Quizlet for iPad

If you haven't discovered it already, Quizlet is a great app as a tool for studying.  Quizlet had been out for awhile, however from my experience it offers a decent amount of capability for being a FREE app.

Not only is this a great tool for general study of facts and concepts, but it, also, works well for learning languages.

Starting off, a student can easily Sign-up and Sign-in via their school Gmail account.  Making it very easy and secure for a student to register for an account.  Once started, a student can create a data bank of terms and definitions grouped in what Quizlet calls study sets.  Below is a video demo of using Quizlet.

How To Set-Up and use iCloud Drive On The iPad

Student Note-taking Using Infopics

In case you missed it on my Twitter or Google+ profiles, this is a great post from Tony Vincent.  He sharing a "newer" concept for student note-taking.  He shares several app suggestions and how each app works.  He also gives some great tips and design suggestions that are very helpful for students.  This video is so well put together, that you could have students preview it for themselves and watch them takeoff with creativity, meanwhile making meaning of your classroom content.

Review his blog article regarding Infopics here.

Learning Workshop Idea for PIMS

I realize that lessons and plans for learning workshops have been already planned for the rest of this school year.  However, thinking ahead, for next year, SimCity has recently released an iOS app, FREE.

If you are not familiar with SimCity, it is a simulation gaming franchise that has been out since the late 80s and the premise of the game is that you are the mayor of a potential city.  As mayor, you have to build and improve your city to help it grow and make your city residents happy.  As a learning tool, students will learn how to manage the cities finances and resources, make critical thinking decisions and learn to work efficiently with the resources they have to develop a successful running city.  Not only is the game fun and clean, it is a great way to develop strategic thinking and problem solving and planning.

Perhaps consider this for your next Learning Workshop in the 2015-16 school year.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

The SimCity gaming community in education is so large, there is a site devoted to creating lesson plans and collaborating lesson ideas when using SimCity in the classroom.  Check out GlassLab's SimCityEdu.

Display Your iPad on Your Screen

Using Video in PE

Thanks to +Clay Reisler I found some great ideas for using video to help students with some of their challenges in PE.   A teacher is using an app call CoachMyVideo (CMV).  This app allows the user to view the students performance frame by frame in slow motion, as well as allows viewing of before video and after video to the the students progress.  This teacher also uses Google Drive to store the video; since the iPad only has so much storage.  This way the teacher can share a Google Drive folder the video with the individual students and parents.  The teacher also documents the learning goals, the date, and a link to the video stored in Drive.  Here's an example they provided.

Below is a video demo of a teacher using CMV.  Also be sure to visit their site.

If you have any questions about this and/or would like to try this yourself, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Garageband Airdrop Sharing for iPad

To some this may seem like an easy thing, but I thought it worth sharing because not everyone will know how to do this.  Also, this method of sharing projects or documents pretty much works the same way the most of the other Apple iOS apps, like Photos and Keynote, etc.

Apple's Reminders Desktop and iOS Apps

If you haven't discovered Apple's Reminders desktop and iPad app, you may find this a very useful tool.  Simple, yet effective the Reminders app allows you to create reminders and lists for anything you want to be notified or "reminded" later on.  Sometimes just making a checklist of todos or goals for a projects is all you need.  Reminders is a simple way for you to manage several tasks or todos.

The great thing with having both Reminders on our MacBook Air and our iPad Mini is that you can sync your reminders and be notified on both devices.  If you have an IEP scheduled and you want to be notified later, you can set it in Reminders.  Perhaps you have a list of goals for a project or activity and you want to be able to prioritize and organize your workflow.  Reminders is a great way to accomplish that.

The video below demonstrates how Reminders is used on iOS (iPad) and on your MacBook Air.

Study Human Anatomy in 3-D

I was assisting a Science teacher today with her interest in doing some interactive stuff with anatomy.  Here are a couple of things I shared with her.

In regards to anatomy, if you study human anatomy, have you tried this out - BioDigital Human - great with the interactive whiteboard.  Works best in Chrome (because of GL Web requirements).
Zygote Body is another 3-D interactive display of the human anatomy; simpler version.
For the iPad, Anatomy 4D is an amazing Augmented Reality app that used a "target" (piece of paper that you can print).  Then you can manipulate the body around and view system layers together or individually.

iPad Screenshots of Anatomy 4D app

Student Access to Pages Documents At Home

The great thing about iCloud and the Apple apps that are associated with iCloud, is that you can access and continue to edit the content (documents, spreadsheets, notes, etc) at home without having to bring the iPad home.  Since we have not allowed the students to bring their iPads home yet, this may be a valuable resource.

Let's use the Pages app for demonstration.  Any editing or new update to a Pages document is automatically saved, and saved to iCloud as long as the student has set this feature.

