PD Session: Using QR Codes

I presented an introductory lesson in using QR codes for my staff this week. Here's the link to the Google Slides presentation.

App Review: Adobe Voice

Adobe Voice captured my attention as an elegant, full-featured and simple app for students to get their ideas from their heads and into an electronic medium.

Originally I saw it as a way for kids to retell a story, but the more I looked at the possibilities, the more genre opened up to me. Memoirs, small moments, biographies, how-to, instructional texts, all about... the applications are almost literally endless.

Creations can include photos and icons that may be searched for within the app. The photo filter is minimal, but students can also add their own photos. This is what I would do with younger students, give them access to an existing folder of work, and have them create from that.

When I created a review, I worked from a script, but it was so easy to edit and change on the fly that I had no trouble fitting my words to the frame of the story. Each screen's sound is recorded individually. I found I got much better sound quality when I plugged in my headphones with their microphone attachment.

Adobe Voice provides a very interesting framework with words and phrases to help students tell their story as they go. This was distracting to me, and probably would not aid younger students, but I can see how adults and high school age kids might like it.

One of the most useful things about Adobe Voice is how it saves to the Adobe Creative Cloud. I was annoyed, but not limited by occasional crashes of my old, slow iPad, because all the things I was doing were instantly saved to the Adobe Cloud and I lost nothing. I had to create an account in order to use it, but it took literally minutes.

Teachers need to be aware of privacy ramifications of saving to Adobe's cloud. Adobe requires that teachers of students younger than 13 create accounts for their students' iPads. Older students can create their own Creative Cloud accounts; younger students will want to stick to saving to camera roll, which is thankfully now part of the app. Privacy settings indicate that Adobe does collect information while people are using the app but that the app does not retain content, so uploaded data can be washed away after it is used. You can modify some privacy settings within the app to prevent Adobe from collecting some (but apparently not all) data while the app is used.

It also seamlessly connects to Dropbox, which was a huge boon for me. I searched in advance for the photos I wanted and added them into my Dropbox folder on my computer. Teachers can connect a classroom Dropbox to students iPads and let their students draw on media right from their own collections. You can also share your creations directly on Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo and other web sites.

Here's the Adobe Voice story I created in about an hour (while writing this post): https://voice.adobe.com/a/XyAJ0/
You can also view my post about it on Twitter or on Facebook.

I would recommend this app for grades 3-12 for creating stories independently, and grades K-2 for doing it with help. A written script might make it easier for fluent readers, but everybody else might just want to talk into the microphone and see what comes out. Pair with Dropbox and an Adobe ID for easiest access, and Twitter, Facebook or Vimeo for easiest distribution.

More resources for educators:

• http://edtech.tv/adobevoice/
• http://beyondthetools.com/2014/05/students-tell-their-own-stories-with-adobe-voice/
• https://www.smore.com/u51p4-adobe-voice
• https://engagetheirminds.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/adobe-voice/

Using QR Codes in the Classroom

Our iPads now have a QR code reader called I-Nigma. It's a very simple app that scans QR codes and sends students to the information coded within. A QR code can hold text, a link, a picture, a video -- pretty much anything. Try scanning this one:

There are free tools on the Internet to make QR codes, such as QRStuff. A really easy way to make a QR code for a link is to use Google's URL shortener, Goo.gl to create a short URL. Then paste the URL into the location bar (control-V), add the letters .ql and press return. Ta-da!

• Kathy Schrock's guide provides lots of ideas and resources. Scroll down to the bottom for a list of ideas. 
• You can find a bazillion QR-code things on Teachers Pay Teachers. 
• QR codes are great for literacy and math centers.

Suggested K-2 iPad app additions

In an effort to start the year proactively with our new iPad carts, as well as our classroom iPads... following my weeks of tech PD this summer, there are a few iPad apps I would suggest we add ASAP. Some of them will improve accessibility for students, and some are tools for very young (non-reading) students to use right away. These are the ones I want to request initially. They are all free.  

Seesaw - the best K-2 portfolio app so far, I have PD materials for this from the company!

