Techie Tuesday - Version 1.4 - ThingLink and Action Movie FX

Welcome to the 4th installment of Techie Tuesday!  Today I would like to cover a couple of apps that are quick and easy to use.  I like to use them both for class AND for fun!  Please share how you think you could use them in your classroom.

1.  ThingLink (FREE) - Thinglink is a neat app AND website where you can make picture images interactive.  This is a pretty cool way to give more meaning to a picture.  Have you ever wanted to explain a picture in more detail?  With ThingLink, you can insert text, links to other webpages, or YouTube links into your image. Wow!  Talk about powerful!  Here are 65 ways in which to use Thinglink.  This past weekend I created an activity for my PreCalculus students to do in class (if we ever return).  My hopes is that this is a fun, yet engaging activity for my students.  I mean, it has to be better than doing a worksheet or math problems out of a book, right?!?!  Well, we will see.  My goal is to have students start creating and synthesizing their knowledge in more ways than just paper-and-pencil and quizzes and tests.  I believe ThingLink can help students develop 21st Century Skills and increase their enthusiasm for learning.  Whenever I get into graphing, this is one of the areas I really enjoy using ThingLink.  (I really need to use it more.)  Below is an example about "Fun Facts of Europe".  How could you use ThingLink in your classroom?

2.  Action Movie FX (FREE) - This is a fun app for the iPad and other Apple devices.  I first used it for personal uses before I used it in the classroom.  (Yes, I started by blowing up family members so they might get the hint about talking too much.)  Have you ever had one of those days in class when the students just won't stop talking?  It doesn't matter what you do, they just can shut it.  Well, this is where I decided to introduce it to the classroom.  

Believe it or not, the students actually got the hint and stopped talking.  There was another day when the students were really struggling with the topic in class.  So I decided to share this video later that evening.

I have also used Action Movie FX in a couple of my math music videos and even over this past Christmas Break.  Oh man, some days I have too much time on my hands.  Feel free to share with everyone else how you can use Action Movie FX for your classroom, or yourself.  :)

Techie Tuesday - Version 1.3 - A Couple Apps and Digital Learning Day

Hello, all!  With all the time off lately I have had time to review some blogs and other websites I've been putting on the back burner.  I found some neat information that I thought might be of some interest to you.  In case you were wondering, yes, I am a nerd, and I learn a lot from reading blog posts and other teacher's ideas I get from Twitter.  BUT, what better way to learn about new technologies and ways to teach a 21st Century student than from other teachers.

This brings me to my first tidbit I would like to share with you.  It is called, "Digital Learning Day". Digital Learning Day is on February 5th of this year.  Multiple schools and school corporations are making lesson plans that include implementing digital technology for their students.  If you go to the website, http://digitallearningday.org/, you can search for lesson plans and toolkits in your subject area. I'm planning on providing my own lesson plans to the website, as soon as I get a good one.  :)

Are you up to the challenge?  Even if you think your lesson plan is not as great as it could be, share it anyway!  Maybe someone can give you a suggestion where you can make it even better.

Secondly, here are a couple apps that you may be able to use for yourself in your classroom:

1.  Remind101 - This is a FREE (aside from normal texting rates) online text messaging service.  Have you ever forgotten to tell your class something important, only to remember it after school hours or over the weekend?  I know I have. Wouldn't it be nice to contact your students to give them this information?  Remind101 does just that!  Your students can sign up very easily, similar to what is on the right.  The VERY BEST thing...you do not use your own phone number AND the students cannot respond to you.  Remind the students of what pages to read for their English novel.  Be sure the students stop by in the morning for a worksheet they forgot.  Let them know of an engaging video they can watch to prepare for the next class.  (This would be extremely beneficial over the past couple of weeks.)  You can also send messages from your computer.  So if you do not have a smart phone, do not fret.  It can be done at school, home, or from any web-enabled device.  (There is an iPad app as well.)

