint. It will only inject a single line in a CUPS configuration when you select to “activate”AirPrint.
System Requirements:
  • OSX Snow Leopard 10.6.5,10.6.6 or 10.6.7 (Not currently supported under OSX Lion 10.7 beta)
  • iTunes 10.1 +
HOW TO activate AirPrint:
1. Launch AirPrint Activator:
2. Click on the togle switch:

3. Enter the admin password:

4. A window will appear instructing you to remove/add/share the printer you want to use with AirPrint:
Click OK.
5. Open System Preferences/Print &Fax and:
  • Remove
  • Add
  • Share
the desired local printer.  The following youtube clip will show you how:





Original Article:
http://netputing.com/airprintactivator/
Labels: , ,

Quick edit Videography with iMovie for iPad

This is a How-To-Article written by Wes Fryer over at Speed of Creativity. It is a great resource for classroom teachers who are using the iPad to edit video with their students. If you do have access to iPads and have been unsure how to proceed with iMovie than this is a fantastic resource.

Wes has a great blog about 21st Century Digital Learning. He has a comprehensive list of articles that are worth reading. Make sure you take the time to visit his site. Enjoy!!!

Quick Editing with iMovie for iPad:
The following steps are included in the "Video" chapter of the forthcoming EPUB eBook, "Playing with Media: simple ideas for powerful sharing." This is an example of "quick-edit" videography, which can compliment "no-edit" videography in support of the "ethic of minimal clicks." This final video, "Learning About NASA Mission Control in Houston," is available on YouTube.
After recording a series of videos using an iPad, the iMovie app ($4.99) can be used to edit and combine the videos into a single file. That video file can then be directly uploaded to YouTube from the iPad, using an available wifi Internet connection.
1. Start an iPad iMovie by clicking the “+” icon at the bottom of the screen.

Accessing Tumblr on the iPad

Tumblr is a blogging platform that is perfect in the classroom. Tumblr is a tool that allows students to reflect on their processes and to articulate the learning that has occurred in a lesson, within a unit or across the year. 

I find blogging a particularly good activity for boys. Boys do not always reflect naturally and this is a good habit for them to develop. From my experiences many girls develop better language skills and an emotional intelligence at an earlier age and find blogging a natural extension of their work.

I have had students resist using tumblr and then within a month or two be using it daily - without any prompting from me. One in particular now posts so often that I  struggle to keep up. I do love it when students get so passionate.

Tumblr lets you effortlessly share anything. You can post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos, from your iPad, phone, desktop, email, or wherever you happen to be. You can customize everything, and change it as often as you like. I have never seen two of my students have the same theme.

So what apps are available to access Tumblr on the iPad:

Tumblr:
Tumblr is blogging site that is very popular with students and teachers. Tumblr says it is home to the most creative people in the world. Tumblr allows you to post anything: share photos, video, audio, quotes, links, and text. You can manage multiple blogs Advanced controls include save drafts, queue posts, customize tweets, and more! 

Tumbletail for Tumblr:
A Tumblr client with thumbnail display like Mega-Editor as well as separate Photos and Texts mode. It includes slideshows, easy Reblog or Like and auto refresh. Allows you to Follow / Unfollow, post to Twitter and manage multi-accounts. It has a passcode feature and allows you to save to Dropbox or Evernote or Read It Later.



Readlr: A Tumblr Client:
The latest 20 posts for each tumblelog you add are downloaded locally, so sync in the morning and enjoy a full day of Tumblr without an internet connection. Turn heads on the subway when you zip through photos with no signal! Tumblr is down? No problem! Sync in the morning when the server load is low and avoid those annoying server outages.



TumbleDoor:
A sophisticated Tumblr Browser. Cool optional interfaces like default 'Photo' app. You can also set passcode so others cannot see your dashboard. You can change its brightness so your eyes never get tired, and you can avoid your dashbaord being glanced at by others. Of course you can reblog, like, and save the images to your photo album!



Tumblita for Tumblr:
A vey popular app for Tumblr viewing. Easily post content immediately, add it to your queue, or even save as a draft for later! Tumblita makes it extremely easy to post text, photos, quotes, links, audio, and video. It's everything you would expect from a Tumblr client designed exclusively for the iPad!



Tumbleroo for Tumblr:
Tumbleroo was the first full-featured iPad client for Tumblr. Big colorful photos, full-screen videos, and all the liking and reblogging you can handle. With Tumbleroo, your dashboard comes to life with text, link, chat, question, photo, audio and video post support. A built-in browser let's you explore links outside the dashboard.


Tum Tum:
Ever wanted a way to cut out all the extras and enjoy tumblr on your iPad with no distractions or messy options? TumTum was created with ease of use and quick actions in mind. A simple and delightful way to browse, like, and reblog photos on Tumblr.  Load your content, get a preview & reblog. TumTum was created with ease of use and quick actions in mind.


