Kathy Schrock's Kaffeeklatsch

The interlocking of cognitive processes

2012-05-20T16:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday on Twitter, Dr. James Norwood (@JRNorwood) posted a short tweet entitled "Flipping Bloom's Taxonomy". The intriguing title led me to click to the link that led to his Teaching in the Middle blog post about a blog post he had read on Shelley Wright's blog, Powerful Learning Practice.

The gist of the blog post was Shelley's idea to start with the creating cognitive process and "flip" the pyramid so it looks something like the image below.. She states, "Here’s what I propose. In the 21st century, we flip Bloom’s taxonomy. Rather than starting with knowledge, we start with creating, and eventually discern the knowledge that we need from it."

http://plpnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/bloom_pyramid-2.png

I do not think I agree. I do promote the use of problem, project, inquiry, and/or challenge based learning models to allow students to take control of their learning. However, I truly believe students need to have at least some knowledge-base in a topic before they can analyze, evaluate, or create something with the content at hand. In addition, during the acquisition and creation of new knowledge, learners move up and down the cognitive levels as they need to.

Shelley states that she (and many others) were taught that "Blooms becomes a “step pyramid” that one must arduously try to climb with your learners." I am glad my professors at Rutgers College of Education did not teach it this way! I am a big fan of the pedagogical model and thinking about the different levels has always allowed me to plan activities at any (or all) of the levels at any point in the teaching and learning process. I never thought of Bloom's Taxonomy as a series of steps to the top.

However, I do agree with Shelly that the pyramid shape, with the little tip left for creating, may confuse some educators into thinking only some students are capable of getting to that level or creativity is a small component of the cognitive skills process.

I gave it some thought, and developed a different graphic to represent the taxonomy based on how I utilize it. Take a look at the image below and let me know what you think!

References:
Norwood, James. 17 May 2012. "Flipping Bloom's Taxonomy". Blog post. Teaching in the Middle,
Wright, Shelley. 15 May 2012. "Flipping Bloom's Taxonomy". Blog post. Powerful Learning Practice.

I love my Twitter PLN!

2012-04-27T18:55:00.004-05:00

Today I created a video with the very fun app for the iPad (and iPhone and iPod Touch) called SockPuppets. I had a special reason for using it and purchased extra time to make my video longer than the 30 seconds that they allow.

The output options in SockPuppets are to share to Facebook or YouTube. I needed to get the video up to YouTube, so I thought I was all set. However, I got an error message whenever I tried to send the video to YouTube. I figured I could solve it with a little research.

I did some searching, and could not come up with any posts of others having troubles.
I then went to the app creator's Web site and looked in the Knowledge Base and FAQ's.Nothing there.
I did a chat session with tech support at the company's site, and was told I probably needed to set a setting in YouTube that would allow uploads from third party apps.
I looked through YouTube and found no such setting.
I then put in a request to the YouTube team for help.
I posted my first note to Twitter asking someone to try to do the same thing so I could see if it was just me. Of course, I am retired, and everyone else was actually teaching, so I did not get any responses.
I tried it on the iPhone with the same resulting error message.
I decided to share the video it to Facebook, which worked well, and then used the new version 2.1 of Camtasia for the Mac to record the video from Facebook. I then moved the resulting screencast to YouTube.
I posted another tweet asking for help and got lots of responses. Some of my PLN members even took the time to download the app, create a video, and try the upload. Below are the responses I received. The results were mixed, and I could still not figure out the problem.


Twitter answers to my ask for help

Jen Legatt (@192TIS) was a new user of SockPuppets, so, when she told me it worked for her, I asked if she used a Gmail address when the app asked for log in information to YouTube. You can see from the above conversation that she told me she had used only her USERNAME, not the full Gmail address. Doh!

I went back and looked at the sign-in screen in SockPuppets and it did just say enter your YouTube username and password, not your Gmail address and password. Geesh! Once I put in only my username for YouTube, not the entire Gmail address, it worked like a charm!

I spent most of the day figuring out how to make this work and searching and asking. And it was one little follow-up question to one of the great educators that were helping me out that provided the answer! I love my Twitter PLN!

More cool stuff from BoxWave!

2012-04-25T12:31:00.000-05:00

Derek Gillette, a Marketing Coordinator at BoxWave, sent along two new tech items for my review. Thanks, Derek!

BoxWave Nero Leather Smart Nuovo iPad Case

The first is the Nero Leather Smart Nuovo iPad Case, created for the 3rd generation iPad. (I see there is also a red version, which I am craving, and a cool white one to match those of you that have the white iPad!) This leather case is available for $39.99, with free shipping, on their site right now. The regular price is $59.95.

This case was definitely created for the newest iPad. I have a couple of other tight-fitting, snap-on cases that were made for the iPad 2, and the new iPad does not snap in perfectly to those cases since it is a tad thicker. The new iPad snaps firmly into the Smart Nuovo case's back. I also have a skin on the back of my iPad and it still fit in tightly and firmly.

Inside of BoxWave's Smart Nuovo iPad Case

Smart Nuovo iPad Case with closure and cutouts

The case has all the cutouts needed for the sync cable, headphone jack, microphone, camera, access to the top and side buttons, and has a nice grill across the speaker area which keeps that area safe from scratches.

The Smart Nuovo case is called "smart" since the cover is a smart cover that turns the iPad's display off when it is closed and turns the display on when you open it. I use one of Apple's Smart Covers, but, with this case, there is no need to! This case truly protects the front and back of the iPad while adding very little size and "heftiness" to the iPad.


Smart Nuovo iPad Case in "stand" mode

The Smart Nuovo iPad Case closes with a leather flap, and the same leather flap is used when you fold back the cover and use the case as a stand. (I am not a big stand user, since I hate getting the inside lining that protects the screen dirty by propping it on a table.) However, for those of you that are not worried about that, the stand puts the iPad at the correct angle for viewing and typing on an external keyboard.

BoxWave Universal EverTouch Capacitive Stylus

Woven fiber tip

The second item Derek sent along was the Universal EverTouch Capacitive Stylus. As one who owns various styli, I was interested to see that the stylus tip of the EverTouch stylus was made of a woven fiber rather than the other types of rubber or felt-like tips on the styli I already owned. The cost online right now is $12.95, with volume purchasing available. The regular cost is $24.95. It comes in orange, blue, black, red, and silver. The Evertouch Stylus body is aluminum and very light.

It also comes with three different types of lanyards. There is a lanyard to attach it to your keychain or neck lanyard, there is a lanyard that allows you to plug it into the headphone jack on your device so you always know where it is, and the unique lanyard was one with the same headphone jack but it had a coil that allowed you to use it while it was plugged into the headphone jack.

The third lanyard was the most handy and gives you the least chance of losing the lanyard. It worked best while holding the iPad in landscape mode.

Addendum: I got so caught up in the cool tip and lanyard I forgot to mention the stylus' performance! It worked easily and without fail for selecting, drawing, typing, and writing.

If you or your school is interested in educational/volume licensing, drop Derek Gillette a line!

Frustration

2012-03-25T16:11:00.000-05:00

Thanks to dieselbug2007 on Flickr for this shot. This is how I felt today!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dieselbug2007/369649914/

I do not often get frustrated with technology. I love learning new things and figuring out the way things work. However, today I set a task list for myself which included creating 40+ screencasts of the iPad as it appeared on the laptop screen via the Reflection app.

I turned to Jing Pro to do that type of thing, since it never has failed to deliver. I set the screen capture area, used the iPad to showcase the application I want to screencast, saved the result to my computer, and plunked it into Keynote. However, since Jing Pro (http://www.techsmith.com/jing-pro-retires.html) is going away and with it the option to save locally (you will still be able to save Jings to screencast.com), I thought I should probably try another option to get more comfortable with it.

I also needed to bring in some system sound with some of the apps I was screen casting (which Jing does not do). I knew I had successfully screen captured video and system audio with Camtasia, so I started there. (I was using my 13.3" Macbook Air.)

