Monday, February 18, 2013
Students pioneer the iPad frontier
BY: SANDRA TAN / NEWS STAFF REPORTER for the Buffalo News
In the long history of technology innovation, the iPad is an infant. But since its unveiling three years ago, the skinny, 10-inch wonder device has been transforming education at every level. It’s changing how teachers teach and improving how students learn.
The improvement has been so dramatic that – despite the cost – some schools have begun issuing iPads to every child.
Williamsville is the latest example. Every fifth-grader at Heim Middle School in the Williamsville district recently received an iPad2 as part of a one-year pilot program that will eventually translate into the biggest public school iPad distribution effort in the region.
Starting next school year, the district will spend about $300,000 equipping every fifth-grader across the district with one of the hot tablet devices.
That’s about 800 kids who each will have his or her own iPad to bring to school and take home for the duration of the school year. The following school year, sixth-graders also will get them. If all goes as planned, all Williamsville middle school students will be individually iPad- equipped within four years.
“It was almost like winning the lottery,” teacher Brandon Sanders said of student reactions to receiving their tablets two weeks ago.
Certainly, Heim Middle School isn’t the first public school in the region to use iPads in the classroom. These days, many schools have carts of iPads that move from classroom to classroom and grade to grade.
Third-graders at Windom Elementary School in Orchard Park, for instance, are currently creating their own nonfiction books using the devices.
Prior to Heim receiving 200 iPads, the Williamsville district already had about 1,300 iPads distributed among its elementary, middle and high schools, said Peter Ciarelli, the assistant superintendent for technology services.
But one-to-one student-to-iPad programs are still relatively rare in public school settings.
Roy B. Kelly Elementary School in the Lockport school district was the first in the region to adopt such a program, in 2010-11, when the school began a three-year study with the University at Buffalo to see if iPad use translates into improved academic achievement.
Every kindergartener got an iPad that first year. Now students through third grade – about 100 of them – have their own iPads, and fourth grade will be added in the fall, said Principal Marianne Currie-Hall. Anecdotally, she said, the bump in student performance has been significant.
“It’s transforming instruction,” she said. “I’ve got kindergarteners who email me their work.”
This school year, the 700-student Pine Valley Public School District in Chautauqua County distributed iPads to all students in grades five through nine, as well as to all high school honors students.
Third-graders are getting iPads this week, said Superintendent Pete Morgante. By next school year, every child from third grade through high school will have one.
The iPad distribution program in Williamsville will eclipse all others in the region. Though the fifth-graders at Heim have only had their iPads a short time, the change in classroom instruction has been huge.
No more stumbling over unknown words in reading class. A light tap on the electronic page calls up the definition from Webster’s Dictionary. Fifth-grader Breann Wilson quickly called up the definition for the word “reap” during a passage about harvesting in her e-book, “Esperanza Rising.”
No more class trips to the computer lab for academic research. Facts and images now appear before each student in seconds. That’s how 10-year-old Arnav Patra learned about the Canadian region of Nunavut.
“It’s a territory, actually,” he corrected.
No calling on one student at a time to gain correct answers. For many teachers, feedback is now instantaneous.
Students register their answers on their iPads, and teachers use polling software to tally class responses. Kids who get the answer right can have their iPad work projected overhead for all their classmates to see.
Emma Belica, 11, said her math teacher had everyone hold up their iPads to show her how they answered a math problem involving division with decimals “instead of only one person answering the question.” In some cases, the teacher was able to show how different students used different strategies to arrive at the correct answer.
Finally, no more lost classroom time spent writing down homework assignments at the end of each class. All assignments are automatically downloaded and completed on the iPad. Samantha Ingham, 10, reported that her backpack is a lot lighter these days.
So did Jacob Schlau, a fifth-grader at the school who never had an iPad and was pretty sure he’d never want one. That all changed the moment he held one in his hands.
“I fell in love with it,” he said.
An admittedly disorganized person, 10-year-old Jacob said he used to spend considerable time sorting through mounds of papers in the hunt to find his homework assignments each day. He’d often worry that he left papers behind in his locker.
Now that everything is on his electronic tablet, he’s shocked himself by turning in everything on time.
“It might just be luck,” Jacob mused, “but I think it’s the iPad.”
A few teachers also observed that students who have greater difficulty learning are finding the iPad to be a great equalizer, allowing them to participate more fully in class, interact more easily with the learning material, and catch up faster on remedial work at home.
“I feel like it’s starting to close that gap for them,” said special-education teacher Laura Lukasik.
Internet access is still restricted on the iPads by a content filter to make sure children aren’t exposed to inappropriate material.
Like their textbooks, the iPad devices will stay with these students until the end of the school year, when the fifth-graders must turn them back in.
Heim Middle School is piloting the iPad program because it has the smallest number of fifth-graders, about 165.
“It made sense to do this at a smaller school so we could work out some of the bugs,” Ciarelli said.
And there are some bugs to work out. The Internet content filter, for instance, has been causing some technical glitches, and the district still hasn’t found a way to purchase all the e-books it needs without having to create individual Barnes & Noble accounts for every fifth-grade iPad user at Heim. That’s cumbersome.
Regardless, technology integrator Lee Ferenc and Principal Valerie Keipper said the staff at Heim has rolled with the punches and embraced the technology.
Teachers are showing up after school for Ferenc’s voluntary lessons on how to incorporate the iPads into their lesson plans. And they’re turning to their own students, who are more than happy to show their teachers how to use the iPads better and faster.
“In many ways, they’re more familiar with the technology than I am,” said teacher Joe Roche.
Teacher Amy Chiavetta said she’s already had her students create video book reviews with scannable QR codes that will enable anyone curious about a library book to scan the attached two-dimensional code with their iPad and immediately access the video review by their peers.
Meanwhile, the school’s physical education and music teachers already have asked for the iPads to be outfitted with student fitness trackers and music lesson schedules.
Ferenc said he’s amazed at how quickly teachers are putting the iPads to use.
He said, “They’re already running with it.”
email: stan@buffnews.com
In the long history of technology innovation, the iPad is an infant. But since its unveiling three years ago, the skinny, 10-inch wonder device has been transforming education at every level. It’s changing how teachers teach and improving how students learn.
The improvement has been so dramatic that – despite the cost – some schools have begun issuing iPads to every child.
Williamsville is the latest example. Every fifth-grader at Heim Middle School in the Williamsville district recently received an iPad2 as part of a one-year pilot program that will eventually translate into the biggest public school iPad distribution effort in the region.
Starting next school year, the district will spend about $300,000 equipping every fifth-grader across the district with one of the hot tablet devices.
That’s about 800 kids who each will have his or her own iPad to bring to school and take home for the duration of the school year. The following school year, sixth-graders also will get them. If all goes as planned, all Williamsville middle school students will be individually iPad- equipped within four years.
“It was almost like winning the lottery,” teacher Brandon Sanders said of student reactions to receiving their tablets two weeks ago.
