Our Thoughts on Technology

On May 2, 2012 two students will travel to Springfield with Mr. Hetrick and Mrs. Zumpano to showcase our fantastic work with the iPads for Tech 2012.

We hear how much you enjoy technology and the iPads, now its time to tell everyone else!  Please take a minute to respond to this post:  what are your thoughts about the iPads?  What do you enjoy the most about using them?  Do they make learning easier?  More fun?

Please share any thoughts you have on technology.  Remember to put your first name and last initial when you respond!

QR Codes in Reading Workshop

Ms. Beckom's reading classes recently used QR codes.  

Ms. Beckom's thoughts on QR Codes:

The QR Codes saved time and helped my students and I to be more accurate. Instead of writing the URLs on the board, which sometimes I or more my students often write or copy wrong, I just created a QR code which took my students directly to the site.  YEA!  Additionally, I did not have to worry about making many, many copies of pages for handouts.  Via the internet, I can expose my students to more information than I ever could have enough copies of.  It was quick, easy to produce and implement.  I went to a QR code generator and I had a QR code in a matter of seconds. What's more, it is free of charge to make and use.  Additionally, it makes my lesson more interesting, because my students like to SCAN STUFF!  Scanning helped them to buy into the lesson and become more engaged learners.

Students:  your turn!  What do you think of using QR codes in reading?  Can you think of some other ways to use them?

Midyear Survey

Hi May iPad Students!  Please take a few minutes to complete this midyear survey for CPS.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDM0S3JfREpsQXNaYkJWTXoxMUttWWc6MA

A Trip to the Apple Store

In November the 5th and 6th grade students took a trip to the Apple store.
Ms. Tell writes about the visit:

The Apple Store was a nice experience for the 5th and 6th grade ipad users at May. 
The students were asked questions about how they are using the IPADS in the 
classroom. They were eager to share their daily experiences with the ipads. Students
then took pictures and videos of each other. Students then turned their pictures
and videos into exciting i-movies. Students had an exciting time at the apple store!


Students:  What did you enjoy about the trip?

One to Watch: Popplet Lite

Generating thoughts?  Organizing information?  Popplet Lite may be the app for you!  The paid version is $4.99 and offers many great features.  The FREE version is on our iPads and has met our needs just as well.  Popplet Lite allows students to create concept maps of their thinking.  With the paid version students can create and edit multiple "popples"at one time.  The free version allows users one popple at a time, but don't let that scare you off. There is also a beta version on the web at http://popplet.com/app/#/home

This is what the application looks like:

Students double tap the screen to begin.  A blank box will appear with 4 options beneath it:

1. The first option allows you to change the color of the box outline (black, grey, blue, green, red, orange, pink).  Changing the color of the boxes could be good for categorizing.
2. The second option allows you to add text.  There are 3 text sizes available with left/center/right justification options
3. Option three is twofold:  you can write inside the box freestyle and change the color of the pen
4. Finally, the last option allows you to embed a picture into your box.  Tapping on this option pulls up your photo library.  If you want to take an image from the Internet this is also an option.  Do this by finding the picture you would like to use (be mindful of copyright).  If you are using your iPad, hold your finger down on the image. A box will appear giving you the option to save or copy the image.  Go back to your popple (it will appear as you left it when you left the app) and click on the box you would like to place the picture in.  Hold your finger in the box and you will see three options appear:  paste the image, paste the URL, or copy the popple.

You will notice the box has four circles along the outside.  Selecting and moving these will allow you to link another box to your original.  If you would like another box but NOT have it linked simply double tap the screen where you would like a new box to appear.

The menu along the top of the application allows students to change the name of their popple as well as lock it (making it closed to additional edits).  You can also export your finished product!  Popplet allows students to email as pdf, email as jpeg, or save as a jpeg.  

Here are some sample popples created by our 5th and 6th grade students.  As an introduction Mr. Hetrick, our writing teacher, asked the students to create a popple about themselves and email the finished product to him.

Students:  what do you think of Popplet?  Do you like using it?  Do you have any ideas for additional ways to use it in your classrooms?

  

QR Codes in Education

QR Codes are awesome!  To kick off the Shoe Project at MCA the students participated in a short QR code fact finding mission!  They were given a short introduction on what QR codes are and then allowed to try their own.  We hope to utilize them more throughout the project.  The presentation and a link to their assignment is below.

Link to Prezi: http://prezi.com/x05j71izazzl/have-you-seen-me/?auth_key=df272c7cde5662c57c7e836161c7bc1498bcb45e 

Link to Assignment: http://www.scribd.com/doc/73369634/Fun-With-QR-Codes-Shoes-Intro

Link to Additional Resources for Educators: http://nicolezumpano.wikispaces.com/QRCodes

Students: what do you think of QR Codes?  Would you like to use them in more classes?  Have you seen them before?

Our Journey to iOS 5

Apple has recently updated its operating system for the iPad.  Initially we were asked to hold off on the install for our iPads due to a conflict with a management app that CPS uses.  Recently they've lifted that restriction and given us the go ahead to proceed.  Needless to say....its taken more than a minute to begin to get the iPads upgraded.  Below are the step by step procedures I followed.  Hope it helps.

1.  Plug in your iPad to your MacBook and wait for iTunes to launch.  A message should appear saying that new software is available.  Click "update" to proceed.

2.  A new message will appear telling you that updating will backup and restore your apps, media, contacts, etc.  Again, click "update".  The first time you download the OS it will take over an hour.  After the initial download it should be (somewhat) quicker.  As this is taking place you'll see messages along the top saying the iPad is being prepared for restore.  Don't do anything else at this time.

3.  Next you will be asked to enter a password to unlock your iPad backup file. This is a password that you would have set up previously.  It is not necessarily the password to your iTunes account.  Select ok after entering the password and the iPad restore will begin.

4.  After the restore is complete iTunes will sync the iPad.  At this point I usually take a minute to make sure the amount of apps is correct and all of our iTunes U programs are up to date.

5.  At this point, eject the iPad from iTunes.

6.  When you open the iPad you'll see a grey screen that says "restore completed".  Press Continue.

7.  You'll see the prompt for "Location Services".  I chose to enable the location services.  Click next.

8.  You'll see on the next screen a prompt for the Wi-Fi Networks.  The CPS network should be selected.  Press next.

9.  The next screen is for the Apple ID.  Select "sign in with an Apple ID".  When you select this you'll be prompted to put in your Apple ID.

10.  Agree to Apple's terms and conditions next.

11.  Next its time to set up iCloud.  I chose to "use iCloud".  Select next.  You'll be prompted to merge your bookmarks from the iPad with iCloud.  I chose not to merge since there are 95 iPads on the same account.

12.  You'll be asked if you want to back up to iCloud or Back up to your computer.  I chose to back up to the computer.  Select next.

13.  At this point it's time to set up the "Find my iPad" feature. Select next.

14.  The next screen will ask if you would like to send diagnostic information automatically to Apple.  You can choose to automatically send or not to send.  Select next.

15.  Finally!!  The iPad is ready to use!  Click "Start Using iPad".

If you are part of CPS the fun isn't over.  Although all of my iPads are named, CPS has a naming convention that they want utilized.  The first letter is either I (for Instr) or A (for Admin). Next place the Oracle number of your school.  Place a T (for tablet).  After that the Asset Tag number.  Finally, if you would like to put something personal to your school in it goes at the end.  I have the cart number and iPad number on mine.  An example may look like this:  A12510T51542522_Cart01#2

When this step is complete you are done!!  Now in my case....94 iPads to go.....