Technology and Learning

Here are some "random" thoughts that I know to be true: 1. This year was a HUGE success as far as MOVE 21 and our iPad initiative 2. The teachers in Barnesville are AMAZING and have done some AMAZING things 3.  Summer will be summer, but I KNOW that there will be SO many things created, learned and worked on by all of us 4. Next fall will be 500% better - we have a year under our belts, we know how to handle situations that arise, teachers and students know what to expect, etc... CAN NOT WAIT (well I can:) 5. The journey was NOT always an easy one - but with hard work, positive attitudes and diligence, we were able to become a "TRUE" example for others to follow in their pursuit 6. We have learned and created connections with surrounding teachers, districts and colleagues along the way that will continue to be a support system for us! 7.  We DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING!!  We will continue to learn more and more each and every day, month, and year - can we EVER kn

  Yahoo!  We are now all finished with collection of iPads per grade level.  We have a few stragglers, but will catch up with them in the next day or two.  I have removed the profiles and this year's apps that they won't need next year - just hooked up my second to last batch;)!!    To give you a better idea of what we did - here are some pictures of the steps taken - first students took their iPads and cleaned them inside and out - they used a wet wipe for the case and back of the iPad case - then they used a window cleaning solution for the iPad itself and the front of the iPad case to remove the film:  Next students waited in line to check them in with Mrs. Olson.  They found their individual card with their name, serial number, and destiny system info to check them in.  They also had to have their chargers with them - if not their name was written down until they either returned it, or paid $25 to replace it.  They also WILL NOT get their iPad next fall if the

  Here are a few pictures I snapped to show you what things are looking like here in Barnesville as far as collection is going.  Mrs. Olson, our librarian, with some kids working on cleaning them up!   If the iPads got TOO bad - we ripped them apart and cleaned inside and out:     When we were all done with them - we laid them out for them to be wiped on the outside screen with Windex.  There was a slight film left from the disinfecting wipes, so this took care of it!     Tomorrow I will post some more pictures of the kids actually ripping apart and cleaning their own iPads - should be fun:)!!  Mrs. Olson is also keeping track of which students don't turn in their chargers.  We will then be able to cross check when they are all done. Happy night, Mrs. I:)

  Yesterday afternoon we went and grabbed the 5th grade iPads and removed all the profiles and checked them into the Destiny system.  This morning we snatched the 4th graders.  So far so good once again - KNOCK ON WOOD!:)  Almost through removing all 4th grade apps and have about half the 5th grade cleaned already!  However, there will be a "healthy" group of kids coming in this afternoon to get the rest of the cleaning done for me - YAHOO:)!!   So I can report that we are ON SCHEDULE and after today will be done with the elementary school - YES!  Tomorrow we will have the senior class first thing in the morning and then have the 6th graders come in classroom at a time to clean.  I will spend the rest of the day then hooking them up to Configurator and removing apps - actually - going to WIPE the 12th grades after paid apps have been removed! That's the latest from this iPad madness - Happy Thursday, Mrs. I:)

   Well - this is day 2 of collection of iPads and cleaning them - going GREAT:)!!  We have encountered pretty much ZERO problems so far - YAHOO:)!!!   We have also had an AMAZING group of kids helping us clean which has been SO great.  Here is what we are doing : 1.  Hooking up iPads to Apple Configurator to remove this year's apps and take profiles off 2.  Cleaning the outside of the case with a tough wipe (I posted the picture earlier) 3.  If they are REALLY dirty we are ripping them apart and cleaning the inside case, too 4. Wiping the top screen with a windex spray to wipe away the film left from the wipes 5. Storing in computer lab for the summer as this is air conditioned (We will put apps for next year on in August as that is when I can buy the apps from next year's budget) THAT'S IT FOLKS!!  They are looking really great!  Also - we have collected cords, and that, too, is going great.  Each grade level has a box/basket to put them in and we will keep them

    I want to talk a little about the website Quizlet .  This website is AMAZING!!!  I have one teacher FOR SURE that uses it a TON - and a few others that might have dabbled with it a little.  AMAZING!  Great way to quick check kids on various topics - SO many are created already for you - and you can create your own easily!  Once you create an account and log in - all you do is add members to your class with the given link and students are joined to that class.  You can then have them work on practice flashcards, works, etc.. and they can quiz afterwards.  LOVE IT!!  It really is worth the peek at it - works with iPads, too:)!!  Here is a screen shot of it: After you choose a content area, you would then see a screen like this: Again - there are SO many quizzes already created in there for you to use - the students just have to put in the particular link/number associated with it - and they can take it - or they can also go and study with flashcards and other things to help th

   I have sent out an email to all students regarding their iPads, and telling them that we will be collecting them within the next few weeks.  I haven't, however, given them an EXACT date as to when this will take place.  The worry of course is that if you tell them TOO soon, will they do what they're supposed to (in that they upload things to Dropbox for saving, ect..), but then try to keep them?  Or, will they truly be just fine and bring them all back when they are supposed to?  I think that I will send out an email tonight about saving again, and then give them a tentative schedule - for purpose of saving and all so those that would panic won't feel rushed!  I will have also informed staff so they have a week to prepare for the last week - without iPads - we'll see;)!!  Not sure all will be happy about that - which makes ME happy:_) as they have become really dependent on them - but we also have to allow ourselves time to collect those that might not bring them the

