Tech Support with the Alpine Bovine

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

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.

Monday, August 31, 2015

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.

Monday, May 18, 2015

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+

Monday, April 20, 2015

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.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Starting out with the iPads

A couple of us got together on Thursday after school and had a good conversation about what to do with the iPads in your classroom and how to manage student work! Things you'll want to try out:

- log into your Google Drive app on your own iPad to give you a place to keep your files organized, and also a way to share files back and forth between your iPad and your laptop computer

- create a Dropbox account as one way for students to share work with you

- download and create an Evernote account to keep student work organized (more coming on this)

- when you can and cannot use AirDrop

- create accounts for Educreations, Showme and Screen Chomp and figure out what each one is good for -- they are similar but not identical! Here's a comparison: http://www.kleinspiration.com/2012/03/interactive-white-board-apps-for-ipad.html

I also had the opportunity to try an activity with Jennifer's second grade class with their iPads. In one hour, they accomplished a lot! Here's what we did:

- showed them what the two buttons did and how to take a screen shot

- showed them how to take a photo and how to navigate the Camera and Photo apps to take still images

- modeled how to use Educreations to combine text, drawing/writing and images to make a single slide

- practiced AirDropping the screen shots to one another and to the teacher

I'm sure you've already thought about this, but in addition to safety & handling of the iPads, you will definitely want to review specific strategies for sharing, words to use, what to do/say when you want the iPad, how to decide who gets it next (we use Rock-Paper-Scissors in the media center), etc.

Over the next couple weeks, please let me know if there is any task or app you would like them to learn on the iPad. I can model it in ILT and we can practice it here, then they can teach you what they learned. We'll get them using them, and then figure out what to do next!

Monday, December 15, 2014

iPad apps to install

Spend some time getting to know how to use ALL the apps on your iPad. You will need to take TIME to play with each one before you'll know what's hard for your kids! I'll review each one here, one at a time, but the best learning will come when you give yourself fifteen minutes or a half hour on each one.

For each app, ask yourself, if applicable: