Techie Tuesday - Version 1.6 - Audioboo and Feature Techie of the Week

Welcome back, all!  I'm hoping that by now you are getting a little more familiar with your iPads.  I know you are not "Techie Pros" and I do not expect you to be.  I would not consider myself a "Techie Pro" either.  I prefer the term, "Techie Enthusiast".  Learning new technologies takes a certain time commitment that not everyone has at this moment.  We have been "blessed" with some snow days as of late, so I am hoping you have taken a little bit of time to get familiar with your iPad.

When working with your iPad, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the capabilities, shortcuts, uses, apps, etc. In fact, some of you might feel like doing this to your iPad.

IT IS OKAY TO BE OVERWHELMED!  How many times have you said that to one of your students in class???  Just take a deep breath and prioritize your needs/wants for your classroom.  What is the main activity that wish you could make more streamlined and easier?  If you have an idea, there is an app for that. You just have to have an idea of what you want to do, and don't hesitate to ask!

Audioboo is a recording app that can be used in so many ways in the classroom. ”Schools and universities around the world are embracing Audioboo as the easiest, most effective way to give teachers and students a voice.” The corresponding website has education channels, examples, and some great ideas. The app is available for iOS devices and Android devices and has an Edmodo app as well.  (Credit:  www.lastbackpack.com)  This past week I had my PreCalculus classes record something they remembered about exponential or logarithmic functions from when they took Algebra II.  This would be a pre-test before we started the next chapter.  Then they shared their recordings with me, which I put into a ThingLink image.  The classes really enjoyed the final product as they were able to listen to their classmates recordings.  (There may have been some ribbing going on as well.  Ha!)  The goal is to revisit these recordings at the end of the chapter to see if the students can add to their original knowledge.

Here are some other great ideas for using Audioboo in your classroom are:

• Students read a book and record a review.
• Music students record practice time.
• Foreign Languages record fluency practice.
• Teachers record assignment feedback.
• Social Studies have student recite the Preamble.
• Computer teachers have students create step-by-step instructions of how to create something using Microsoft Office.
• FACS teachers have students record how to follow a recipe.

What could you do in your class?

FEATURE TECHIE OF THE WEEK:  Mr. Painter

I'm excited about the prospects of more technology in my classroom.  As educators, we can never become complacent or approach an "I've got this teaching thing figured out!" point of view.   At this point, I've taken a "no fear" approach. I'm experimenting with new apps on the iPad everyday. I'm trying not to allow the technology to intimidate me. Some of the apps I like, some I don't. Some of the apps that I DO like, may not be ideal for my classroom yet.

One thing that I am excited about is the prospect of shifting all of my written assignments to digital submissions. I really like Evernote, Dropbox, Pages, and Top Note Pro for student writing in a digital environment.  None of these apps are perfect, but they do coordinate nicely together, providing plenty of options for both student and teacher. My hope for later this year or next school year is to operate in a digital environment where my students can easily submit writing to me and I can effectively annotate/grade their work digitally.