Tumblr Gear:
Tumblr gear is a fully optimized application to browse your tumblr dashboard. You have no need to flick the screen or tap the link to go to the next page anymore.Tumblr gear also enables you to do reblog and use the like operation directly. It also features, easy dashboard browsing, auto paging and quick reblog.



TumblrFrame:
The "tumblrFrame" is a tumblr digital picture frame. View your favorite tumblr with slideshow pictures. Reblog by double tapping on the slideshow or pause and show information with a single tap and swipe right to rewind picture. It has file cache mechanism and an auto composition match. TumblrFrame also has multiple tumblr account support for viewing.


TumbLiking:
With TumbLiking, you can view your favorite Tumblr blogs and access the core Tumblr features that most of us would use when on the go. TumbLiking enables you to easily and seamlessly post photos and quotes. And, you'll enjoy viewing your "likes" and "home" just like with the Dashboard. With one touch, you can reblog, like, delete, and unlike.







Labels: , , ,

Sunday Special: Christian Bible Apps





















Mobile Learning and Tablets in Education RoundUp!

The following is an excellent roundup of recent articles around mobile learning and the use of tablets in education. It is a comprehensive read of current ideas, concepts and concerns around this modern learning phenomenon. It is from the blog of the Upsidelearning. This is a commercial venture but it also maintains a blog about educational issues. We thank them for compiling this list.


Need to quench your thirst for the latest in learning, technology and media links further? You can dig into our previous lists here.
1. #mLearnCon 2011 Backchannel – Collected Resources
This post collects the resources shared via the backchannel of the mLearnCon 2011, that was held between June 21 and 23 in San Jose, California.
2. Why You Need a Mobile Learning Strategy
Not having a strategy for mobile learning is itself a strategy. And not a very effective one at that. Understanding the decision criteria for mLearning, and having a plan for periodically reviewing those criteria and their performance against those criteria, designers and managers are in a much better position to make good decisions about how they will support learning in their organizations. This is just one of the many reasons why you need a mobile learning strategy. Know more here.
3. How To Make The Right Call With Mobile Learning
The popularity of smartphones and tablets in the workplace has increased the interest in mobile learning. But with the mobile landscape constantly evolving, many organizations are asking themselves if now is the right time to take the plunge, or if they should wait for more stability. Know how to make the right call.
4. Quick and Simple mLearning Content for the iPhone
Getting started developing eLearning content is relatively easy; however mLearning is a different ball game altogether. The challenge is manifold: finding easy-to-use development tools, developing for multiple devices, and most importantly, determining the right context for the mLearning content. This article provides you with a very basic vehicle for creating simple mLearning content, so that you can get started quickly, see what’s possible, understand the pitfalls, and begin to figure out how you might blend mLearning into your existing training or learning strategy.
5. What Are Mobile Devices Teaching Your Kids?
Mobile learning blends traditional pedagogy with technology to reach every child. The question is not if your child should use a mobile device in school, but how to do it safely. Know it here.
6. What Exactly Can You Learn On A Mobile Phone?
Understand how a mobile phone can be considered a learning tool, and whether it can actually help bridge the digital divide between low-income, at-risk kids and those with access to computers.
7. 13 Helpful Mobile Web Design Tools & Resources
Here are 13 mobile web design resources that’ll make it easy for you to deliver a snappy but aesthetically pleasing mobile web experience.
8. How 3 Mobile Gadgets are Transforming our Lives: New Research
So how are the 3 mobile devices changing our lives and disrupting stable industries. Know what the latest research from Nielsen reveals after speaking to 12,000 mobile connected device owners about what we are doing with the 3 mobile gadgets that are changing habits.
9. HTML5 – Opportunities for Mobile Devices
HTML5 offers amazing opportunities to us for designing and developing formal and informal learning solutions. So get ready to add mLearning with HTML5 to your learning and development repertoire.
10. 7 iPad Habits of Highly Effective Remote Workers
The use of the iPad by mobile workers is on the rise, and that brings with it both boons and challenges for worker productivity. Here’s how you and your remote staff can stay on top of iPad usage, lest iPad usage controls you and your organization instead.
11. Are Tablets Made for the Education Market Doomed
Does the demise of both the Kno and the enTourage eDGe, aimed squarely at the educational market, indicate that post-PC future doesn’t look too good for education-only devices? Know more about it here.
12. Infographic: iPad Usage In The UK
What’s the media diet of an iPad user? Digital marketing production house Imano surveyed 2,000 UK iPad users in May to find out.
13. Infographic: The Enterprise Mobile Explosion
Companies worldwide are incorporating mobile technology and applications into their operations to increase productivity and revenue and reduce paperwork. This explosion in the use of mobile devices in the enterprise will help to fuel demand for mobile apps, as this infographic shows.



Labels: , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)