I-Nigma - a QR code reader, this eliminates the need for students to have to type in URLs and is incredibly valuable

Geoboard - a simple geoboard app

ABC Magnetic Alphabet - a simple magnetic letter app, speaks words as they are built

Kodable

Daisy the Dinosaur - both of these are coding apps for K-2, to build on our Hour of Code experience

Adobe Voice - an awesome app for making stories, voice/pictures, saves to camera roll (crucial!)

Adobe Clip - for making videos, this is MUCH easier to use than iMovie (but iMovie is still useful for its Trailer-maker)

I would also advocate finding funding for a few apps this year, including LetterSchool, a handwriting app (vetted by our OT folks, works with HWT) and Book Creator, a spectacular award-winning book writing/publishing app. 

Tech Tidbits for back-to-school PD

A guide to using Google Drive on the iPad
Recording video to the Google Drive

Chromebooks 101: What's All the Fuss About? 
Chromebook Classroom
Typing games on the web

When you feel ready - getting started with Google accounts:

• Have students practice copying their username as handwriting practice. 
• Later, practice filling in letters or chunks missing as bellwork. 
• Show students the non-letter parts of their login on the keyboard and how to type them (@ and . )
• Have them type their username several times in KidPix or another application that does not require a login. Use different fonts to make it fun. Have them create their own practice login card. 
• Demonstrate logging in on the iPad and on the computer using the projector. Show how it's different.

Coding apps for early elementary

Loved Hour of Code and don't know what to do next? Here's a review of four stand-alone coding apps for younger coders on the iPad. Thanks to Thomas Idzikowski for his professional assessment!

Daisy the Dino (Free):

Challenge goal based interaction. Single object (Daisy the Dino) programming. The methods and properties are all entered sequentially to solve a challenge given. Simplistic click and drag interface, no debugging. Good for 4-6 yo.

Kodable/Kodable Classroom (Paid - Account based):

Challenge goal based interaction. Single object programming which introduces successively more complex objects and motions. Basic procedural programming constructs are taught - branching, looping, etc... Click and drag interface. Some tutorials and a crude debugging system. Good for 5-8 yo. 

ScratchJr (Free):

User defined goal based interaction. Multiple object (Characters) programming. Children define scenes they want the characters to act out. Basic procedural programming constructs are taught - branching, looping, etc... Click and drag interface. Good Sprite (Character) editor Multiple projects can be saved by each user. Well composed guides for learning about the interface and the types of programming blocks. Good for 7-12 yo.

Tynker (Free - Account based):

User defined goal based interaction. Multiple object programming. Users can create their own games and review existing games to learn basic programming skills needed to produce their own. Very attractive interface. Children can learn at their own pace in a self contained, engaging environment. It's like playing a videogame with increasing skill levels. The Sprite editor is the most advanced I've seen for this level of app. Many important aspects of game creation are covered: Tracking, Drawing, Sound, Animation, Randomization, Constraints, etc...Great for 7yo+ 

Educreations links for Bryant teachers

Here are the links to Educreations groups for the media center.  This will enable us to share student work online once it has been created.

Kindergarten: https://www.educreations.com/sr/XRAGCSX
1st grade: https://www.educreations.com/sr/HXLRXZM
2nd grade: https://www.educreations.com/sr/TZPUYBA

On each iPad, using Safari, go to the Bryant Media Center web page.
Scroll to the bottom to find the link to this blog (the cow picture). Tap it and scroll down to this blog post. Then tap the link for your grade level.
It will prompt you to log in or create an account. Each iPad will have its own student account. I recommend you use this format:

• first name = Bryant
• last name = iPad #
• username = bryant### (where ### is the number of the iPad, with zeros)
• password = ### (the number of the iPad, with zeros)
• uncheck the box asking "notify me about new features."

You can also create an account directly in the Educreations app. Tap "I'm A Student." When it asks for a class code, use the seven-letter code at the end of the link above (e.g. kindergarten would be XRAGCSX). 

You can create your own classes, then join the classes on each iPad. That will allow you to have access to the student work that's created in Educreations and share it online.