Camtasia allowed me to re-size the screen, but it did not capture the video, just the audio. I then tried the new SnagIt to see if it recorded system audio, but it kept crashing on the Macbook Air.

I asked for help from my Twitter PLN and @ShellyMowinkel let me know that QuickTime Pro on the Mac now had a screen recording component. It worked like a charm for video, but, alas, could not capture system audio. However, it is the perfect replacement for Jing! Thanks so much to Shelly and @timholt2007 who suggested I try it.

I decided to download the ScreenFlow app, since there were lots of comparisons to Camtasia in reviews on the Web. It worked well and captured the video and audio, but it only captured a full screen-- not an area. I understand the rationale behind that choice, and the editing of the capture is easy in their tool, but it does add another step to the process.

I tried iShowU HD on the MBA, and I could record, but any format I picked as the output format was not recognized by QuickTime for play back. And the update to the app would not go through.

On the iMac

Since I was having no luck, I was thinking perhaps it was the laptop and not the software.

I sat down at the iMac at home and Camtasia flawlessly recorded the video and audio. Yippee! And, after some research, I found out that an update to v.1.2.2 (which I had not done on the MBA but had done on the desktop) made it work on the Air, too. It seems to be a Lion thing, not a MBA thing!

The new SnagIt did not crash on the iMac, but I discovered it did not do system audio anyhow.

As far as iShowU HD, I finally got a message that the updater for my version was broken, and it allowed me to download the new version and install the update. It captured video and system audio in H.264 format! Now I have a second app to use! I went back and also installed the update on the Macbook Air and it successfully recorded the video and the system audio there as well.

The QuickTime Screen Recorder works well on both devices, but does not record system audio.

I also tried Adobe Captivate 5.5, and it creates a great-looking screencast but no system audio recording, either.

And, although people tell me ScreenFlow works well, I don't really want to spend $90 (with the educator's discount) on a purchase.

With Camtasia and iShowU HD now both capturing video and system audio on my desktop and Macbook Air, I think I am set!

Recap

Remember my goal was to capture video and system audio from an iPad being AirPlayed to a Mac screen via the Reflection Mac app.

Here is the result of my testing today. I am not saying it is definitive, since there any number of things that might be different on your machine -- version of OS, version of software, etc.

Result of testing for screen capture with system audio

If you have any other information that corrects me, please add a comment!

Follow up 1:
Here is a link to the recording of the Reflection app inside a screenshare inside an Adobe Connect Pro meeting.

Everything seemed to work well, as per the recording. I could hear the audio, but the "audience" could not.
http://eduadvisory.adobeconnect.com/p7yfocsho42/

Follow up 2:
Another software suggestion was Snapz Pro for the Mac, and it worked great on the iMac and the MBA while recording system sound and video (although there is a huge watermark in the trial version!). You can chose the recording stage size, so this is another piece of software to consider. (Thanks @bhudd and @MusicEdTech!)

Follow up 3:
The Reflection app has just released an update that will screencast their iPad projection on the computer! And it also captures the audio and works like a charm. It does not capture the iPad "frame" just the moving items and sound on the iPad screen. (http://reflectionapp.com/http://reflectionapp.com/)

Reflection App for the Mac OS and the iOS device

2012-03-18T19:10:00.000-05:00

Reflection is a new application found in the Mac App Store that allows you to mirror your iPad 2 (or the new iPad) or the iPhone 4s to your desktop using AirPlay mirroring. The positive implications for the education field are huge!!!

First, as one that often creates screencasts to help people learn a process, the ability to mirror my iPad screen onto my desktop, and then use Camtasia, Jing, or Captivate to capture the process is huge for me! No more mirroring the iPad onto the TV set using AppleTV and using a video camera to record the process!

Here is a quick, no audio screencast I recently made using Reflection and a screencasting tool. It is a quick overview of where the Port settings are found in the email settings on the iPad. (Not quite sure about the resolution settings yet, but you get the idea.)

The more important bonus for the classroom setting is that the Mac computer (running 10.6 or better) can be hooked up to the LCD projector or whiteboard projector the typical way (usually VGA or DVI). Using the Reflection app, the iPad can wirelessly project onto the computer screen and hence it is shown on the big screen!

The work is all done on the iPad-- the desktop is just the "screen". The iPad can be handed around to students for demonstration of how to use an app, showcasing an online process, or much more! It even sends the audio from the iPad to the Mac, which then, of course, pumps the sound out via more powerful speakers than the iPad has!

For those of you that do not know how to find the AirPlay setting on your iOS device, you simply click on the home button twice, and swipe right once for the iPad and twice for the iPhone. For Reflection, you pick your computer and then turn mirroring on, as shown.

The AirPlay settings on the iPad

All the iOS devices you want to hook to Reflections via AirPlay have to be on the same WiFi network. I just tried the iPad and the iPhone 4s at the same time and they BOTH showed up on the computer screen as you see here:

Desktop with Reflection App using the iPad and the iPhone at the same time

I am not sure how many devices you can hook up at one time, but it seems, if you had a classroom set of iPads, each student could showcase his or her iPad when appropriate while not being tethered to the projector. And you could screencast those presentations on the desktop for assessment purposes, too!

The price of the Reflection Mac App is $14.99 for use on one Mac, $49.99 for a 5-pack, and, if you are interested in purchasing more than 20 copies, drop them an email at support@reflectionapp.com and they will work with you!

Update: The Reflection App now does screencasting beautifully! It brings in system audio from the iPad and records that, too. It does not record the iPad "frame". Just the screen area.

Update 2 (5/6/12): Another app has hit the market that also allows turns the computer into an AirPlay device to allow wireless streaming from the iPad or iPhone or iPod Touch. This application is call AirServer and it has different features. It can show up full-screen on the computer screen AND it works with both Windows and Macs. It is $14.99 for 5 licenses. It, however, does not do screencasting at this point.

If you have any more ideas for use of this app in the classroom, add a comment!

My new "business"

2012-03-06T16:53:00.000-05:00

In addition to presenting webinars and traveling to conferences all over the place, I have decided to start a new side business. It is a face-to-face business which you probably would not expect from me!

Right after the holidays, I helped plan and help out at a "Bring your new gadget to the library" night hosted by my town library. We were hoping to get people to bring in their new tablets, e-readers, and digital cameras and to help out with their questions. Over 40 people showed up, which, for our small town, is a big turn-out! The age of the attendees ranged from 50-85.

The questions ran the gamut from "How do I get my Yahoo contacts onto my iPad?" to "Can you help me install what I need on my Pandigital tablet so I can use the e-books offered by the library?" Much of the time was spent with helping Kindle, Nook, and iPad owners with the process for getting the Overdrive e-books onto their devices. Along the way, there were tons of other questions, too!

I realized there really is not a place where our community members can go to learn the basics of the use of all these new tech devices. It seemed like a niche that was waiting to be filled! I was in the process of getting an office in town, anyhow, so I decided to start a business to support those that need help. I have been open for two days now.

The site, which explains the business in more detail, can be found here: http://kackl.net/gadgets.html

I will let you know how I make out! And, if I need any help, I will be sure to tweet out my questions to my very smart PLN! :-)

Google+ Hangouts on Air

2012-02-02T09:20:00.000-05:00

I was lucky enough to score early-adopter status for the new Google+ Hangouts on Air and just gave it a try! (Here are the directions for joining a Hangouts on Air session.)

When hosting a Hangout on Air, the first step is to make sure your log-in to YouTube is the same as your log-in to Google+. Once the Hangout on Air is over, a private recording is sent up to your YouTube account automatically. It took about 15 minutes for the 13 minute Hangout to process and show up on YouTube. Once it is up in YouTube, you can make it public or give access to specific users, change the licensing, set up moderation privileges, and so on. The Hangout recording as showcased on YouTube is embedded below.

I posted the info about the Hangout on Air to both my Twitter feed and within Google+. It was early (8:30am ET), so it took a bit for someone to join.

Screenshot from video of a Google+ stream

I only had one participant join the actual hangout, but others were viewing it in their Google+ stream. (I received comments and questions from them later in my Google+ stream.) I could not see that, since I was the host, but my participant screenshared what that looked like. Here is a screencapture of his Google+ stream.

The set-up of the Hangout on Air was simple, the resolution of the screensharing was AWESOME, and those that were able to watch the broadcast live had good things to say. I was a little disappointed that the chat area within the Hangout and the chat among the Hangout participants does not show up in video, but you could overcome that with a screenshare of a tool such as corkboard.me or Wallwisher if you wanted to capture the "chatter" and gather feedback.

If you have any other great ideas for the use of this tool, add a comment! I am thinking that I could easily stream my presentations from conferences if I wanted to. It would be a virtual presentation and a permanent recording all in one!

PhatPad review

2012-02-01T12:41:00.004-05:00

I received a review copy of PhatPad for iPad a while back, and have spent some time showcasing it at conferences and in small group sessions.

The PhatWare Web site states: "PhatPad turns your iPad into an advanced brainstorming tool. Draw, write, and type your ideas then instantly share them via email, WiFi sync, Dropbox, or presentation mode. PhatPad’s digital ink technology and handwriting recognition engine allows you to scribble handwritten notes and drawings and convert them into digital text, or perfect geometrical shapes." You can also export the document out to a printer, to Google Docs and to Evernote!

PhatPad 2.0 came out earlier this week ($4.99 in the iTunes App Store), and it is optimized for iOS 5 as well as including handwriting recognition for English, German, French, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. (There is also an Android version of PhatPad, but it only recognizes English at this time.)

Rather than give you an overview of what it can do, please view the video below to find out its main capabilities, which, by the way, are awesome! Following the video I will share some discoveries and thoughts I have for the use of PhatPad for the iPad in the classroom.

DEFINITIONS

So, now that you know the basics of what PhatPad can do, let me share some of my discoveries! First, once you convert a word to text, you can tap and hold the word and show the definition of the word. This is one way for students to verify that the handwriting-to-text conversion produced the correct word!

INCLUDED CLIPART

In addition, as you saw in the video, you can insert your own image from your Photo Library or take a new picture with the iPad's camera, but PhatPad comes with a TON of clipart, too! There are 28 categories including computers, communications, construction, database, education, emotions, food, fun and toys, medical, music and instruments, networking, transportation, and more! The clipart can save a lot of time with student projects, since they do not have to go out on the Web for images, check the Creative Commons licensing, get it into the Photo Library on the iPad, and then add it to the document. They can simply look through the included clipart and pick something appropriate!

INFOGRAPHIC CREATION

As I was playing around with the clipart, I realized that PhatPad can be used as a layer-based image creation, tool, too! That means the clipart, text, and images can be "piled" on top of one another. I started making a rudimentary infographic, and realized that PhatPad could be used for this purpose, even if just to create the first draft of an infographic a student is creating as an assessment. (More details about using the infographic as an assessment may be found here.)

OTHER FEATURES

There are additional features that would be useful in a classroom setting, too. First, there is the ability to create multiple pages and use a presentation mode to move through the pages. In addition, a student can create voice notes to go along with the pages and even create an automatically-running presentation with the voices notes by setting up the slide timings. You can read about all of the features in the PhatPad for iPad 1.5 User Guide

LAST THOUGHTS

After spending time reading the manual and experimenting with PhatPad for iPad, I am amazed at the number of features it contains! Creative teachers and students could come up with many ways to use this software to support teaching and learning. Are you already an educator or student using PhatPad? If so, please leave a comment and share the ways you use it personally and professionally.

An interactive white board in your teacher tote bag!

2012-01-28T11:02:00.000-05:00

Learning Resources recently sent me their new now!Board, a tiny, portable, interactive whiteboard tool, to review. What a neat device! It turns any surface into an interactive whiteboard and all you need is a computer and a projector!

now!board package contents

Those of you who follow me know that I love cases, and the main components fit nicely in the included 10" x 7" x 2" case.

To set-up the now!Board, I simply installed the software on my laptop, hooked up a projector, hooked the now!Board camera via USB to my computer, and placed it about 12 inches behind the projector, pointing at the surface I was projecting on.

I launched the software, adjusted the angle of the camera, and started to calibrate the now!Board on the wall in my house. It was hard to find a blank wall in my house and the projected image was extremely keystoned which made it difficult to calibrate all the points. I decided to find a dry erase board at the right level and try again.

The now!board wand, camera, and stylus

Once the projector, image, and now!board camera were pretty much level with each other, the calibration was a snap! I used the handheld stylus on the right for calibrating. This was also the stylus I used for the movie below. This stylus is intended for use with a dry-erase board or regular whiteboard. It has the ability to right-click, too. The 24" wand (on the left in the photo) is for using with surfaces the handheld stylus might scratch up or for younger students so they can reach the projected tools and images.

The tool set in the software offered all the necessary IWB tools including screen capture, scaling, an on-screen keyboard, blank whiteboard desktop, and more.

I did a short Jing screencast of my computer screen as I used the now!Board software tools via the handheld stylus on the dry-erase board.

The now!Board would come in very handy for sharing among classrooms and rolling computer carts, since nothing has to be mounted on the wall or classroom board to hold it, any surface can be used to project on, and it is very easy to set-up and calibrate once everything is close to being on the same level.

Teachers have asked me if the now!Board can be used with an iPad in the mix. I decided to test out some options. I first hooked the projector and the now!Board camera to the computer and launched the now!Board software. I wirelessly streamed the computer screen to the iPad screen via Splashtop Remote and Splashtop Streamer. I could not use the tools effectively, though, using the iPad as the "stylus". I could definitely use the arrow and control file menus and such and pick any tool on the tool menu. But I had a hard time highlighting and drawing. I was envisioning that someone could be at the projected image using the now!Board stylus and someone else could be remotely using an iPad, but that did not pan out as a viable option. It was only a trial run to see what would happen and who knows what will be available for the iPad in the future to make it work!

Here is a brief hardware set-up video, produced by the company, to give you a better feel for the hardware set-up process. A series of tutorial videos come on the software CD.

And here is the short (2:35) product video, created by now!Board.

The now!Board portable interactive whiteboard device will start shipping in April of 2012. You can find out more about it and order it for $499 at the Learning Resources site now. You can also follow them on Facebook to keep up-to-date!

Update May 21, 2012:
Last last week I received the new wand for use on surfaces that the hand-held stylus might scratch up. It worked perfectly for calibrating, marking up a projected page and using the menus and on-screen keyboard in the now!Board software on the Mac. Below is a quick photo of my set-up and a screenshot taken from the software.

now!Board and stylus and wand set-up

Screenshot from within the now!Board software of the projected image

Cool stuff from BoxWave

2012-01-20T18:47:00.001-05:00

Derek Gillette of BoxWave recently contacted me and asked me to review a few items that I thought might be useful for schools. I went through their online catalog and picked out the items below. Please let him know if you are interested in purchasing any of these items yourself or need a quote or volume pricing for your school or district!

BoxWave In-Ear miniBuds

The first thing I looked at was the BoxWave In-Ear miniBuds. BoxWave has always been in the forefront of the retractable cable devices and I have used many different types of cables from them over the years. This set of in-ear, stereo headphones are retractable and come with three different size ear tips and a clip you can attach to the cable reel to hook it to your collar or jacket if you wish.

BoxWave In-Ear miniBuds

With the one-to-one initiatives and laptop and tablet carts in schools, I notice many students using their own headphones in class. However, I also notice the amount of time it takes students to unwrap the tangled cables that are wrapped around the stuff in their backpacks or purses! The retractable cable on this headset solves that problem and saves precious class time.

The BoxWave In-Ear miniBud headphones are very comfortable, the sound quality is great, and very little sound would "leak out" to surrounding students with the in-ear design.

Tri-Connect Mini DisplayPort Adapter

Tri-Connect Mini Display Port Adapter

The second item I asked to review was the Tri-Connect Mini DisplayPort Adapter. This under-$12 device provides three different connection types to your Macbook, Macbook Pro, or Macbook Air with the Mini DisplayPort. It includes the laptop to DVI connection, the one encountered on many external monitors and LCD projectors; the laptop to DisplayPort connection, the full-size version of the Mini DisplayPort on the Macs which is slated to become the the future VGA and DVI replacement; and the laptop to HDMI connection, to hook up the laptop to flat-panel TV's and many new LCD projectors.

For classroom use, you probably already have a laptop to VGA adapter for use with an LCD projector or flat panel TV or monitor. However, VGA is an analog connection, and use of a DVI or HDMI connection is so much clearer for the viewer! As schools get new devices in the classroom, they should consider accessories such as this Tri-Connect Mini DisplayPort Adapter to make sure teachers have the connection they need in their classroom, in the conference room, and in the auditorium for projecting their Mac laptop.

Manila Leather Envelope

Manila Leather Envelope

The third thing I asked to review was the Manila Leather Envelope for my 11.6" Macbook Air. (For those of you that follow my blog, you know I am a bag and case "connoisseur"...okay, junkie!)

Ever since these Manila Leather Envelopes first came out, I really wanted to see one in person and I was not disappointed! It is pretty much the coolest case on the market, IMHO. I was surprised at the quality of the leather and the soft inside lining. The Manila Leather Envelope also has reinforced corners which protect the laptop even more.

These Manila Leather Envelopes are available for tons of devices-- the Macbook Airs, the iPads, the iPhone 4 and 4S, Amazon's Kindles and Kindle Fires, many brands of smartphones, all the e-readers, and Android tablets like the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab. (You can find links to all the cases starting on this page.)

Are these the definitive case for school-owned or one-to-one initiatives? Well, they look like a school supply, protect the devices with a form-fitting case, and are just so "cool for school"!

Thanks to Derek Gillette of BoxWave for allowing me to have a day of fun putting the BoxWave products through their paces and coming up with ways they would be useful for the classroom, students, and teachers! Don't forget to contact him for pricing or a quote if you need one!

I love bags and cases and holders...

2012-01-18T07:29:00.001-05:00

Okay, I admit it. I love technology bags and holders of every type. I have roller bags, Vera Bradley laptop-holding bags and backpacks, neoprene cases for the Macbook Airs and iPad, and many, many more bags. I mean, it's like shoes...you have to have ones for the right purpose, right?

In any case, I thought I might share some of my newest bags, sleeves, cases, and holders with you, in case you are thinking about what works and what does not!

Tech Bags and Sleeves

The 11.6" Macbook Air is a hard item to find a special bag for. Here are some of my favorites.

Roocase 11'6" netbook case

Roocase has a bag in their netbook category that is for 11.6" items. It fits the small MBA well and you can even fit the iPad and cables in the bag, too. It comes in various colors, is sturdy, and has rubberized "feet" on the bottom to keep it clean when setting it down. The laptop compartment is padded and has a Velcro closure. (I also have the larger version for the 13.3" Macbook Air.)

Be.ez LA Robe Allure

My favorite sleeves for my iPad and the 11.6" Macbook Air are made by Be.ez and are hard-sided and sturdy. The model is the LA robe Allure sleeve for iPad and 11.6" MBA. The LA robe Allure is also available for the 13.3" MBA and 13.3" and 15.4" Macbook Pros.

Tocano Finatex Extra Small

When I am really traveling light, and just want my iPad, my 11.6" Macbook Air, and my iPhone, I take a bag that I found in an airport technology shop-- my Tocano Finatex Extra Small. It holds all three items without any cases on them.

Sherpani Flite FL

The rolling bag I take with me most of the time is the Sherpani Flite FL. It is very well-made, has rolled handles to hold as well as a shoulder strap in case you do not want to use the extendable handle, and has a sturdy strap on the back for attaching to other luggage handles. It does not have an attached laptop sleeve area inside, but has a nice elastic strap for holding your laptop in place in its own sleeve. It is well-sized at 16.5" x 13.5" x 6". You often find it for sale on Overstock.

Tech Cases and Holders

I have all different types of cases for my iPad2. Again, it depends on how I am planning to use it as to which one I take with me!

One that I use around town is the YakPak Portfolio Case. (I picked mine up at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.) It is a nicely lined case with places for business cards, a small tuck-in area, and can hold the iPad with the Magic Cover on the front or back behind elastic corner straps. It is minimalist, but protects the device well.

IPEVO Typi Folio Case

When I need to have a keyboard with me, I use the IPEVO Typi Folio Case and Wireless Keyboard. What is nice about this well-made leather case, is that the keyboard is easily detached and used on the table. This comes in handy when you are working with someone since they can then see the iPad's screen easily or can share in the typing tasks! The Bluetooth keyboard has a nice touch and lasts through about 12 hours of typing.

IPEVO Typi Wireless Keyboard

The case itself is not bulky, and you can access all the ports on the iPad while the case is on and there is even an opening in the back of the case for the camera lens.

It is available on Amazon or from IPEVO.

When I am presenting with the iPad, I have three different iPad holders I can use.

Higher Ground Podium iPad 2

The Higher Ground Podium iPad 2, which is a sturdy, reinforced nylon case like all of Higher Ground's products, also includes an innovative strap/Velcro method of adjusting the viewing angle of the iPad2 to your liking. This really helps when presenting on the podium, too. The iPad is held in by the built-in silicone case.

Higher Ground Podium iPad 2

However, the coolest thing about the Podium iPad 2 is the built-in elastic hand holder on the back. (Not just a simple strap!) You can see from the photo that you slip your hand through the elastic and grip the edge of the case. It makes you feel safe carrying your iPad around the classroom, workshop, or conference area since you have a really good grip on it!


IPEVO Perch

The next item I use when presenting is the IPEVO Perch Desktop Stand. This iPad stand easily rotates from landscape to portrait mode and is a perfect "perch" for the presenter podium when using the iPad to present my talks. The Perch has a weighted base that comes in three lengths-- the small height I use at the podium, a taller one for using while sitting in a chair, and the tallest one that is its own podium! The Perch is available through Amazon or IPEVO.

Merkury Innovations Swing Stand

And, finally, the last iPad stand I use lives in my tech stuff carry bag. It is the Merkury Innovations Swing Stand. It is lightweight, foldable, allows the iPad to be either in landscape and portrait mode, and is easy to use on the tray table in the airplane! It also works with any tablet or eReader, too.

Addendum 1/19/2012: I have been wanting one of the Pan Am retro bags and finally found the Pan Am Secret Agent laptop bag at a "reasonable" price (and with a coupon) on Punk.com. They have just come out with a new version of this bag, which costs about 30% more, and I like the original one better, so I finally made the purchase. Can't wait to use it!

What is your favorite tech bag, sleeve, case, or holder? Please share in the comments and include a URL so I can look at it! Thanks!

Pen with a purpose

2012-01-01T14:22:00.000-05:00

I had an electronic pen many years ago, even before tablet PCs were out, and it worked pretty well, but technology sure has improved this type of gadget!

I just purchased a Livescribe Echo 8 GB Smartpen Educational Bundle.

The bundle includes

The smartpen, 2 ink cartridges, 2 pen caps, and the USB cable
A small starter notebook
Livescribe Connect and Desktop software
One license for a Livescribe Self-Paced Training Course
The K-12 Idea Book
A non-inking stylus
The My Script Software for handwriting-text conversion

Livescribe Echo Smartpen

This smartpen can do so much, I do not know where to start! It has both a camera on the tip (which records your writing) and a mic on the side (which records your audio) and the ability to attach a mic/headphone to the top to make your audio recordings cleaner.

You control the collection of data by the pen by using special paper (which you can print out on your own printer, too) and by using special control areas on each page of the notebook to start the recording, set a bookmark as you go along, and playback, in addition to some other functions.

