You've probably heard of apps developed by kids, like Bustin Jieber by twelve-year-old Thomas Suarez and MathTime by fifth grader Owen Voorhees and his slightly younger brother Finn. It's really great to see youth creating apps. It's also fantastic to see educators developing apps. I'd like to tell you about two new math apps and the teachers who made them.
Read MoreIt's that time when like to tell about the gadgets I bought throughout the year. Just like I did for 2009 and 2010, I give you some of my favorite purchases. I did not include Apple products because you probably already know about those.
Germ Gaudian Mini UV-C Light Wand
Touchscreen-based computer manufactures do not want you to use chemicals to clean their devices. Solvents and abrasive products can wear away the oleophobic (grease-repelling) coating. Yes, you can use a lightly damp cloth to remove goobers, but that does not sanitize the surface. In fact, studies have shown shared touchscreen devices can be crawling with bacteria. UV-C light wands like the Germ Guardian Mini Light Wand kill bacteria when used close to an area for about 10 seconds. In addition to hand washing and hand sanitizing, a UV-C light wand can help prevent your technology from spreading germs. This one runs on four AA batteries and has been tough enough to be passed around many of my workshops.
Cocoon Grid-It Organizer
I love to be organized, and it's an essential skill for me since I travel so much. I thought I was clever last year when I began carrying around pencil cases that organized my cables, cords, and gadgets. This year my friend Rosy Escandon introduced me to her Grid-It, and it was love at first sight. Grid-It is simply a sturdy board with elastic bands attached. The elastic holds my cords, cables, and gadgets all in one spot. I can pull my Grid-It out of my bag and can easily find what I'm looking for. Grid-It comes in different sizes. I started with a 12" x 8" and moved up to the 15" x 11".
Acer Iconia Tab A500 10.1-Inch Tablet Computer
While I'm a happy iPad user, I wanted to get to know Google's Android operating system so I bought this Acer tablet. When I bought it in the spring there weren't as many Android tablet choices as there is now. I've downloaded dozens of apps, and it's a fairly capable computer. I have a charging station set up in my office where my devices tend to hang out. When it's time to grab one, I don't usually go for the Acer Iconia Tab. My iPad 2 seems faster, holds a charge longer, and has better apps. Also, I prefer iPad's 4:3 screen aspect ratio to the tall/long and awkward-feeling 16:9 ratio of Iconia and most Android-based tablets. If you're looking for an Android tablet, today it looks like the Android tablet of choice is the Asus Transformer Prime, unless you consider Kindle Fire.
Amazon Kindle Fire
Kindle Fire has an attractive price tag at $200. At half the cost of an iPad 2, it lacks cameras and a microphone. Fire's touchscreen is 7 inches, which is half the screen real-estate of iPad, but Fire can be held in one hand. $200 makes the Fire a possible iPod touch competitor. Unlike iPod touch and iPad, Kindle Fire does not have parental controls. In fact, there's currently no way to turn off purchases on the device. That's a problem because Kindle Fire does not ask for a password when making purchases--it all works through Amazon's 1-Click feature. (A workaround at this time is to remove credit card information from your 1-Click payment settings. To make a future purchase, you'll have to put that credit card number back into your 1-Click settings.) I'm sure Amazon will issue software updates making Fire more child and school friendly. While I don't think Kindle Fire is ready to be purchased by schools, those working in Bring Your Own Device environments may be seeing lots of these 7-inch devices, especially after Christmas. Kindle Fire runs a version of Android, but Amazon has customized the look and feel so much that you might not realize it is Android. Fire gets its apps from Amazon's Appstore for Android, but it doesn't have as many apps as Google's Android Market. Curious about the apps that are available? Check out Amazon's page showcasing some "essential" apps.
MiFi 4510L Wi-Fi 4G LTE Portable Hotspot
I travel a lot and I can't always depend on connecting a Wi-Fi network. Often the schools where I conduct workshops won't let my devices on their network (or it takes too many bureaucratic and technical steps to allow me to connect to their network). My MiFi hotspot gets its internet from the Verizon network. If I'm in a location with 4G, the speed can rival that of what I get with my home cable internet. MiFi takes that Verizon signal and shares it with up to five devices that connect to it through Wi-Fi. Yes, I have to pay a monthly fee and had to sign a two-year contract, but for me it's worth it. I never have to pay for hotel or airport internet--and I even have internet in the car if I want it. There is a 5 GB monthly cap, so MiFi won't replace my home cable internet connection.
Western Digital Passport Essential SE USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive
I travel with a MacBook Air that has a relatively small 256 GB hard drive. 256 GB is not large enough for me to carry around all of the files I like to travel with. So, I got a portable external hard drive. Portable is important because that means it doesn't require a power outlet; the drive gets its power through USB. The drive I bought has USB 3.0, which my Mac doesn't have, but it still works great and seems quite fast. Besides storing files that don't fit on my MacBook, I use Carbon Copy Cloner (free Mac software) to clone and backup my laptop. I do this each night before a presentation. That way if my laptop is stolen or dies, I can boot from my portable hard drive on another Mac and it will have all of my data, apps, files, and settings.
Bose QuietComfort Noise Canceling Headphones
I'm someone who is easily distracted by sounds--and classrooms are some of the noisiest places around. It would have been nice to have these headphones as a student with work time in class. It's too bad good noise canceling headphones are prohibitively expensive for schools. The headphones cover your ears and use microphones inside and outside each ear cup to sense sounds around you and reduce them. I bought mine after being seated behind a couple on a plane who insisted on talking the entire four-hour flight using their outside voices. The headphones don't block out all sounds, but they work well enough where I can concentrate on what I need to be focused on. The headphones come with a cord for iOS and Mac devices that have an in-line microphone and volume controls.
Kanex AirBlue Portable Bluetooth Music Receiver
I use this in my car to play podcasts while I'm driving. My car doesn't have Bluetooth audio capabilities, so AirBlue pairs with my iPhone wirelessly. All of the audio coming from my iPhone is routed to AirBlue, which is connected to my car's aux audio input. I also take this with me when I travel since I drive so many rental cars. Unfortunately, AirBlue isn't the best for playing music as the audio quality is somewhat poor. However, the audio from apps and podcasts is good enough that some tablet-using teachers may find this to be handy when walking around the classroom with AirBlue connected to speakers or an audio system. There are less expensive alternatives to AirBlue, including one by Belkin and another from Monoprice (Monoprice's does not have a battery so it requires a power outlet.)
3 Pack of Universal Touch Screen Stylus Pen (Red + Black + Silver)
There are times when a stylus is desired for touchscreen devices. I like to use a stylus when handwriting or drawing. I also like to use a stylus when demonstrating to others so that my hand doesn't block what I want other to see. Using a stylus also reduces fingerprints. Because modern-day touchscreens are capacitive, styluses cannot have sharp points. In fact, styluses for iPads and other tablets will most likely have large rubber or foam tips. Yes, you could make your own stylus, but why bother when you can buy three for less than $2 with free shipping? These are cheaply made, but at least they are also cheap to replace.
iRig Mic iPod/iPhone/iPad Handheld Microphone
Apple's devices have a pretty good built-in microphones…if you are holding the device close to you. I use my iRig Mic mostly for interviews. This way the iOS device doing the recording can be a nice distance from those doing the speaking, but they can be heard very clearly. I am surprised at how good this mic sounds, even if it's not held all that close to a person's mouth. iRig Mic works with any app that records audio. It simply connects to the headphone jack.
iCelsius Temperature Sensor
This sensor connects to an iPad/iPod/iPhone's dock connector and is used in combination with the iCelsius app. The app tracks temperature, generates graphs, and can export the data. You can set upper and lower temperature limits to trigger an alarm. This could be great for math and science.
