Group items tagged

"Blogging apps make it possible for students to record their observations and those of others from almost anywhere (click here for the mobile apps for the most popular blog platforms). Here are three mobile blogging activities that you might have students try on your next field trip." R. Byrne suggests 3 lessons using Animoto for mobile, podcasting with Audioboo or Sound Cloud, and picture enhancement with ThingLink or PicCollage. More ideas in the links below the entry.

"With the growing popularity of internet access to mobile devices like the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, monitoring internet activity isn't so easy as plopping the computer in the living room and keeping a watchful constant eye over young shoulders. Now, the internet is mobile. It's small enough to fit in a pocket and that makes parental monitoring an even bigger challenge. "Fortunately, the tech world has heard the rally cries of concerned parents and a number of kid-safe browsers are available to allow your child internet access in a safe manner. By no means is everything on the internet dirty, filthy, vulgar or dangerous. Much of the content on the web is educational, informative, fun and smart. With these kid safe browsers, you'll be able to help keep your kids on the right side of the cyber tracks."

Med Karbach's blog is worth following. This particular article has a combination of good ideas and tools for the online teacher, including mobile apps and an infographic on the evolution of ed tech.

An excellent article on using mobile tech. The same discussion of how to use the technology has been taking place with computers for 2 decades, at least. Here is an example of teachers who "get it." "Teachers I talked to seemed uninterested, almost dismissive, of animations and gamelike apps. Instead, the tablets were intended to be used as video cameras, audio recorders, and multimedia notebooks of individual students' creations. The teachers cared most about how the devices could capture moments that told stories about their students' experiences in school. Instead of focusing on what was coming out of the iPad, they were focused on what was going into it."

This is a downloadable e-book free from Shelley Terrell on how to use mobile devices as learning tools.

"What is qualitative formative assessment? Some call it anecdotal or informal assessment. However, such designations imply passivity -- as if certain things were captured accidentally. I believe the word "formative" should always be included with the word assessment because all feedback mechanisms should help shape and improve the person (or situation) being assessed. Wedging the word "qualitative" into my terminology differentiates it from the analytic or survey-based measures that some associate with the term formative assessment." Richards discusses using mobile tools for on the spot assessment in a variety of ways.

EdTechTeacher is a site with many free parts. The mobile apps page can be searched by type of device or by type of learning activity. The team also offers webinars and other apparatus to help teachers.

Having an online mirror of everything taught in the classroom, and instant communication with teachers and working groups helps this technological high school overcome typical school-based problems with using 24/7 technology.

Using Screenchop on tablet (or similar) and show teacher answers so everyone participates, but does so privately. Including ways to refuse sexting or an invitation to post pictures, etc. Includes discussion of ways to adapt to a non-tech classroom.

A nice collection of apps for iPads for younger learners. Includes writing, telephony, geography, maths, and literacy.

Kathy is back with a blog for teaching with mobile technology. This should be good. One interesting link: Quick tips and tricks on how to use an iPad and video tutorials for details.

Easy for students to create their own flashcards for self-study and exam prep. Create a bunch and share. Mobile, too.

A search engine for apps, organized first by the type of interface you are using: mobile, desktop, browser, or web (or all). May create some good short-cuts in the elusive quest for the perfect app.

Points out the advantages of using a tablet device for content-creation. It's fast, mobile, and economical: "We've had computers in schools for years, but in reality many (most?) classroom teachers don't and never did have their students making podcasts, movies, eBooks and websites. Doing so seems too time consuming and for many non-technical teachers the learning curve appears disproportionate to the benefits realised. "But producing comparable creative content on an iPad is relatively quick, simple, yields impressive results with minimal fuss, and the learning curve is … well, there almost isn't one! There is no need to connect an external microphone (the built-in one is better than that in any laptop), no need to adjust recording levels, no need to use a pop-filter. No need to import media from a recording device to the editing device (becasue they are one and the same), and it's unnecessary to allow 10 minutes at the end of a class, to save, unplug devices, shut down and stow the laptops. Instead, when the bell sounds, students simply flip their iPad cases closed and walk to the next class!"

R. Byrne: "Study Boost could be a good service for students to use to study on the go. Using Study Boost students traveling for club or sports activities need to only take their mobile devices with them study. As a teacher you can register and submit batches of questions that your students can study. Or students can create their own sets of questions to study. " This has some potential, especially if students can be persuaded to build their own study questions to answer.

Haiku Deck is a simple-to-use presentation program that works with both mobile technologies and the Web. R. Byrne gives some example in this blog entry from first and second graders. Related articles talk about how to use Haiku Deck for literacy instruction.

"To start using Presentation.io upload a PPT or PDF to your free Presentation.io account. Presentation.io then gives you a URL to distribute to your audience. When the members of your audience open that URL they will be able to see and follow along with your presentation. When you're done with your presentation just click "stop presenting" and the synchronization stops. To use your phone as a remote just start your presentation and Presentation.io will send you a text with a link to make your phone a remote. Simply upload your presentation, click "Settings" and then "Use mobile phone as controller." "The free version of Presentation.io keeps your presentation on file for four hours before it expires. " This sounds like a great app to use at conferences. Other links in this blog mention Presefy, which also lets an audience follow your slides remotely.

Ways for younger students to start tinkering with programming language, including "Move the Turtle," from the old LOGO, Symour Papeert, and Apple IIe days. Some are apps for mobile devices.

Dozens of ideas for using technology, explained by teachers. Emphasis on middle-school students (ages 11-13), and many for uses of video and mobile technologies.

"GoClass is a learning platform.... Using common mobile devices and an Internet connection, the platform helps you improve student engagement, classroom management ... With lesson plan review, student notes and media annotation, their classroom experience goes home with them." This app seems to have multiple functions, such as sending students follow-up notes and quick polls/quizzes, sharing whiteboards, etc. This will require some exploration. Available for both Apple and Google platforms.