Controls on special paper

You hook the smartpen up to your computer with a USB connector when you are ready to move the files off the pen. You can then send the recordings to various places including your computer, your own Livescribe site, Evernote, Facebook, and, with certain models, Google Docs and Google Sites.

If you save the recording to your computer, the pencast, as the recording is called, gets wrapped in a PDF file that anyone with Adobe Acrobat can watch and listen to.

If you save the recording to your Livescribe site, you can make it public, send others a URL, and even embed it your blog or Website, like mine below. (Click on any text that is not yet green and you can see that the audio attached to that spot in the recording is played.)

A5 Starter Notebook p. 2

brought to you by Livescribe

The pen does much more, too!

Once you create the file and move it to your Livescribe Desktop software, you can click on any word in the file and hear the audio.
As with the Windows TabletPC OS, you can conduct a search on any word across all of the handwritten notes.
There are over 125 (mostly paid) applications you can install on the pen that do any number of things. The pen has a small OLED area, which is utilized by the pen software and installed software.
You can record just audio with the pen, without any special paper, if you wish.
With the My Script software (included in this bundle but not in the regular package you find at your local retailer) you can turn the handwritten text into typed text by OCR'ing your notes.

Livescribe supports K-12 use of the smarten with a site that includes ideas, as well as incentive programs for educators including the Livescribe Ambassador program.

If you are an educator and are interested in purchasing the educational bundle, please contact Debbie Yasenka of Engaged Learning Solutions at 404-731-3504 or via email at dyasenka@engagedlearningsolutions.com for information and pricing.

Using ePub books on the Kindle Fire

2011-12-03T07:53:00.001-05:00

Since the Kindle Fire is an Android device, there is a way to install the OverDrive Media Console to download ePub books from your local library. Of course, there are now Kindle downloads available in OverDrive, and you would pick those first. But sometimes the title is only available in ePub format or the Kindle copy is out.

Here is how you do it.

Overdrive site

On the Fire, you will need to do two things first.

Go to Settings, More, Device, and turn on "Allow installation of Applications from Unknown Sources". (You can turn this off when you are done with this install.)
Go to the Amazon Android store and download AndroXplorer, which allows you to browse the file structure on your Kindle Fire.

Using the Android Web browser, go to http://overdrive.com/Software/omc

Click on the Android option to download, and look right below the box for the link that states "If your device does not support Android Market, you can download OverDrive Media Console for Android from OverDrive." (Screenshot on left.) Click on that link.

Accept the licensing terms and you will see a short pop-up stating "downloading application". You will not be able to see the application in your Kindle Fire App menu yet.

Open the AndroXplorer application you downloaded on the Kindle Fire and navigate to the sdcard directory and then the Download directory. You will see "ODMediaConsoleSetup.apk" in the Download directory. Click on it and it will install the OverDrive Media Console on your Kindle Fire. (You can delete this downloaded file later once everything works.)

Add your library to the OverDrive app, and you can visit your public library's OverDrive site and download Adobe ePub books. If you do not have an Adobe account, you will be prompted to create one within the OverDrive app when necessary. OverDrive shows up in your App menu, now, too!

Kindle Fire: First Impressions

2011-12-01T20:15:00.001-05:00

Well, I took some time and worked with a friend's Kindle Fire and was actually quite impressed. While I was presenting in New Hampshire, I went out and purchased one.

I am really impressed with the device. Is it an "iPad replacement" for me? Absolutely not. The iPad borders on being a laptop replacement with its larger screen and thousands of apps that can do most anything!

The Kindle Fire is an Amazon device that delivers their movies, music in the Amazon Cloud, and, of course, their eBooks, in a small tablet form factor.

The screen is responsive, the tablet is speedy, and it fits easily into one hand for holding. With this size (7.5" x 4.7" x .5") one can actually put it in a purse or deep jacket pocket for carrying around. The battery life seemed to last a long time, although I did not watch any videos in full yet...just tried out the Amazon Prime customer list of free flicks!

Since I am not a regular Android user, I fumbled around a bit with navigation to the non-Amazon and Web stuff, but am slowly learning. There are few buttons and icons to pick, so, once I got over that, I was fine!

I can search the Amazon App Store by title of app, but not all applications in the regular Android Marketplace are available for the Kindle Fire. The only one I really miss not having is the Sling Player Mobile app, but perhaps it will come. The interesting thing is, when searching, one sees the titles that are available in the Android Marketplace when typing the search term, but they are not listed as downloadable. It is quite a downer to see the app on the list, but then not be able to download it for the Kindle.

I still prefer reading my books on the e-ink Kindle Touch, and reading on the Fire is not unlike reading with the iPad and iPhone Kindle app. It's okay for short periods of time, or when you are in the dark, but the e-ink is much kinder on the eyes.

For someone who does not have a tablet, the Kindle Fire, at $199, is a nice device to get you started. Of course, at the big box tech store where I purchased it, I was answering all types of questions and concerns from shoppers-- it is just something I do this time of year when shoppers have that dazed and confused look on their face.

Here are some links to reviews of the Kindle Fire that go into more depth than I do:

Kindle Touch 3G: First Impressions

2011-11-17T16:36:00.001-05:00

I finally was able to purchase the Kindle Touch 3G today. It was not even out for demo yet, but they pulled it out of a carton in the back of the store. I quickly tweeted about it, and, based on some of the responses I received, I realize that everyone has not been following this new device as closely as I have been!

Quick overview: This is the fourth generation Kindle and the first to have a touch screen. There have been Kindles with rocker arms, five-way controller buttons, and keyboards. I have had each version and really love the Kindle. My reasoning is simple. You can read outside in the bright sunlight and the battery life lasts forever.

The current Kindle line-up is a bit larger. As I explained to both the employees of the store I was in and potential purchasers, it does take a bit of thinking about before you decide what to buy.

The Kindle Fire is Amazon's new Android-based tablet. It does not have full access to the Android marketplace, but it seems to be intended to be used with Amazon's books, music, and videos. It also has additional apps available. (If you are an Amazon Prime member, you get access to some free books and movies.) I already have an iPad and a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7", so, while the Fire is a great price ($199), I really did not need another tablet. And, since my goal was an e-ink device that is not backlit, easy on the eyes, can be used outside, weighs hardly anything (7.8 oz), and lasts forever on a charge, I never really had any intention of buying the Fire. However, if you do not own a tablet and want to step into the electronic book world and other media and apps as well, you should take a look at the Kindle Fire. Make sure to hold it in one hand for a while and read a bit in the store, to see if the 14.6 oz weight is okay for you.

If you are not interested in the Kindle Fire, there are some additional features you need to think about with the rest of the Kindle line-up.

Do you want WiFi or WiFi and 3G? (You also should realize that you can just hook the Kindle to your computer if you do not have WiFi available and load it up with books.)

Do you want "special offers" or no "special offers"? There is a price savings on the Kindles that contain special offers. The offers show up when the device goes to sleep, as screensavers, and at the bottom of the home screen.

Do you care about being able to have the book read aloud for titles that have that option enabled? Do you care about the ability to play music on the device while you read? Different models have different capabilities.

The entry-level Kindle sells for $79 with special offers and $99 without. It only comes in WiFi, does not read text aloud to you nor play music, and uses a five-way controller to highlight letters on an on-screen keyboard when you want to search for a book. It does have physical buttons along the edges to turn pages and additional buttons at the bottom for navigation. If you just want an e-reader this one is a good choice.

The Kindle Touch is WiFi only and sells for $99 with special offers and $139 without. This Kindle allows you to touch the screen to turn pages, flick up to scroll through chapters in books or view your lists of books, pinch to change the font size up or down, and type easily on an on-screen keyboard for all input boxes. The touch screen is very accurate from my brief experience so far.

The Kindle Touch 3G has both WiFi and 3G access, in addition to all the features on the Kindle Touch. It sells for $149 with special offers and $189 without.