2-Port VGA Monitor Switch Box
While it looks like it belongs in the 1980s, I carry this switch box with me to any presentation about iPads. When I present I use features only my laptop can provide, so it is connected to a projector. But, I often switch from showing my laptop's screen to mirroring my iPad's screen. Rather than disconnect and reconnect each time I want to switch the signal sent to the projector, I use this VGA switch. I also bring with me two short VGA cables because both my computer and iPad need to be connected to the switching box.
Paid iPad Apps
I tend to stick with free iOS apps because when doing workshops, I know those are accessible to everyone. However, there are some apps that are so good, I paid for them. Here are some I think you'll also think are worth the price.
Universal Bracket Adapter for Tripod
If you want to mount your smartphone or iPod touch on a tripod, you need to have some sort of adapter. eBay has inexpensive adapter mounts that are spring-loaded to fit most small handheld devices. There are tripod adapter mounts for iPad 2 as well, which can turn an iPad into a passable teleprompter.
ZipShot Compact Instant Tripod
When making movies on the go, it's nice to have a very portable tripod. It's even nicer if the tripod sets up in a couple second. That's right. The ZipsShot has a unique design that springs open when you release its red cords. Watch the video below to see what I mean. ZipShot can be positioned at an angle to adjust your shot; however, it is stuck at a height of 44 inches tall.
I liked these products enough to spend my own money on them--I don't receive free or special deals on products. Note that I do receive an affiliate's fee if you follow a product link and buy from Amazon.
Melissa Dills is an Ohio kindergarten teacher and has a blog, Adventures of iPads in Kindergarten. Melissa recently contacted me with this question:
I currently have 5 ipads in my kindergarten classroom. I back up my 'original' one on iCloud and it pushes out the apps to the other four. My question is do you know of a way to get them to go into the appropriate folder They are just going onto the screen instead of the folder I put it into on my original. Thanks for your great website. It is very helpful!
It's very convenient to enable Automatic Downloads of apps in the Store section of Settings on iOS devices. This automatically downloads new purchases (including free) made on other devices and in iTunes. You just need to be signed into the same iTunes account on all of your devices. Don't worry; you don't have to input the account's password each time an automatic download happens (that would be annoying).
As Melissa points out, apps are indeed automatically downloaded, but they are not placed into folders or even necessarily onto the same Home screens. Currently Apple does not provide a way to synchronize folders among devices. Other settings, like wallpaper and sounds, are also not synced and have to be set up manually on each device. With older students, teachers can have them place apps in folders and make settings consistent across devices.
In Melissa's situation with younger students and only five devices, she could set up one of the iPads as a master. That means she would move apps into folders or onto specific Home screens and configure settings. After she has the iPad exactly the way she wants it, she will connect to iTunes, right-click the iPad's name in iTunes' sidebar, and choose Back Up.
After back up is complete, Melissa will disconnect the master iPad. Then, she'll connect one of her other four iPads, right-click the iPad's name in iTunes' sidebar, and choose Restore from Backup.
iTunes will ask Melissa to choose a backup to restore onto the current device. She'll of course choose the backup of the master iPad.
It will probably take some time for the restore to complete. When done, this iPad will be a clone of the master. That means all apps will be in the same folders, Home screens will be identical, and settings will match exactly. I suggest that Melissa rename the iPad so that it's not confused with the master iPad.
Melissa can restore her other three iPads from the master's backup as well. Afterwards, all five of her iPads will be set up identically. Because iTunes allows you restore only one iPad at a time, Melissa probably won't want to go through this process very often. She'll probably still rely on automatic downloading of apps and manually putting into folders unless she has downloaded a large number of apps that would take lots of time to sort.
Now, this method of restoring from a backup of a master device will replace all data with that from the master. That means images, recordings, and any high scores will be erased from the other devices.
Restoring from a backup can also save teachers time if they customize an app. For example, Learn How to Spell from Grasshopper Apps is fully customizable. You can use the sets of words that are included in the app. But even better, you can add your own words, complete with your own images and voice recordings.
It can take lots of time to make customized sets of words within the app. In a classroom like Melissa's where there are a small number of iPads that can be used as a center, it saves a lot of time and repetition to use the cloning method above to copy the customized sets from a master iPad to other devices. Perhaps one day Grasshopper Apps will update their apps to save customized lists to iCloud so they can be easily copied to other devices. Until then, restoring from a backup is the way to copy the app's data from one device to another.
Canby Schools in Oregon have deployed hundreds of iPod touches using this restore from backup technique. Joseph Morelock has written how they do it in the wiki article Imaging iPod touch Devices Using iTunes Restore.
One challenge for teachers with students using devices like iPad and iPod touch is collecting student work. Unfortunately, there is not one consistent way for apps to export what a user creates. Some apps connect to Dropbox, some share through iTunes, some export to a website, some share through an IP address, but most apps email content as an attachment.
In order to send images, movies, and documents as an attachment, email must be set up on the device. Logging in through web-based mail won't work because you cannot attach files when using web mail in iOS. Email has to be set up in iOS's Mail app in order for an app that shares through email to actually be able to send.
I think the best solution is to give each student an email account and teach them to use it responsibly. I understand this is not an option in some places and doesn't work so well on shared devices. So, what's a school to do when students do not or cannot have email addresses but they want students using school-owned devices to be able to email their work to the teacher or to a blog?
The answer I've seen many schools use is Gmail. They set up free Gmail accounts for their devices. These email accounts aren't for receiving emails--they are used so that iPads and iPods can send. Without an email set up in the Mail app, no messages can be sent from the Mail app or any other app that shares via email.
It's time consuming to create email accounts for each and every device. Instead, I suggest creating one Gmail account for every 10 devices. You probably could use one Gmail account for a whole class set, but I've seen this cause problems at times.
After creating the Gmail account at mail.google.com/mail/signup, you'll have to do this on each device that will use that account:
Chances are that if your school doesn't supply students with email accounts, they are probably concerned about what students may receive via email, either from each other or from spammers. To put those concerns to rest, I suggest adding a filter to each Gmail account that deletes all incoming email unless it comes from the teacher. This prevents students from sending messages that would appear in all devices' inboxes, prohibits spam, and still allows teachers to send messages and files to the devices via email.
Here's how to set up a filter that will delete all incoming email unless it is from the teacher:
Note that because many devices are sharing one email account, once one student deletes an email from the teacher, it will be deleted on all devices using that account.
Additional Tips
You can use email services other than Gmail. Some use district email addresses or Gaggle.net email. Filters probably work differently when using different email services.
Do not give students the email account's password. You only have to set up email on a device one time. After that the device remembers the password, so students will not require the password.
