The iPod firmware is closed so only Apple can offer software and games that run on an iPod. Until now, the games offered from Apple have not been educational. That has changed today with the release of iQuiz. This game has lots of learning possibilities.

You can watch a short video preview of iQuiz in iTunes. You'll see that iQuiz has slick game show graphics and exciting background music for a fun and lively atmosphere. The one drawback I see for classroom use is that the timer cannot be turned off or slowed down. A timer can be distracting and inappropriate for some learners.

Go to iQuizMaker.com to download free software for making your very own true/false and multiple choice quizzes. You can include explanations with your true/false questions. You can set several options, including how many questions a user can answer incorrectly and the graphics theme of the quiz. iQuiz Maker includes an iPod simulator so you can take the quiz on your desktop before syncing to an iPod. Currently the software is Mac only with the Windows version due in May.

iQuizMaker.com has additional quizzes you can download for iQuiz, including Human Anatomy and Cats & Dogs. You can download the Quiz Installer for making the process of getting these on your iPod easier. [To manually install a quiz pack, put the quiz pack folder in the iQuiz folder, which is in the iPod Games folder in your iTunes folder.] Apple has more detailed information for installing and creating quizzes.

Apple's Learning Interchange has a section called Teaching with iPod and iTunes. There are a couple iQuiz examples listed.

iQuiz is compatible only with the fifth-generation iPod (that's the iPod with video) with iPod Software 1.2 or later. These games cannot be played in iTunes, nor are they compatible with other iPod models. Use this page from Apple to identify which iPod model you have.

Currently iQuiz is 99¢ and you can sync it to multiple iPods from one computer. It's a great value and I hope to see more educational software for iPods from Apple.

Labels: ipod

K12 Handhelds has made available several poetry curriculum resources for Palm handhelds, Pocket PCs, and desktop/laptop computers.

You can download Types of Poetry and Poetry Anthology eBooks. The eBooks are in Mobipocket format and have lots of examples with linked vocabulary words. Mobipocket is a cross-platform eBook reader and you can download it for free. Windows users can even download the free Mobilpocket Creator for making your own cross-platform eBooks. [There are not versions of Mobipocket for Mac and Linux computers--but you can use a Mac to install Mobipocket to a Palm handheld.]

Also available from K12 Handhelds is a Poetry Scavenger Hunt in Microsoft Word format. You can use Palm's Documents To Go or a Pocket PC's Word Mobile to view and complete the scavenger hunt.

Another freebie is a 10-question Poetry Types Quiz in Quizzler format. Quizzler is available for Palm handhelds, Pocket PCs, Macintosh, and Windows.

K12 Handhelds also points to additional resources teachers might use, including two great poetry podcasts. The podcasts are from Houghton Mifflin and School Library Journal.

Finally, K12 Handhelds offers a one-page PDF called Poetry Classroom Activities that gives simple and advanced ideas for using these resources. Activities include comparing poems, creating a poetry blog, and highlighting metaphors, similes, and other literary devices in Mobilpocket.

Thanks K12 Handhelds for making these resources freely available!

Note: Recall my tip in Soft Reset #19... If you are trying to download a file and only weird text shows up in your browser's screen, click your browser's Back button. Then right-click (Mac users can Control-click) and choose "Download Linked File" or "Save Link As..." from the context menu. The file is saved to the desktop. If the file is saved with a .txt extension, click the file name and remove the .txt. Then the downloaded file should have the correct icon and function properly.

Labels: ebooks, mobile phone, palm, pocket pc, podcast, windows mobile

Handheld Learning 2007 will take place October 10-12 in London. You might remember my blog posts: Handheld Learning UK. - Day One and Day Two. I also wrote Handheld Learning 2006 - Review for the Handheld Learning community website. The conference organizers are keen to have as many non-UK participants as possible this years. Click here for more information about this great learning and networking opportunity. Also, check out the flyer by clicking the image below.

