13 Things for iPads in Alief I.S.D.: February 2014

Saturday

Welcome!

Welcome to 13 things for iPad! During this training you will participate by completing and blogging about 13 things that will make you more efficient in the use of iPads in an instructional setting. At the completion of this course, you will receive 7 hours of professional development credit.

This course has been designed to increase the proficiency of all teachers and staff in the use of the iPad as an instructional tool. You will practice using the iPad to communicate research, create, collaborate, and engage.

Throughout this series of 13 blog posts, you will read information, watch video demonstrations, find and create sample projects online, communicate with other learners, and immerse yourself in the world of iPads. After each activity, you will reflect on what was learned and produced through your own original blog post. You will also discuss how you can use your new knowledge to transform your instructional environment.

Watch this brief video to get a better understanding of how technology is changing the face of education.

(source: www.thecenterofthenet.com)

Now that we are all on the same page, let’s get started. You will find an outline of the course below.

Course Outline:

**Please note that in order to successfully complete this course, you will need to have a basic understanding of iPads (powering on and off, closing apps, etc.). If you are unfamiliar with the device, please consider the following options:

Complete the iPad Basics professional development course that is being offered by the Instructional Technology Department.
Commit to reveiwing resources (articles, videos, blogs, etc.) that will aid you as you complete this course.

Should you have any difficulties while you are completing this course you can contact your course facilitator using one of the following options:

Email your facilitator directly using the contact information listed in the PD registration/confirmation email that you received.
Leave a note in the “Help” page discussion within this course. Please note that this section will be checked frequently, and it is the quickest way to get in touch with your course facilitator.

Have fun learning, and happy blogging!

Thing 1: Creating Your Blog

Congratulations on beginning this professional development. I hope that you are excited to step out of your comfort zone and begin to transform your instructional setting. The first step in your journey is to set up your blog. Some of you may be wondering, what exactly is a blog? Blog is a term used to describe a web log. Fundamentally, it is your own personal online journal. All of the things you would normally record on paper, you can type and post to your blog. Your words then have the ability to affect far more people than you could reach with a written journal. Another advantage of writing a blog, or blogging, is that your blog is available anywhere you are! All you need is a computer with an internet connection and you’re ready to blog away.

Access your Google Drive account by logging into eChalk.

For this professional development, you will create your blog using your Alief ISD gmail account. To access your Google Drive account, you need to log into your eChalk account. Click on "My Account," then Google Docs. The Blogger app will be located in the “more apps” section of your Google Drive, located in the upper right-hand side of your screen (9 tiny squares). Once you have accessed your account, follow the steps to create your blog. After your blog is created, you will have the option to customize the layout, format, and overall appearance of your blog. Keep trying new things until you find the template you like the most. Make sure that you leave the setting allowing people to comment on your blog turned on. Once you have created your blog, it will be given a unique url or web address. This is the web link that can be used to access your blog directly. This is the url you will need to complete the Google Form that your facilitator is using to collect everyone's blog information for this class.

If you need help creating your blog, here are a few resources that can help you with the process.

Resources:
Setting Up Your Blog

Blog Tips and Hints

Assignment

To receive credit for completion of "Thing 1,” you must complete all of the following:

1. Create your blog using your Alief ISD Google account.

2. Design your blog, selecting a template you like best.

3. Click HERE to submit your blog information.

To complete this step, you will need the following information:

Your email address
Your unique blog url

Thing 2: Workflow- Get Off This iPad!

One of the biggest obstacles many people face when using iPads in an instructional setting is how to get student-created content off of the iPad. iPads were not designed to be a multi-user tablet, this can lead to work flow frustration. In this topic, you will explore several different ways to get content off of the iPad and into the teacher’s or student's hands. In Alief ISD, there are several options we will use to ensure student content is not stuck on the iPads forever. Let’s explore these options.

eChalk

Your eChalk account has several features which will be useful when students need to submit content to be graded and/or evaluated. The most basic feature available is the Discussion forum located on your eChalk class page. Using this forum, students are able to submit attachments (documents, presentations, pictures, etc.) and post web links to content that was created online. This can be an especially useful tool when students are using the iPad in an independent setting. In order to utilize this feature to improve your iPad workflow with your students, you must have an active class page and your students need active accounts.