Teachers may not want to clutter their inbox with emails. One option is to have students send emails to a unique email address provided by Send To Dropbox. This will place email attachments directly into a Dropbox folder on a Mac or Windows computer without taking up space in an inbox.
Add the teacher's email address in the Contact app. This way when students begin composing an email, the teacher's address will auto complete.
Instruct students how to use email appropriately, including subject line etiquette. Instructional technology coordinator Terice Schneider wrote about how middle school students sent teachers foolish and silly messages, and they changed email signatures:
Teachers report up to 120 emails a day with such intoxicating content as “Go Tigers!” and funny cat faces. Their signatures are “PB&J Time!” and “Rangers Fan.” Teachers could just delete them in the inbox, but the students are not using the SUBJECT line, so teachers must open each one to know if it’s class related.
If you receive an error when trying to set up the email address by tapping the Gmail option on the device, try setting up the account as Microsoft Exchange. Here's how:
Educators on Twitter have been posting tweets about pencils. In fact, hundreds of messages are on Twitter have been tagged with #pencilchat. It doesn't sound very interesting to chat about graphite in a wooden holder, right? Well, the allegories, absurdities, and awesomeness of these tweets are not to be missed!
It all started with John Spencer. He says, "I wrote a few tweets with the hashtag #pencilchat, not expecting anything more than a few retweets and some banter with fellow techie-luddites. Malyn Mawby joined in, along with a few of her followers and all of a sudden there was a conversation."
The conversation about pencils exploded from there. Not only do these tweets show insight, inventiveness, and imagination, but they demonstrate the power of hashtags. You don't have to follow people on Twitter to view their tweets with a hashtag like #pencilchat. Simply go to twitter.com/search and do a seach for #pencilchat.
Here's just a sampling of what's been posted:
http://twitter.com/#!/erinneo/status/142481984655081472
http://twitter.com/#!/timbuckteeth/status/142757359385714689
http://twitter.com/#!/tgwynn/status/142703910803603457
http://twitter.com/#!/skibtech/status/143037107127070720
http://twitter.com/#!/andreareid/status/143069611573780480
http://twitter.com/#!/emergentmath/status/143040760776900608
http://twitter.com/#!/mcleod/status/142477445042417664
http://twitter.com/#!/srtasmith9/status/143017150972567553
http://twitter.com/#!/wmchamberlain/status/142667965924519936
http://twitter.com/#!/bmob1111/status/143013661034811393
http://twitter.com/#!/mrlosik/status/142454361333833729
http://twitter.com/#!/allen_shawn/status/143144332860461057
http://twitter.com/#!/ransomtech/status/142988224099397632
http://twitter.com/#!/kelownagurl/status/142768009470160897
http://twitter.com/#!/pammoran/status/142551218215067648
http://twitter.com/#!/simon_elliott/status/143043326919196673
Other hastags you might be interested in include #edapp for sharing educational apps, #iear and #slide2learn for mobile learning, and #edchat for selected topics about education. There's also #EduWin for sharing daily successes. And, who knows what other hashtags will become a Twitter sensation in the future!
Update: Now there's #jedichat where educators are using Star Wars references.
Read the short article that appears in St. Stephen's Today, a publication of St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School in Coconut Grove, Florida. The school is focusing on project-based learning and provides an iPad 2 for each of their students in grades one through five. You can access the original article here.
Preparing Our Students for Their Future
by The Technology Team at St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School (Jenny Diaz, Hilary Haber, Felix Jacomino, Joy McIntosh, Liz Scholer, and Inge Wassmann)
St. Stephen’s has embarked on an exciting new initiative this year in keeping with our Vision Statement to prepare our students for the 21st Century. A focus on Project Based Learning has begun in a yearlong series of on-campus professional development workshops. A one-to-one iPad program for Grades 1 to 5 lends itself well to meeting these goals.
What is Project Based Learning? Project Based Learning is a teaching method where students are given a driving question or challenge, and after research, analysis, teamwork, and problem-solving, present solutions to their classmates. The projects help students learn key academic subject matter and practice 21st Century skills such as collaboration, communication & critical thinking. Unlike an activity that can be completed in a short class period, projects may take days, weeks, or months to complete. Instead of just covering material, the teacher develops projects that allow for students to uncover the topic themselves.
During the 2010-2011 school year, Felix Jacomino, Director of Technology, and Inge Wassmann and Hilary Haber, Technology Teachers, attended numerous workshops and conferences including Mobile Learning Experience the Florida Educational Technology Conference, and the International Society for Technology in Education Conference, as well as various workshops through Independent Schools of South Florida and the Dade County One-to-One Technology Forum, to research the best ways for us to reach our goals in technology – anywhere, anytime learning using mobile devices. They met several consultants on their trips, but were most intrigued by Tony Vincent’s background and experience and felt he was the best fit to help guide St. Stephen’s.
Tony Vincent is a Learning and Technology Consultant who began his career as a fifth grade teacher. He began using mobile learning in his classroom in 2001 when each of his students received a Palm handheld. He became a consultant in 2006 and has become a highly sought-after, hands-on educator who has worked with teachers and students all over the world. He is personable and practical and makes teaching and learning fresh and fun.
Tony first visited St. Stephen’s prior to the start of school. He worked in large and small groups to demonstrate the use of iPads on many levels. On his most recent visit, Tony taught lessons in both Grade 4 and 5 in Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies. In Grade 4 Math, student practiced estimating skills through Google maps and a discussion of travel. As part of their Imagine It unit on Risks and Consequences, Grade 4 students watched a show video on the moon landing which prompted a discussion on the risks and consequences that astronauts experience. They used the Eagle app to "land" on the moon using the correct velocity and proximity for touch down. They completed the activity by creating a web on the Idea Sketch app. Grade 5 learned note taking skills using Noterize as it pertained to their current Native American unit, and they used it later in the day in their Sacred Studies class.
In addition, he held a workshop for the entire faculty on Project Based Learning. He is scheduled to return three times during the school year, for 3 or 4-day sessions. He is customizing his expertise to meet our needs.
The introduction of iPads in Grades 1 through 5 gives these students the tool to connect, communicate, collaborate, and create throughout the school day. Mobile devices can play a great role in Project Based Learning giving students the access to learning when and where it is needed. The use of exciting handheld technology motivates students, and projects can lend themselves to student voice and choice.
"The iPads have brought a whole new dimension of learning to the classroom, authentic engagement and motivation. Active learning is taking place!" said Silvia Larrauri.
Beginning in Grade 1, students will create electronic portfolios of their work. Electronic portfolios are a creative means of organizing, summarizing, and sharing information, ideas, projects and artwork for other students and families to see. Each year, the students will add to their portfolios, having a collection of work they can take with them.
“When a student publishes his work, it’s no longer just the teacher viewing his work. There is a broader audience base. Now, classmates, parents, extended family, regardless of location, and other students from around the world can read, comment on, and collaborate with ideas that were previously limited to the classroom.” said Felix Jacomino.
An iPad is a toolbox that gets filled with tools such as apps, is a portal to communication and collaboration with others, and when guided by teachers who have been appropriately trained, students become truly engaged and motivated critical thinkers. Working with Tony Vincent and our Technology Team, our teachers will receive the professional development and support to successfully carry out our goals.