Certainly, Heim Middle School isn’t the first public school in the region to use iPads in the classroom. These days, many schools have carts of iPads that move from classroom to classroom and grade to grade.
Third-graders at Windom Elementary School in Orchard Park, for instance, are currently creating their own nonfiction books using the devices.
Prior to Heim receiving 200 iPads, the Williamsville district already had about 1,300 iPads distributed among its elementary, middle and high schools, said Peter Ciarelli, the assistant superintendent for technology services.
But one-to-one student-to-iPad programs are still relatively rare in public school settings.
Roy B. Kelly Elementary School in the Lockport school district was the first in the region to adopt such a program, in 2010-11, when the school began a three-year study with the University at Buffalo to see if iPad use translates into improved academic achievement.
Every kindergartener got an iPad that first year. Now students through third grade – about 100 of them – have their own iPads, and fourth grade will be added in the fall, said Principal Marianne Currie-Hall. Anecdotally, she said, the bump in student performance has been significant.
“It’s transforming instruction,” she said. “I’ve got kindergarteners who email me their work.”
This school year, the 700-student Pine Valley Public School District in Chautauqua County distributed iPads to all students in grades five through nine, as well as to all high school honors students.
Third-graders are getting iPads this week, said Superintendent Pete Morgante. By next school year, every child from third grade through high school will have one.
The iPad distribution program in Williamsville will eclipse all others in the region. Though the fifth-graders at Heim have only had their iPads a short time, the change in classroom instruction has been huge.
No more stumbling over unknown words in reading class. A light tap on the electronic page calls up the definition from Webster’s Dictionary. Fifth-grader Breann Wilson quickly called up the definition for the word “reap” during a passage about harvesting in her e-book, “Esperanza Rising.”
No more class trips to the computer lab for academic research. Facts and images now appear before each student in seconds. That’s how 10-year-old Arnav Patra learned about the Canadian region of Nunavut.
“It’s a territory, actually,” he corrected.
No calling on one student at a time to gain correct answers. For many teachers, feedback is now instantaneous.
Students register their answers on their iPads, and teachers use polling software to tally class responses. Kids who get the answer right can have their iPad work projected overhead for all their classmates to see.
Emma Belica, 11, said her math teacher had everyone hold up their iPads to show her how they answered a math problem involving division with decimals “instead of only one person answering the question.” In some cases, the teacher was able to show how different students used different strategies to arrive at the correct answer.
Finally, no more lost classroom time spent writing down homework assignments at the end of each class. All assignments are automatically downloaded and completed on the iPad. Samantha Ingham, 10, reported that her backpack is a lot lighter these days.
So did Jacob Schlau, a fifth-grader at the school who never had an iPad and was pretty sure he’d never want one. That all changed the moment he held one in his hands.
“I fell in love with it,” he said.
An admittedly disorganized person, 10-year-old Jacob said he used to spend considerable time sorting through mounds of papers in the hunt to find his homework assignments each day. He’d often worry that he left papers behind in his locker.
Now that everything is on his electronic tablet, he’s shocked himself by turning in everything on time.
“It might just be luck,” Jacob mused, “but I think it’s the iPad.”
A few teachers also observed that students who have greater difficulty learning are finding the iPad to be a great equalizer, allowing them to participate more fully in class, interact more easily with the learning material, and catch up faster on remedial work at home.
“I feel like it’s starting to close that gap for them,” said special-education teacher Laura Lukasik.
Internet access is still restricted on the iPads by a content filter to make sure children aren’t exposed to inappropriate material.
Like their textbooks, the iPad devices will stay with these students until the end of the school year, when the fifth-graders must turn them back in.
Heim Middle School is piloting the iPad program because it has the smallest number of fifth-graders, about 165.
“It made sense to do this at a smaller school so we could work out some of the bugs,” Ciarelli said.
And there are some bugs to work out. The Internet content filter, for instance, has been causing some technical glitches, and the district still hasn’t found a way to purchase all the e-books it needs without having to create individual Barnes & Noble accounts for every fifth-grade iPad user at Heim. That’s cumbersome.
Regardless, technology integrator Lee Ferenc and Principal Valerie Keipper said the staff at Heim has rolled with the punches and embraced the technology.
Teachers are showing up after school for Ferenc’s voluntary lessons on how to incorporate the iPads into their lesson plans. And they’re turning to their own students, who are more than happy to show their teachers how to use the iPads better and faster.
“In many ways, they’re more familiar with the technology than I am,” said teacher Joe Roche.
Teacher Amy Chiavetta said she’s already had her students create video book reviews with scannable QR codes that will enable anyone curious about a library book to scan the attached two-dimensional code with their iPad and immediately access the video review by their peers.
Meanwhile, the school’s physical education and music teachers already have asked for the iPads to be outfitted with student fitness trackers and music lesson schedules.
Ferenc said he’s amazed at how quickly teachers are putting the iPads to use.
He said, “They’re already running with it.”
email: stan@buffnews.com
Why (And How) Teachers Should Start Using iTunes U
Added by Fred Sitkins on 2012-12-29 to http://edudemic.com
With so many schools adopting the use of iPads I find it strange that we aren’t hearing more about the incredible opportunities available in iTunes U. Well I suppose it isn’t that strange given that schools in the early stages of transitioning to an iPad platform are extremely busy and learning one more thing can seem overwhelming.
Trust me, I understand that, but I believe if you were to learn one more thing it should be about the power of iTunes U. The possibilities of this incredible tool are endless. I’d like to provide you with just a few examples of the many uses of iTunes U in the hopes that more schools will join this incredible network of learning resources.
The first and likely most exciting benefit of iTunes U is the multitude of incredible classroom resources at your disposal. If you aren’t aware of iTunes U, it’s a depository of entire courses of educational content for K-12 institutions, universities and colleges, and other institutions Apple terms Beyond Campus, which includes a wide array of institutions from museums to the Washington National Opera.
When I think of the potential of iTunes U, the first thing that comes to my mind are the incredible communities that developed around SMART board users. The benefits of SMART board users sharing their lessons for the benefit of other SMART board users are numerous. It appears to me that iTunes U is based on a similar concept, with the primary difference being that the power and capabilities of an iPad are so much greater than a SMART board.
An important consideration to think about is that the individuals creating these courses are cutting edge classroom teachers. These are individuals that are actually in the classroom using the iPad and web 2.0 resources to engage, motivate and captivate our students. Those of us in the trenches of education understand that there is a benefit in obtaining resources from others in the trenches who are actually using the tools for the same reasons we are.
A quick search of the iTunes U catalog reveals many incredible courses full of engaging educational materials and resources. I believe it is through avenues like iTunes U that schools will learn to help our students see learning in new and exciting ways while at the same time opening our classrooms and homes to a wide array of exciting new educational opportunities.
