Google Drive on iPad

Google's Drive app on iPad is great.  Not only is it a great container for all of your file storage and documents, but you can create documents on the app as well.

Richard Byrne has released a guide handbook that explains and walks you through how to make the most of this app.

Google Drive for iPad by richardbyrne

You can view document by using the right-side scroll bar; use the download button in bottom toolbar; or the "full view" button.

MLTI GeoGebra Webinar Series

Below is a forwarded email from MLTI offering a FREE GeoGebra webinar series:

MLTI has an upcoming series of four 1 hour webinars that will support middle and secondary level educators using the free application GeoGebra for mathematics teaching and learning.

Webinar topics include:1) building technical expertise with built-in features, tools, and commands;2) using GeoGebra to support the representation, analysis, and discussion of data;3) modifying existing GeoGebra applets; and4) creating your own applets and hosting them online.

Educators do not need to attend all sessions, although sessions 3 and 4 will assume basic working knowledge of GeoGebra.

These synchronous sessions are 3:30–4:30 p.m. Eastern time and will be hosted online for viewing after the sessions are completed. Session content includes topics explored in more depth during the full-day MLTI professional workshops titled Building Technical Skills with GeoGebra 4 and Exploring Data using Applications on the MLTI Image, although participants of these sessions are encouraged to attend.

Please visit http://maine.gov/mlti/events/brochure.shtml#math for a link to online registration.
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Session 1 (Thursday Feb. 21): Introduction to GeoGebra Features, Tools, and Commands
Session 1 will focus on getting to know the GeoGebra interface including Perspectives and Views, the Menu Bar, Toolbar and Input Bar, and the Construction Protocol. Additional topics will include creating sliders, check boxes, and basic dynamic text, as well as incorporating images and conditional visibility. The session will also include using Input Help and accessing online help resources.

Session 2 (Thursday Mar. 28): The GeoGebra Spreadsheet, Spreadsheet Tools, and Statistics Commands
Session 2 will focus on using GeoGebra to support the representation and analysis of data using the spreadsheet view and spreadsheet tools, including the One Variable Analysis Tool and Two Variable Analysis Tool. Additional topics include example applets related to statistics and the use of spreadsheet and statistics commands.

Session 3 (Thursday, May 9): More GeoGebra Features, Tools, and Commands
Session 3 will build on the topics in Session 1 and focus on new features, tools, and commands such as animation, Input Boxes, Buttons, using GeoGebra Script, using LaTex in text objects, and using random numbers, lists, and the Sequence command. Session 3 will also highlight example applets that include these features, tools, and commands.

Session 4 (Thursday, May 30): GeoGebra Applets: Modifying, Authoring, and Hosting Dynamic Worksheets
Session 4 will focus on skills for modifying GeoGebra dynamic worksheets (applets) made by others and using GeoGebra to author and host your own applets. Topics will include opening applets from HTML pages in GeoGebra and analyzing and modifying their construction, basic considerations for authoring applets and combining features and commands, and options for exporting and hosting your applets online.

Twitter Hashtags?

For more information on hashtags, please visit Ratkacher Station

Wallwisher to Padlet: Online Collaboration Tool

Collaboration has been a tool in education that has been at the forefront of importance and effectiveness when it comes to 21st Century skills.  From Google Docs to wikis, collaboration of ideas and content has been proven to be a powerful learning tool in the classrooms as well as in business.

An "old school" online collaboration forum, Wallwisher, has gotten (is getting) an overhaul recently, and is changing its brand to Padlet.  Jonathan Wylie explains Wallwisher's changeover.  I was introduced to Wallwisher about 3 years ago.  Unfortunately, in the tech world, that's "old school".

Originally Wallwisher has been a great platform for teacher/student classroom collaboration.  Teachers can create a "wall" and allow students to post comments on the wall as "stickies".  Classrooms have used this online tool for generating ideas, creating discussions, sharing documents; develop question/answer feedback; treat it like a noticeboard for updates and notifications; and much more.  Wallwisher has continued to improve through the years, and now they will be getting even better.  For now you can access Wallwisher by its

Generally it is the same as a standard forum, but has the visual appeal and user-friendly interface that will get students excited and comfortable using, and can do much more.  Participants to your Wallwisher wall can upload documents that other can view right on the wall.  What a great way to have your students read documents you have posted and comment on the same wall.  Right on their front page they share 12 great ideas on how you can collaborate with your students online.  Any kind of forum like this is a great way to get your quiet, insecure students to speak up or voice an opinion.

Wallwisher makes your walls very manageable and safe.  Students do NOT need to sign up for an account.  You create the wall and set up your security.  You can keep the wall private with a password, so that only those in your classroom who have the link and password can access your wall.  You can customize a URL (providing that no one else has taken it).  Get creative; use your students to generate a wacky name for their classroom wall.

Twitter's New App: Vine - How Can It Benefit Edu?

Twitter has just released (January 24, 2013) a new app that is perfect for sharing on such "to the point" social networks like Twitter.  It's called Vine.

If you are familiar with the format of tweets and how Twitter works, you know that it is short, sweet and to the point.  Twitter allows you to easily scan through a lot of information, quickly find what you need and get the content.  It is no different with their new app, Vine, as an addition.