Blogs

Another very useful resource for getting content off of the iPads is through the use of a blog. Using a class blog for workflow will allow students to post web links for content that was created online. Another advantage of creating a class blog is that students can interact with each other in a variety of different ways while using the iPads. They can discuss and respond to activities, videos, and other instructional content. There are some great websites that offer free blogs that you can use with students. We recommend using KidBlog or Blogger.

Kidblog (www.kidblog.com)

Kidblog offers free blogs for teachers. This is especially useful for students at lower grade levels or students who may not be ready to follow and/or comment on a teacher driven blog without assistance. Kidblog allows teachers to create accounts which students can use to comment & post from. With teacher support, students are also able to create their own blogs in this website.

Blogger (www.blogger.com)

Blogger is a service offered through Google. This means that as a teacher, you can use your Alief ISD Google account to create a blog to use with your class. (Just follow the steps you took to create your 13 Things blog.) Students are able to comment on anything posted to your class blog. If you teach students in intermediate through high school, each student will has access to their own Alief ISD Google account. This means, if they are ready, students can create their own blogs,.

When blogging with students, it is always important to remember internet safety. Students should never use their first and last name on a blog. They should keep all personal information including address, location, etc. private. If you plan to use a blog with your students, be sure to review the RUP guidelines and documents students sign each year. If you need a copy of this document, it can be found here.

Google Drive

If your students are in grades 5^{th -}12^th, they each has their own Google Drive account that can be accessed through their eChalk account. When your students access their Google Drive accounts, they will be able to upload documents to their Google Drive. This is a great feature to use and promote when students are using iPads independently to complete assignments and/or projects. As they complete different components of a project, they can save those items by uploading them to their Google Drive. This is especially helpful for projects that involve pictures and other forms of media.

In order to utilize this feature, to improve your iPad workflow with your students, you must have an active class page and your student accounts must be activated.

Edmodo

One of the most convenient ways to get content off of the iPad is by using Edmodo. The apps that are loaded onto the iPads are compatible with Edmodo, which makes uploading files a quick and simple process. Edmodo is also pre-loaded onto the iPads, so it can be used right away. You will need to create an Edmodo account to utilize this feature. Currently, Edmodo is the best option for use in the primary and elementary grades since those students do no have eChalk accounts. Click here to learn more about Edmodo. If you are interested in learning more about this platform, the Instructional Technology department will be offering ongoing training classes. Please register for those course through Eduphoria.

Why Does it Matter?

Getting content off the iPad is especially important in this multi-user environment. Unlike a desktop computer, iPads have no login information so they are not user-specific. Any content that is placed on an iPad can be used, seen, and/or deleted by anyone who uses that same iPad. In situations where students may be using iPads before school, during lunch, or after school there is often no way to ensure that content will remain on an iPad until the student returns the next day. There is also no guarantee that the student will get to use the same iPad on Thursday that was used on Monday. For this reason, it is imperative that we remind our students and train them to save their content in a more secure fashion.

In this course, we will use the blogging process described above to move your content off of the iPad and submit it for evaluation.

Assignment:

In your "Thing 2" blog post, reflect on the different ways to get the content created on an iPad off of the device and into another location. In 1-2 paragraphs, discuss which method(s) you would use with your students. Be sure to include why you chose that method, and what you can do to ensure the effectiveness of using this method with your students.

Thing 3: Productivity- The iWork Suite

There are many productivity apps out there, and they are definitely not all created equal. Apple, however, does offer it’s very own productivity suite of apps. Standard on every Alief ISD iPad are the following applications: Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. These three apps make up the productivity suite known as "iWork." They were designed for use with Apple computers and have been modified to work on the iPad. These applications are very similar to Microsoft Office applications which you are familiar with already. In this tool, we will explore how these apps can be used as an instructional tool to enhance productivity while using iPads.

Pages

The Pages application is very similar to Microsoft Word. This app is a word processing tool that students can use when working with iPads. Pages also works very similarly to Microsoft Publisher, allowing you to create flyers, brochures, newsletters, pamphlets, and more. There are many amazing templates available to use for free! One of the most flexible features of this software is that you are able to save documents in several different file types. Documents can be saved as a Pages file, Word document, or PDF document. This allows the app to be used in multiple environments. Saving documents in multiple file formats is especially helpful four our students who work in a PC environment both at school and at home. Having the ability to save files in other formats, Pages guarantees that any content created can be taken and used in other platforms. Click here to read more about the features of Pages for iOS (iPad). While you are reading, think about the many different ways in which you could use this application instructionally.

