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This is a great list of tips for people using iBooks Author including both basic and advanced tips.

Great tips for iBooks Author here

The final report of the iPad Scotland Evaluation undertaken for schools and local authorities in Scotland was released by the Technology Enhanced Learning Group based in the Faculty of Education at the University of Hull in October. 8 primary and secondary schools were assigned to participate the research by local authorities, the approximate number of iPads in pilot is 365

Terry Deary - Horrible Histories author venting...

To help schools with the tasks of creating an iBook using iBooks Author an iBook has been created that you can download here that provides the following information:What is an iBook?Content and Design of your iBookiBooks AuthorPreviewing and Publishing your iBookHow to share your iBook copyResources

Excellent selection of videos where authors and illustrators discuss getting their ideas for books (useful for K2 super story unit?)

"Franki is the author of Beyond Leveled Books (Stenhouse), Still Learning to Read (Stenhouse), and Day-to-Day Assessment in the Reading Workshop (Scholastic). She is also a regular contributor to Choice Literacy. Mary Lee is the author of Reconsidering Read-Aloud (Stenhouse). Both have been teachers for more than 20 years."

ABSTRACT This article outlines a learning intervention which the authors call Learning by Design. The goal of this intervention is classroom and curriculum transformation, and the professional learning of teachers. The experiment involves the practical application of the learning theory to everyday classroom practice. Its ideas are grounded in pedagogical principles originally articulated in the Multiliteracies project, an approach to teaching and learning that addresses literacy and learning in the context of new media and the globalizing knowledge economy. The need for a new approach to learning arises from a complex range of factors - among them, changes in society and the economy; the potential for new forms of communication made possible by emerging technologies; and rising expectations amongst learners that education will maximize their potential for personal fulfillment, civic participation and access to work. The authors first brought together the Learning by Design team of researchers and teachers in 2003 in order to reflect upon and create new and dynamic learning environments. A series of research and development activities were embarked upon in Australia and, more recently, in the United States, exploring the potentials of new pedagogical approaches, assisted by digital technologies, to transform today's learning environments and create learning for the future - learning environments which could be more relevant to a changing world, more effective in meeting community expectations and which manage educational resources more efficiently. One of the key challenges was to create learning environments which engaged the sensibilities of learners who are increasingly immersed in digital and global lifestyles - from the entertainment sources they choose to the way they work and learn. It was also about enabling teachers to explicitly track and be aware of the relationship between their pedagogical choices and their students' learning outcomes.

Some FAQs about publishing and distribution of iBooks

a complimentary service for iBooks Author that lets you add widgets to books

iBooks Author help - the ultimate help guides to getting started.

iBook Author guides - very useful

fascinating reading - which I will be using as I order books for the library - e.g., course reading lists by David Foster Wallace, WH Auden, etc.

the very popular author of "The Fault in Our Stars" discusses the issues of copyright inherent in fan fiction, etc. - using the example of a Filipino teenager and a Norwegian teenager creating a poster about his book -- a 3 min clip that could be could to show students re creative remix

"So push through that writer's block, and get inspired by these amazing tips from famous authors. Pick up that pen, and begin writing. After all, "The scariest moment is always just before you start." "

a website/blog by Lindsey Ferrie & Simon Davidson (author of "Taking the PYP Forward"

a British fantasy author who should be better known.... if you teach kids grades 5 and upwards, you should read some of her books so you can recommend them.... 

Editor's note: An extraordinary number of species-from squid to lizards to humans-engage in play. But why? In this article, adapted from Dr. Sam Wang and Dr. Sandra Aamodt's book Welcome to Your Child's Brain: How the Mind Grows from Conception to College (Bloomsbury USA, 2011; OneWorld Publications, 2011), the authors explore how play enhances brain development in children. As Wang and Aamodt describe, play activates the brain's reward circuitry but not negative stress responses, which can facilitate attention and action. Through play, children practice social interaction and build skills and interests to draw upon in the years to come.

"Technology is always upgrading, especially something popular like iPads with huge user base. Apple has the strong resource to make it better and better. After the upgrades of iOS6,  Lisa Nash - the author of Learning and Teaching with iPads, made a list of its impact in the use of schools. Readers will find these changes are thoughtful considerations for daily use practice."

an online book comparison game, judged by children's lit authors - March 12 - April 1, 2013

"In the Western understanding, students come to school with levels of innate intelligence and curiosity. Teachers try to further arouse that curiosity in specific subjects. There's a lot of active learning - going on field trips, building things. There's great emphasis on questioning authority, critical inquiry and sharing ideas in classroom discussion. In the Chinese understanding, there's less emphasis on innate curiosity or even on specific subject matter. Instead, the learning process itself is the crucial thing. The idea is to perfect the learning virtues in order to become, ultimately, a sage, which is equally a moral and intellectual state. These virtues include: sincerity (an authentic commitment to the task) as well as diligence, perseverance, concentration and respect for teachers. "