Tuesday, April 24, 2012
the "flipped" classroom
I've been pondering the format and content of my new ipad-based classrom. I think I will probably use something like a modified "flipped" classroom. I came across these articles and thought they were pretty interesting...
Read about the flipped classroom
7 stories from teachers using the flipped model
Read about the flipped classroom
7 stories from teachers using the flipped model
Monday, April 16, 2012
The MacBook came. I cut the plastic and opened it up, plugged it in and 1 minute later i was checking my app store account. Jamie, who is the one to provide this unexpected tool, said " it's like christmas"...but I've never gotten as cool or as expensive a gift for any holiday or birthday, unless you count the Barbie townhouse with moving elevator I got in 1985. (that was a seriously cool prize to wake up to...).
In any event...what I like about the MacBook air:
*This unit is sexy! Sleek, fast, clean lines.
*It is so logical. Everything has a purpose and is so obviously well thought out!
*It is fast. Wow to the speed.
*I get the impression that it won't go obsolete before I've gotten it out of the box...I know someone who has been using the same Mac equipment ( with some minor updates) for almost 10 years and it is just now to the point of needing new stuff. It is really well made!
*I've been playing with the iBooks author. I am envisioning my curriculum resource notebooks being transformed into an interactive and highly engaging unit, similar to the chapter in a print book. This time, though, each student can get a copy of his/her own in a nanosecond, which s/he can manipulate to their hearts content, no copies for me to make, no time making multiple documents, I will only have to work once. I won't even have to make a qr code of a document, which students can then access, which is one less step I have to make! I've done some reading about the app, and it seems as if the trend is moving away from exact same content for every teacher, to skills' based assessment where the content and application of curriculum materials is something that teachers can take ownership of once again. I'm just a little overwhelmed about making my "units" engaging and flashy and fully interactive. I feel like this is a program that one could use for years and still never really know all of the ins and outs. If anyone ever used the smart notebook, iBooks author is what I always wished for the smart notebook to be. I always thought that the smart notebook was rather clunky and somewhat hard to use.
*the charging cord adheres magnetically to the port. No broken pins, no falling out.
On the flip side, there are a few things that I am not 100% in love with yet...
-I hate the scroll command on the touch pad. I'm having the hardest time getting used to it. It takes 2 fingers with just the right amount of pressure in just the right spot to activate it. I haven't mastered it yet and it's aggravating.
-I miss the touch screen of the iPad when I'm on the MacBook air.
-The power cord and accompanying extender are unwieldy. I need some sort of a case for them, but haven't found anything that I really like...and I'm cheap. I don't want to waste my time and money on a bag that is not perfect. Somewhere out there, there has to be one for me....and my other accessories need a home too. Grr.i have a rolling media bag that I used to use. I might have to go back to that one...
-I haven't found a way to access some of my iPad apps. They are both computers, I don't understand why it will work on one and not the other.
I'm still withholding final judgement on these last few...maybe it'll get easier to work with
In any event...what I like about the MacBook air:
*This unit is sexy! Sleek, fast, clean lines.
*It is so logical. Everything has a purpose and is so obviously well thought out!
*It is fast. Wow to the speed.
*I get the impression that it won't go obsolete before I've gotten it out of the box...I know someone who has been using the same Mac equipment ( with some minor updates) for almost 10 years and it is just now to the point of needing new stuff. It is really well made!
*I've been playing with the iBooks author. I am envisioning my curriculum resource notebooks being transformed into an interactive and highly engaging unit, similar to the chapter in a print book. This time, though, each student can get a copy of his/her own in a nanosecond, which s/he can manipulate to their hearts content, no copies for me to make, no time making multiple documents, I will only have to work once. I won't even have to make a qr code of a document, which students can then access, which is one less step I have to make! I've done some reading about the app, and it seems as if the trend is moving away from exact same content for every teacher, to skills' based assessment where the content and application of curriculum materials is something that teachers can take ownership of once again. I'm just a little overwhelmed about making my "units" engaging and flashy and fully interactive. I feel like this is a program that one could use for years and still never really know all of the ins and outs. If anyone ever used the smart notebook, iBooks author is what I always wished for the smart notebook to be. I always thought that the smart notebook was rather clunky and somewhat hard to use.
*the charging cord adheres magnetically to the port. No broken pins, no falling out.
On the flip side, there are a few things that I am not 100% in love with yet...
-I hate the scroll command on the touch pad. I'm having the hardest time getting used to it. It takes 2 fingers with just the right amount of pressure in just the right spot to activate it. I haven't mastered it yet and it's aggravating.
-I miss the touch screen of the iPad when I'm on the MacBook air.
-The power cord and accompanying extender are unwieldy. I need some sort of a case for them, but haven't found anything that I really like...and I'm cheap. I don't want to waste my time and money on a bag that is not perfect. Somewhere out there, there has to be one for me....and my other accessories need a home too. Grr.i have a rolling media bag that I used to use. I might have to go back to that one...
-I haven't found a way to access some of my iPad apps. They are both computers, I don't understand why it will work on one and not the other.
I'm still withholding final judgement on these last few...maybe it'll get easier to work with
Saturday, April 7, 2012
The journey begins...
Sick with a massive case of acute allergic asthmatic bronchitis, I am stuck at home contemplating the changes that are coming my way. I'm getting ready for the macbook which is here but that I won't get on Monday since I'm not allowed back to school until Tues. Going in might be worth just that...Anyway, one more day can't hurt. I've also been doing some research about what others are doing. There does seem to be a lot of info out there about certain aspects of using web 3.0 in the classroom...I will try and collect the best here. I have devoted a board on my pinterest page to all things education.
Education Links on my Pinterest board
QR codes
Edudemic
Education Links on my Pinterest board
QR codes
Edudemic
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