I would love to take a minute to highlight a few courses that I am extremely proud. We have some teachers in our school district learning to use iTunes U and what they have produced in these early stages is very encouraging. Check out the attached links to some of our Boyne City Public Schools iTunes U courses.
Solar System
Students begin this unit by researching the Solar System with an emphasis on Earth, Sun, and Moon. Then, students are presented with primary and secondary sources regarding the Solar System. Students demonstrate what they have learned by collaborating with each other to create an ePub about the Solar System.
Ecosystems
Students will journey through books, videos, songs and illustrations to gain a better understanding of Ecosystems Around the World.
Underground Railroad
Students begin this unit by learning about the Underground Railroad. Next, they explore videos, apps, and books that expand their knowledge about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. Finally, students write an opinion piece about slavery.
Presidents
Your job is to learn more about presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama. Next you will investigate what the Electoral College is and why it is important when campaigning to be president. Finally share, in your Keynote, all of your new knowledge of how to become Chief Executive Officer of the United States.
Why You Should Try iTunes U
I’ve had the privilege of seeing iTunes U courses at work in classrooms and with my own children as they look over my shoulder while I review courses for our teachers. Witnessing first hand the captivating power of these courses has cemented my belief in the power of this current technological revolution to change education. I know when others experience the potential of iTunes U they too will be believers.
The second exciting use of iTunes U I hope more schools discover are the many exciting opportunities for teacher professional growth. If a school is looking to train staff on just about any topic, or you would like to experience some personal growth, I would encourage the first step to be researching the topic in iTunes U.
Again, some of the nations most technologically advanced individuals have been the first to adopt utilizing the iTunes U platform for sharing their resources and as a result, some of the nations best are those that will be doing the training for your staff. I would encourage you to check out the attached courses from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools or the Cedars School of Excellence as excellent examples of some of the quality staff learning resources you will find on iTunes U. A keyword search of the iTunes U catalog reveals a great number of quality resources on most any professional learning topic. School administrators and teachers alike will agree that the learning resources available on iTunes U are truly exceptional.
Creating iTunes U Courses
This course is intended for teachers and administrators to learn how to manage a class or set of classes through iTunes U. The course covers the basics of setting up a course in iTunes U and adding content to it.
IT Weekly
Here’s the idea. There are a lot of great ideas out there, and we would love to share them all with you. You have started this website as a way to get the information out to as many as possible in a fun, exciting format. Each week we’ll do our best to focus on one concept or one idea. The beauty is for people throughout the district to connect and share these ideas that are presented here.
We have read a great deal about the benefits of flipped learning for our students and are beginning to hear more and more about the same benefits for staff learning. I have already observed many of the benefits associated with the concept of flipped learning occurring with our students and staff as a result of iTunes U. In fact, one of my favorite student stories this school year was from the student that reported to his classroom teacher that he watched her video six times over the weekend. I can’t think of any other time where a student would have the opportunity to listen to a lesson six times. I can’t think of any reason for an educator not to be excited about this return on investment.
One of the things I like most about providing iPads to all students is that for the first time in my educational career I feel we have made a significant impact on evening the playing field for all students. Now, all students have the same access to educational resources and materials. iTunes U goes a long way in assisting schools in creating this balanced playing field because all of the course materials and resources can be downloaded to the iPad at school while the students are connected to wifi. This includes books, PDF’s, Videos, Music, basically any resource provided in the course can be downloaded to the iPad and accessed any time or any place whether or not the student has internet access at home.
Wherever you are in your voyage of implementing iPads into the classroom, I would strongly encourage you to give iTunes U a look. You can search for resources by course type or keyword. Just one more place to get you lost for a little while as you look for new and exciting activities to use not only with your students, but for your own personal learning as well.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Boston Globe supplies iPads to school donation program
Many newspapers have had donation programs in the past where subscribers who go on vacation can donate their papers to schools. Once in the schools, the papers were used by students either for reading assignments or for art projects in which younger students cut out photos.The Boston Globe is taking the idea into the future by using reader vacation funds from its Newspaper In Education program to buy iPads and classroom projectors for schools.
With US$65,000 in funds supplied by vacationing subscribers, the Globe is buying 75 iPads for Boston Public Schools and Stoneham High School. Those iPads will be equipped with digital subscriptions to BostonGlobe.com. Globe director of customer experience and innovation Robert Saurer says that "We believe that digital kids turn into digital adults ... We want to provide easy, portable access not only to our content, but to the greater world of content on the web -- deployed in the classroom daily, streamed live, as the kids are learning."
A pilot program will run through the spring semester and will be evaluated by teacher focus groups to determine if more iPads or an increased number of projectors are a better option going into the future.
by Steven Sande
Jan 23rd 2013 at 4:00PM
Monday, January 21, 2013
Sync iCloud to Dropbox
Mac and iOS users are going to be increasingly pushed to choose between storing their documents in iCloud or Dropbox. I expect that Apple will continue to push more and more features to iCloud that will make people want to use it, and I expect that Apple will continue to make iCloud easier and easier for iOS and Mac developers to use, so developers will want to support it.
Click here for the Full Article
Incoming Freshmen Required to Buy iPad Mini at Lynn University
January 16, 2013
As part of a new learning initiative beginning in fall of 2013, Lynn University will begin providing incoming freshmen with an iPad mini, reported BocaNewsNow.com. The device will be pre-loaded with texts from Lynn’s core curriculum, as well as apps and several iTunes U courses.
The iPad mini will cost students $475, but university officials say that is at least half of what students would typically pay for traditional print materials such as textbooks and readers. Students will be able to keep the iPad mini and can download any additional apps or content that they wish to.
According to Inside Higher Ed, the university began renovating its core curriculum in 2006, and since then it has been looking for ways to blend academics and technology. When the university was selected as the site for the third presidential debate in October 2012, the school had to upgrade its technology infrastructure in order to accommodate the media and debate participants. The push was exactly what the institution needed to move towards its goal of launching an iPad-based learning program.
“We knew that the new network infrastructure would provide benefits far beyond just enabling us to host the thousands of media and others coming to participate in the date,” said Chris Boniforti, chief information officer, in a Lynn University press release. “Our new iPad initiative is one of the first new efforts that will use the new network as its backbone.”
School officials met with Apple representatives to discuss iTunes U and the iPad and have been testing the technology in the classroom over the last two years, according to the press release. Feedback from students and faculty has been positive. In fact, according to Inside Higher Ed, one test situation showed that students learned more and were more engaged when they used an iPad to apply what they learned in class to solve real world problems. Therefore, the iPad initiative also helps the school reach its ultimate goal of increasing student engagement.
