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"Some of these apps illustrate the power of the iPad. These Shakespeare in Bits are the perfect combination of cool graphics and slick infotainment that many teachers are looking for to get their students excited about their subject. The comic feel of these apps doesn't take away from the power of the message or the human tragedy of the Shakespeare texts but what it does do, is to provide an entry point for students that are not familiar with the language or the concepts."

"I've replied many times to the question of purchasing a Mac vs Windows PC. I point out that value, not price, is the most important factor. The qualities of the Mac (and the shortcomings of Windows) frequently make the Mac the "value buy" in personal computers."

"I don't want to make blanket statements regarding purchases. I fully recognize that every educator, school and institution has to decide what makes sense for them; ultimately, it is you that must live with the purchasing decision. At the same time, I would like to point out some things to consider. Applecare, from what I understand, extends the standard warranty of your iPad from 12 months to 24 months. Additionally, if you crack the screen of your iPad, you can have that iPad replaced for an additional $49 fee over and above the cost of your applecare protection plan of $99."

"Editing video on the go with the iPad and iMovie is pretty simple. Below I've grabbed three different free tutorials from Youtube that show you how to use the app. While the tutorials can give you a good of how to use the app, they are free so there are some limitations. If you are looking for really good, thorough tutorials on everything from iMovie to WordPress, I'd recommend subscribing to Lynda.com. These are a good starting point for you though if you've never seen iMovie on the iPad."

"Often I speak to teachers who are so ready to redefine their classrooms but simply don't have the resources to go 1:1 at this time. While I point them to this page to start thinking about grants, there aren't always open funds ready to dole out $15,000+ to teachers. If you are in this situation, and have a projector, laptop, and perhaps one teacher iPad, here is a "recipe" for how you can leverage these devices on a daily basis... and still work some magic. "

"As the maker movement in culture moves from MacGyver jokes and what Noah did when Allie left him in The Notebook to something with a bit more academic and cognitive credibility, it has also begun to creep in to the education space. As with any niche, there is specialized language-jargon-that may keep things murky for you. The 38 terms below by no means represent an exhaustive collection. (There are dozens of gadgets, circuit boards, and digital, robotic, and electrical wizardry we left on the cutting room flow.) But for most teachers in most circumstances, it should serve as a nice starting points."

"Augmented Reality (AR) is a growing field of technology where real life is modified and enhanced by computer-generated sights and sounds. The most common use of AR can be seen through mobile apps. Point your device's camera at something that the app recognizes, and it will generated a 3D animation or video superimposed over whatever is on your camera's screen. The effect makes the computer-generated item appear like it's really there. Want to see it in action? Here is a video from IKEA showing their AR app in action."

"Today, I'm going to tell you a fairy tale: Once upon a time, my mother in law (a third grade teacher) was in her classroom at school when her principal walked in and gave her an iPad for her class to use. Well, technically it was supposed to be for the entire third grade to share, but that's almost beside the point. After some initial excitement, she discussed how the entire third grade was supposed to share a single iPad with her fellow third grade teachers, and the iPad was promptly banished into a drawer, never to see the light of day again. The end."

"At this point, some of you are probably sick of hearing about Minecraft. It has gone from game to phenomenon, selling bajillions of copies and crowding the mindscape of 6th graders everywhere for what seems like centuries. But before you go, there may be some lessons you can takeaway for your classroom-lessons that can help promote the creativity in students you've been looking for."

"The breakthrough happened after the student took the Bartle's Gamer Profile Quiz and we found out that he was a "killer." Off-the-charts killer, but achievement meant nothing to this student. Just like grades. No, we haven't identified the next school shooter, and I sure wish that Bartle hadn't named one of the four gamer profiles "killer" -- but nonetheless, this student identified with this profile. Jane McGonigal mentioned it in her Gaming Can Make a Better World TED Talk when she discussed an epic meaning. My so-called "killer" student (and we really should rename this when applying it to education!) simply saw things as a battle between good and evil and wanted to fight on the side of good in an epic quest to make the world a better place. Points don't matter in gameplay, and grades don't matter, either. But when we tweaked the kinds of work he was doing in our Gamifi-ED project to focus on "world-changing games," he was suddenly engaged. Now his face lights up when he sees me. He's one of the first kids to class. He's an engaged gamer and, finally, an engaged student. "

"Contact is key. Our constituencies want us to be accessible. However, 24/7 access isn't always possible, nor should it be. Chris Casal, the technology teacher & tech coordinator at PS 10 in Park Slope, Brooklyn, uses his Google Voice number on a daily basis to keep the parent-teacher line of communication open & accessible as well as a point of contact available to all members of the PS 10 community."