Every Kindle owner who has Amazon Prime now also gets access to the "Kindle Owner's Lending Library" with access to download a free book each month. This option is not available on other devices (like tablets) that use the Kindle App to read books-- it is only for any Amazon Kindle owners.

I debated about which model to purchase. The Kindle also has an experimental Web browser that, before this version of the Kindle, allowed you to go anywhere on the Web. With the 3G model, you could tweet, check email, get directions and more, wherever you were. The experimental browser on the new generation Touch 3G now only goes to all Web sites over WiFi, so I had decided on the Kindle Touch with no special offers.

(Added later today: I found out that you can unsubscribe from special offers if you feel they are intrusive from your "Manage My Kindle" page on Amazon. You pay the difference that you saved-- in my case, it would be $40 if I decided I hated the ads.)

However, when I saw screenshots which showed how unobtrusive the offers were, I opted for the $149 Kindle Touch 3G with offers. This will allow me to download books where ever I am, and it was only $10 more than the Kindle Touch with no offers I had been considering. The experimental browser over 3G only goes Amazon and Wikipedia but goes everywhere over WFi. (One other point...with any Kindle version you get free WiFi access at any AT&T hotspot.)

In addition, in case you missed it, Overdrive (online e-book library) now offers books in Kindle format for any of the Kindles, back to version 1. Visit your local public library's Web site, enroll for Overdrive if they offer it, and search the library collection by Kindle format. Once you check-out the Kindle book for 7 or 14 days, it shows up in your book list on Amazon.com and can be sent to your Kindle.

My initial impressions of the Kindle Touch is that the screen responds well to direct touches, it is easy to turn pages since you do not have to swipe (although you can if you want), and it is much smaller than the previous Kindle Keyboard. I love it!

Did you get one of the new Kindles? What do you think?

(11/18/11) I looked at all the cases and settled on the M-Edge Latitude for the Kindle Touch. It is a zippered slip-case that is small, hard-sided, and holds the Touch in with four corner anchors. I read the Kindle with no case, but I feel better knowing it will not fall out of the case when I unzip the three sides! I picked it up at Staples, it is not yet on Amazon's site, and you can, of course, get it from the M-Edge site. It sells for $34.99.

Share your iPad app list with others

2011-11-09T07:41:00.004-05:00

Tom Barrett tweeted a question today asking how to share your entire iPad app collection with someone. After a little research, I came up with a post on this page and followed the directions. Here is the first of the 12-page app list on my iPad.

First page of PDF printout of my iPad apps

Since the directions I found were posted back in 2010 (and I was using a Mac) I went through the steps again. Here are the edited directions for creating a list of the apps on your iOS device to share with others.

Open iTunes on your computer.
On the file menu, pick VIEW-AS LIST
You can pick a column to sort by for the final list, for instance name, genre, etc.
Select PRINT from the file menu and, in the print dialog box, select "Song Listing" and, in the in the theme drop-down box, select "Custom".
Click the "Page Setup" button and select landscape mode to avoid word wrapping and click OK.
Click PRINT in the print dialog box which will take you to your regular print menu where you can pick a printer or print/save to PDF to get a PDF file.


Screenshot of the choices in the dialog boxes

Thank you to Tom for posting the question. This is an easy way for us to share our list of apps!

AppleTV, Airplay, and VGA

2011-10-25T12:17:00.000-05:00

I really love the AppleTV and AirPlay combo which allows me to mirror my iPhone 4s and iPad2. However, if I am going to move to the iPad as my presentation device, I would like to use it wirelessly, too. And, more importantly, the iPad's 30-pin connector port can be used to keep it charged, rather than being taken up by the VGA dongle.

After some discussions with Steve Dembo (@teach42), he told me he had used a device to do this already. I did my research, did some reading, and decided to try it out. The device I used is called the "LinkStyle HD Video Converter" and is available via Amazon.

A couple of notes:
A simple VGA to HDMI connector will not work for this purpose.
For hookup to a television monitor, you may need a pin-pin VGA cable. (The converter box has a port, as does my television.)
Since VGA does not carry audio, you will need a separate audio cable. The converter box has an 1/8" jack (headphone and computer speaker size) for audio out. You can plug speakers right into the converter or use adapters to get it to whatever your audio output device needs.

It was easier to create a graphic then explain the process, so you will see that below.

Click on image to enlarge

Addendum (5/2/12): This VGA to HDMI device, the Kanex ATVPro, apparently works with AppleTV with no power source....nice solution!

Serendipitous Discoveries

2011-10-02T10:44:00.000-05:00

I am creating a presentation dealing with online tools and utiities for my January webinar for the edWeb.community, PD in Action, and I am learning some new features of the tools that I have used for a long time! It is always a good thing to go back and re-visit the features of the tools because, over time, they all become better and better!

For example, I am typing this blog entry in ZohoWriter and I am going to post it directly to my blog from within ZohoWriter. It will be interesting to see how that works out. (Well, I could not do a direct post, but I was able to save it out of ZohoWriter as HTML and past the HTML into Blogger. I assume I could not do it since I have a custom Blogger URL.)

In addition, when doing research for the presentation dealing with strategies for the role of teacher as facilitator to support student learning, I bumped up against the "flipped classroom" model. I had been hearing about it for a couple of years, but never really had investigated how it works and the impact it has on student learning. (Where have I been?) What a great model!

I have to give it more thought, but I do not know if every teacher can totally "flip" their classroom. A blended model of some "flipped" days and some "non-flipped" might be a great topic for a PLC and for teacher or curriculum team goal-setting for a school year. Here is a overview of the model from the teachers who developed it, Aaron Sams and Jonathan Bergmann.

Wonder what other discoveries I will find today?

BTW, If you are interested in the upcoming webinar, just sign up for the "PD in Action" community and you will find the information about the next four months of presentations.

iPads in the Classroom

2011-09-25T10:03:00.001-05:00


http://www.flickr.com/photos/timlauer/5407980960/

As many of you know, I have created an "iPads in the Classroom" support page here: http://linkyy.com/ipad. I include tutorials, lists of apps and related materials, a special education section, a Blooms/iPad app section, and a section dealing with successful uses in the classroom.

Since school has started, I have been monitoring a Google Alert in my Google Reader, selecting "iPads in the classroom" as the key phrase I am interested in. I am amazed at the number of posts on this single topic in such a short period of time! The posts come from media outlets, parent Web sites, teacher blogs and wikis, school district media briefs, and many other places.

It is interesting to me that many of the posts are extolling the fact there are now iPads in the classrooms in their school, district, state, etc. I am waiting patiently for follow-up information on how the devices are being utilized to impact teaching and learning.

I know we are early in the game, but let's get to it, fellow educators! Those of you that are lucky enough to have a 1:1 tablet initiative, please post your findings on a daily basis. Even a simple Twitter post (hashtag #edtablet) with the URL of your blog, wiki, Weebly page, Google doc, or to where ever you are publishing your insights, data, or cautions, can help others convince their administrators or school boards that a personal portable device, with a student 24x7, can impact teaching and learning in a real way!

Thanks in advance for your help!

Kathy's Konsumer Korner (v.1)

2011-09-09T17:17:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share some of my new technology gadget finds (okay, purchases) with you. Perhaps they might meet a need for you or for another tech geek in your life!