Labels: events

Registration is now open for the 2007 Mid-Atlantic Handheld & Emerging Technology Conference held on the campus of Salisbury University on July 25-26, 2007. This year’s conference has expanded into two full days of hands-on workshops and concurrent sessions that will include a full slate of handheld specific topics as well as other emerging technology. We are excited to have some of the brightest and best handheld and emerging technology personnel presenting at this year’s event. On hand will be Tony Vincent of Learning in Hand, Karen Fasimpaur of K12 Handhelds, and Mike Curtis of Mobile Technovations and other experience presenters.

The conference will include hands-on and concurrent sessions in the following topics (and more):

• Podcasting
• VideoPodcasting
• Radio for Kids
• eBooks
• Handheld specific sessions for both Palms and Windows Mobile
• Blogging
• MovieMaker
• Free software for Palms and Pocket PCs
• Mobile Video
• Google Earth
• Web 2.0
• iPods in the Classroom
• Multimedia Resources to Support Differentiate Instruction
• Digital Story Telling
• Wikis

The cost for the conference is $90.00 for both days or choose a day for $50.00. Breakfast, lunch and beverages are included in the price of the conference.

For more information and to register please visit the following website: www.seaford.k12.de.us/mahc

We look forward to seeing you as the Mid-Atlantic Handheld & Emerging Technology Conference celebrates its’ third year of helping educators integrate handheld technologies!

Labels: events

I often speak about the Rover Reporter activity from my fifth grade classroom. One student each day was assigned to be the reporter. That student took photos and wrote an article about the day on his or her handheld. I would publish the photos and article the very next day on The Daily Planet web page. Read more about this activity in an article I wrote and at Education World.

Samiekay Hartney, a fifth grade teacher from Granite Falls, Washington, recently wrote me:

I took your blogging and podcasting classes at the NCCE conference. I used your Daily Planet idea to get the kids excited to personalize our blog. Instead we came up with a class mascot who has a digital camera, flash drive and extra batteries in a backpack he travels in. He is currently visiting the kids’ homes having a blast. I feel this is strengthening the kids’ voice and style in their writing. The audience is loving it too. I went with this idea instead of yours to help the kids realize how easy it is to transfer files from home to school. I am also using our blog to excite the kids to respond to ordinary classroom questions in various subjects. I am trying to align the questions to our state assessment. Thank you for your ideas and teachings. It inspired me. I think the kids are very excited about our blog.

What a great idea! Assuming each child has a computer at home (Internet not necessary for this project), the flash drive can store the document for the teacher to access at school. The flash drive could also hold free word processing software if needed. Extra batteries are an important little detail that Samiekay did not overlook. Jump on over to the C7 Chatterbugs blog to read Mrs. Hartner's fifth graders' blog and to see lots of photos of Jo-Jo, the class mascot. Also note the comments for each post. Isn't web publishing grand??!

Labels: blogging

GoKnow, the company that makes the Sketchy animation software for Palm handhelds and Pocket PCs (45-day free trial), has announced its fourth annual Sketchy Contest:

Do you use Sketchy in the classroom? Do you know a budding artist that uses Sketchy to convey educational concepts? We're announcing our 4th Annual Sketchy contest, and we hope you will participate. In past years we have received hundreds of Sketchys from all over the world. This year's contest will be even bigger and better!

Last year, as well as subject area categories, we introduced the new "Teacher" category for all you teachers to get in on the fun and we're glad to have it back! Prizes you ask? 1st place finishers will receive a special 1 GB iPod Shuffle. Digital Cameras are on hand for all 2nd place finishers, and 3rd place secures a new addition to our prizes: the Pocket Mind Reader! Numerous honorable mention certificates will be provided for those who have their Sketchys posted on the Web.

Please visit http://www.goknow.com/sketchycontest to view the official flyer and rules. You can also view previous winning Sketchy animations.

Please direct any questions to sketchycontest@goknow.com.
The deadline to submit entries is May 25th, 2007.

Thanks for your interest in Sketchy, and happy animating!
The GoKnow Sketchy Contest Team

Labels: palm, pocket pc, sketchy

Our City Podcast has a new feature: an interactive map. I used the new My Maps feature of Google Maps. The map has a marker for each episode of Our City Podcast. Click a marker and information about that podcast episode is displayed. Click the link inside the info bubble and you are taken to the episode's show notes where you can listen. Each time the podcast is updated, I'll also update the map. Recent episodes are indicated by a red marker. Notice you can zoom in and out using the controls on the left. You can also click the drag your mouse to move the map. Pretty cool, huh?