Numbers

Numbers is the Apple equivalent of Microsoft Excel. This app is a spreadsheet tool that students may use when working on the iPads. Spreadsheets allows the user to perform functions and formulas just like in Excel. In addition, you can generate charts and graphs to represent the data in the spreadsheet. Numbers also allows the user to save the spreadsheets created in multiple file types, including a .xls which can be opened in Excel. Click here to read more about the features of Numbers for iOS (iPad). While you are reading, think about the many different ways in which you could use this application instructionally.

Keynote

Keynote is the presentation tool that is available from Apple. It is very similar to Microsoft Power Point. It allows users to create a series of slides to use in a presentation. There are a variety of templates and customizable animations which can be used. Again, Apple provides the flexibility of saving Keynote presentations in multiple file types. They can be saved as a Keynote file or as a Power Point file (.ppt). Click here to read more about the features of Keynote for iOS (iPad). While you are reading, think about the many different ways in which you could use this application instructionally.

By now you may have noticed a trend. Apple has an equivalent application for most of the most popular Microsoft Office Applications. Based on your prior use of these applications and the capabilities of the Apple equivalents complete the activity below. All components must be present to receive credit for Thing #3.

Assignment:

Choose an area of content you will be teaching soon. Design a lesson which includes the use of one of the application from the iWork suite. In your "Thing 3" blog post, include the following:

o Clearly and briefly describe the lesson objective and content which will be covered.

o In 3-4 sentences, discuss how the use of your chosen iWork application will enhance meaningfulness of your instruction.

o In 3-4 sentences, explain how your students will get the content they create off of the iPad and turned in for grading and/or evaluation. Discuss whether or not the ability to save in multiple formats will be helpful for this process.

Thing 4: Photo Editing

One of the first things that any iPad user learns to do is take a picture. This can be a fun and creative outlet for expression. It can also be a very powerful tool to use for creativity and originality in an instructional setting. There are apps that come standard on every iPad that can be used for editing pictures. With the new iOS7, you can also altar the appearance of the photo before you snap the picture. This topic was covered in detail in the iPad Basics professional development course. If you need a brief review of this information, please review the resources listed below.

iOS7 Users Guide (pages 62-69)

All pictures taken with the iPad camera are stored in the Photos application. In this app, you can edit photos by rotating them, cropping them, enhancing the quality, removing red eye, and applying filters. These are the most basic photo editing features available. Your photos can then be exported by uploaded them to your Google Drive or to a blog.

iPhoto is a more advanced app that allows you to edit pictures. In iPhoto, you are given several other options. In addition to the basic editing capabilities, you can also adjust the exposure, correct blemishes, and much more! iPhoto is also a very useful tool when you are taking multiple photos for a project or assignment. It allows you to organize your photos in a way that makes the most sense for the project you are working on. It also lets you tag photos, flag them, save favorites, and more. To find out more about iPhoto for iOS, please click here.

an example of the organizational features of iPhoto

Assignment:

**Note: For this assignment, you will need to use an iPad to take and edit pictures. If you do not own an iPad, please speak to your campus Library Information Specialist about options available to you to complete this assignment.**

Using the camera on the iPad, take a picture of any object. Be sure to take a screenshot of the original image. You will need to include both the original and the edited photo in this lesson's blog post. Edit the picture using iPhoto, and save the changes. Upload both pictures to your Google Drive so that you can include them in your "Thing 4" blog post.

In your "Thing 4" blog post, be sure to complete the following in 1-2 paragraphs:

Describe the process or steps you used to complete this activity. Explain if this assignment was difficult? Relatively easy? Confusing? and why you felt this way.
Think about what goes into this process; discuss ways to use this feature to enhance instructions.
Describe an activity your class(es) can complete using iPhoto and how the activity will help increase student mastery and understanding of the concept being explored/taught.