Interested in iPad, iPod touch, tablets, netbooks, laptops, phones, apps, podcasting, Android, iOS, and web-based tools? Excited about mobile technology for learning and teaching? Want to connect with other educators and learn from their successes and challenges? Then join me for Mobile Learning Experience 2012 April 11-13 in Phoenix, Arizona.
It's my pleasure to be on the team organizing Mobile Learning Experience 2012. It's the second year of this terrific conference. If you'd like to get a feel for 2011's conference, then read dozens of blog posts submitted during the event.
Registration for Mobile Learning Experience 2012 is open. You can save $200 if you register before January 20, 2012.
Please consider applying to present a session at Mobile Learning 2012. We're looking for presentations that address topics like:
Presenters receive a $50 discount on registration.The deadline for session proposals is November 16, 2011. Read more about the call for proposals.
The event will offer dozens of breakouts sessions, but the best part is connecting with other conference participants. As I'm reading Steve Job's biography, I'm learning that he believed in the power of random encounters. Walter Isaacson, the biography's author, wrote:
Despite being a denizen of the digital world, or maybe because he knew all too well its isolating potential, Steve was a strong believer in face-to-face meetings. "There's a temptation is our networked age to think that ideas can be developed by email and iChat," he said. "That's crazy. Creativity comes from spontaneous meetings. From random discussions. You run into someone. You ask what they are doing. You say, 'Wow,' and soon you're cooking up all sorts of ideas."
That's certainly what happened at 2011's conference and I look forward to cooking up all sorts of ideas April 11-13, 2012!
I have the pleasure of working with educators who get to use iPads and iPod touches with students. Wherever I facilitate workshops, I find there are some myths floating around about Apple's iOS devices, and I'd like to clear up some of the misinformation.
iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch do not have user manuals.
Gone are the days when you receive a thick printed user manual with your electronics purchase. Instead of an in-depth guide, Apple includes a glossy folded-up single sheet of paper called Finger Tips in the box. You can hardly call this a user manual. But, if you want a nearly 200 page user manual, you can download one online or in the iBooks app.
You have to have a credit card associated with your iTunes account.
A credit card is not required when you create an iTunes account. Apple would be delighted to get a credit card number from you, but they do provide a way to keep your credit card number to yourself.
First log out of any iTunes accounts you might be signed into. Then simply tap to download any free app in the App Store. When prompted to log into an account, choose Create New Account. When asked for a credit card, choose None. The None option only appears if you create an account by first trying to install a free app. If you try to create an account in any other manner, Apple will not present the None choice and will require a credit card number for the account. Read my previous post, iTunes Account Without a Credit Card.
If you have already given iTunes a credit card number, you can log into your account and click to edit your payment information. You should be able to select None for Payment Type.
You can buy an app once and install it on all devices in the classroom or school.
While it is technically possible to purchase an app once and install it on an unlimited number of devices, Apple's Terms and Conditions states:
If you are a commercial enterprise or educational institution, you may download and sync an App Store Product for use by either (a) a single individual on one or more iOS Devices used by that individual that you own or control or (b) multiple individuals, on a single shared iOS Device you own or control. For example, a single employee may use an App Store Product on both the employee's iPhone and iPad, or multiple students may serially use an App Store Product on a single iPad located at a resource center or library. For the sake of clarity, each iOS Device used serially by multiple users requires a separate license.
Individual consumers can sync an app to multiple devices, but Apple expects schools to purchase an app for each and every devices upon which it is installed. In order to buy multiple licenses for apps, there's the App Store Volume Purchase Program. Not only can educational institutions buy in bulk, but the Volume Purchase Program often gives a 50% discount.
The Volume Purchase Program is only for paid apps. Free apps can still be downloaded one time and installed on as many devices as you'd like. If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I often share apps that have temporary become free. Simply document that you downloaded an app to a school account when it was free and you can treat it like any other free app (i.e. install it on class sets of devices). Read my blog post, Things to Know about Apps & Apple Devices, for more about apps in classrooms.
Once you fill 12 home screens of apps you cannot install any more.
It's true: you are limited to a dozen Home screens. You can fill those screen with apps, folders, and web page icons. However, once filled you can still install more apps. The catch is that the apps won't have icons on your Home screen. To launch an app that doesn't have a Home screen icon, you'll need to search for it. Access search by clicking the Home button (or swiping right) while you're on your first Home screen. Note: when you have filled all 12 screens, Safari no longer gives you the option to add a webpage to the Home screen.
You need a Mac to sync multiple devices.
For simplicity, I highly recommend syncing a class set of iPads or iPod touches to one computer. That computer's iTunes Library will have all apps, audio, video, playlists, podcasts, and iTunes U content in it. When you make a change to the iTunes Library, that change is mirrored onto all the devices upon the next sync.
You can sync multiple devices simultaneously to one computer. There are carts, trays, and cases designed for this task. These syncing solutions all suggest using a Mac for syncing. The problem is that some schools don't allow Macs and some teachers are afraid they won't know how to use a Mac.
Yes, you can use a Windows PC to sync multiple devices. However, Windows computers tend to have problems syncing more than a few devices simultaneously. A Macintosh would be my syncing computer of choice because it does indeed work better (but a Mac can still choke on syncing 20 devices all at the same time). But if a Mac isn't an option for you, a Windows PC will be ok. You will have to babysit it more, perhaps by connecting just a few devices at a time instead of a whole cart at once.
I'm hopeful that syncing is less of an issue when iOS 5 comes out this fall. Wi-Fi Sync will work with Mac or Windows. Apple's website brags:
Wirelessly sync your iOS device to your Mac or PC over a shared Wi-Fi connection. Every time you connect your iOS device to a power source (say, overnight for charging), it automatically syncs and backs up any new content to iTunes. So you always have your movies, TV shows, home videos, and photo albums everywhere you want them.
Apps stay open after you leave them and this drains the battery and slows down the device.
You can view the most recently used apps by double-clicking the Home button. The apps appear at the bottom of the screen. You can flick left to see more apps. All of these apps are not actually running. They appear on the list simply because you launched them lately. Yes, some apps run in the background, like Pandora for playing music or Twitter for receiving notifications. But, most apps do not actually run in the background. They simply stay frozen until you switch back to using them. You can remove an app from the list by touching and holding the app icon until it begins to jiggle and then tapping the red minus button.
I met a media specialist who would manually go through and close all apps that appear in the recents list at the end of each school day. She thought that all of those apps in the list were running and therefore draining the batteries in her school's iPod touches. I can only imagine how much time it took her each day to accomplish this. Alternatively, she could have simply powered down the iPods. When powered back on, an iPod touch's (and iPhone's and iPad's) memory is completely cleared. However, the recent apps list is not cleared, which made this media specialist feel she had to do it manually.
In 2010 Apple's Scott Forstall was asked how you close applications when multitasking in iOS 4. He said, "You don't have to. The user just uses things and doesn't ever have to worry about it." Users do not have to management background tasks.
Apple's own support page states, "Double-clicking the Home button displays a list of recently used apps. These apps are not necessarily actively in use, open, or taking up system resources. They will instantly launch when you return to them. Certain tasks or services can continue to run in the background. You can distinguish most of these by checking the status bar."