(We went over backing up to iCloud with all of the students at Deployment Day and had them all back up their iPad using iCloud.  I mentioned this part because there is always one or two that may have not listened and did not choose to back up their device in iCloud)

With this auto-save feature of Pages in iCloud, students can access their documents at any network-connected computer.

Simply log in with Apple ID at

icloud.com

From there any Apple user with their Apple ID can access the iCloud features, like Pages.

Users can select an already created document for viewing or editing, or they can create a new document right from their web browser.

Users can also right-click (Mac: option-click) on the thumbnail of the document and download it either as a Pages document, a PDF or as a Word document.

iPads in Education - techlearning on Livestream

I have embedded this when it was live.  I am not sure if this will remain once the event is finished.

However, Patrick Larkin, Principal for Berlington High School, New Jersey, is one of the main speakers.  He is well known for implementing a 1to1 iPad initiative in his High School (The Journal).

Watch live streaming video from techlearning at livestream.com

You can also find Patrick Larkin on Twitter:

Must Read:"The Smart Way to Use iPads in the Classroom" slate.me/ZTrGTK #TLTF13
— Patrick Larkin (@patrickmlarkin) April 26, 2013

iPad Apps "Cleaning"?

Have you ever noticed "cleaning" under some of your apps, like Facebook, on your iOS device?  It can happen quickly and unnoticed, because I just noticed it for the first time this morning, so I searched for an answer online.

I found an article from iMore.  The article was written back in Dec of 2011 and its perspective is in iOS 5 (iOS 6 is our latest update), however Rene Ritchie's explanation is helpful and to the point.

Check out the article here.

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.

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.

Be Careful With How Many Apps You "Try Out".

For those who backup their iOS devices (i.e. iPad, iPhone) to their computer verses iCloud, a word of advice for you.

(Side note: there are two ways to backup your device's data (photos, apps, eBooks, etc) - either iCloud or your computer. Since the MLTI MacBooks are not iCloud compatible, we backup with our laptop only)

Occasionally, you may come across apps that you want to try out, then decide to delete them from your device for one reason or another. However, just because you have deleted them from your device, does not mean they are deleted entirely. What I mean is, these deleted apps are still stored on your computer as an inactive app. The reason for this is because you purchased it (even if it was FREE) and all purchased apps are stored somewhere. In our case, on your laptop.

If you are not careful enough, these inactive, purchased apps can take up room on your computer's hard drive space; which may be critical for those of us who have a lot of content already stored on our computer. An overly stocked hard drive could severely effect the performance and speed of your laptop. This could be very important when trying to use your laptop in class or on your interactive whiteboard. You want as little delay as possible when students are waiting.

In my case, I have a lot of video, extra software, images and hefty documents already stored on my MLTI laptop. On top of that, I discovered I have over 20GB of inactive and active apps stored and backed up on my computer; along with the video, podcasts, and eBooks, purchased though the iPad I use.  20GB is enough to reach my hard drive's performance threshold.

You can remedy or check this out for yourself simply by launching iTunes, going to your iTunes library and viewing your apps library. Select the apps you no longer want to keep and delete them. You can event sort your iTunes app library by app size. Sometimes you can locate "heavy" unwanted apps.

Nothing like minimizing!

Great Resource For iPad App Reviews

Richard Byrne delivers again with his third very popular blog devoted to iPad app reviews - iPad Apps for School.  Though not all of them, but most of his app reviews are of FREE apps.  He does, however, feature some very pertinent apps for education.  Richard Byrne is best known for his edublog Free Technology for Teachers.

Add his iPad blog to your list of frequent visits or your blog reader to find some valuable content for your iPad in the classroom.

Display Video to Your Class Remotely From Your iPad App

If you use an iPad as an instructional tool in your classroom, you may have had to plug in a video cord AND speakers in to the headphone jack in order to display any video from your iPad or iPad app to your projector for your students.

Here at my local school we are working with an app that allows you to display your video remotely from your iPad when using your apps with out all of the cords.  Just imaging getting ready to show your student a video clip of Hitler for your WWII unit (or you want to use an interactive Math app that has sound) from your iPad while you are walking around your room.

This app is a desktop app installed on your computer called Reflection.  Reflection uses a technology called AirPlay, which allows the user to remotely play media from their mobile device to another projection unit through your computer or to a TV via AppleTV; no messy cords.  The desktop app connects your computer to your mobile device and mirrors everything you do on that mobile or tablet.

Now for those who may already know about AirPlay, here's one thing I that I found out today while working with my 8th grade teachers and my Tech-partner-in-crime.  AirPlay not only will remotely display video footage, but it ALSO remotely plays the auido; no headphone cord needed.  Pretty impressive.

Reflection is relatively cheap.  Here is their price list for single or 5-seat licences.

If you have already been using Reflection, please share your comments below on what you like and/or do not like about this product.

