We've got our first Appy Hour under our belt!

Thanks to all the teachers who were able to attend Roberts Elementary's first Appy Hour!  Mrs. Brandon and Mr. Shahriari were our iTunes card winners.  We started off the hour with a scan of a QR code that opened a Padlet site for users to enter information about what they want to learn during our first Appy Hour.

Our Padlet is embedded below.  Double click anywhere on the Padlet to add your own input for future meetings, or scan with your iPad on the QR code on the Padlet to view the full page.  (If you've never used a QR Reader, go ahead and scan the code below anyway with your iPad QR Reader app and see what QR codes do.)

Created with Padlet

Topics Covered:
QR Codes (using and creating), using a bluetooth connected keyboard to type easily on the iPad, changing the toggle switch near volume controls from mute to lock rotation, and assessment apps.

QR Codes

QR Codes are wonderful little things that users can scan with their iPads and (viola!) contacts, text, and even websites will appear like magic.  I wish I could explain the science behind QR codes, but I am fairly new at using them myself.  I'm pretty sure it works similar to how other bar codes work. Click here to read more on the subject.  I do know, however, how to create them using QR Creator apps on the iPad, as well as on the computer using online QR Code generators.  Use your QR Reader app or the Scan app to read a code.

Why Use QR Codes?

• Students (particularly younger students) can quickly access a website you need them to go to.
• Scavenger hunts or webquests
• Add QR codes to sheets for helpful hints (e.g. a link to a ShowMe video with you explaining how to do a math problem).
• Many more reasons

Creating QR Codes

There are many QR code generators on the app store.  I personally use QR Creator, but there's not necessarily a best one.  My favorites are usually the free ones.  :-)

Creating QR codes on the laptop is just as easy.  Just google QR code creators and you will see several.  I have two saved as shortcuts on my menu bar.  The site QR Code Monkey will allow you to customize your QR code.  QR Code Generator is not fancy, but it is incredibly easy to use.

Bluetooth Connected Keyboard

The iPad's on-screen keyboard can be absolutely ridiculous at times when you are trying to type in large amounts of text.  You can purchase a keyboard for about $30 that connects to your iPad through bluetooth technology.  Click here if you need a quick read on what exactly bluetooth is.  

Assessments Using iPads

We discussed assessments using iPads, but it was just too large of a topic to cover during this first appy  hour meeting.  It's an important one though.  Anyone who uses an app to assess their students, please consider sharing what you use at the next meeting.  We have Socrative on our iPads, but it will require a bit of time to play with if we don't have someone to share their experiences with it.

So I imagine we will spend some more time next appy hour discussing assessment apps.  But don't forget, this time is driven by you, the participant.  So don't forget to RSVP and make sure you let us know what you would like to talk about at the next meeting!  We have a staff meeting next week, so the next meeting will be February 18th.  Hope to see you then!

Blogger App for iPads

One nice way to keep a line of communication open with your students and parents is through your blog.  Fortunately for Blogspot users, there is a free Blogger app available in iTunes.

Book Creator - iPadPalooza

Links for Book Creator:

Link to Book Creator on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/app/book-creator-for-ipad/id442378070?mt=8

Download free version from iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id661166101?mt=8

Book Creator product website: http://www.redjumper.net/bookcreator

App Video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/M0J9ptwcGLw

Example of books created in Book Creator: http://pinterest.com/bookcreator/made-in-book-creator/

What people say about Book Creator: https://storify.com/bookcreatorapp/feedback-for-book-creator

In this session, I will also use the following apps with Book Creator:  Box, Dragon Dictation, and MyLanguage Pro.  Another fun app for title pages is PicsPlay Pro.

Wixie, Pixie, and Fun, Fun, Fun!

IB Unit - Sharing the Planet

Kindergarten students are the first to try out our new image and video creating software called Wixie.  Wixie is similar to Pixie, which we use in the Academic Skills Lab, as well as other projects in first and second grade.  The main difference is that Wixie is Internet based and uses cloud technology so that no software need by installed.  This means that Wixie can be used on any computer with an Internet connection.  Additionally, teachers are able to view student work online to ensure mastery of the technology skills.

This year, Kindergartners get the opportunity to use the software early to create a short video about endangered animals for their IB unit on Sharing the Planet.  Students will learn how to access the software, login to Wixie, create artwork with the painting tools, add stickers, and even record their voices over their picture - on the iPad!  Additional technology skills they will learn will be how to save and rename their project.  I can't wait to see what awesome videos the students create!  Below are some pictures of students using Wixie in the classroom as they were first learning the software.

Creating Digital Books

Students in fourth grade created digital books using an app on the iPad called Book Creator.  They were able to publish their projects as iBooks or .pdf files that parents could access from the Fourth Grade Dropbox. 

Academic Skills Lab

The Roberts students attend the Academic Skills Lab, located in the Center for Inquiry every six school days. The first five or ten minutes are used to practice keyboarding skills. Academic Skills time is then used for practicing math, reading, or other teacher recommended skills on the student laptops. A student may login to their Everyday Math account, their Renzulli account, their Rosetta Stone acount, or practice a skill that is linked on the main Roberts Wiki page.

Essential Agreements were discussed the first week of school and consist of three things: be respectful, be safe, and be principled. Below are a couple of pictures of our students in action!

Wild About Wikis!

According to the largest wiki in the world, Wikipedia, a wiki is "a website that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor."

Our wikis are powered by PB Works and are private sites (not viewable by the general public).  PB Works allows teachers to create wikis and give their students special usernames and passwords that are specifically for students under the age of 13.  With wikis, students can create blogs, an online portfolio, or save links to websites they will need again.  With these wikis, students can take notes, see what their partner is doing, and make comments to each other.  And they can view their wiki from any computer with an Internet access anytime they like: from home, or at school on a laptop.

Teachers like the wikis because they can see quickly how their students are progressing at a glance.  Upon closer inspection, they can monitor page progression and even page history to see who is contributing to each page.  With wikis, students can also upload other files, such as images, Word documents, PowerPoints, or even videos they create.  In that sense, it's similar to a digital lockbox.