So, in theory you shouldn't ever have to close apps. One exception when I do close an app from the recents list is when an app is acting weird. Another is when I'm done using my TomTom GPS navigator app. TomTom runs in the background and constantly uses power to detect my GPS location. It will shut itself down after a while, but it can eat a lot of battery power before closing itself. But, most people should never have to worry about it. If your device seems to be slowing down or the battery is draining faster than usual, simply do a power off and power back on instead of worrying about apps that may or may not be running in the background.
For a very detailed explaination about the misconceptions about multitasking, read Frasier Speirs blog post.
For longer battery life you should occasionally drain the battery completely.
We all want healthy batteries in our precious devices. There are certain things we can do to make sure batteries live a long life. For instance, never store your device in a freezing cold or very hot vehicle. Furthermore, be sure to exercise the battery by occasionally discharging and charging it.
Before modern lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries, old-fashioned nickel-cadmium batteries experienced a "memory effect" where these batteries would lose capacity over time if they were recharged before they were completely drained. Batteries in your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch do not suffer from the memory effect. You can charge these devices at any battery percentage and it will not affect its charge capacity.
I have spoken with numerous teachers who have been stressed out trying to completely drain iPads batteries because Apple told them to. Indeed, Apple's page on batteries states, "For proper reporting of the battery’s state of charge, be sure to go through at least one charge cycle per month (charging the battery to 100% and then completely running it down)." Notice that Apple doesn't claim this is for the battery's health; it's simply so the battery meter is more accurate. Personally, I never run down my batteries on purpose. It's great if it happens by normal usage, but I'm not going to drain my battery for the sole purpose of pleasing the battery meter. My meter seems to be pretty accurate even without a monthly drain. On top of that, batteries have a limited number of charge and discharge cycles. Repeatedly draining a battery uses up some of those cycles.
The screen scratches easily.
Handhelds' screens used to be made of plastic that could scratch easily. Today's devices, including iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, and most Android handhelds, use glass screens. While glass sounds like it would be fragile, Apple uses a material like Gorilla Glass, which is designed to be resistant to scratches, drops, and bumps of everyday use. Watch a YouTube video where someone runs a metal key over an iPad's screen, and you'll see it causes no scratches. Certainly, your device's glass screen can scratch, but not very easily.
Keys and other objects you might think would scratch the screen don't because of the inability of softer material to scratch harder material. Glass falls between 6 and 7 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. In general, materials with a lower hardness will not scratch a material with a higher hardness. Most metal is less than 5 on the Mohs scale. But, be careful with all your diamonds around your touchscreen because diamond scores a 10 for hardness.
As a cat owner, this is exciting: Friskies makes Games for Cats. They are free web apps that work well on iPad and Android devices. Friskies says, "The bare glass screen on the iPad stands up to our cat's claws with no problems." That's because fingernails, horns, claws, and other keratins are below 3 on the Mohs scale (and remember that glass is 5). Friskies does warn that a cat's claws will damage add-on plastic film covers.
Some feel more protected by placing those stick-on screen covers over their touchscreens. Often those stickers have annoying bubbles and they make the screen less sensitive to touch. I find them to usually be ugly and a hindrance. Apple does too because in 2010 they removed all screen protectors from their retail and online stores. Now, if it's likely a device will be dropped, then a screen protector just might keep the glass from cracking because of an accident. Furthermore, I know some teachers who love anti-glare screen protectors, particularly when using a device under a document camera.
The bottom line is that I don't want you to feel guilty for not using screen protectors. Your devices' screens are most likely going to be A-ok.
Harry Dickens and Andrew Churches have self-published Apps for Learning: 40 Best iPad, iPod touch, iPhone Apps for High School Classrooms. The one I ordered finally came in the mail last week. Here's the Table of Contents.
From Apps for Learning's the back cover:
In the classroom of the 21st century, the power of mobility has begun to play a significant role in the learning experiences of our students. The ubiquitous digital devices they use so frequently and unconsciously can be harnessed as powerful tools for learning, creativity, and discovery. And, as the saying goes, "there's an app for that."
Inside Apps for Learning: 40 Best iPad/iPod touch/iPhone Apps for High School Classrooms you'll find detailed descriptions of some of the best apps around for high school students. Explore the versatility of utility apps like Atomic Web Browser and GoodReader. Make use of generals apps like Evernote, Pages, and Dragon Dictation, or have fun on projects using GarageBand, iMovie, or Whiteboard HD. Or create unique learning adventures using speciality apps like Comic Touch, StoryKit, VideoScience, or NASA App HD. They're all here, plus more, and they're waiting for you and your students to discover.
The authors answer these questions for each of the 40 apps:
As a sample, download pages 27-30 of Apps for Learning. These pages highlight Adobe Photoshop Express, an app that belongs on every iOS handheld.
The 40 apps are divided into utility, general, and speciality. Some of the apps are only available for iPad and less than half the apps are free of charge.
Utility Apps
General Apps
Speciality Apps
Apps for Learning lists for $24.95 (add about $4 for shipping or order from Amazon) and has plenty of screenshots and lots of practical advice. The 224 page book is the first a three-part series. The authors are currently writing the middle school version. After that, they're tackling elementary apps. I'm hoping that there will be eBook versions of these books since I rarely buy books made of paper anymore.
I have the honor of keynoting the Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine's MAINEducation 2011 conference. I wrote the short article below for ACTEM's Electronic Educator September 2011 newsletter.
As a former Nebraska fifth grade teacher and current Arizona resident, I've been envious of Maine's ten year old laptop initiative. The state understands the power of integrating technology and learning. In fact, that's what Mobile Learning is all about—using tools at hand for educational and productivity uses.
The first reaction from those in other states when Maine's laptops are mentioned is, "How can they afford that?" School systems are scraping together as much money as they can to put technology in students' hands. At the same time, most of them ban students from bringing their own computers and devices into their own learning environments.
Sure, there are some legal and networking reasons for being reluctant to let students bring in the very technology that schools are struggling to finance. But, there are many more reasons for allowing students to learn with their own personal tools. As a learner I would feel angry, deflated, belittled, and offended if I could not use my phone, laptop, tablet, and online tools as I see fit in my learning environment.
More and more schools are empowering their students by turning their frowns upside-down on personally owned devices. With smartphones, iPads, handhelds, laptops and the like always available to students, opportunities for learning increase.
Opportunities for Personalization. Students access content, software, and apps that meet their needs. In the case of Apple and Android devices, there are about half a million apps to choose from. Learners deserve a choice in what and how they learn, and mobile learning can facilitate personalized learning.
Opportunities for Expression. Students can express themselves and share what they have learned in so many ways, including audio recording, moviemaking, and document creation. There are even great online tools for making animated cartoons and super cool apps for creating digital puppet shows.
Opportunities for Productivity. Mobile technology gives access to tools for organization and for getting things done efficiently. In addition to the typical note taking, calendar, and planner uses, savvy students enter their notes directly into a flashcard app for easy studying. Talk about being productive!
Opportunities for Access. Having technology readily at hand makes its use a commonplace occurrence instead of a special event. There's no seeking permission to go to the computer lab or waiting for the cart of laptops to be wheeled in. Most adults don't have those kinds of roadblocks to technology, why should students?