“It’s changed the way I would teach classes,” stated Mike Petroski, an associate professor of computer management systems, in Inside Higher Ed. “I like to think it just brings my classroom work more alive.”
iPads in the classroom are not an entirely new concept. Since the iPad first came out, several universities have provided their students with the device and launched iPad pilot programs, including Reed College and Stanford University’s School of Medicine. Inside Higher Ed, however, pointed out that Lynn University’s initiative is different as it is centered on a custom-designed curriculum. Furthermore, both the core curriculum (called Dialogues of Learning, which mixes liberal arts with professional study) and iPad use in the classroom will be standardized for all freshmen students as well as faculty.
“This started with our core curriculum development,” explained Boniforti in Inside Higher Ed. “[The iPad] is just another evolution, another step.”
Compiled by Heidi M. Agustin
Sources:
“All Lynn Freshmen To Receive An iPad Mini,” bocanewsnow.com, January 15, 2013
“iPad U.” insidehighered.com, January 15, 2013, Alexandra Tilsley
“Lynn University launching one of higher education’s most extensive tablet-based learning programs,” lynn.edu, January 15, 2013
As part of a new learning initiative beginning in fall of 2013, Lynn University will begin providing incoming freshmen with an iPad mini, reported BocaNewsNow.com. The device will be pre-loaded with texts from Lynn’s core curriculum, as well as apps and several iTunes U courses.
The iPad mini will cost students $475, but university officials say that is at least half of what students would typically pay for traditional print materials such as textbooks and readers. Students will be able to keep the iPad mini and can download any additional apps or content that they wish to.
According to Inside Higher Ed, the university began renovating its core curriculum in 2006, and since then it has been looking for ways to blend academics and technology. When the university was selected as the site for the third presidential debate in October 2012, the school had to upgrade its technology infrastructure in order to accommodate the media and debate participants. The push was exactly what the institution needed to move towards its goal of launching an iPad-based learning program.
“We knew that the new network infrastructure would provide benefits far beyond just enabling us to host the thousands of media and others coming to participate in the date,” said Chris Boniforti, chief information officer, in a Lynn University press release. “Our new iPad initiative is one of the first new efforts that will use the new network as its backbone.”
School officials met with Apple representatives to discuss iTunes U and the iPad and have been testing the technology in the classroom over the last two years, according to the press release. Feedback from students and faculty has been positive. In fact, according to Inside Higher Ed, one test situation showed that students learned more and were more engaged when they used an iPad to apply what they learned in class to solve real world problems. Therefore, the iPad initiative also helps the school reach its ultimate goal of increasing student engagement.
“It’s changed the way I would teach classes,” stated Mike Petroski, an associate professor of computer management systems, in Inside Higher Ed. “I like to think it just brings my classroom work more alive.”
iPads in the classroom are not an entirely new concept. Since the iPad first came out, several universities have provided their students with the device and launched iPad pilot programs, including Reed College and Stanford University’s School of Medicine. Inside Higher Ed, however, pointed out that Lynn University’s initiative is different as it is centered on a custom-designed curriculum. Furthermore, both the core curriculum (called Dialogues of Learning, which mixes liberal arts with professional study) and iPad use in the classroom will be standardized for all freshmen students as well as faculty.
“This started with our core curriculum development,” explained Boniforti in Inside Higher Ed. “[The iPad] is just another evolution, another step.”
Compiled by Heidi M. Agustin
Sources:
“All Lynn Freshmen To Receive An iPad Mini,” bocanewsnow.com, January 15, 2013
“iPad U.” insidehighered.com, January 15, 2013, Alexandra Tilsley
“Lynn University launching one of higher education’s most extensive tablet-based learning programs,” lynn.edu, January 15, 2013
Limiting your kids' iOS use
From TUAW:
By Christopher Breen
Jan 21, 2013 6:30 AM
Concerned parent and reader Frank Reilly seeks a way to control his kids’ device use. He writes:
My two children each have an iPod touch and they spend a lot of time with them on Facebook and Instagram. My wife and I try to keep an eye on the time they spend, but we don’t want to be police either. I’ve looked at the iPods’ restrictions but they don’t do what we want, which is to limit the hours they can use these services. Any suggestions?
At the risk of offering parenting advice, the first step is to evaluate how much time the kids are really spending and then determine the harm it’s doing. If it’s interfering with more important activities—homework, chores, exercise, and time spent with the family and friends—it’s time for The Talk. And The Talk, in this case, emphasizes that while this technology is very cool, there’s more to life than staring at a screen and interacting with virtual friends. Then try to set up a schedule where social networking is placed in the context of a recreational pursuit.
If The Talk doesn’t take and the kids are spending more time than you’re prepared to allow, there are sterner approaches you can take. One of the harshest is to set up a system where the kids have to “check out” the devices during certain times of the day. When that time expires, they have to turn them over to you. Very few teenagers will put up with this approach, plus it puts you in the position of being the iPod cop.
A gentler technique that achieves much the same results is to limit your network. (To avoid pouting and/or poison looks, let your kids know you’re going to do this.) The kids can keep their iPod but they'll lack the means to get on the Internet. This is easily done if you have an AirPort-based wireless network. Like so:
“Borrow” your kids’ iPods and on each navigate to Settings > General > About. Write down the numbers and letters you find listed after the Wi-Fi Address entry. This is the iPod’s MAC address, which is the unique identifier for that device.
Now move to your Mac and launch AirPort Utility. Select the base station connected to your Internet source and click on the Edit button. Click the Network tab in the resulting window and then click on the box next to Enable Access Control. Click the Timed Access Control button that is now active.
In the sheet that appears click the Plus (+) button and enter the name of the device in the Description field (“Junior’s iPod,” for example) and the associated identifier in the MAC Address field.
In the Wireless Access Times area use the pop-up menus to choose the times you’ll allow the iPod to have access to the Internet—weekdays between 3 and 5 PM and weekends from 10 AM to 12 PM, for instance. Then click the Plus button once again to add the other child’s iPod and configure that one as you wish. (You can configure different times for each device.) When things are configured as you like, click Save and allow AirPort Utility to update your base station. The limits you imposed are now in place.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
How an iPad is a More Powerful Content-Creation Device Than a Laptop
That the iPad is a great content-consumption device has never been disputed. But just 30 months after its launch the iPad is now in some ways a more powerful content-creation device than a laptop in the hands of students in the classroom.
Click here to read more!
University of Western Sydney to give 11,000 iPads to new students
The University of Western Sydney will give iPads to 11,000 new students and academic staff in 2013, according to a statement issued today by the university. UWS's Pro Vice-Chancellor of Education Professor Kerri-Lee Krause said, "With digital technology revolutionizing how we connect and interact with the world, university study should be no different. This initiative will not only readily equip our students and academic staff with mobile tools to enhance learning, it will also help them to engage with an ever-increasing online world."
Tablets are quickly becoming a mainstay of university life due to their portability, relatively cheap cost and their ability to provide education materials in dynamic and engaging experiences through apps and interactive books, like those made with Apple's iBooks Author.