"Looks like this mobile learning thing might actually take off, eh? Just as we recently looked specifically at math apps for elementary school students, now we give some love to elementary students (and teachers) who have tablets and want to separate the digital wheat from the digital chaff. The following listly collection from sometimes-TeachThought contributor Sam Gliksman is an excellent starting point for elementary teachers looking for elementary apps for elementary students in the most elementary way possible: a collection of 38 possibilities, all embedded in your favorite blog whose name is a compound word. As usual, Gliksman's experience with iPads in education yields a wonderfully diverse collection of apps, from games to digital media software to math and literacy apps."

"I wish geometry was taught in this way when I was in school. Curriki's new Project-based Learning (PBL) high school Geometry course is now available. For so many students, it's difficult to make a real-life connection between math and their everyday lives. By adopting a Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach, students learn that geometry is not only theoretical, but practical and necessary. Students will move beyond a basic understanding of concepts to an enjoyment of discovery. This free Geometry course not only leverages the popular PBL "active" approach but is also aligned to Common Core State Standards. Thom Markham, Ph.D., President of PBL International, is the designer of the course. He notes that Project-Based Learning points us toward the future of education. "It's a proven method for integrating the 21st century skills of communication and teamwork into the delivery of core subjects.""

"In a way, the current education system is already set up like a game-just not a very well designed one. Students earn points (grades), gain levels (grades), and in a way, have leaderboards. There are class valedictorians and students are essentially ranked based on their grades when colleges are deciding who to accept. Currently, the typical grading system in schools has students starting off with a 100 average, which slowly (or quickly, depending on the student's performance) gets lower and lower as the student receives anything less than a 100 on any assignments, tests, etc."

"The difference between assessment of learning and assessment for learning is a crucial one, in many ways indicative of an important shift in education. Traditionally, tests have told teachers and parents how a student "does," then offers a very accessible point of data (usually percentage correct and subsequent letter grade) that is reported to parents as a performance indicator. Class data can be gathered to imply instructional effectiveness, and the data from multiple classrooms can be combined to suggest the performance of an entire school, but a core message here is one of measurement and finality: this is how you did. This was the bar, and you either cleared it or you didn't. And it's all past tense."

"You don't need an infographic to tell you that your students (and probably most of your friends, colleagues, and family members) have their nose pointed towards a screen more often than not. While I'm definitely not above chastising my dinner mates for getting too cosy with their phone instead of interacting with everyone at the table, I wouldn't necessarily transfer that same open shaming technique to a classroom. Studies show that so much of our daily media interactions are screen based - 90%, in fact. So while your inclination may be to have students focusing on one thing at a time to make sure they're getting all they need to out of an activity, maybe you should think again."

"About a year ago, I read Susan Cain's Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. I wanted to tell everyone about this book right away, but I also wanted to let what I'd learned sink in. I wanted to sit alone with my new self-awareness, process my experience, and absorb the revelations I'd had -- all in true introverted fashion. See, as I'd read Cain's book, my predominant thoughts were, "She's describing me! I'm an introvert! And there's nothing wrong with that!" The margins of my copy are littered with stars, exclamation points, and scribbles that, as I look back, reflect my profound relief and gained understandings. "

"In The eLearning Coach New Year's tradition, I'm presenting another list of compelling ways to learn online this year. Opportunities for learning seem limitless, applications get smarter and the content gets richer. I just hope we don't all evolve into robot heads at some point. Enjoy! At the end you'll find links to lists from the three previous years."

"Learnist is one of the hot education-oriented social networks you should know about. If you're a teacher, student, administrator, or anyone who wants to learn while browsing the web, you should know about Learnist. Founded by the folks behind Grockit (the test-prep company), I've been following Learnist since inception. This course is a quick overview of all the key points to know about! Take This Course Students "

"In early September, my sixth grade social studies students began playing the SimCityEDU beta. Around the same time, my seventh graders began playing a non-digital debate game -- complete with teams, a point system and a leaderboard. All of my students are rewarded for their growth and accomplishments with a digital badge system. After one month, I find that my students remain highly engaged in their learning. Gamifying my classroom has truly been transformative! "