Opportunities to Use Real-World Tools. Personal and mobile devices are certainly everywhere today. People in the real world use technology for real tasks everyday. I think that school should mirror the outside world as much as possible because "playing school" fails to prepare learners for the reality of life.
It's true. Technology in schools is typically bought, owned, and controlled by the school. Many are focused on deploying class or one-to-one sets of iPads, iPod touches, tablets, and laptops, but I think this mindset is an intermediate step to eventually having students provide their own technology. Not just because of expense, but because students will have their own technology they'll want at their fingertips. The technology they will bring will be highly portable and what students do and create will be digital and shareable. It will be MOBILE, and that's a good thing because More Opportunities Belong In Learning Environments.
Icons by dryicons.com
There are a lot of interesting accessories for mobile devices and iBallz is certainly one of them. iBallz is designed for iPad 1 and 2 but also fits other similar-sized tablets. Made by Friendly Integration LLC, iBallz offers protection by placing a styrofoam ball at each corner of a device.
The balls are kept in place by a tight elastic rope, which Friendly Integration suggests can be used for handling your device. Besides protection from drops, iBallz says it can offer protection from liquid spills because the device is safely suspended above any table.
Friendly Integration sent me a set of iBallz to review. I'm all for innovative designs, but I don't keep iBallz on my personal iPad because it looks silly. However, I think that iBallz could be a nice solution for all those iPad-using toddlers (and less expensive than more fun or more durable cases). With the availability of bright colors, iBallz really do seem like an accessory for kids. I think their newer Minis look slightly less comical.
I found it challenging to put iBallz on my iPad. However, once in place, they remained tightly on my iPad. I also put iBallz on my Acer Iconia Android tablet. It's a thicker tablet and iBallz sometimes slipped off.
Friendly Integration has a line of cases and sleeves that are made to accommodate an iPad with iBallz. It makes me giggle to see iBallz sticking out of the corners.
Read more about iBallz at iballz.info.
A couple of other interesting accessories include earbud cable management that looks like an apple's core and a stand for iPad so that you don't have to to hold it.
I presented Project-Based Learning in Hand at the International Society for Technology in Education conference in Philadelphia. Here are my notes for the session. My favorite part was that I asked educators in the room and on Twitter to submit favorite iOS apps for project-based learning. The resulting spreadsheet has 133 submissions. I removed spaces from app names so that I could use Wordle.net to generate the word cloud below.
The suggested apps are ones that could be used for questioning, investigating, and/or sharing. As you can see, SonicPics was submitted the most times. It's a certainly a favorite of mine. iMovie, Evernote, ShowMe Interactive Whiteboard, PuppetPals, Storyrobe, and Comic Life were also popular.
One of the sharing sessions at Mobile Learning Experience 2011 was dedicated to accessories, add-ons, and do it yourself projects for mobile devices. I took along many of mine to share.
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Disclosure: I do not accept free or special deals on products. However, I make a little money if you follow a product link and buy from Amazon. |
Apparently I'm a Mobile Technology Expert. I prefer Mobile Learning Enthusiast.I traveled to Columbia, South Carolina to work with teachers, students, and parents in the Richland One School District. On March 28 I presented an evening session called "I'm a Mobile Learner" and shared my vision and examples of mobile learning. The local news station, WLTX, interviewed me and broadcasted a story about the event and about mobile learning. They titled the piece "Expert: Smart Phones Are the Next Classroom Computers." Of course, I didn't write the piece or pick the title. I wouldn't limit mobile learning to simply smartphones. I see mobile learning as using tools at hand, which might be phones, tablets, laptop and desktop computers, and web-based tools.
You can view the aired news piece online and read the transcript at wltx.com.
A feature that has long been request by educators has finally arrived in iPad 2: video mirroring. Video mirroring shows exactly what's on your device's screen on a second display, like a projector, television, or monitor. We're used to video mirroring with laptops--many teachers do this everyday.
iPad 2 requires either the Apple VGA Adapter or Apple Digital AV Adapter. The VGA adapter connects to most projectors while the digital adapter connects to HDMI, which is common on newer televisions. Apple Digital AV Adapter also outputs sound while the VGA adapter outputs only video to the display.
I've used both adapters and they are very simple to use. In fact, there is no software to install or settings to adjust on iPad. Within seconds of connecting iPad and to the display with the adapter, mirroring is automatically activated. You can even rotate iPad between portrait and landscape and the mirrored image rotates as well. Read a little more about video mirroring from Apple (the page only mentions HDMI, but mirroring can certainly be done with VGA).
During presentations and workshops I have alternated displaying my laptop and iPad 2 to a projector simply by disconnecting one from the projector and reconnecting the other with no issues. It takes just a few moments for the projector to recognize the new input source. Having a VGA switch (Monoprice has them cheap) would handy so that I don't have to disconnect and reconnect to the projector each time I want to change which device I want displayed.
Some apps have been designed to output video that is different than from what appears on the device's screen. For example, Keynote's is mirrored until you tap Play. Then iPad outputs your slideshow while showing the controls on iPad's screen.
Unlike using a document camera, mirroring is a crystal-clear image without glare and smudges. However, there is a major drawback to using mirroring instead of a document camera to demonstrate apps. Those viewing cannot see what you are touching nor the gestures you use on the screen. Using a document camera (like the $69 Point2View USB Camera) might not always be in perfect focus and show glare, but at least viewers can see how you are interacting with the touchscreen.
I made a short video demonstrating video mirroring through VGA and compare it to using the Point2View camera. I used an Epiphan VGA2USB signal grabber to input into my computer. This method produces interlacing (those horizontal lines you see when there is lots of movement). When connected to a display, you definitely do not see any interlacing.
Currently video mirroring only works with iPad 2. Sorry iPad 1, iPod touch, and iPhone users. If you jailbreak your device, you can get access to Cydia, an alternative to Apple's App Store that has apps that Apple will not allow in its own store. DisplayOut is available in Cydia for $3.99 and gives iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch video mirroring capabilities. Cydia also has apps like iDemo designed to share what's on your handheld's screen. While jailbreaking is legal, it can void your warranty, goof up your device, and make it tricky to install iOS updates. I have never jailbroken any of my handhelds--now with iPad 2, I don't have to jailbreak for video mirroring.
Speech input is finding its way into more and more mobile devices and apps. Dragon Dictation for iOS came out in December 2008 and is probably the best way for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users to speak into their devices and have it turned into text. The dictated text can then be pasted into other apps. Perhaps future versions of iOS will include speech-to-text across all apps.
iOS's rival mobile operating system, Android, introduced a voice-enabled keyboard with version 2.1. Any time the keyboard is on the screen, Android users can simply tap the speech input icon (or swipe across the keyboard) and then say what they want typed. The device displays the spoken words on the screen.
An app that takes advantage of speech input is the Merriam Dictionary app for iOS and Android. Users can search words by voice. This means that you don't have to know how to spell a word to look it up! The app also will pronounce the word, provides synonyms and antonyms, and contains sample sentences. Unfortunately, the free app also contains advertisements.
