Teacher Week: Now Teach! Organizing for Instruction

Hello,

Here are some organizational tips for teaching with technology.

1.  If you use mobile devices, change the lock screen or wall paper or both to show a number or name for each device.  On my teacher devices I also add my name, e-mail address and phone number on the lock screen.  Then if I lose it and an honest person finds it, they can still contact me even though the iPad is locked.

2.  On IOS devices, if you want a student to stay in a specific app, turn on restricted access in your setting->general menu.  Make sure to remember the password you set.  Then get the student into the app you want them to stay in.  Click the home button (the button with the square on it) three times and tell it to start restricted access.  The student won't be able to exit the app until you click the home button 3 times and put in the password you set.  This can also be used to restrict students from touching on certain parts of the screen (such as links to the internet).  I'll write a post on that another time.

3.  When planning to use technology for project based learning, it is always a good idea to help your students plan ahead before they use the technology.  For example, last year I taught my first graders to use this wonderful app called Tiny Tap.  I took several steps to help them be successful in creating their own tiny tap apps.  First, I showed them Tiny Tap and we looked at all the options and possibilities.  Then, we built a class version of a Tiny Tap app so they could see how it worked.  Next, we went to the non-tech portion.  I explained the parameters of the assignment:  they were to create their own app that had at least 5 different questions that reviewed something they learned in first grade (it was the end of the year).  After that, I modeled how to write a storyboard.  The students basically had to draw what they planned to put on the screen.  Students had to show me their storyboards with their plans before they got their hands on the devices.  They were very successful in building some great apps.  Many of them chose to add more questions to their apps once they finished the original 5 just because they liked it so much.  Finally, we rotated around the room and each child got to play every other child's game.  This can be done with almost any visual project you use with technology.

4.  Dropbox is the best thing ever.  If you don't have it and you work with mobile devices you should get it and learn to use it as soon as possible.  It's the easiest way I know to get things on and off of my iPad.

I'm sure there's a lot of other tech organizational ideas.  My brain is fried now after two days at my new job, so I'm going to stop there.  I hope this is helpful to at least some of you.

Joell

9 Must Have iPad Apps and/or Websites for Teachers

Hello,

So after my iPad classes, I've picked some of the most useful apps for teachers (in my opinion.)

1.  Three Ring. (iPad)  Right now Three Ring is free.  So what does it do?  In the app on your iPad you can take photos of written work, video of presented work, or audio recordings.  The app automatically uploads it to the website.  When you have parent/teacher conferences you can use this as an electronic portfolio of student work.  It takes a while to get it set up, but I think it's well worth it.  I e-mailed the developer and asked if there was a way to e-mail or share the portfolio besides face to face and he said they're working on it.  Here's a picture of the app on the iPad.

Select the class, student and tag.  Choose Camera, Video, Voice Record, or Choose from photos.  Click capture.  It automatically goes up to www.threering.com.  You can then view by project, student, etc.

2. Educreations is one of many whiteboard programs for the iPad.  I like this one because you can upload what you made and e-mail or post links to it.  I made a tutorial using educreations just the other day.  You can find it here

Draw on white, or add a picture and write over the top of it.  Make it into a video.  Upload it and share.

3. Class Dojo  This one can work on a computer or on an iPad.  This is a behavior management tracker.  You can customize the behaviors and several other options.  You can give and take away student points.  Students can change their avatars, or you can.  I made it a reward if they got so many points, they could choose a new avatar.  They are continually improving their product and really listen to teacher feedback.

This is the class screen.  You just click on a student, choose a behavior and points are given or taken away.  You can also do it in groups.

4. Doceri is a whiteboard app for the iPad, but the most valuable part of it is it makes it so you can control your computer using your iPad.  Put flash games and things on your computer and have the kids play them using the iPad.  

Not just a whiteboard app.  Use Doceri to remote control your computer.  The computer must be on the same network.

5. Dropbox This is a must have for anyone who uses more than one device whether it's a computer, phone, or tablet computer.  It is a way of saving files to the cloud and being able to retrieve them from any device it's installed on.

You can organize your files into folders and update them from any device with dropbox installed.

6. Scan Use this along with the website kaywa to create qr codes with instructions or weblinks.  Copy and paste the qr code you create in kaywa and paste it to a document the kids will use.  They scan the qr code and it takes them to the information you added on kaywa.  You can also do this on newsletters to help direct parents to your web page.

Generate a QR code at kaywa, then paste it to a document.  Use the scan app to get students to information you want them to have.

7. Socrative is a way to make quizzes for your students, kind of like clickers.  You need two apps the teacher one, and the student one.  You create a quiz and students use devices to answer.  This one is mostly useful for classrooms with multiple devices.

This shows one of the reports you can get after students answer.

8. Dragon Dictation is an iPad app where students dictate into the device and it types up what they said.  This is great for ELL kids, non-writers, and entering a large amount of text into your iPad without having to type.

Easy to use.  Tap, dictate, and save the resulting text.

9. Futaba is the only game I have put on my list, though there are many and I may share more later.  This one is free, but you have to buy the upgrade to be able to make your own quizzes.  This makes your quiz into a game for up to 4 players.  It's colorful and fun and a way to get 4 students using the iPad at the same time.

Be the first student to touch the right answer and earn points in this timed game.

So there you go.  I hope this is useful for you iPad and technology lovers out there.

Joell