Appsfire - Another great iOS app shopper

appsfire.com offers some great resources for finding iOS apps.  They have their own FREE app, called Appsfire Deals, which shares apps that have recently gone FREE and the top rated FREE apps.  Check it out.

SlideShark - Online Storage, Sharing, Presenting for PowerPoint (Now Available iPad App)

SlideShark is an online service that hosts your PowerPoint presentations and allows you to share them via social networks or email and allows you to access them from any internet connected computer.  SlideShark also has an iPad app.  This app could serve as a very useful tool for those educators who like to use their iPads in the classroom as their teaching tool.

SlideShark's iPad app let's you access your uploaded PowerPoint slide presentations and present them on your iPad, either alone or on a projector via VGA cord or Apple TV.  SlideShark has easy controls when presenting your PowerPoint presentation and (I like this) allows a "pointer" simply by pressing and holding on the slide; which presents a very visible red dot which you can move around on the iPad and presentation view to assist in creating focal points.

The web application as well as the iPad application are both very easy to use.  Best of all the account and app are both FREE.  You are limited to 100MB of space with your FREE account, however I think that is plenty of space for the casual user.  For the heavy user, upload only your critical presentations.

Using Voice Recording Apps for Verbal Practice in a World Language Classroom

Here's an easy and useful way to have your students practice their vernacular and pronunciation for those teachers and/or students who use iPads in the classroom.  Find a reliable audio recording app that allows the user to share the final product via email.  Below are a couple of recommendations.  Student pairs can be handed the iPad device, record their conversation in their learned language and save their recording in the app; or email the final product to the teacher.  The teacher can then review the student's quality of pronunciation later at a time when it is more convenient, so they can manage the class or work with another group of students.

Not only can this be a fun and convenient way to assess a students performance, but it can be less intimidating for some students than speaking directly to the teacher or the classroom and can therefore build confidence within the leaner.

Here's another creative idea that works well with naming objects.  Some of the recommended apps below not only record audio, but utilizes your 5-megapixel camera for adding snapshots to your notes.  Have your students take pictures of objects in the classroom, hallway, or any where you would like them to.  Then have them attach an audio recording to the note in their learned language with their chosen camera snapshot .  This is another fun way of allowing them pick the objects and label them with their recorded voice.

Here are a couple of apps that I have found that can execute this job and are fairly cheep.

Audio Memos (FREE or $0.99) - Very simple interface and easy to use; one step record

• Students can email as well as store their recordings in the app.
• Students should label their recordings with their name to recall them later
• This app actually provides a URL with which you can remotely access your saved voice memos online and download them to your computer
• The only difference between the FREE version and the $0.99 version is
• You can send email up to 15MB of audio (free version should be more than enough for the classroom assignment
• The app will continue to record when you are multi-tasking out of the app
• USB file transfers
• Application lock code
• Search/filter your recordings

Audioboo (FREE) is an iPhone app, but works in the iPad device.  This is an online application that has an iOS app.  Simple operation - record and publish.  Teacher can access the published recordings from the Audioboo site.  Students will have to make sure when labeling their recordings with their name that they do NOT use their full name because the published file is on an open forum and their name will be available to public.  Students should use a teacher-given nickname or their first initial and last name.

Voice Recorder for iPad ($0.99) does the same as the $0.99 Audio Memos app; easy and clean user interface.  It, also, allows users to upload their recordings to YouTube and Facebook and allows the user to add notes to their recordings.  You can, also, trim the recordings within the app.

AudioNote Light (FREE).  The extras to this package is that it is designed as a notetaker with audio recording capability.  The notes taken are synced up with the audio recording, so you do not have to search through the audio to find key points, but you can locate them by the links in your notes.  Pretty nifty and maybe more than you need, but for the teacher who has everything, you may not have this.  There is a lot more to what this app offers and perhaps it could serve as a multi-purpose tool for the teacher as well as the students.  Their $4.99 version, of course, does more.

My Favorite All-in-one:  Noteability ($0.99) is similar to AudioNote in that it is a notetaker with handwriting capability and audio recording ability.  Noteability syncs with Dropbox and your iTunes account.  Students can record and you can either email or sync them to your iTunes library for later grading.  This app is one (as mentioned above) that will allow the user to import a photo from their iPad photo roll to the note.

Another of my favorite apps:  Evernote (FREE) is an all-in-one notetaker, data collector, bookmarker; you name it; it is designed to be your personal digital notebook.  Evernote, like Noteability, will crate notes using audio recordings as well as imagery.  You could set up notes in advance with your selected images and have your students record their pronunciation of that object.  Since Evernote is an online cloud storage system, student names are not protected or secure, so make sure you are using code names, nick names, or first initial and last name.

There are hundreds of audio recorders and notetakers with audio recording, however here are a couple more recommendations that can do these features I have mentioned:

Draw Pad Pro ($1.99 w/ $0.99 upgrade for audio recorder)

Handwriting/Notetaking apps from appadvice.com.