The university already offers free campus wide WiFi to all its students and Professor Krause sees the iPad rollout a natural progression of its mobile technology strategy. "Over the next couple of years UWS will challenge some of the traditional lecture-style presentations by including more of the interactive learning that students value so much," Krause said. "Mobile technologies will be a key part of this strategy. We want to support our academic staff to make the most of iPads and custom-designed apps in class so that, even in the largest lecture theatre, students have access to just-for-me, just-in-time interactive learning experiences."
The USW iPad rollout is expected to be the largest iPad in education initiative in Australian history.
Inkling cooks up multimedia iPad books
SAN FRANCISCO — With the launch of the first iPad, former Apple executive Matt MacInnis had a brainstorm: multimedia textbooks for the new device, with video, photos and audio.
Click here to read more!
Monday, October 29, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Apple's App Store Downloads Top 25 Billion
CUPERTINO, California-March 5, 2012-Apple® today announced that more than 25 billion apps have been downloaded from its revolutionary App Store™ by the users of the more than 315 million iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch® devices worldwide. The 25 billionth app downloaded, Where's My Water? Free, was downloaded by Chunli Fu of Qingdao, China. As the winner of the App Store Countdown to 25 Billion Apps, Chunli Fu will receive a $10,000 iTunes® Gift Card.
"We'd like to thank our customers and developers for helping us achieve this historic milestone of 25 billion apps downloaded," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "When we launched the App Store less than four years ago, we never imagined that mobile apps would become the phenomenon they have, or that developers would create such an incredible selection of apps for iOS users."
The revolutionary App Store offers more than 550,000 apps to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users in 123 countries around the world, with more than 170,000 native iPad apps available. App Store customers can choose from an incredible range of apps in 21 categories, including Newsstand, games, business, news, sports, health & fitness and travel. The App Store has paid out more than four billion dollars to developers.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Vancouver City Council adopts iPads, saves 50K pages a year
From TUAW:
By Kelly HodgkinsVancouver Washington City Council adopted iPads in January in an experiment to test out the effectiveness of a paperless workflow. After two months, the touchscreen tablet is an early success as the Council has seen a 40 percent reduction in number of printed pages it uses for meetings. It does more than just save paper, too.In a statement, the City Council describes how the iPad lets council members easily view documents stored on a local server. They can also visit websites mentioned during a meeting. Despite the high up-front cost of the iPad, it's saving the city money, too. Vancouver was paying US$71 per month for each BlackBerry and is now paying $43 monthly for the iPad. Between printing and data costs, the city could save up to $500 per year by switching to the iPad.
Mar 2nd 2012 at 9:15AM
Thursday, March 1, 2012
iPads help special education students in Roanoke County
ROANOKE CO., Va —
Technology has the power to change a person's life for the better. That's exactly what's happening in Roanoke County schools.
iPads are helping special education students both inside and outside the classroom.
Connor Smith goes to Glenvar Middle School and he's quick on his iPad. From math problems to memory games, his iPad has it all. The games are fun but also educational.His mom, Cheryl Smith, says the iPad is easy to navigate. All Connor has to do is use his fingers."For us it's been a long journey from when he didn't move anything and then he started moving a leg then he moved his elbow," says Cheryl Smith.
Connor suffered a severe brain injury after a car crash nearly six years ago. The 13-year-old is now able to use his right arm."Part of his injury involves the loss of short term memory shortage and retrieval and learning," says Smith, "So a lot of times repetition is what's needed."
Technology has the power to change a person's life for the better. That's exactly what's happening in Roanoke County schools.
iPads are helping special education students both inside and outside the classroom.
Connor Smith goes to Glenvar Middle School and he's quick on his iPad. From math problems to memory games, his iPad has it all. The games are fun but also educational.His mom, Cheryl Smith, says the iPad is easy to navigate. All Connor has to do is use his fingers."For us it's been a long journey from when he didn't move anything and then he started moving a leg then he moved his elbow," says Cheryl Smith.
Connor suffered a severe brain injury after a car crash nearly six years ago. The 13-year-old is now able to use his right arm."Part of his injury involves the loss of short term memory shortage and retrieval and learning," says Smith, "So a lot of times repetition is what's needed."
September 22, 2011
Elizabeth Harrington | Reporter
National Archives Now Available on iTunes U
The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) announced that it is now available on iTunes U, a dedicated area within the iTunes Store giving users public access to thousands of free lectures, videos, books, and podcasts from learning institutions all over the world.
National Archives on iTunes U is giving teachers, students, and lifelong seekers of knowledge access to archival documents, lesson plans, Presidential Libraries’ podcasts, and more, all available as free downloads to enjoy on a Mac or PC, iPad, iPhone or iPod. National Archives on iTunes U is launching with a selection of World War II films, Presidential historical documents and podcasts, and several “Inside the Vaults” videos featuring behind-the-scenes at the archives, and lesson plan materials, exhibit materials, and videos of public lectures will continue to be added to iTunes U.
NARA is an independent federal agency that preserves and shares with the public records that trace the story of our nation, government, and the American people. From the Declaration of Independence to accounts of ordinary Americans, the holdings of the National Archives directly touch the lives of millions of people.
iPads enter the classroom
PEORIA —
With kids of the 21st century so adept with technology and computers, why not just put the controller in their hands? That's exactly what District 150 elementary teachers are doing.
District 150 grade schools are bringing iPads into classrooms to enhance the learning experience of both students and teachers. It is an effort to provide those who most need assistance a form of help that is user-friendly and fun.
General and special education teachers are becoming more informed on how to utilize the most effective educational methods that the iPad offers. Maureen Langholf, the special education director for the district, said Wednesday there are multiple advantages to introducing iPads into the classroom, especially for students with learning disabilities.
"The goal of having iPads as a tool in the classroom is to give the students more individual access to the lessons so that they can better grasp and communicate their understanding of the material," said Langholf, who said that Apple offers more than 400,000 applications for special education instructors on the iPad.
"We want the lesson to be as individualized for the child as possible," she said, mentioning the iPad is similar to handheld devices such as phones and game systems that children today are already familiar with. "A child with autism can use pictures and voice recordings and the touch technology to communicate."
With funding received from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the schools have received iPad carts, with 20 to 30 iPads in each, to be used by the children.
Teachers will be able to categorize and file applications unique to each student that will be accessible on every iPad, making the devices advantageous to the characteristics of each student.
"It will not be the teacher always telling the student what to do, but allowing the student to choose," said Jean Chumbley, who, along with Joyce Heerman, is the third- and fourth-grade inclusion teacher at Thomas Jefferson Primary School.
"It's an interactive process of trial and error for the kids," said Heerman, speaking of the use of applications, "and that's something that the children are much better at than we are."
The iPads only will be used for a segment of the day, designed to be a spoke instead of the wheel itself.
"They're still going to be using books, pens and paper," said Lisa Kukos, one of the technology facilitators for the district. "We'll be supporting teachers by integrating technology into the lesson."
