Devices come and go, but strong content and good pedagogy remain at the center of what has true impact on student learning. I truly enjoyed a recent Digital Shift blog post, where Christopher Harris beseeches schools to slow down to do careful planning. He goes on to warn schools to not give in to the seductive lure of the hardware—as Harris says, “so pretty, so shiny.” He goes on to say we must resist the siren call of tablets and focus instead on instructional objectives. Gather good “lessons learned” from the full post at http://tinyurl.com/k2ce4ww
Tag Archives: iPad
Tricks for iPad and iPhone Users
No doubt, a number of you received a new iPhone or iPad recently. And, you may be building your skill set in using your device in order to be a rockstar in the upcoming Minnesota 23 Mobile Things Program. Experts at BuzzFeed share 19 tips and tricks to help you bond with your new device, and show off a bit too! Check it out at http://tinyurl.com/mnaqth5
Selecting an iPad Case
The biggest selling features of an iPad is its portability and thin, light weight design. However, when you are on the go-to and from conferences, meetings, work and home, it can be tricky protecting any device from scratches and wear. Function meets design in a recent article by Lifehacker. Contributor Allan Henry hit the streets to find iPad specific protective covers. Henry explains why a select few made the list, in the article 5 Best iPad Cases (December 2013.)
I-Pad Apps Used to Create Books
This week, CMLE links members to an online resource that combines technology, literacy and learning by capturing simple stories. TeachThought developed a list you can use to create books with apps including; Story Buddy 2, Book Creator and Scribble Press. Follow the link to review the complete list of 15 Literacy Apps to Create Books on the iPad (July 2013.)
Tips: Incorporate one of these apps with a community activity in the public library. Collect stories from a classroom instruction to share with parents as they stop by during conferences. Capture success stories to help demonstrate value added programming.
Lessons Learned with iPad Deployment
Are your school administrators all geeked up about rolling out a 1:1 initiative in your school in a hurry? As an information professional, it may prove helpful for you to be familiar with what works and when to take pause…..
Joyce Valenza was the keynote speaker at the October 5th Saturday morning portion of the MEMO Conference. Within her presentation, she alluded to the problems encountered in Los Angeles’ failed iPad roll-out. A murmur of an undefined sort rippled through the room, which made me wonder if I was the only person who had not read or heard about this news item. Armed with my trusty iPad, I immediately Googled it, and sure enough, the news had only hit the social media circuit on October 2nd, which made me feel slightly better, as I had joined the MEMO Conference on October 3rd.
According to Mind/Shift, “There’s an incredible litany of problems here that reads like a primer on what NOT to do with a major deployment of technology in a school district, “ and I couldn’t agree more. Although the story is about the nation’s second largest public school district, the lessons apply well in most settings.
Read from an insider’s viewpoint what went wrong with a $1 billion plan to give one iPad to every single student ($500 million for devices, plus an additional $500 million for internet infrastructure upgrades, raised through construction bonds). Some of the comments to this blog post are as valuable as the story itself, which is so often the case! Feel free to exercise your right to comment here too….