2.  Bitly (FREE) - This is a weblink shortener.  If you have a weblink that you need to share with your students, yet it is super loooooooooong, just insert your link next to the blowfish, and Bitly will give you a shortened link to share with others.  The other thing I really like is that you can see how many people have clicked on the link.  If you have 42 students in your class, but only 25 clicks on a link, then you can easily see how many students have done the necessary work.

Techie Tuesday - Version 1.2 - How Do You Want to Use Your iPad?

The first day of iPad training is now behind us.  We had a total of 16 teachers attend the session, which is astounding considering the short notice.  (Once again, I am sorry.)  It was refreshing and exciting to see teachers of all abilities learn something new on their iPad.  Even though the day was an "Introduction to the iPad", I feel that everyone benefitted and learned something regardless of their comfortability with the iPad.

I am planning on hosting another session very soon, possibly next week.  This session will focus more on specific apps and their capabilities in the classroom.  There are literally thousands of apps available in the App Store for you to look at.  Here is Richard Byrne's (an education technology expert) thoughts on the "10 Good Apps for a Teachers New iPad".  There may be some on here that do not interest you, but there may be some that you may want to check out.  Remember, you can always delete the app if you do not like it by holding down the app until it jiggles and then clicking on the "x".

Here are a couple apps you will want to try at your leisure:

1.  Flipboard (FREE) - Flipboard is an app that allows you to read magazines and articles all in one handy place.  Once you open Flipboard, you can choose topics that interest you.  It will suggest multiple options for you to read.  You will be surprised how many FREE magazines are available through FlipBoard!  There are popular magazines as well as other magazines that have been created by other people.  It is pretty neat to see what other people around the globe can curate and create.  You can also set up your social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and view it through Flipboard as well.  I really enjoy this app for personal use.

2.  Edmodo (FREE) - If you have been using Edmodo in your classroom and want to be able to use it on your iPad, then download this nice little app.  It is fully functional, even though it may look a little different from how you view it from a web browser.  (If it is blocked on your iPad at school, then the filter is blocking it, even though it is on your iPad.)  You can view each of your classes, create notes, attach files from your Backpack, and answer questions that some students may ask you through their own app on their phone or tablet.



Before you start downloading too many apps, you may want to ponder the question, "How do I want to use my iPad in the classroom?"  Fine question.  Do you want to be able to use it to take attendance?  Do you want to be able to pull up the internet while walking around the room?  Do you want to have students solve a problem and then present their solutions to the class?  Do you want to use it as a means of creating videos, whether for flipping your classroom or making fun videos to engage the students?  These are all viable questions and they are a good place to start for you.  So, after you get done "playing" with your iPad for a while, really ask yourself, "How do I want to use this expensive paperweight?"  If you need suggestions, all you need to do is search on Google or even Flipboard.  If you have any ideas, please do not hesitate to share with your colleagues.  You never know, they may have a way to help you out.

Techie Tuesday - Version 1.1 - Sharing Educreations and iPad Covers

Hello, all!  I imagine with the couple extra days of break you are thinking to yourself, "Self, I sure wish I could do something exciting with this iPad of mine."  Well, you are in luck!  You can!  Here is 1 option:   http://telly.com/1GXZ57L  Okay, so maybe that wasn't what you were thinking.  But that was done using an iPad and easily sharing the video via Facebook, Twitter, and through iMessage.

Have you ever thought how nice it would be to create a quick video of instructions or directions and to share it with your students?  This is one of the GREATEST capabilities of using an iPad.  Before we left school I showed you the Educreations App and how nice and easy it is to create a video.  So how about sharing that video to your students?  Here is a quick video of how to share your video through the app and through the website.

 So here is my first challenge to you!
1.  Think about an activity you do in class that you usually have to repeat instructions 2-5 times each year, or semester.  (This always drives me nuts as well.)
2.  Create a video of you explaining the directions to your students using the Educreations app.
3.  Share the video with a couple of your colleagues via Twitter, Facebook, or a link so others may critique your work.  Can your peers follow your instructions?  Are the directions clear?  What could make your instructions clearer?

Below is my instructional video.  (I did import a picture using the "picture" feature at the top.  If you want to know how to take a screenshot of something on your iPad, push these 2 buttons at the same time.)  Feel free to give me comments back.

COVERS AND KEYBOARDS

Since you have been given a nice shiny $500 "toy", you want to protect it from anything happening to it.  There is a plethora of choices for you to look at.  It all depends on how much you think you will use your iPad and for what uses.  I picked up a cheaper version of a cover at WalMart and it worked just fine for recreational use.  This last time I invested a little more money and picked up the Zagg Portfolio
with a Bluetooth keyboard.  I already know I won't use the keyboard for writing long assignments on Word or Google Docs, but it is really nice to use with email, Twitter, or other short items I need to type.  So here are some options you may look at along with some prices.

Happy shopping!  Let me know if you have any questions.

iPads, Apps, Online Storage, Styluses,...Hooray!

Good morning, all!

First off, I hope everyone has a nice, relaxing, yet exciting Christmas Break!  I know I can't wait to start putting together 10+ Lego sets with my kids on the 25th!  (My wife and I had to get them gifts we liked as well.)  Speaking of gifts, the Technology Department spent the last couple of days distributing iPads to the teachers.  In case you were wondering what those nice shiny items can do, it is NOT this:  http://youtu.be/LeA5xU2YjXk

I imagine after the holidays settle down a little bit you may want to play around with your iPad.  If this is the case, here are a few Apps (short for Applications) you may be interested in toying around with.

1.  Dropbox (FREE) - www.dropbox.com - This is an app AND an internet site where you can store documents, videos, and other files and can access them from anywhere on any device.  I use it to store current files I am using for my classes.  This way if I am at home working, I have access to everything I need.  This comes in real handy when I need to email sub plans because one of my kids is sick at home.  You start with 2 GB of storage, but can increase your storage if you refer other friends.  (Feel free to increase my storage at this link:  https://db.tt/riO7HBy)  Ha!  This app can also be installed on other Apple devices, such as iPhones or iPods, and on your desktop.

2.  Notability - This is a notetaking app for your iPad.  It is not FREE ($2.99) and would need to be purchased with your own iTunes account, but it is worth it!!  You are able to import .PDF files and record audio while writing down any notes.  I use this for any meeting or conference I attend.  I especially like the audio feature in case I miss something and wish the speaker could repeat something.  Another nice feature is that you can email/share your notes with others at the push of a button.

3.  Educreations (FREE) - Have you ever had a lesson that students wish you would review with them?  For math, I get it all the time.  With the Educreations app you can use an interactive whiteboard to describe anything.  You are able to write on the whiteboard, record your audio, import pictures, and save it to a file.  The nice thing about your saved files is that they are saved on the internet and have a URL address as well.  Now you can now share them with others via Twitter, email, or a link.  Here is an example of a problem that I have shared with my students in the past.  Another similar app is called ShowMe.  It does about the same job as Educreations.

Some have asked me what I use to write on the iPad.  I used to have a basic stylus from WalMart where I could write and use it as a pointer.  I have since upgraded to an Adonit Jot Pro.  It was a little more expensive, but worth it for myself.  (According to Mr. Painter, it is $6 cheaper at Best Buy right now.)  You can find them anywhere including Amazon.  There are plenty to choose from.  It just depends upon how much you want to spend and what you want to use it for.

I hope these apps might get you a good start on working with your iPad.  Be on the lookout in the future for more "interesting" apps.  I'm planning on starting "Techie Tuesday" where I will share an app or website that you may find useful for your classroom.  If you want to know more or have questions about how to integrate your iPad/apps in your classroom, do not hesitate to ask anyone on the Tech committee for assistance.

Have a Blessed Holidays!