"We're striving for better ways to reach the kids," says Sidney Ross, the fifth-grade inclusion teacher at Franklin-Edison Primary School. "There's a world of possibilities in one device."
With kids of the 21st century so adept with technology and computers, why not just put the controller in their hands? That's exactly what District 150 elementary teachers are doing.
District 150 grade schools are bringing iPads into classrooms to enhance the learning experience of both students and teachers. It is an effort to provide those who most need assistance a form of help that is user-friendly and fun.
General and special education teachers are becoming more informed on how to utilize the most effective educational methods that the iPad offers. Maureen Langholf, the special education director for the district, said Wednesday there are multiple advantages to introducing iPads into the classroom, especially for students with learning disabilities.
"The goal of having iPads as a tool in the classroom is to give the students more individual access to the lessons so that they can better grasp and communicate their understanding of the material," said Langholf, who said that Apple offers more than 400,000 applications for special education instructors on the iPad.
"We want the lesson to be as individualized for the child as possible," she said, mentioning the iPad is similar to handheld devices such as phones and game systems that children today are already familiar with. "A child with autism can use pictures and voice recordings and the touch technology to communicate."
With funding received from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the schools have received iPad carts, with 20 to 30 iPads in each, to be used by the children.
Teachers will be able to categorize and file applications unique to each student that will be accessible on every iPad, making the devices advantageous to the characteristics of each student.
"It will not be the teacher always telling the student what to do, but allowing the student to choose," said Jean Chumbley, who, along with Joyce Heerman, is the third- and fourth-grade inclusion teacher at Thomas Jefferson Primary School.
"It's an interactive process of trial and error for the kids," said Heerman, speaking of the use of applications, "and that's something that the children are much better at than we are."
The iPads only will be used for a segment of the day, designed to be a spoke instead of the wheel itself.
"They're still going to be using books, pens and paper," said Lisa Kukos, one of the technology facilitators for the district. "We'll be supporting teachers by integrating technology into the lesson."
"We're striving for better ways to reach the kids," says Sidney Ross, the fifth-grade inclusion teacher at Franklin-Edison Primary School. "There's a world of possibilities in one device."
iPads the Gateway Drug for College Data Usage
From The New York Times:
By DARRELL ETHERINGTON of GigaOm
Published: September 26, 2011
Data is in demand on college campuses, and it’s putting a strain on shared school networks. The iPad is partly to blame, according to University of Missouri-Columbia IT director Terry Robb (via The St. Louis Post-Dispatch), but it’s mostly acting as a gateway drug for the real culprit: online video.
The report from the Dispatch describes slow or severed connections that students at the University of Missouri-Columbia experienced when coming back to classes this September. At that U.S. school, the number of wireless devices active on the network at any one time maxed out at 900 last year. Already in 2011, it’s hit 8,000 devices actively using the school’s connection at once.
The iPad is the biggest change in terms of the mobile connected-device landscape in recent years. Apple’s tablet still owns the market for that category of device, and it’s an optimal device for consuming streaming video, since it features a much larger display than smartphones, but is much simpler to turn on and hold than a cumbersome notebook computer. The iPad alone was already equal to Android’s share of online mobile video consumption back in May, and Apple’s other devices occupy a huge slice of the pie, too.
While Apple’s iPad may have multiplied the problem, iPhones and other smartphones have already significantly affected demand for Wi-Fi on college campuses. Students now expect strong on-campus Wi-Fi as one of the perks associated with going to school–it factors into their feeling of satisfaction over what they pay in tuition. Washington University’s Andrew Orstadt, who is the associated vice chancellor for information services and technology, says the demand for high capacity should be met within reason, no matter what students end up using the bandwidth for. He told the Dispatch that since students live on campus, schools should “make sure they are doing what they want to do” with their recreation time, too.
The challenge now is for schools to be able to meet the growing demand for reliable Wi-Fi with a growing population of connected devices with increasing technical specs. Next-gen devices will be able to stream higher-quality video to and from the web, and do more than one task at a time without as much of a cost on battery life or processor power. Students two years from now could likely be streaming one full HD video to their tablets while downloading another two equally high-bandwidth files in the background.
Apple’s devices may only be fuel for the fire that is demand for college Wi-Fi Internet access, but the iPad’s success and the rise in connected-device usage seen by the University of Missouri-Columbia in the wake of its introduction is a good sign that as far as fuel goes, it’s the rocket-powering kind.
By DARRELL ETHERINGTON of GigaOm
Published: September 26, 2011
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Hiding purchased iOS apps
Another great Macworld article:
http://www.macworld.com/article/164112/2011/12/hiding_purchased_ios_apps.html
Using iCloud with iWork for iOS
A great article from MacWorld:
http://www.macworld.com/article/163459/2011/11/using_icloud_with_iwork_for_ios.html
Tune-in Series: Tech Seminars for Educators and IT Leaders
The Tune-in Series is a collection of free webinars focused on introducing educators and IT leaders to the capabilities of Apple technology in education.
In the current series, Apple focuses on a different element of the benefits of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices and digital content in and out of the classroom. Each day of the week Apple covers a different subject and then answer questions from participants. Join Apple any weekday for just the topics of interest to you or watch the whole series.
Monday: Introduction to iPad, and iPod touch
Learn the basics of iOS devices, the role iTunes plays in app management, and the range of accessories that can be helpful as you use these products in your classroom.
Tuesday: Education Content for iOS Devices
This session covers how educational content on the web, in the App Store, in the iBookstore and on iTunes U, makes iOS devices incredible for teaching and learning. In particular, we will focus on great apps for iPad that are transforming the way teachers teach and students learn.
Wednesday: Creating Your Own Content
Creation of content can be a valuable education tool for both educators and students. Wednesday's session explores elements of the iWork and iLife suites to demonstrate the ease of creating content and distributing it on mobile devices.
Thursday: iOS Content and Device Management
The iOS Content and Device Management session addresses how iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices work with iTunes. It also illustrates how the iPhone Configuration Utility can help restrict elements of functionality and demonstrates common syncing configurations.
Friday: Planning iOS Device Deployments
End your week with a session discussing iOS device deployment. Concepts from the week will be used to outline how an example deployment can be planned, the typical types of decisions made at various stages, and suggestions on how to make your deployment worry free.
Apple Registration Link
iPad iOS 5 Split Keyboard Has Hidden Keys
Apple has some tricks up its sleeve when it comes to the iPad keyboard in iOS 5. The addition of the split keyboard was helpful for people who enjoy typing with two hands while holding the iPad vertically. In this manner thumbs can more easily be used much like on the iPhone.
Finer Things in iOS has pointed out that there are actually hidden keys when typing in this mode. The keys found on the inside edge of the split keyboard are repeated on the opposite side, even though there's no key depicted.