Vine allows you to create 6 sec video recordings and share them on Twitter or Facebook.  6 seconds certainly does not sound like a lot of meaningful time; then again, neither did 160 characters.  It is amazing how creative you can get when you are limited within certain parameters.

Basically, this is how it works:  The app records when you touch the screen, so you can start and stop as often as needed (view demo below); showing only what you want; recording multiple locations and multiple time-frames.

The thing that makes this an exciting new media concept is that for schools that utilize social networking in their classrooms, like Twitter, can now improve that dialog.  Teachers can post small snippets of video demonstrating math concepts, displaying examples of work, or a simple video message to their class.  What a great way for a Flipped Classroom.  Students could, in turn, share their work and offer suggestions through small video.

Check out Vine's blog for the latest updates and to see some samples of what they do.

I put together a quick vid on what it looks like while in the Twitter feed:

Here is a nice demo of the app:

Why NOTHING is Saved to My Desktop

Does this look like your desktop?

Incidentally, most of our computer desktops are no different.  It is said, a cluttered environment is a cluttered mind (irrespective of what Einstein once said).  A cluttered mind is the last thing we need when preparing for a class or a meeting.  I would like to share with you some ideas on how to de-clutter your digital life using what you already have.

Most often, in my experience, I see teachers and other laptop users execute a common reflex when saving files and attachments - "Save it to my desktop...".

This would seem like a place that would be the most effective, as far as accessibility and productivity.  Having files and folders readily accessible is necessary for an on-the-move professional.  Our desktop seems like the easiest and best way to manage this since files are right there.  However, for many, the desktop has become the catch-all and, in turn, has developed into something counter-productive and not as accessible when searching through many files.

Let me share with you a couple of ideas and tricks (or what I do) that could make your download/attachment-workflow much more efficient and, not to mention, much less cluttered.

Disclaimer:  For those outside of my district or are non-MLTI users, this post will cover desktop organization in the perspective of the Apple Macbook.

Back to basics:  First of all, let's simply utilize what we already have.

1.  The Desktop
What is the problem with using your desktop for storage of files and folders.  The problem lies when your desktop starts getting fairly full of these files and folders.  The more stuff you place on your desktop, the slower your computer's performance will be; especially when starting up.  Because the desktop (or your Finder) is what is always visible, it will cause your computer to constantly be scanning for any updates or changes to your files and folders.  Whereas other files and folders that are located elsewhere, will only need update checks when the file or folder is accessed.  "Bottom line, a cleaner desktop will make for a snappier computer experience, and less of the color wheel waiting...", stated Troy (PIMS computer technician)

2.  The Dock
Your dock is the best way to do transactions of adding and taking in your workflow; because it it right there and always available.  Not only does the dock house your frequently visited applications, but it can hold your frequently visited folders as well; located from any where on your hard drive.  So accessing content from your folders is as easy as going to your dock.  Below is an example of what folders in my dock looks like (I regularly have my dock hidden to make the most of my screens real-estate).

3.  Home Folder (Teacher)
Your Home Folder is your user account's base or hub.  It houses all of the other important folders that are associated with the user - Downloads, Documents, Movies, Pictures, etc.  As a teacher, your user Home Folder is called "Teacher".  Open the Finder icon in your dock.  By default, your Teacher folder should appear with its contents.

By making this your hub or file center, you will be able to manage and access files and folders from one main location and without having to load your desktop.  You do not have to only use the folder that are located in your Teacher folder.  I have added some of my own - an Inbox, Personal, Photo Inbox, etc.  I make it a point to only allow on my desktop only what I plan on using immediately; in other words, that day or the day after.

I also created an Inbox or "junk-drawer" folder that I believe is necessary for everyone.  It is the one and only place that I can just put stuff and organize it later.  In any organizational flow, one has to have this one place that everything is funneled to, then sorted at a more convenient time.  I used to call it, Monica's Closet.

MLTI has put together a great tutorial explaining what the Home Folder is and its purpose.

MLTI Minute Episode 6:  Overview of Your Home Folder

4.  Create Your Workflow

Now that you have understood the purpose of your Home Folder and what it contains, let's put this in to practical action - workflow.  Get into the habit of placing your downloads or files in your Teacher folders.  To make your Teacher folders more accessible, place the folders that you feel you will be using on a regular basis in your dock.  From there you can add, view, and take away simply by accessing your dock.

If you have any questions concerning this material, please do not hesitate to ask.

Have You Updated Your iPad?

For those who are new to the iPad scene, Apple will update the operating systems (OS) of their iOS products (iPhone, iPad, iPod) from time to time to either fix some bugs or offer some new helpful features.  Currently the latest OS update is iOS 6.1.

If you are not familiar with how to update your iPad, Apple explains this process.  This article explains how you can update your device either wirelessly (for iOS 5 or later), or updating through iTunes.  Be sure to review the tips at the end.  This current update (from 6.0 to 6.1) took about 5min, however if you have not updated your iPad in a while, it may take up to 10 to 30min.  So, as suggested, make sure your device is plugged in to a power source, so the battery does not run out during the upgrade.

For those who are visual learners:

If you are wondering why this is such a big deal and are interested in seeing the details of what exactly is being updated, changed or fixed, browse through this Wikipedia article of iOS updates.  Also, check this visually robust article from The Verge.  Some of Apple's update are minor; sometimes they are quite major.

Please contact me if you are having issues with your updates.