ZuniConnect Travel Router (Zuni Digital)

This tiny 802.11n router (3.86" x 2.37"x 0.65") allows you to hook to a wired connection and create a wireless access point or it allows you to hook to an existing wireless connection and create a wireless hotspot for other devices to connect to. The ZuniConnect includes two USB charging ports, too, and comes in a study case with a tiny Ethernet cable and the AC adapter. (Amazon $49.95)

iHome IB969G Charging Station (iHome)

I have lots of gadgets and also need more desk space. This charging station includes a single iOS sync/charge connection, an iOS charge-only connection, and two USB ports to charge two other devices. The front pulls open to hold an ereader or other small tablet. It is perfect for holding my iPhone, iPod Nano, Kindle, and iPad. (I still hook to a USB port on my computer for the iPad since I want to sync and charge. I use the second charging port for my Garmin GPS). One downside is that the weight of the iPad makes the station a bit tippy, but I you can just weigh down the front underneath and all should be fine! You may have to buy inserts for the iOS charging docks if the device you have needs a different one. (Amazon $44.24)

Nikon Coolpix S6100 Touchscreen Digital Camera (Nikon)

I admit it. I love Nikon cameras. I have a Nikon DSLR, the Nikon P7000 midsize, and now have the Nikon Coolpix S6100 as my point and shoot. I had been playing with this camera at the store for a while. I was first attracted by the 7X optical zoom (28-196) and also by the ease of use a touchscreen provides. It has vibration reduction, a motion sensor to allow you take moving photos with less blurring, and even has a Best Shot Selector which take ten shots and picks the sharpest image for you. There is a Smile Timer which does not take the photo until the subject smiles and an in-camera Red-Eye fix. But, the touchscreen is the best feature. No dials to turn or joysticks to wiggle and it takes no time at all to learn how to use it! Oh, and it takes good pictures, too! (Amazon $164.00)

Video Capture for Mac (Elgato)

I had some videotapes I wanted to transfer to my iMac and I mistakenly thought I could do video-in to my camcorder. I searched for various solutions, and came up with the Elgato Video capture for Mac. One end is a USB connection and the other end includes S-video, composite video, and two audio connections. I know that S-video and composite are not at the top of the heap of video quality, but ease-of-use trumped video quality for me. (And the quality was just fine, by the way!) The ability to put recorded videotapes into our one remaining VCR and hook up the Elgato to the video and audio-out jacks of the VCR and record directly into the computer was great! You can record in both MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. (Amazon $77.99)

That wraps it up for this edition of Kathy's Konsumer Korner! Let me know about new things you have found in the comments!

Leadership Day 2011: Honing Your PLN

2011-08-05T07:46:00.013-05:00

Year 5 of the Leadership Day initiative, spearheaded by Scott McLeod, is being held today. I had not been aware of it in years past.

The instructions are for educational technologists to "blog about whatever you like related to effective school technology leadership: successes, challenges, reflections, needs, wants, resources, ideas, etc. Write a letter to the administrators in your area. Post a top ten list. Make a podcast or a video. Highlight a local success or challenge. Recommend some readings. Do an interview of a successful technology leader."

Some of things suggested to help out administrators are to help them with strategies for determining:

what it means to prepare students for the digital, global world in which we now live
how to recognize, evaluate, and facilitate effective technology usage by students and teachers
what appropriate technology support structures (e.g., budget, staffing, infrastructure, training) look like or how to implement them
how to utilize modern technologies to facilitate communication with internal and external stakeholders
the ways in which learning technologies can improve student learning outcomes
how to utilize technology systems to make their organizations more efficient and effective

I have not participated in this initiative in the past, but I think it is an extremely important event. And, in addition, just the process the for the day is a way to mentor for administrators how to communicate, use their PLN to spread the news and to learn about new initiatives, and use the "power of many" for all types of things.

Patrick's post that led me to this initiative

For instance, I learned about #LeadershipDay11 this morning, via Patrick Larkin (@bhsprincipal) on Twitter. He is an important part of my personal learning network because, as a school principal and very involved in social media and training of other administrators, he brings a new dimension to the type of information I receive. He consistently targets successful practices in technology use in schools but it is through the eyes of an administrator. Patrick is someone I happen to know in real-life, too, but he was a trusted source of information well before I ever met him in person.

Administrators need to hone their personal/professional learning network in this way. Start following Patrick on Twitter, and then take a look at who HE follows. He is an expert in his field, and chances are very good that he follows many other experts that one can learn from.

Result of advanced search in Twitter search tool

Or simply use the Twitter advanced search tool to search by various topics you are interested in and find some people to follow. But, don't forget to "pay it forward"-- become a participant in the process, too. Answer questions posted by others or re-tweet great posts to your followers.

Screenshot of recent #edchat post

Administrators should also pencil in the weekly #edchat session on Twitter or read through the archives to explore new ideas, tips, tricks, and find others to follow.

This same skillset is what we are trying to help students develop as we prepare then for the digital, global workforce and world-- find the experts, participate in the process, and collaborate. With the information explosion, there is no way anyone can know everything. However, knowing where to turn with a question or when trying to keep up with what is going on in a certain field, is a skill that will lead to our students to become lifelong learners!

Kudos to Scott and all the other bloggers who will contribute today!

Open letter to parents: Laptop choice for college

2011-07-27T10:48:00.000-05:00


CC: www.flickr.com/photos/utnapistim/73429019/

Around this time of year, as the back-to-school sales start showing up online and in stores, I receive emails from parents who are asking my advice about which laptop to purchase for their college freshman. Of course, I have to write back and ask some additional questions about their choice of OS, their planned laptop budget, what major the student is planning to pursue, what else besides schoolwork the student wants to do with the computer, if the laptop is going to be the single machine of the student's, and what school their child will be attending.

The last question is really the most important. I have heard horror stories from college students who purchase a laptop online or in the store of a retailer. Then, at some point during college (usually when they need it the most) the laptop breaks down. The student winds up spending hours on the phone with the laptop manufacturer's tech support or winds up being without the laptop for a few days after they drop it off at the retailer's repair shop.

There are tons of laptops on the market to pick from, but my recommendation is for the student to purchase it through their college's online store. Many colleges have standardized on a Windows-OS laptop brand and the Apple laptops. By purchasing the laptop through the college, the student receives an academic discount as well as the peace of mind to realize their college usually has brand-certified repair personnel either on-staff or on-contract. The student can simply walk into the technology department in their college bookstore and get the help they need. (In addition, at this time of year, there are online purchasing incentives with the purchase of a laptop for college. For example, a Windows-based machine over $699 garners the student a free xBox360 and the purchase of an Apple laptop comes with a $100 gift card to the Mac App store.)

Some things to consider:

A budget for a laptop that will serve a student well will not cost under $1000. Matter of fact, that should be the starting point. Parents should plan to spend $1000-1500 for this new laptop. If a student has a decent desktop, and will only be using the laptop for taking notes in class, then a less-powerful and cheaper one (or even an iPad and external keyboard! will work. Most of the price of a laptop is determined by the processor and its speed, the amount of RAM (4 GB minimum!), the video card RAM (512 or better) and the size and type of the hard drive. (The screen size is part of the cost, but, sometimes, the smaller screens carry a premium price!)

Even if the laptop is also going to be the student's desktop machine, do not go for the massive 16-17" monster machine. It is way too heavy to lug around and will not fit nicely on a college chair-desk. Keep the weight of the laptop to under 5 pounds. A 13 or 14" (maybe even a thin 15") with a decent resolution will be just fine. The price of a large external monitor for the student's desk, if the student feels they need a larger screen at times, will be under $150. (I currently like the Acer S211HL BD 21.5" monitor ($140) because it is really bright and crisp.)

Wait until the student visits the college bookstore to purchase their Office or iWork suite, since the academic pricing in the college store is often the best pricing.)

I also am often asked if the laptop will be able to last through the student's college career. I tell them, with the wear and tear on a laptop that is carried around in a backpack, used everywhere from the cafeteria to the campus bus, it is likely that a second laptop will probably be needed at the beginning of junior year.

Any thoughts to contribute to the conversation?

Ruminations on the first month of retirement

2011-07-14T05:32:00.000-05:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/
klm_digital_snaps/5910285716/

It has been almost a month since I left the office for the last time and, although I do not think I look as relaxed as those retirees that come back to visit the school, I am getting there!