As you can see on the map, there are several episodes from Illinois, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania (probably because of the podcasting workshops and conference sessions I've conducted in those locations). I'd love to receive episodes from more states and more countries! Many resources are provided to help you create the recording. You can subscribe in iTunes by clicking here.

For those interested in making their own maps: You can start your own by clicking Google Map's My Maps tab. A free Google account is required.

Update: Embedding the map into this blog and into the Our City page worked for Firefox and Safari users. However, Internet Explorer users could not access either page. I removed the embedded maps until I can figure out how to get it to work in all browsers. [Embedding the map into a webpage is not the simplest of tasks. I used these instructions to help me embed the Our City Podcast map.]

Labels: podcast, web2.0

Michigan lawmakers are proposing $38 million dollars that would provide iPods or MP3 players for all of the state's public school students to use as learning tools (reported April 6, 2007 in the Detroit Free Press). The Michigan Technology News reports:

Rep. Matt Gillard (D-Alpena) said the state needs to redesign its education environment and instead of kids checking their iPods at the door they should be incorporated in the learning process. He said using more individualized learning programs and doing more professional development for teachers is part of that plan.

With a $1 billion state deficit, many taxpayers are not happy with the proposal. The editorial, An iPod for every kid? Are They !#$!ing Idiots?, in The Detroit News demonstrates an unwillingness to fund such a project. The writer says purchasing iPods for students would be "wasting money on early Christmas presents for Michigan kids."

While iPods are certainly useful in education, are they the best learning tool for the money? How about Palm or Pocket PC computers with keyboards? They can play MP3s and run thousands of different programs, access the Internet, and cost about the same as some iPods. Michigan's proposal doesn't specifically say it would use iPods. Other MP3 players have more features, but they don't sync as effortlessly as iPods + iTunes. The new Sansa Connect MP3 player has built-in Wi-Fi and can be used to surf the Mobile Web--something you can't do on an iPod. What is nice about iPods is that they are easy to operate and won't take much technical expertise to incorporate into classrooms.

Details of the Michigan proposal are scarce so it's unknown what device or exactly which students would get them. The details probably don't matter as it seems unlikely the proposal will pass. But, it is refreshing to hear when lawmakers are considering providing students with new learning tools and teachers with professional development.

Update: The Detroit Free Press did not accurately report what was proposed. Anne Campbell adds some important information in her comment to this post:

Appropriates $38,000,000 for 21st Century Learning Environments. DOE shall work with districts, intermediate districts, business and industry leaders and innovative education organizations to create a statewide initiative with new learning environments to create academic content and knowledge in digital forms. Funds shall be used to provide professional development, create a statewide content repository, coordinate efforts with other programs, and assist districts in obtaining innovative content creation and distribution tools.

Labels: ipod

Soft Reset #19 has been posted! In this episode of the podcast, Dale Ehrhart joins Tony and Mike. He is a preservice teacher who has taught himself how to program for the Palm Operating System. He shares his insights into programming and tells about some of the over one-dozen software applications he's developed, including Double Digit Multiplication, Observe, Change Counter, and Jumbler.
Show Notes:

• Tony's Tip: When downloading from your browser, you may have to change the extension of the software download by taking off the ".txt" extension.
• Mike's Tip: Programs that involve more than one part can be tricky to beam.
• Dale's Applications can be downloaded here. Keep checking this page for new software and videos!
• The videos on Dale's page are hosted on the free and filtered service TeacherTube.
• CamStudio: Free Windows screen recording software.
• Tony's blog posting about using HandDBase for observations.
• Programming Software: Small BASIC, Basic 4 PPC, PDA Toolbox (for Palm), Palm OS Developer's Page.
• Email Dale with application ideas: dehrha02@yahoo.com.
• Visit Soft Reset's Discussion Forum to discuss the show
• Email Tony and Mike at softresetpodcast@gmail.com.