**Please note that for elementary teachers and professional staff, you will complete this activity using your Google Drive. However, your students will need to use a different platform. We are suggesting Edmodo, and training is being offered for all teachers and professional staff. Please sign up for this training Eduphoria Workshop.**

Thing 5: Digital Storytelling Using iMovie

As 21^st century learners, our students are able to share things in ways that we once thought were unimaginable. One of the most powerful tools that students have available to them now is digital storytelling. For those who are not familiar with the concept, digital storytelling is the process of sharing information in digital environment through the combination of still and moving pictures, music, and narration in a thoughtful and carefully designed manner. It is being used in many classrooms to help increase students’ critical thinking skills. Students are creating book trailers, persuasive stories, autobiographical movies, personal stories, and more. Below are samples of digital stories.

Historically, the process of creating digital stories involved using a variety of different equipment, and it almost always required the use of a computer. With the release of iMovie for iOS7, students now have the ability to create these powerful moving stories on the iPad. Click here to learn more about the new iMovie for iOS 7.

To learn more about digital storytelling, please review the following resources:

Assignment:

There are 2 activities to complete for this post.

Discuss different ways digital storytelling can be used in your instructional setting. Design a project which can be used with your students. They can work in pairs, groups, or independently. Be creative and don’t be afraid to try something new. Describe the project in your "Thing 5" post. Be sure to include content that you are convering and what the learning objective is for the activity.
Leave a comment on another participant's "Thing 5" post. Be sure to include the following:

1-2 positive statements about their project idea
Suggestions that may help make their idea more successful during implementation
Things to consider when moving the projects off the iPads to be turned in for evaluation.

**You will find the link to your classmates' blog in the toolbar on the right side of this professional development course. You can also follow this direct link: https://sites.google.com/a/ga.aliefisd.net/alief13things4ipads/**

Thing 6: Screencasting with Educreations

There are many apps available that allow you record what is on the screen of your iPad. These are commonly referred to as screencasting apps. All Alief ISD iPads are loaded with an app called Educreations. Educreations is an interactive whiteboard app that allows teachers and students to record amazing video lessons which then can be shared with everyone. There are many great uses for Educreations. Let’s explore some of them together!

Teacher Use

Many teachers are using Educreations to create lesson for use in a flipped classroom environment and for use as video tutorials. The value of this type of screencasting is it allows students to learn at their own pace and if they are confused and need something repeated, they can replay it over and over and over again.

Here are some sample videos:

A History Lesson-

A Math Lesson-

A coach using Educreations with his players-

An English Lesson-

Student Use

Educreations has been used by teachers, coaches, and a host of other professionals to create rich content for public consumption. However, it doesn’t stop with teacher created content. Another powerful way to use this app is to allow students to create and record their own work. Students can create video tutorials, mini-lessons, or examples of students working out problems. Teachers can then use these videos post as short tutorials for other students.

Here is a sample video of students using a screencast app to demonstrate how to work through a math problem:

Educreations Online

Educreations also has an online component website. This site hosts hundreds of videos which were made and uploaded by people all over the world. Teachers can create a channel and house videos there for students to view. Student accounts can be created without the need for an email address. Students can then explore videos on their teacher’s channel, or they can browse videos from other content that they find interesting. Creating an account is simple and quick.

Watch the video below to get a better understanding of how to create a lesson using Educreations. You will need this information to complete the blog post for "Thing 6".

Assignment:

**Note: For this assignment, you will need to use an iPad to create a screencast with Educreations. If you do not own an iPad, please speak to your campus Library Information Specialist about options available to you to complete this assignment.**

Activity One

Create an Educreations account online. The web address is www.educreations.com.
Browse through the lessons uploaded by other teachers and find 1 lesson you might be able to use with your students.
Embed the video in your post and answer the following questions. If you are not able to embed the video or you do not know how, copy and paste the url into your post and answer the following questions:

Why did you pick this lesson to use in your classroom?
How will you use this lesson with your students (in class, as homework, in small groups, etc.)?

