IOS 6

I upgraded our IOS on the iPads for the first time...pretty seamless, really.  And once you upgrade, you can set it up by skipping the FaceTime, which allows you to update without logging into iTunes. Always a bonus since I don't let anyone know the password and it saves me some time. We don't need the features that would run with that aspect of the setup anyway...

I like that the youtube app is not autoloaded anymore...less temptation.

Until I got to Skitch.  One of my favorite apps won't recognize pics from the camera stream!  Judging from the amount of frustrated outcries, I am not the only one who uses this as my goto app.  Hurry up, Skitch...I need an fix, I mean, update!

Just out...Rover!

Just when I was beginning to despair of having to purchase iSwifter for 4.99, there is now an educational version using the same platform.  What does this mean? It means my kids can surf to www.hellomylo.com and participate in the flash games for language learning for FREE!

I am testing it out now...it seems to have a lot of graphics from Discovery Education, but then, they partnered to bring this app to fruition, so I guess I don't mind.  No other downsides so far.  I'll keep you posted!

One iPad down, almost...

My first block began normally.  All students attended.  Some grumbling about the early hour or it being Monday again.  We did all our activities then got ready to go.  Ipads got put up and some students left early to meet with the counselor for some conference info.  In the chaos, I managed to remember to scan the iPads and headphones for completion.  This is something I have to force myself to do at the beginning and end of every block.  Most of the time, no problems arise but to my horror, all but one iPad could be encountered.  I immediately asked around to make sure someone hadn't put it to the side by accident and then researched who the iPad was assigned to.  It did not have anyone assigned for that class period.  Humph.  I made everyone wait while I stepped out of the room to call the principal, hoping the culprit would put it back with no harm done.  Nope, not put back.  Principal came down and started searching bookbags when a brave and brash student stood up and climbed under the table where she saw it had been stashed in a book.  I have a witness who claims he saw it stashed but the  accused student does not admit taking it and has suffered virtually no consequences. On a positive note, I know to be continue being vigilant and the rest of the class is on alert now, too.

I hope this means that others will think twice before using these iPads as a savings and loan.

My newest crush: QR codes

So, this weekend Edmodo didn't like my uploads and I had to discover an alternate plan to publish my documents.  My solution:  QR codes

How I create a document with a QR code:
scan a document then email myself from my desktop
open the document on the ipad and save to camera roll
open dropbox and upload camera roll
open document and copy link to clipboard
open QRafty (I purchased the advanced option for 2.99) and click 'create'
select 'from url' and paste link

I kept each of my qr codes in the task list and brought them up one by one as needed on the projector.  Students used the same app "QRafty" to scan it.  they selected "scan" then "scan with camera".  students didn't have to take a pic, just hovered over the code from anywhere in the room.  Size wasn't an issue.  Students then clicked "go to url" to download the doc from dropbox or clicked "copy link to clipboard" to open in Skitch or picCollage.

For students to turn in the document:  
Students saved to the library or camera roll,
Uploaded to Dropbox (did require a login)
Copied the link to clipboard
Then opened our Spanish Assignment Turn In Google Form (which we have saved to the home screen for direct access) and
Pasted the link and filled out their info (class, name, assignment etc)

Small problems:
Except for the county blocking my Dropbox and not allowing me to use Google Chrome QR reader apps, it went pretty smoothly.

There isn't a way to label the documents/qr codes in the task list  so I mixed up a couple but later figured out that I could use a different program (I googled free online qr code generator) and saved to the camera roll instead.  I tried to use the create from clipboard option, but I couldn't get the document to save to the clipboard.  Might be a user naivetee issue or maybe just a shortcoming of the QRafty app itself.

In spite of there not really being any steps fewer than just uploading to Edmodo, students responded really favorably to this technique.  I think they liked not having to sift through all the posts to get to the document we needed.  They got it immediately.  And no signing in was needed either.

Current work samples

students divided basic infinitive verbs into their -ar, -er, or -ir verb categories.  this was done with Pages.  Pages works really well with columns.  

I scanned this activity from a magazine and students had to describe their families in order to figure out if it was closest to Family Guy, Modern Family or The Osbornes.  

Students created these two in Skitch draw and toggled between the two and held up to demonstrate understanding of when to use saber or conocer.  

Students created fictional club advertisements using PicCollage.  We presented by pulling them up on my ipad from the google turn in form spreadsheet.  They have also presented using individual ipads.

Students created poems to represent themselves using the diamond format.  We were practicing the use of adjectives.

For this assignment, students researched a famous person of their choice.  Then they used the activity words from last chapter combined with adjectives from this chapter to describe the person's activity and make inferences about their personality.  Students were given a choice of apps but most used PicCollage.

Current thoughts...

I'm still struggling with the management of the workload.
What is the best way to disseminate a document?  
What is the best way for students to use that document?  
And how do they get it back to me?

My current method: scan document, upload to Edmodo, students view through Skitch web, save to dropbox, fill out turn in google form.  Problem: the document is pretty small and hard to read and will only enlarge to a certain point.

I like that Dropbox and Notability are linked, so if students create a document, it is easier to save it.  But when I give them a document...it has to be pdf, or it won't open.  Problem:  I have a folder which each student has shared with me, but I don't have one folder that shares will all of them.  Maybe I should suck it up and create one by typing in all their email addresses.

Some solutions I've been working on to disseminate:

-turn document into QR code, have students snap the code, then work with document in program of their choice (requires QR generator and reader already downloaded to student ipads)

-use pastelink.me to share file, then students work with document

-maybe there is a better way to use the google doc feature of Edmodo?

Current Work-Spanish II

Students imagined themselves principal for a day.  Then they created 6 new rules--3 positive rules and 3 negatives.  They had to create a visual aid and then video their presentation to the school.  They used the preloaded camera feature, then uploaded to dropbox.

students wrote about themselves and their likes/dislikes. they used the picCollage app, then uploaded to dropbox.