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"So how can teachers prepare for this surge of computer science in the classroom and integrate it into their curriculum in a meaningful way? It starts with understanding that technology is a tool-a means to accomplishing an end, but not an end itself. It's important to not just leverage technology for technology's sake. There needs to be a purpose behind it. For example, besides simply having iPads in the classroom, schools need to have goals in place for using them. Perhaps the goal is enabling kids to create with the iPads-like build their own apps-versus simply reviewing materials on the device. Through our work helping students, teachers and parents around the world embrace technology in the classroom and at home, I've learned some best practices for maximizing the opportunities that technology education offers:"

"Computational thinking is the thought processes involved in formulating a problem and expressing its solution(s) in such a way that a computer - human or machine - can effectively carry out. Informally, computational thinking describes the mental activity in formulating a problem to admit a computational solution.  The solution can be carried out by a human or machine. This latter point is important.  First, humans compute.  Second, people can learn computational thinking without a machine.  Also, computational thinking is not just about problem solving, but also about problem formulation.1 The Digital Careers organisation says that students need experience and skills in computational thinking and computer programming (coding) to be successful in their future careers.2 The NSW syllabuses provide a range of opportunities to develop students' understanding of computational thinking and coding. This guide draws out the areas where computational thinking can be applied within the existing NSW K-8 syllabuses. Like the syllabuses, it is organised into stages of learning and subdivided into learning areas, with suggested activities and links to online resources. Not all resources and activities listed in this guide refer to coding explicitly, but they do aim to develop algorithmic and computational thinking skills to better enable students and teachers to reach a coding goal."

"If you are a heavy user of Google Drive, chances are you already have so much of your content stored there. While Google Drive does provide some excellent organizing features that allow you to  sort out and categorize your content into an easily navigable interface , but sometimes the search process can be really overwhelming and this is why knowing how to smartly search your Drive can save you so much time and enable you to quickly locate and access your saved data. The visual we have for you today (for those of you who haven't seen it yet) features 8 excellent search tips to help you conduct effective searches in your Google Drive. Whether you are looking for documents that contain specific quotes or phrases, documents shared with you or with a particular person,  document under specific titles or type …etc, the tricks below will absolutely help you easily find them. All of the tips are taken from "

"Flipping the classroom is a technology-enabled technique that can make a significant difference in student learning and academic success, and is well suited for gradual widespread adoption."

"So this is pretty cool: Autodesk, the maker of the popular 3D design software AutoCAD, has just released a new app for the iPad called 123D Catch. The software enables you to capture 3D images of things using your tablet's camera."

" In addition, it was my students who shared how much they loved how fast they were able to acquire the information and how they could easily put it into their project work. During inquiry learning , the iPads are so intuitive and as a result enable the learning to be so seamless."

"At an ICT Subject Leaders conference I had the chance to listen to Craig Wilkie who speaks passionately about Transformation in Education. I really valued his honesty, and almost his vulnerability, in promoting this thinking in schools (Transformation sounds like a big deal, and a scary concept!) However, as his presentation went on, I realised that my school and other settings I have worked with are transforming the learning culture. "

"At TeachMeet Nottingham, Friday 30th March, I spoke about my work with Apps Based Learning on iPad and how Puppet Pals and Morpho Booth has been effective in bringing story language to life in my Reception class."

"Using personal iPhones and iPads in the office leads many people to work from them while on vacation. Our iPhones and iPads, which enable us to work and be on call virtually anywhere at any time, will lead to more than half of us working while on vacation. That's the result of a new study that looked at how technology impacts the work/life balance. iOS devices are common players in the bring your own device (BYOD) era. As BYOD programs lead many of us to use our personal iOS devices and other mobile technology for work-related tasks, they also encourage an "always on" attitude from employers and employees alike."

PixStop, a fresh new app that enables you to make stop-motion films on your iPad 2. Designed to capture as many as 10,000 images, Pixstop allows you to create mini masterpieces up to 13 minutes long. Excitement! Free in Canada

"While educators are still divided over Apple's tablet (and tablets in general), ultimately the only way to assess a technology's impact is to try it, not only to enhance or replace existing classroom instructional techniques, but also to truly innovate and explore the new pedagogies it enables."

"In recent weeks I have playing with the exciting combination of Easy Portfolio and Coaches Eye inside of the PE classroom. This has enabled the easy recording and storing of video analysis activities. Check out the apps working in concert together below."

"You've heard that you can print from your iPad to an AirPrint enabled printer, so you go to your favorite app and find the Print menu item ... only to find there are no printers listed. "

"Penultimate is a powerful note-taking app for the iPad, enabling users to create an infinite number of beautiful electronic notebooks using different paper formats."

"According to Apple, schools are using iPads to administer tests on a regular basis now. I can see this being helpful in 1:1 classrooms and those looking to make tests / pop quizzes a bit more interactive. But, a big problem with giving tests on iPads is cheating. Luckily, Apple has added in some controls to Guided Access that lets teachers turn off the ability to use Safari to look up answers while taking a test. In fact, you can disable and enable all sorts of custom controls. You can use 'Single App Mode' where a student can ONLY use the app that's delivering the test."

"Guided Access, or what we to call "Kid Mode", is a fantastic addition to iOS that lets you lock an iPhone or iPad into a single app. Well, great when it works as it's intended, but it appears there's a pretty frustrating bug that makes the feature work a little too well once it's enabled in iOS 6 with some apps: triple-clicking the Home button doesn't summon anything and you're stuck in an app! This leaves you unable to leave Guided Access mode, but here's a workaround to get out of it until the bug is resolved:"

The basic operation of the Apple TV involves connecting the device to the existing organization network. With the AirPlay feature found on iPads and Apple computers, one connects in wirelessly to the Apple TV. This technology allows not only the streaming image of the iPad or airplay enabled computer, but also carries the audio signal as well. This makes for a quick way to share media that provides both the video and sound in one signal to the television or projection device.

"Taking pictures on handheld devices and blasting them to everyone you know, has become the norm of today's social generation. Snaps of our pets, our dinner, and even ourselves ("selfies") can be found stored in the library of most people's iPads. With all the work that has been done on the technology end of things, to enhance the megapixels and quality of the camera, it's no wonder the App world is keeping up by enabling user's to have fun with and perfect, their digital masterpiece's. "

"n January I was one of the Apple Distinguished Educators who got to talk at the Apple Leadership Summit. Below you can see my presentation. For more information check http://ipadders.eu/22-ipad-alternatives-to-the-book-report/ "

"The art of animation - a series of related images that depict movement - is arguably several thousand years old. The use of equipment that could display animated images in rapid succession to create the illusion of motion is a more modern phenomenon that gained wide popularity with the development of motion pictures. Cartoons and animated movies from the studios of companies such as Disney, Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon and others have had a tremendous impact on modern culture. Production of an animated movie requires skilled artists, expensive equipment and an investment of countless hours of labor. No longer. Mobile devices with built-in cameras such as the iPad enable budding animators to use a variety of easy to use animation apps to capture and stitch together photos of characters and objects into seamless, fluent animated movies. Further, the process of designing, scripting and staging animations has tremendous educational potential. Animation can be a wonderful mix of art, science, collaboration and problem solving."