Activity Two

Open the Educreations app on your iPad.
Choose a topic and create a sample/practice lesson. This can be a lesson you would actually use with your students, or it can be a getting to know you activity like teaching physics concept, introduce your classroom, or show a map/visual of your last vacation. The topic is not important. The end goal is to help you become comfortable with creating lessons using this app.
Export your Educreations lesson by sending it to the Educreations website.
Embed the video in your post and answer the following questions. If you are not able to embed the video or you do not know how, copy and paste the url into your post and answer the following questions:

How will you implement the use of this app in your instructional setting?
What barriers do you see which may prevent students from being able to utilize this app to create lessons and screencasts of their own? How can you eliminate or circumvent those barriers?

Thing 7: GarageBand for iPad

GarageBand is a great Apple product that allows you to harness the power of the iPad to create music and much more. GarageBand can be used to create audio recordings and podcasts as well. In an instructional setting, all of these features can be useful. Click here to read more about the newest features of GarageBand for iOS 7.

Creating Music

Once you open the GarageBand app, you are able to immediately begin making music. There are a variety of instruments available for you to use. If you own an instrument, there is an option for you to record your own instrument straight into the app. There are loops of prerecorded music that can be added, as well. The songs that you create can be exported to iTunes and used in different ways. You can upload those songs to any music player, and you can even use them in movies you are creating within the iMovie app.

Recording Audio

Recording audio in GarageBand is a simple and effective way to create voice overs to use independently or as part of a larger project. By recording audio, you can also record podcasts which can later be published.

Read these articles to learn more about using Podcasting in the classroom.

How to Record Audio Using the iPad

Watch the tutorial video below to get a better understanding of how to use the newest audio recording features in GarageBand for iOS 7.

Assignment:

In a 2-3 paragraph post for "Thing 7", discuss the following:

Which features of GarageBand will be most useful in your instructional setting? Explain why.
How can podcasting help enhance student learning in your class(es)?
Where would you host the podcasts your students create? How will your students have access to these recordings?

Thing 8: Research and Inquiry

Using iPads offers students the opportunity to conduct independent research. In Alief ISD, iPads have been loaded with many of the apps that correspond to the Library Research Databases. These include Gale, World Book, and Discovery Education. In addition, students can still perform research using the internet. There are some amazing tools that can help make conducting research on the iPad run smoothly. A few are outlined below.

NetTrekker

NetTrekker is a research tool the district has purchased and provided for all students to use. NeTrekker allows users to save their searches and research findings. This is especially helpful when considering that the iPads are multi-user devices. NetTrekker is available for students at all levels.

Diigo

Diigo is a bookmarking tool which allows users to keep search results in one convenient location. In addition, Diigo also offers on screen tools that allow you to annotate directly on the website you are viewing. The annotations are saved into your Diigo account, and are there when you access them later. Diigo can also be used as a collaboration tool. Students can save to a common account or share resources using group bookmarks. Click here to view user created tutorials and demos.

SocialBookmarking with Diigo- This article from November Learning goes into more detail about how Diigo can help enhance your instructional setting.

Custom Google Search Engines

Creating a custom search engine in Google allows teachers to help steer students to specific websites for research purposes. Instead of having a long list of websites for students to search through, you can create one search engine which focuses specifically on the sites you tell it to search. Watch this brief introductory video below.

DirectingLearning with Google Custom Search- This article from November Learning goes into more detail about how Google Custom Search can work for you in your classroom.

Assignment:

In your "Thing 8" blog post, address the following in 1-2 paragraphs.

Choose one of the tools, and go into detail about how you will incorporate this tool into your classroom. How will the tool make research more effective in your classroom?

Thing 9: Collaboration

Collaboration is Key (www.technorati.com)

Instructionally using iPads can be a powerful way to allow students to collaborate with a wide range of different people to gain new knowledge and insight. There are several different apps available for collaboration, some good and some not. In this post, we will explore the collaborative tools Alief ISD recommends for use on the iPads.

Google Drive

We have mentioned that Google Drive is available for students in 5^th-12^th grades. This great tool is also an excellent way to increase collaboration amongst students. The use of Google Docs, Spreadsheets, Presentations, and Sites allows multiple user to contribute to the same file simultaneously. This means in a typical group of 4-5 students, they could each be looking for pictures, adding text, and contributing to the same project in real time. Comments, notes, pictures, etc. can all be viewed by each contributing member of the document. There is also a feature which allows you to see the revision history of the document. This means a teacher can see which student contributed which part of the work. It also means if someone accidentally deletes all of the group’s hard work, it can be restored to a previous version.