This leaves extra touch zones for keys that you might be used to typing with one hand or the other, and makes it simpler to type some words without switching hands for those letters. The trick requires no additional input from the user, simple enable the split keyboard by tapping the keyboard button at the bottom right of the screen. From here you can enable the split keyboard and the hidden keys are automatically activated.
The split keyboard can also be engaged by pulling the keyboard apart with your fingers. Apple, of course is known for putting these helpful user interface tweaks in different parts of iOS. The split keyboard option itself was introduced with the release of iOS 5, which comes pre-installed on the iPad 2 and can be downloaded for the original iPad.
Submitted by Fred Straker on Sun, 02/05/2012 - 18:14
Inkling launches Inkling Habitat for textbook publishing
From TUAW:
By Steven SandeBooks Author was announced last month to a lot of hoopla, but left many ebook publishers wanting a textbook authoring tool that would streamline the entire book publishing process and have more features. Today, Inkling announced their new online ebook publishing tool -- Inkling Habitat -- that is designed to speed the workflow for textbook publishers.Inkling Habitat is currently on a limited distribution, but users who are accepted into the Early Adopter Program have a chance to try out the robust features of the tool. Habitat is a cloud-based tool, so authors, editors, and artists can collaborate on textbooks simultaneously from anywhere. There's infinite rollback, so every addition, change, or edit is saved. When it's time to publish the ebook, Habitat creates content for every target platform and customizes the layout for every device.Inkling notes that they're trying to treat content more like software, "shifting the industry from a page-based model to a software-based model that benefits from decades of computer science advances." There's automated error reporting built into Habitat, so any time content is published it is run through a gauntlet of tests to make sure that everything works properly.Inkling is no newcomer to the electronic publishing world, having published over a hundred electronic textbooks to date. The company was founded by Matt MacInnis, a former Apple educational marketing manager.There's no word on what the cost of Inkling Habitat will be, or if the company will grab a portion of the proceeds from each published textbook. From the company's website, it's not even clear if Habitat creates standalone apps or traditional ebook files that are compatible with existing bookstores. In the meantime, if you're a publisher, writer, or educator, you might want to sign up for Inkling's Early Adopter Program.
Feb 14th 2012 at 1:00PM
Twenty-six percent of European doctors use an iPad professionally
From TUAW:
European readers who visit with their doctors have a good chance of seeing an iPad in use during their appointments. According to a new survey of physicians, 26 percent of 1,207 practicing physicians in Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the UK said that they own an iPad and spend 27 percent of their work online time using the iPad.Manhattan Research carried out the Taking the Pulse Europe study in the fourth quarter of 2011, and found that 40 percent of doctors surveyed plan to purchase an iPad within the next six months. The adoption rate of iPad usage is the same for primary care physicians (general practitioners and doctors of internal and family medicine) and specialists (ophthalmologists, rheumatologists, etc...).What are all of these doctors using their iPads for? The survey showed that they're using them primarily to browse medical articles on the web, watch videos, and look up information. The European doctors are also showing a lot of interest in "using iPads to manage and educate their patients."An article in pharmaceutical blog PMLiVe noted that some large companies like AstraZeneca, Jannsen, and Vertex have created iPad-specific apps targeting healthcare professionals, but that Pfizer had to pull an iPhone app last autumn when errors were found in its Rheumatology Calculator. The situation brought up the question of whether or not pharmaceutical apps should be considered as medical devices, which could slow down the development of new and useful apps in the future.
By Steven Sande
Feb 15th 2012 at 4:15PM
Study: iPads improve Kindergarten literacy scores
From TUAW:
By Mike SchrammApple is pushing for iPad use in education, and several schools have taken up the charge. Now, a study of kindergarteners in Auburn, Maine has shown that students who use iPads score better in every literacy test than those who don't. The study focused on 266 children whose instruction featured the iPad. Those who used the device scored higher on the literacy tests, were more interested in learning and excited to be there.There are caveats to these results. Many schools don't have the budget to distribute iPads to all of their students (Apple has education programs, however, and third-party programs are getting better all the time). Additionally, the students' excitement could be attributed to access to an iPad. When I was a kid, our school boasted brand new Apple IIes, which fostered a lifetime's worth of interest in computers, technology, and the written word for me. But that's likely because they played Oregon Trail and Prince of Persia.Still, the iPad can be a powerful tool for learning and comprehension, especially for literacy. Interactivity can make for a very engaging experience, definitely at a young age. It's reat to see these kindergarteners doing better in school no matter what the reason, and hopefully we'll hear more stories of Apple's technology benefiting students.
Feb 20th 2012 at 3:00PM
iOS Pages Tip
-Thanks to Dave Marra (@marrathon) for this one!
Buffalo Wild Wings testing iPads for ordering
While we were in San Francisco for Macworld | iWorld, I noticed that the wait staff at Mel's Drive-in were using iPads to take orders. I hadn't seen that before, but apparently the folks at Mel's have used iPads for a while. Now an even bigger restaurant chain, Buffalo Wild Wings, is planning to deploy iPads to its nationwide locations, should an initial pilot programs fare well.Instead of issuing iPads to servers like Mel's has done, Buffalo Wild Wings will embed iPads in tables around the bar. Customers can use them to browse select apps like Facebook and Safari, or place an order. Those behind the initiative hope customers will eventually interact with ads, play in-store games, and find a new source of in-restaurant entertainment in the iPads.The company is reportedly going with Hubworks for installation, a company that makes rugged iPad cases meant for public use. The restaurant first implemented the system in Toronto, and is now testing the setup in Minneapolis. Perhaps you'll see one at your location soon.
By Mike Schramm
Feb 8th 2012 at 10:00AM
Friday, February 17, 2012
The iPad at work: Can it get the job done?
By Dan Moren, Macworld.com
Feb 6, 2012 10:20 am
For almost two years now, I’ve started nearly every morning by reaching for my iPad. Before I even get out of bed, I check email, catch up on Twitter, read some comics, and surf some websites. However, when it’s time for work, I put down the iPad and get out my Mac.
But as the iPad’s hardware and software have developed since its launch in 2010, and especially since the recent release of iOS 5, I’ve been wondering whether that handoff is really necessary. Can the iPad replace a Mac for work? Or, more accurately, what kinds of work can it do now? What kinds of sacrifices are still required? Can you actually get things done with it?
Since I was the one who, not so long ago, wrote that iOS 5 makes the iPad a better computer than ever before, I volunteered to be the guinea pig for a little experiment. For three days, I vowed to go Mac-less, using my iPad instead of my laptop for everything. Here’s how it went:
http://www.macworld.com/article/165219/2012/02/the_ipad_at_work_day_1_getting_it_all_set_up.html
Apps have created 466,000 U.S. jobs in four years
Apps for mobile devices are a surprisingly robust source of jobs in the United States, according to research from TechNet. Since 2008, apps have created 466,000 American jobs. TechNet estimates that about 155,000 of those tech-related jobs are related to app development and tech support, while the remaining 311,000 jobs also require tech skills but include things like app marketing and art design.
