Google Docs is my creating and editing docs app of choice, so these app choices were all new to me today! I really liked the look of the look of CloudOn, but our version of Microsoft at school is the 2008 version, so I assumed it would not work with the app. Instead I decided to try out Quickoffice and I was glad I tried it. I loved the fact that in synced with my Google account. It was easy to find my documents and start editing them on the iPad. The directions of how to use the various applications were helpful. The Word document had a very similar look to the Google Doc app which I use on a daily basis. The presentation was a little more challenging to use, but again the directions handout was very useful. I also couldn't see how to add a video, but maybe if I play around with it more to find that option.
I think this app has some value and I think I will be sharing with staff. Even though we are moving away from Microsoft in our district, many teachers still have hundreds of documents in Microsoft format. This might ease the transition.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Thing 5- Notetaking
Notetaking is a skill that we will all use throughout our lives. With more schools opting for the 1:1 classroom, discovering apps that will help students and staff be more productive on the device is crucial. I decided to try the Springpad because it is web-based and an app (Springpad App). I am already a big Pinterest user, so I liked the look of the notebooks that I created during my practice with the app. The ability to create a variety of notebooks with a variety of media. The app was very user-friendly and easy to navigate throughout.
To really try this out I decided to share curriculum that I had found for a Native American unit for the 7th grade English teachers in my building. I love that you can collaborate on the notebooks as well. I would love to see
Here is my Sample Notebook
I highly recommended giving Springpad a try!
To really try this out I decided to share curriculum that I had found for a Native American unit for the 7th grade English teachers in my building. I love that you can collaborate on the notebooks as well. I would love to see
Here is my Sample Notebook
I highly recommended giving Springpad a try!
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Thing 4--Keeping Up
My professional development and even my greater PLN rely heavily on the use of Flipboard, Zite, Bloglovin and Feedly.
My main go to app to for my RSS feeds is Feedly. I like the format of this app and how easy it is to use. I love the fact that I can find out the latest information without having to go to the 60+ different blogs that I follow. At times I feel a little overwhelmed with how many new posts I can read each day. Weeding some of those blogs from my feed could be a good idea.
When I created my first RSS feed, I used Google Reader and found that a great way to get all of the latest posts from the bloggers I was following. When that went away, I also had just purchased by first smartphone and found Feedler was a great app that worked as well if not even better than Google Reader. Feedler went through some changes last year and I was once again in search of the perfect app to be my one stop spot for the latest posts from my favorite blogs. Bloglovin was nice and I sometimes still use it because I can access the RSS feed on my computer as well as my devices.
Flipboard and Zite I also use, but not on a daily basis. I just found that Feedly had more of the functions I was looking for as a way to collect the information from all of those blogs. It still has a little bit of the magazine look that Flipboard tries to market. My professional development network has expanded beyond the walls of my school. Being the only media specialist in a building creates a challenge for me, but the use of the RSS feed makes it seems like these other tech integrations and media specialists are right down the fall from me to gain knowledge and ideas.
My main go to app to for my RSS feeds is Feedly. I like the format of this app and how easy it is to use. I love the fact that I can find out the latest information without having to go to the 60+ different blogs that I follow. At times I feel a little overwhelmed with how many new posts I can read each day. Weeding some of those blogs from my feed could be a good idea.
When I created my first RSS feed, I used Google Reader and found that a great way to get all of the latest posts from the bloggers I was following. When that went away, I also had just purchased by first smartphone and found Feedler was a great app that worked as well if not even better than Google Reader. Feedler went through some changes last year and I was once again in search of the perfect app to be my one stop spot for the latest posts from my favorite blogs. Bloglovin was nice and I sometimes still use it because I can access the RSS feed on my computer as well as my devices.
Flipboard and Zite I also use, but not on a daily basis. I just found that Feedly had more of the functions I was looking for as a way to collect the information from all of those blogs. It still has a little bit of the magazine look that Flipboard tries to market. My professional development network has expanded beyond the walls of my school. Being the only media specialist in a building creates a challenge for me, but the use of the RSS feed makes it seems like these other tech integrations and media specialists are right down the fall from me to gain knowledge and ideas.
Thing 3-Utilities and QR Codes
Last summer I had participated in a class through UW Stout and had learned about a Google Goggles, but I had kind of forgotten about that feature. It was good to be refreshed about some of the cool things Google can do. The ability to click a picture of a building/monument/etc... during a vacation to learn more about the history of the building/monument would be a great resource to have will travel. The answers are at my fingertips!
I also liked the new feature of the Remind me... another way to make sure I don't forget all of the things I need to do each day!
The voice option offered in Google is a great resource as well. I know at times that I have better luck with Google voice then I do with Siri when wanting to find out information. Again a great tool for students to use as well, especially those who may struggle with spelling etc...
QR Codes!
I love QR Codes and over the last couple of years, I have introduced this option to staff and students at school. There are so many options to use this in the classroom. I find that having students scan the QR codes gets all of us to the website more efficiently. I have added the Chrome extension goo.gl URL Shortener. This makes it just one click away for a teacher to create the QR code they need to use for his/her lesson. When I demonstrated this extension with staff members, they were excited to see how easy it could be to create a QR code.
I had never tried RedLaser Barcode & QR Scanner, but liked the how it worked. I have used Scan as my scanner of choice, but might be using the RedLaser more.
I have created shelf talkers to help students find good books! Adding a QR code to the videos, authors websites, book reviews from students. To create the audiobook review use Audioboo (it create a QR code for you!) I highly encourage media specialists to use QR codes in their media center to help students to locate additional resources on books, authors, websites, etc...
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
ISO 7 Tips and Tricks
Wow both of these videos either reminded me of some things I knew about ISO 7 or impressed me with what I can now do with ISO 7.
I just upgraded my iPad yesterday, so now I have access to AirDrop. I plan on trying to share some documents with colleagues to see how that works later today. I think that will be a handy feature. Though our district is a Google Apps school and we rely on that heavily, this might be an option to look into for other projects etc... I also used some of the tips to increase my battery life on my phone. I just had an experience the other day that my battery went dead way too early during the day for me, so I hope the changes I made today will solve that problem.
Other new things I love and will be using now:
1. Shared links in Safari with the bookmarks tab to access my Twitter account for links! I love this feature. I will be using this on a daily basis from now on because I love to use Twitter for my own professional development.
2. Image search with Siri. Though I don't usually use Bing for any of my searching it is a nice feature to bring up images that I might need for a project.
3. I also love that I can find out what some of the media specialists that I follow are saying on Twitter with the help of Siri. This will be handy when I know I have missed some of
Overall this was a great start to me learning more about the features of IOS 7!
I just upgraded my iPad yesterday, so now I have access to AirDrop. I plan on trying to share some documents with colleagues to see how that works later today. I think that will be a handy feature. Though our district is a Google Apps school and we rely on that heavily, this might be an option to look into for other projects etc... I also used some of the tips to increase my battery life on my phone. I just had an experience the other day that my battery went dead way too early during the day for me, so I hope the changes I made today will solve that problem.
Other new things I love and will be using now:
1. Shared links in Safari with the bookmarks tab to access my Twitter account for links! I love this feature. I will be using this on a daily basis from now on because I love to use Twitter for my own professional development.
2. Image search with Siri. Though I don't usually use Bing for any of my searching it is a nice feature to bring up images that I might need for a project.
3. I also love that I can find out what some of the media specialists that I follow are saying on Twitter with the help of Siri. This will be handy when I know I have missed some of
Overall this was a great start to me learning more about the features of IOS 7!
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