Skype in the Classroom

(www.education.skype.com)

When Skype first debuted, it was touted as a great way to communicate with people who are physically in other locations. And just when we though it couldn’t get any better, there is now a Skype for education! This great resource allows you to connect your class with other classes from all over the world. One of the many features of using Skype includes a tool which allows you to find guest speakers and subject matter experts to invite to Skype with your class. All this is done for free without ever leaving the Skype in the Classroom website! Click here to visit the website and view the introductory video to learn more about this great tool. After viewing the video, sign up for a free account and explore the other great features of Skype in the Classroom. While you are exploring, think of way that you can use Skype in your classroom. Be prepared to share your thoughts and ideas.

Padlet

(www.padlet.com)

Padlet is a virtual corkboard site that makes it possible to share ideas with multiple people. Previously known as Wall Wisher, Padlet makes it easy for teachers and students to collaborate and communicate ideas and information by posting them on a virtual wall. The walls you create are completely customizable. You can change the title, add pictures, customize the background, and much more. By creating a Padlet account, you can also save the walls you build so you can retrieve the information at a later date and time. Visit the Padlet website and create and account. Then, create your first wall and explore all of the different ways you can customize the wall to meet your needs. Be prepared to share your experience.

Assignment:

After review Skype in the Classroom and Padlet, answer the following questions in your "Thing 9" blog post:

What are 2-3 potential ways you can use Skype in your classroom?
What are 2-3 potential ways you can use Padlet in your classroom?
Discuss how using these tools will help enhance student learning and engagement.

Thing 10: Copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons

Copyright and Fair Use

As we move into a digital environment, it is important to make sure teachers and students understand the importance of Copyright and Fair Use. For many of the projects students complete they will need to use pictures to make them come alive. While students own the rights to any picture they take with a camera, if they use a picture from the internet or take a screenshot of something they find, they must follow the rules of copyright and fair use. In Alief ISD, we have several measures in place to help make sure students are aware of how to properly cite information they find on the web. (Click here to review the forms and documents available.) However, students may not be aware of how to properly use and cite multimedia they find on the internet. It is our job to make sure students are taught how to cite all sources properly.

Review the following articles, videos, and interactive sites which discuss copyright and fair use in the classroom.

Copyright withCyberbee
Copyright: FairUse Practices for Students
A Fair(y) UseTale (You Tube Video)

Creative Commons

Now that you have a better understanding of copyright and fair use, it is time to discuss Creative Commons. Creative Commons began as a way for people to decide how they wanted their original works to be used and/or reproduced. Through the use of six different licensing choices, artists are able to decide if anyone can use their material, if people can only use part of it, and what it can be used for. The licenses also specify how much credit the artist or author would like to receive for their work. Using pictures from websites like Flickr gives students access to a variety of pictures and videos which all use the Creative Commons attribution licenses. Using sites like Flickr guarantees that students are honoring copyright and fair use in their work.

Click here to visit their website to learn more about Creative Commons. Click Here to watch the video Wanna Work Together, a short 3:00 minute video which describes Creative Commons in detail.

Helping Students Understand it All

The video below, from Common Sense Educators, illustrates how one teacher taught her students about Copyright and Fair Use. Watch this video and be prepared to discuss what you notice. (The following video is from You Tube.)

Assignment:

For your "Thing 10" blog post, you will need to address all of the following. There are two parts to this post. Make sure your answer contains all of the discussion points in order to receive credit for this activity.

Part 1 (1-2 paragraphs)

Discuss 2-3 things you learned about copyright, fair use, and creative commons.
How will understanding these things help you when you are designing activities for your students to complete using the iPads?

Part 2 (2-3 paragraphs)

After watching the video from Common Sense Educators, what stuck out in your mind about how the teacher introduced copyright and fair use to her students?
Why do you think the lesson had such an impact on her students?
The teacher in the video reinforced critical thinking skills throughout this lesson by having the students support their answers and evaluations with evidence. How does this strategy enhance the instruction taking place?
How could you implement a similar lesson with your students? Think about who you would need to help you complete this lesson (campus Library Information Specialist, content specialists, etc.) and include this information in your response.