Of those jobs, the highest percentage (23.8 percent) of the total are located in California. Other app hot spots include New York (6.9 percent), Washington (6.4 percent), Texas (5.4 percent) and New Jersey (4.2 percent). Central Florida doesn't want to be left out, as the Orlando Sentinel reports; local universities and training institutes are high on app development learning programs for would-be developers.
These numbers include not only jobs created for iOS apps, but also those triggered by the development of apps for Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, and Facebook.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
US government wants schools to embrace digital textbooks
From TAUW:
By Steven SandeAlthough they haven't exactly explained how school systems or parents are going to pay for iPads or other tablets for every student, the US government is pushing a new initiative to move from standard printed textbooks to digital textbooks within the next five years. While it's good to see that a focus on digital textbooks is finally at hand, it's going to take more than a press release, five years and a "playbook" to make the transition happen.According to an AP news release, "Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski on Wednesday challenged schools and companies to get digital textbooks in students' hands within five years."In an interview, Duncan asked, "Do we want kids walking around with 50-pound backpacks and every book in those backpacks costing 50, 60, 70 dollars and many of them being out of date? Or, do we want students walking around with a mobile device that has much more content than was even imaginable a couple years ago and can be constantly updated? I think it's a very simple choice."To school systems that are battling drastically decreased budgets and trying to replace or repair crumbling infrastructure, it might not be such a "simple choice." Likewise, there doesn't appear to have been much (if any) thought on how parents or schools systems are going to replace equipment that is broken or lost by students, or how to pay for digital devices to be refreshed every three to five years.Wednesday's announcement comes just two weeks after Apple's education event and the launch of iBooks textbooks. The company is perfectly placed, both in terms of the iPad hardware platform and iBooks Author creation tool, to benefit from a move to interactive and easily updated electronic textbooks.The government released a 67-page "playbook" promoting the use of digital textbooks and offering guidance to school systems who want to make the move. At the current time, about US$8 billion is spent each year on traditional textbooks for K-12 school kids. With an Apple educational discount, that could pay for more than 17 million iPads each year. If Apple, as rumored, brings down the price of entry into the iPad market by selling the iPad 2 alongside a future model, more devices could make it into the hands of students across the nation.On the other hand, switching to digital textbooks means more than just acquiring hardware and buying textbook apps. In many cases, the curriculum provided by a school district and even the methods used by instructors to teach students must change as well. The educational five-year plan is a noble goal; it's just not very realistic.
Feb 2nd 2012 at 3:00PM
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
iPads for Madison, WI schools purchased with Microsoft lawsuit settlement funds
From TUAW:
By Steven Sande
Jan 30th 2012 at 8:30AM
A total of about 1,400 iPads are heading to schools in Madison, Wisconsin during 2012, indirectly paid for by none other than Microsoft.The Wisconsin State Journal reports that the school district is acquiring iPads as they are less expensive, easier to use, and more portable than the usual computers purchased for educational use. Bill Smojver, the director of technical services for the Madison School District, referred to Apple's recent educational announcements about iBooks Author, iBooks 2, and digital textbooks as a "significant development."Deputy superintendent of schools Sue Abplanalp said that Madison administrators found that students using tablets were more engaged in the classroom, as evidenced by a demonstration they witnessed in the Chicago Public Schools.The school district will get the iPads through a traditional Apple educational discount for about $479 each, with the final tab being paid for with part of a nearly US$80 million settlement between Microsoft and the state of Wisconsin. That 2009 settlement was the end result of a lawsuit that alleged that Microsoft cheated consumers by overpricing its software for years.
By Steven Sande
Jan 30th 2012 at 8:30AM
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
How to Search for Text on Web Pages
If you navigate to a site and you're looking for a certain word, you can utilize the search field in mobile Safari. Under Google suggestions on the iPad and iPhone/iPod touch, you'll see "On this Page" with the words you're looking for.
Awesome when you're looking through forums and long articles.
Friday, January 6, 2012
How to Read PDFs with iBooks
A great article from MacLife:
http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_read_pdfs_ibooks
http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_read_pdfs_ibooks
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Smiles, tears and iPads on first day of school
By Nicole Martinelli (5:26 pm, Sep 08)
A few short months ago, we wondered whether the wee ones should be learning their ABCs with iPads.The answer appears to be yes: Fall 2011 brings a bumper crop of U.S. preschools launching iPad programs. From Maine to Tennessee, kids are saying teary goodbyes to their parents and being greeted in schoolrooms with sympathetic teachers (we hope) and Apple’s magical device. At Washburn Elementary in Maine, a pilot project is giving half the 5-year-olds iPads. The other half of the students will get them in November to see who learns faster. (It’s easy to imagine a few scuffles on the communal playgrounds between the iHaves and iHave-nots.) School officials hope results of the test will act as a magnet for grant money to pay for future iPads. The $240,000 for iPads this year came from last year’s school budget.Probably the best argument for the scheme: the above video where a precious tot shows teachers how to use the iPad. The six-year-old plays a game with five teachers watching over his shoulder and explains: “It’s an iPad, it makes you learn. Kindergarten students that did not get an iPad, that’s quite a shame. But they’re going to get one soon.” (The kid’s so cute that a Dorothy Parker compendium died of spontaneous combustion, somewhere. Viewer caution advised.)At Haynesfield Elementary in Tennessee, it’s being used for the first time specifically for reading skills. “It’s amazing, they honestly know exactly what to do when you put these iPads in front of them. It’s an instinct to them and it probably is from being around them at such an early age that these children can pick them up and go ahead and find their way through them to find the apps they want to go to,” teacher Kate White said.At Westbrook Elementary School in Nebraska, three kindergarten classrooms started out with the iPad in the 2010/2011 school year. Following the successful experiment, Westside Community Schools will use the devices in all 10 district kindergartens this year. Each class room will be equipped with six iPads; one for the teacher and five for the students to share.“When the kids go into their center to play, they can get on an iPad and play a game that reinforces what they just learned in large group (instruction),” said Glen Jagels, the teacher who pioneered the iPad project. “Would you rather do it with a magnet letter on a cookie sheet, or would you rather do it on an iPad where you can hear it and manipulate it?”A quick search of Google news turned up a bunch of other U.S. schools launching iPad pilot projects for young children, including South Carolina, Michigan, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, Massachusetts and, naturally, Apple’s home state of California.
Thousands of Apps, endless potential
With so many educational apps on the App Store, there’s no limit to the learning possibilities at your fingertips. Take a look at some of Apple's favorite apps for learning:
http://www.apple.com/education/apps/
http://www.apple.com/education/apps/
Five ways readers are using iPads in the classroom
eSN readers discuss their experiences using the iPad with their students:
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2011/05/27/five-ways-readers-are-using-ipads-in-the-classroom/
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2011/05/27/five-ways-readers-are-using-ipads-in-the-classroom/
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