An even more amazing app that features speech input is Google Translate for iOS and Android. The app translates words and phrases from more than 50 languages. For many languages, you can speak your phrases and hear the corresponding translations. Not only could this be useful for learning a language, but it could be a helpful communication tool for teachers, students, and parents who speak different languages. Translations can be displayed full screen by holding the device in landscape. Tapping a translation gives you the option to copy the text for use in other apps. As the comments to this post indicate, beware when relying on technology to communicate. You may not be expressing what you actually mean or the translation could turn out to be gibberish or offensive.
Of course, for speech input to work your device must have a microphone. Those with older iPod touches without built-in microphones can use Apple Earbuds with Microphone or very affordable mics from Amazon and DealExtreme. (sorry first generation iPod cannot use any kind of microphone). Going forward, pretty much all mobile devices will have built-in microphones because of features like speech input.
I've put together a list of things to know about iOS, apps, iTunes, and the App Store:
If you've got a class set of computers or mobile devices, then you've got a student response system. Response systems sold to schools typically consist of a handheld remote, called a clicker, and software for managing students, questions, and answers. Rather than pay over $1,000 for a set of clickers, a WiFi-equipped classroom that already has iPod touches, iPads, netbooks, etc. (or invited students to bring their own) can turn those devices into a response system for much less.
Google Docs
Google Docs provides a free way to collect responses called Forms. The teacher creates a questionnaire for students to complete. Questions can be multiple choice, true/false, short answer, essay, or a scale. Once the form is completed, Google provides a very long URL that is much to long for anyone to manually type. So, forms can be linked from or embedded in a class web page. Alternatively, a URL shortener like j.mp, bit.ly, or tinyurl.com can be used to create a shorter web address that redirects to the obnoxiously long one. This way students can simply type the short URL in their device's browser to access the questions.
The responses are collected in a spreadsheet the teacher accesses online. Google makes it easy to see responses in graphs by simply choosing Show summary of responses from the Form menu. With a Google Form, students are not required to respond at the same time. The questionnaire is online and ready for them any time they ready. For more information about using Google Docs as a student response system, view Radford University's video on YouTube.
Poll Everywhere
Another service that can be used as a student response system is Poll Everywhere. They have a nice Web interface that looks great on a laptop or mobile device. Poll Everywhere can also take responses through text messages. Students text in their answers to the teacher's question using identifying codes. Be aware that Poll Everywhere and Google Docs do not provide feedback to students since there is no way to indicate correct and incorrect answers. While there is a free Poll Everywhere plan for K-12 classrooms, the $50 per year plan gives teachers the ability to see individual student responses and to approve text-based responses before they appear for the whole class to see. Read more about Poll Everywhere.
QuestionPress
QuestionPress (formerly QuickieQ) is a 100% web-based audience and classroom response/assessment tool. This means that QuestionPress is accessible on any Internet connected device. Students can easily find and bookmark their teacher's QuestionPress URL. Alan Degener, QuestionPress' developer, writes more about the service:
QuestionPress is one of the few response web sites that allows you to offer a fully live session where you can control which questions are asked, when they are asked, in what order they are asked, and when and how results are sent to the responders’ screens. Questions can also be served at the responder’s pace with options that allow for the scores and correct answers being displayed upon completion.
You can use a prepared question set and/or create questions on-the-fly. Points can be assigned to all questions and QuestionPress can auto-score multiple choice, true/false, yes/no, short answer, fill in the blank, sorting, numeric, “images as answers”, and “check all that apply” problems. Other question types include essay, ranking, and file uploads. Dynamic questions with images can be created using a simple yet powerful WYSIWYG editor, which includes a math equation editor and grapher. Questions can be edited on-the-fly and questions created in a live session can be imported into question sets or used directly in future session. Question sets can be stored, organized and shared with others. Session results can be organized into folders and sessions can be reopened to help consolidate data.
There are no responder accounts with QuestionPress, so students do not need to remember yet another login and password. Students can use student ids or other codes to protect privacy.
A standard QuestionPress license starts at 35-responders per session. Polling mode increases that limit 10 fold, allowing you to put polls up on your classroom web site. You can also use QuestionPress for homework since it is web-based and can run asynchronously. The email feature allows you to email results to responders when they finish the question set or you can add comments and annotations and send out emails later.
QuestionPress starts at just $24 for an annual 35-responder license. Larger license and multiple session licenses are optional. Group accounts are also available. For more information, a complete list of features, and to sign up for a free trial account go to questionpress.com.
eClicker Host
An option for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch using teachers is the eClicker Host app. Priced at $9.99, it's a very affordable solution because no subscription is required. Only the teacher needs the app; students can use any web browser or the free eClicker iOS app. Student devices need to be on the same WiFi network as the teacher's iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. The app provides a URL for students to type into their browsers. Devices running the optional and free eClicker app automatically detect the teacher's device on the network running eClicker Host. If eClicker Host is running on iPad, up 64 responders can connect. For iPhone and iPod touch, the maximum is 32 responders.
Like QuestionPress, the teacher can control what question is displayed on students' screens. When the teacher moves to the next question, everyone's screens change at the same time to display the next question.
Teachers can compose multiple choice or true false questions on their mobile device or at eClicker.com. Sadly, eClicker does not support short answer or open-ended responses. I don't mind composing the questions on my iPad. I can even include images from my Photo Library or draw one within the app. Alternatively, questions can be edited on a computer at editor.eclicker.com by first creating an account within the eClicker Host app. When done editing, syncing your account updates the on your device. Teachers can even share question sets with one another via Bluetooth.
eClicker has worked well for me for informal assessment. However, it does not have a management system where I can track students over time. It's not a quiz or evaluation tool. If you use eClicker, you'll notice that each question has a timer. I have not found a way to turn off the timer, which can be a distraction. eClicker Host lacks options, especially compared to QuestionPress. But, with fewer features, eClicker Host is streamlined and simplistic. Find out more about eClicker.
Response systems can improve attentiveness, increase knowledge retention, inform instruction, and provide immediate feedback. It's nice to have affordable choices. I've only highlighted on the four systems I've used myself. There are certainly many more. Which one to choose? Fortunately Google Docs and Poll Everywhere can be used for free, and QuestionPress has a free trial. There is no free version or trial for the eClicker Host app. If you have a favorite, please tell us about it in the comments.
Classroom clicker photo licensed under Creative Commons by Flickr user Kentucky Country Day.
Like I did for 2009, I thought I'd look back on 2010 by sharing technology and technology-related products I purchased during the year. While I think these items are way awesome, it's not about the stuff. It's about what I can do with the stuff--and I have to say, I can do some pretty incredible things!
iPad, iPhone 4, 4th Generation iPod touch
Since I do so many iPad and iPod touch workshops for teachers, I certainly had to purchase these items. I replaced my iPhone 3GS with the iPhone 4 because of the higher resolution display and better camera. I've been using the Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit to copy photos and videos directly from iPhone to iPad. I also use the Apple iPad Case because I like the way it props up iPad for easier on-screen typing. It seems overkill to have all three, but strangely enough, I have been known to use all three devices at once.
Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
Touchscreens are a great way to interact with apps, but they are also a great way to smear and smudge glass. Zwipes work better than any other kind of cloth or towel I've used on my iPad, iPod touch, and iPhone. I keep Zwipes all around the house, office, and in my travel bag because I like to wipe my screen clean several times a day. A word of caution: I cut a Zwipe into fourths, thinking that would be a terrific size for travel and to give away at workshops. However, cutting the cloth made lots of microfiber pieces and the cloth unusable for screen cleaning because of the fuzzy mess left behind.
Tekkeon TekCharge MP1800
Since I travel so much, I find that my iPhone's battery charge isn't sufficient to get me from Point A to Point B. The Tekkeon TekCharge MP1800 is a high-capacity battery that juices up anything that charges through USB. I also use it to charge my iPod touch and MiFi mobile hotspot. The MP1800 is also a flashlight.
AR.Drone Quadricopter
Augmented Reality is all the rage. That's where live images of the real world are mixed with digital information. The AR.Drone is a quadricopter controlled by an app for iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. It connects through WiFi and relays video from two cameras back to the app. Developers are busy making more apps that interface with the AR.Drone. I absolutely love flying my drone! I've recorded some really cool aerial video and you can find lots of great videos by searching YouTube. I'm taking my AR.Drone to the Mobile Learning Experience in Phoenix in April so that those at the conference can see this flying camera. I've bought an extra battery and charger so that I can fly longer than 12 minutes. I also purchased a Super Bright Blue LED UFO Light Kit for night flying. As much as I love the drone, it is easy to crash and can be expensive to repair.
Point 2 View USB Camera
If you've got a document camera, then you might not need a Point 2 View camera. If you don't, the Point 2 View makes for a pretty good doc cam. It requires the video to pass through a computer, but for most people, that isn't a big deal since a computer is probably already connected to a projector. The Point 2 View camera is very portable and IPEVO now offer a case (for an extra $40). My Point 2 View has traveled around the country with me as it's an easy way for me to show iPod touch and iPad screen. I really appreciate it's $69 price tag, which is inexpensive compared to a full-sized document camera. Read more about the Point 2 View camera in a post I wrote in April.
Universal Bracket Adapter Mount for Tripod
Now that so many handhelds, like iPhone and iPod touch, can take photos and video, there's a need to steady them on a tripod. The Universal Bracket Adapter Mount for Tripod is an innovative and inexpensive way to attach a handheld to a tripod. It's spring-loaded to fit devices of different sizes and has a hole for a standard tripod. With a mounted camera, I can film stable video, take focused photos, and do time-lapse photography. To go along with the bracket, I bought a new tripod for mobile movie making. The ZipShot Compact Ultra-Light Instant Tripod sets up in seconds. You've got to see the video of the ZipShot being opened!
Green Screen and Lighting
I use the green screen technique to give my videos a simple white background. You've probably noticed this effect in my Learning in Hand podcast. In 2010 I bought CowboyStudio Photography 10' X 12' Chromakey Green Muslin Backdrop with Support System and Carry Bag. While it is portable, I leave it set up in my office so it's ready to film when I am. An important piece to doing the green screen technique (called chromakey) is lighting. I light my screen with two work lights and light myself with two softbox lights. Separate lighting for the screen and the subject is important because you don't want the subject casting a shadow on the screen. I keep the green screen looking smooth by using a steamer on it before I film.
Canon Vixia HF S100 Camcorder with Directional Stereo Microphone
I upgraded to an HD camcorder in 2010 and it made a big difference in picture quality. Over the years I've tried all sorts of microphones with my camcorders. In 2010 I bought Canon 2591B002 DM-100 Directional Stereo Microphone for HF/HG Series Camcorders. It's a shotgun mic, so when filming, I don't have to worry about wearing a mic. Directional shotgun microphones are great in classrooms because they pick up sound from in front of them instead of all sounds in the room. Plus, there's no battery or set up to worry about. Note that many camcorders do not have the port where a shotgun microphone can be attached.
Blue Yeti USB Microphone
Blue makes the popular Snowball USB microphone. In 2010, Blue came out with the Yeti. It looks like a David Letterman-style mic and has settings to be directional or omni-direction. It sounds great and can be used to record or stream one person speaking or multiple people speaking. It is excellent for audio podcasting.
Software
While I'm always on the lookout for free apps, I have bought some apps and services in 2010. Most notably, I paid for Evernote Premium. I think Evernote is a great service, so it's nice I can support them. The main feature I use in Premium that isn't available in the free version is Note History. With this feature, I can go back in time to a different revision of a note. Other software I bought includes iTeleport for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. With iTeleport I can see my home computer's screen and control it from anywhere I have an internet connection. Another app for iPad is Air Display. It turns iPad into a second monitor for my MacBook. I've found this is to useful when traveling and working on projects. I move toolbars and pallets to the iPad screen where I can easily tap them and they are out of the way on my main laptop screen. When at home, I like to use my MacBook and my iMac at the same time. SynergyKM is free and is a tool that lets me share a single keyboard and mouse among multiple computers. Another free tool is Dropbox. Dropbox has software for Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and more. I can add anything to Dropbox and access it on all my other computers and devices. You get 2 GB of storage for free.
Magic Trackpad
I've always preferred a trackpad to a mouse. Apple's Magic Trackpad has replaced my mouse and I won't go back to having one. It's has a large touch-sensitive area and is wireless.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
While I like my Magic Trackpad, I don't really think of it as magical. But, I do think of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers as unbelievable. I use them on my Magic Trackpad and on my MacBook Pro to remove finger grease. Magic Eraser is also effective at cleaning white MacBooks and Apple iPad cases to make them look like new. Don't use water when cleaning electronics with Magic Eraser, because it works well dry. Also, don't use Magic Eraser on your device's screen since it is slightly abrasive.
Robots
In 2010 I started having robots do my dirty work! I bought a Roomba 562 Pet Series Vacuum Cleaning Robot. It can be set to vacuum on certain days at certain times, and it does carpet and tile floors. It's a little weird that Roomba does not vacuum in a pattern. Instead, it randomly wheels itself around the room, most likely going over each square foot more than once. My other robot is the Litter Robot LRII Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Box. Unlike other automatic litter boxes that rarely seem to work, my Litter Robot has worked flawlessly for 5 months. Seven minutes after a cat does his business, the robot's top sphere rotates 200 degrees and back, dropping clumps into a bag in the base. My cats always have a clean box, and I never have to scoop!
What do I plan to buy in 2011? I'll buy at least one Android tablet or handheld. I predict that Google's Android operating system will become a viable alternative to Apple's iOS in schools in the coming year. By the looks of it, we'll have plenty of quality choices for mobile learning in 2011!
Disclosure: I don't receive free or special deals from companies. I put my money where my mouth is--probably too much money when I add it all up. I do, however, make a little money if you follow a product link and buy from Amazon.
The educator and developer community at iear.org has taken nominations and votes for their 2010 Best App Awards. While nominations and voting is now closed, the list of dozens of nominees is a valuable resource. Nominations were made in early December by those who read I Educational Apps Review's blog. There are nearly 20 categories and each category is divided into elementary and secondary.
You can view the 125 apps categorized in a spreadsheet or view their icons in a widget. Clicking an icon will take you to the app's details page in the App Store. The widget was made using Appsfire's Widget Maker.