The ISTE11 Conference was first on the retirement "to-do" list. This year's conference in Philadelphia was just buzzing with positive energy! The sessions were varied and well-done, and the entire event was one of the best ISTE Conferences I have attended. My infographics presentation was well-received and the poster session I co-presented with Kim Conner, my district's middle school ITS, dealing with our "Manufacturing Across the Curriculum" Verizon Foundation grant was fun to do, too!

From there it was on to Hershey, PA to visit a high school friend and then home to get ready to travel to the Berkshires in western Massachusetts to present at the Southern Berkshire Educational Collaborative where I presented to a great group of principals and educators. David Warlick and I tag-teamed throughout the two days, and we seem to complement each other-- his down-home, southern charm is in direct contrast to my rapid-fire New Jersey style, but it seemed to work well!

In between, I have had time to try out all the new tech things that have been introduced. Google+ was released and I had the luxury of time to try to wrap my head around it and to attend and host lots of hangouts with friends and edtech colleagues. It takes some getting used to, but there are plenty of instructional videos available to help you out. And, there was the new Skype-in-Facebook to try out, too-- a one-to-one video conferencing option built into Facebook. It is smooth and easy to use!

I have signed agreements with McGraw-Hill, Follett, and eGenio, all to provide some form or another of professional development over the next year or so. (Watch for announcements of all kinds of Webinars if you are interested!) I continue, of course, to take care of my Discovery Education site, Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators and will continue with that as long as they will have me!

If you are interested in learning more about the use of infographics as a classroom assessment tool, I am teaching a 9-week, online graduate course this fall through our state ISTE affiliate, MassCUE. And, I continue to teach the Web 2.0 course in the Wilkes/Discovery Education Instructional Media program. You do not have to be in the program to take a course, and the courses are all practical and would support any level and any curriculum.

In addition, since I now have the time, I will be presenting at lots of places during the school year. The list thus far looks like this. It is exciting to be able to have the chance to provide professional development to educators around the country!

People tell me I will miss "school" once September comes. However, as I think about my previous job, which included taking care of the infrastructure, participating in data projects, Web publishing, doing the tech purchasing, meeting DOE requirements and filing reports, monitoring tech support for 1200 computers spread across 8 sites, and providing professional development when it fit into all of that, I realize that I will not miss most of it. I will miss the teachers and students who were the reason I did what I did, but now I can concentrate on what I love the best-- helping teachers with strategies, tips, tricks, and information to embed technology meaningfully into their curriculum to best support teaching and learning!

The times they are a changin...

2011-06-13T19:34:00.000-05:00

I have four more work days and then 3 professional days for ISTE11 left in my Massachusetts teaching career. I recently had a taste of my "new" life when visiting Buffalo Public Schools the week before last and Fort Bend (TX) ISD this past week. It is a lot of fun to speak to teachers and learn about their district tech priorities. I think I probably learn more from them then they learn from me!

My plans for retirement are heating up! I am excited to have contracts with McGraw-Hill and Follett in the area of edtech professional development. I will still be teaching my Wilkes/Discovery Master's classes, working on my Discovery page (Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators) and I have six presentation gigs lined up between now and December!

Spotlight Speaker
Infographics in the Classroom as a Creative Assessment
June 27, 2011; 2:30-3:30 pm in PACC Grand Ballroom B
Poster Session
Using the Manufacturing Process Across the Curriculum to Target Literacies
June 29, 2011; 8:00 -10:00 am in Poster Session Area (Broad St. Atrium #30)
ISTE Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA
June 26-29, 2011

Presenter
Infographics in the Classroom as a Creative Assessment
Twitter for Administrators
Connecting Your Classroom to the Future
South Berkshire Educational Collaborative, South Barrington, MA
July 11 and 12, 2011

Keynote and Workshop Presenter
Rhinebeck Central School District Superintendent's Conference Day
October 7, 2011

Featured Presenter
4 presentations TBD
GATEC Conference, GWCC, Atlanta, GA
November 3, 2011; Time (tentative): 3:00-4:00 pm and 4:15-5:15 pm
November 4, 2011; Time (tentative): 8:30-9:30 am and 9:45-10:45 am

Featured Presenter
Infographics in the Classroom as a Creative Assessment
Connecting Your Classroom to the Future
Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference, Manchester, NH
December 1, 2011; 10:00am-11:00am and 1:00pm-2:00pm

Keynote
Infographics in the Classroom as a Creative Assessment
R.I.P: Respect for Intellectual Property
Mid South Technology Conference, Memphis, TN
December 8 & 9, 2011

I have a couple of other irons in the fire, too, but news of those will have to wait.

People ask me if I feel nostalgic about retiring from my district. I don't. I see it as an exciting new chapter in my life with the opportunity to grow my knowledge and expertise!

The times they are a changin'....

Moving a video into Keynote (finally!)

2011-05-06T18:49:00.003-05:00

Okay, I was determined to use the iPad to present yesterday, so I had created the presentation on the desktop in Keynote and moved it to the iPad through the file sharing in iTunes. I just dragged it to the area next to the Keynote app and it moved over to the iPad the next time I synced. You can see this below. (Fig. 1)


Fig. 1 Moving a Keynote file from the computer to the iPad via iTunes

The presentation worked perfectly when I tested it via the VGA connection. All embedded movies worked, and things looked great! However, before I presented, I found another great video to use in the presentation. I only had the iPad, and did not know how to get the video into the PHOTOS app on the iPad, which is the only place Keynote on the iPad would pull it from. I tried iWork, DropBox, iDisk, and emailing the file to myself. I could play it on the iPad, but not insert it into the presentation.

It seems as if the only way you can get a video into the PHOTOS app is by using the computer you regularly sync with. I first tried loading the video into iTunes, and syncing, but that put the video in the VIDEOS app on the iPad which Keynote cannot import from.

So, here is my solution.

Fig. 2 Folder on computer containing images and videos

Go into the Pictures folder on your computer.

Create a folder (mine is called "_pics for iphone") (Fig. 2)
Put the photos AND videos you want to use with Keynote on the iPad into this folder
Go into iTunes, pick your iPad, and choose the PHOTOS tab.
Chose to "sync photos from pictures" (instead of iPhoto). (Fig. 3)
Pick "selected folders"
Check "include videos"
Check the folder you created which contains your assets.

Fig. 3 Setup in iTunes for syncing a particular folder of images and videos to the iPad

The items now all wind up in the PHOTOS app, as you can see from the screenshot below. (Fig. 4)


Fig. 4 Photos and the video in the iPad Photos app

Once you open Keynote on the iPad, add a new slide, and chose the MEDIA tab, you can easily chose the video from the PHOTOS app to embed into the presentation. (Fig. 5)


Fig. 5 Selecting the video file from the Photos app in Keynote on the iPad

And, finally, the video is embedded in the Keynote presentation on the iPad. (Fig. 6)

Fig. 6 Media embedded in the Keynote presentation on the iPad

You will need to know this process if you are planning to add media to a presentation you create on the iPad or add media to one that you have moved from the desktop to the iPad. I hope this blog post helped you out! (And, by the way, giving the presentation from the iPad yesterday was a breeze!)

Addendum (5/8/11)

When creating a Jing screencast sometimes, even after embedding it on Keynote for the Mac and moving the file to the iPad, the video is not accepted. I have found that the best format for videos to put in Keynote presentations on the Mac to make sure they work on the iPad, are mp4s with the codecs of H.264 and AAC.
I also found out that embedded audio files in a Keynote for the Mac presentation don't move over to the iPad. I had to make little movies of static images and put the sound files as the audio line in the mp4 in order to play the sounds in Keynote on the iPad.

Addendum (5/13/11)

Mike Wakefield sent a comment...."Kathy - I had no problems with a video (h.264) I e-mailed myself on the iPad2; when I touched the reply/fwd arrow in the (iPad) e-mail app, I just hit the "save video" option and it popped it right into my Photos file on the iPad. From there, I was able to bring it into Keynote with no issue." I tried it and it worked like a charm...thanks, Mike!
@WebGalPat on Twitter tried a "regular" mp4, and it worked just fine, too! Thanks, Pat!