   Here is a copy of what we are doing in regards to the End of the Year Checklist .  Like I had said before - we are going to be bringing students into the library in the next few weeks and they are going to clean their own iPads and cases.  They will follow the checklist; then when they are finished cleaning, they will bring them up to Mrs. Olson and check them back in.  They will also be signing the checklist form to have on file.  Simple - yes - but effective and serves our purpose. Happy Day, Mrs. I:)

  Ok - there were two that I found that looked pretty neat: 1. Patterns Match Basic - is an app that has kids working on patterns and matching them.  They are given a pattern and then they have to figure out what the next one might be.  They are given six difficulty levels per bucket and narration.  Normally $1.99 but free today! 2. Color Tower - build towers in this puzzle game.  It requires you to stack colored blocks in order to get your tower to match the blueprint tower.  There are 20 different towers to complete and the clock is ticking so you must try and do it as efficiently and quickly as possible.  Normally $.99 but free today! **I WILL continue to post about which apps I feel are beneficial in Apps Gone Free - but we have gone TOTALLY APP HAPPY here!  Therefore, I will ONLY post those that I have downloaded, played with and can REALLY see a benefit to~**  The problem is that just about every other day you find ANOTHER app that you LOVE LOVE LOVE - however - there is

  I might have already posted this - but we are planning on taking the elementary iPads (grades K-6) the Thursday before the last week of school and then the senior iPads that Friday.  Starting on Monday then, we will bring in sections/classrooms of 7-11th graders into the library to clean their own cases and check iPads in.  We have ordered durable disinfecting wipes to do this:  These work PERFECT and are strong enough for the students to wipe down quite roughly and clean them really good! If needed, they will also take the case off and wipe down the inside with a dry screen cloth.  We are reminding them that they WILL get the same case and iPad next year, so the better they clean it, the better it will be in the fall.  They will then assemble the case, label their chargers with the same colored dot on their stands that represents their individual grade and then check it back into the library.  We are planning 25-30 minutes per group - but I am goi

Two apps were put into Configurator today: 1. Playground 2 - is an app that is normally $1.99 free today!  This is an app that has a great combination of childhood games all wrapped into one.  Maybe on a day when the students can't be outside - which was MANY days this year - students can interact with one another and challenge each other to a fun indoor game. 2. Animal Origami is an app that is normally $1.99 free today!  This app allows students to create various origami animals using paper on their iPad.  Students swipe to fold the paper and then can actually follow along "live" and create their own paper versions - a tutorial type of app. Both are pretty fun - Happy Day Mrs. I:)

  Mr. Schmitt had his Earth Science students using the app SkyView today to find various constellations:)!!  Students then had to complete a PDF file along with it - here is a picture of them using the app:     Here is a sample of the PDF file that went along with it!  SO great, SO simple, and SO powerful:)!!  Way to go Mr. Schmitt!! KEEP BEING AMAZING, Mrs. I;)

   I found this today on Edudemic and thought is VERY appropriate and worth sharing.  I think more often than not, I feel like the "bad guy" as I am trying to find ways for teachers and others to use the iPads.  However - in NO way shape of form do I want to tell teachers WHAT to teach and HOW to teach it - that's not my job.  Nor would I have wanted anyone telling me what to do when I was in the classroom.  I think that we have to remember that this iPad that we all have is a LEARNING TOOL - and should NEVER replace the teacher or what the teacher's role is!  I found this and it is PERFECTLY EXACTLY how I feel - Which do you prefer???   And so the journey continues - and WILL continue next year and the years to follow - and we have to be willing to change and make the necessary changes that our students deserve - the learning that comes with it has to happen and we have to be a part of it!  It's no different that teaching kids how to read or do math - the di

  I didn't find anything that was worth putting in today from Apps Gone Free.  That doesn't mean that some might not have looked neat - a GREAT Transformers game for my boys:) - but nothing that I feel would be beneficial for us!   Yesterday I finished up buying all the apps to offset grade levels and numbers so each grade should be good to go for next year with the apps that they currently have - paid and free.  Teachers have submitted their app requests for next fall, and we are under that $4000 mark - so YAHOO:)!!!  We might be good to go.  I bought Notability for ALL students in grades 3-12 = SO WORTH IT!  The things that it can do and the things that Type on PDF free CAN'T do - so that's great!  Also - for the elementary school - I think we are going to go with an app called Explain Everything for K-5 AMAZING!!!  It does ALL the things that Educreation and ShowMe! can't - again WORTH the $2.99 and it DOES fall under volume purchasing.    Once all this is fig

   Everytime that a new student comes to Barnesville, I have to give up my white cords from Configurator to give the new student their charger and cord - therefore I lose some that I can use for hooking up iPads and making adjustments as needed.  So I ordered THESE:)!!!   The problem now, is that the kids keep asking if they can have one as they are SUPER COOL!  I IMMEDIATELY tell them NO - that the pretty colored cords are MINE!!       In all actuality I SHOULD have done this from the beginning.  The students would then know that the cords are mine for Configurator and I wouldn't always be stressed that I don't have enough cords to hook iPads up with.  I bought them on Amazon - like 10 for $10 AND I got the chargers, too.  However, they don't work with the iPads as they are the smaller plugs! Happy Day until Apps Gone Free - I put just ONE in yesterday called  SoundyThingie as Mrs. Gylland at the elementary school wanted it:)  TTYL, Mrs. I:)