This is a sample what it looks like in the programming environment.

Enjoy the show! Click an icon below to listen or subscribe.

Labels: soft reset

I've posted a new special episode of Soft Reset: Pod People #5. Like Pod People #1, #2, #3, and #4, Pod People #5 is filled with segments by educators who participated in one of my podcasting workshops. Because time was short, the segments were hastily recorded but they contain some great information. The first half of Pod People #5 has five segments, each reviewing a different podcast. The second half is filled with tips that participants learned about listening to and creating podcasts.

Looking for new educational podcasts? Scholastic Instructor Magazine listed ten of their favorite podcasts in their March/April 2007 edition. The list includes Wild Animal Chronicles, Children's Fun Storytime, Poem of the Day, and The Science Show for Kids. I'm proud to say that second on the list is Radio WillowWeb, the podcast for kids and by kids that I developed for Willowdale Elementary School.

Another resource for educational podcasts is Karen Fasimpaur's new show, Karen's Educational Mashups. She describes it on her blog:

This podcast is a compilation of excerpts from podcasts and other free audio and video content of interest to educators. Shows will air twice a month, and each show will focus on a different topic. Some will be focused on content for students, while others will feature professional development content for administrators and teachers. Our first show is on history-related content. The second show will be aimed at library media specialists (and everyone who loves books).

With over 1,000 educational podcasts listed in iTunes, Karen's podcast is a great way to learn about podcasts. Another way to learn about more podcasts and podcasting is fellow Nebraskan Dan Schmit's KidCast: Podcasting in the Classroom podcast. Currently Dan's podcast is sponsoring the 2007 KidCast Podcasting Awards. The contest is divided into categories that focus on specific types of educational podcasting. The deadline is April 30th and results will be announced May 15th. To enter, fill out the form on this page.

Remember, you don't need an iPod to listen to podcasts. You can listen right in your browser, iTunes, or other portable player. The video, Uncle Seth - You Don't Need an iPod, (posted on YouTube in September 2006) makes that point very clear with a catchy song.

Labels: podcast, podcasting, soft reset

Dean Shareski has posted a great video on his Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech blog. It's called The PA Palm Project: Students and Teachers Learning Together. The video begins with the narration:

Step through the doors of grade eight classrooms of Mrs. Dalgarno and Mr. McIntosh and you'll witness a learning environment that looks and feels different from many others.

Twenty-five eighth graders at a school in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada are equipped with Tungsten E2 handhelds and keyboards. Their original focus was writing, but students are using the computers in other subject areas as well. The video is divided into five segments: First Reactions, Making Learning Easier, Efficiency, Student Engagement, Unexpected Outcomes, and The Future.

In First Reactions, one student explains, "Like getting presents at Christmas, I felt really excited." In Making Learning Easier, the teacher explains that learning to write is much easier because of the word processor. Editing in particular is much quicker. Dalgarno explains in Efficiency that with handhelds, she is able to get through three lessons in the time it used to take her for one. Students can enter their writing much more quickly on a keyboard than by handwriting, saving lots of time. In Student Engagement an eighth-grade boy gives an example of how motivating the handhelds are:

Most kids in our class, they, like some of the people who didn't really come to school because they didn't want to, they are coming because of the technology.

An Unexpected Outcome was that communication among students increased. They are more like to share their notes from their handheld because they are digital and can be beamed or sent to others instantly. Students didn't tend to share their paper-based notes.

In The Future Mr. McIntosh says that the handhelds are a stepping stone to giving a computer with internet access to every child. [Though I say the handhelds are already computers--we live in a world where we use different kinds of computers at different times and locations for different tasks. And many handhelds already access the web wirelessly.] Mrs. Dalgarno tells the viewers that they are just at the beginning of the project. They are currently doing old things in new ways. In the future, she hopes to have students doing new things in new ways. She says they can do this once they learn more about more Palm software.

The 6 minute 32 second video is hosted on YouTube. The Prince Arthur Palm Project has its own blog if you're interested in learning more.

Labels: palm