More Technology Fun

Today was Day 2 of my iPad class!  I have learned an overwhelming amount of stuff, so I'm going to try and put the biggest highlights here so if nothing else, I'll have a place to review it.  But I really hope it's helpful to some of you out there.

I used educreations to make a new video.  This one is something I think is very important:  How to put your identifying information on the lock screen of your iPad.  This is very useful especially if you have a lock code and your iPad is lost.  The sound on this has some issues--I've learned that it's hard to hold the ipad, talk, and tap without covering the microphone.  Next time, I'll have it set down in front of me.  Anyhow, here's the video which explains how to make that lock screen.  If you have any questions, give me a comment below and I'll try to help you out.  By the way, to do what's in the video, you'll want to download the free app skitch.


This next thing is mostly useful if you have a lot of devices, but can be used with computers, as well as iPads and other gadgets.  It's called TodaysMeet.  You can set up a room and tell your students the name of the room.  It's that simple. You and students can type chat back and forth.  Here's a picture of what it looks like once you're in the room.  

Students type their name in the blue box, then click join.  A box comes up for them to type their message and submit it. Then over in the listen box you can see what everyone is saying.  I typed in a question so you can see what it looks like when something is in the listen box.  

Another web resource that is wonderful is yogile.com.  This is a picture sharing site.  The nice thing about this (and the way it relates to iPads) is you get an e-mail address (and you can create one that's easy for the kids).  The kids e-mail pictures to that address to get it up on the website.  It's a very easy way to get pictures up and share without the need for connecting the iPad to the computer.  It can be as simple as "take a picture of your friend showing 53 items, and send it to yogile."  Have different kids do different numbers and then show the images to the class and have them count.

Have I overwhelmed you, yet?  I hope not.  Just a few more things.  The next is a way to create and use QR codes.  You can go to http://qrcode.kaywa.com/.  Choose whatever information you want people to get.  My example below will send you to my class's website.  If you have one of the many QR code scanners, you can scan the code below and it will direct you to my website.  I think I might put this on newsletters, and maybe even outside our classroom door.  

Another use that my teacher mentioned was to have students use fotobabble to describe their artwork, then use QR codes to link the their fotobabble so people can scan the QR codes to listen to the student talk about their piece.

And finally, here are some apps I'm hoping to use with my students for next year.

Mathopolis costs 99 cents, but it's very engaging.  Students answer facts fast to put out the fires.

Lunch Rush is a free app through pbs.  You print out QR codes and kids scan the answers to math facts.  This one looks so fun, and it gets the kids up and moving.  This one would work better if you have more than one device, but I  might just try it anyway.

Finally, www.quixey.com is a wonderful search engine for looking for apps, and not just for iPads.  It should help you on your great app searches.  

Okay, that might be enough iPad stuff for a few days.  I have another class next week, so I'll probably have new wisdom to share with you then.  Please let me know if you have any questions about anything, I love to help and will if I can.  

Thanks for hanging in there until the very end.

Joell