Friday, November 21, 2014

iPad App Organization 101

There are some apps that get used everyday by students. For some of the younger students especially, it can take a long time to find these apps. Rearranging the order of the apps on the iPad or even putting apps in certain folders can help students find the apps more quickly and helps keep the iPad organized.

Rearranging the Apps
To rearrange the apps, touch and hold any app icon until all of the apps start to jiggle. Then hold down on the app you want to move until the icon enlarges slightly. It will then allow you to move the app as you please on that same screen. 

Adding or Removing Apps from the Dock
Putting frequently used apps on the dock helps eliminate wasted time searching for the apps and helps students use the iPad more efficiently. The dock allows apps on the dock to be accessed on any screen and prevents the need to search through multiple screens to find an app. 

To add an app to the dock: Touch and hold any app icon until all of the apps start to jiggle exactly how you did when you rearranged the order of the apps. After holding down on the app you want to move until it enlarges, simply drag the app from the screen to the dock. Six icons are allowed on the dock at once. Technically, folders are also allowed on the dock. Most students keep 4 apps on the dock at once, and they are not in folders.

To remove an app from the dock: Follow the same procedures as adding an app to the dock, except instead of dragging the apps on, you will drag the unwanted apps off. Technically, no apps are required to be kept on the dock. 

Creating a Folder
To help students find all apps more efficiently, it can be helpful to put apps into folders by categories. Folders can also promote classroom management within the younger grades. Once the apps are in the correct folders, there is also the option to rename the folder. The kindergarten iPads are set up with numbered folders. Teachers tell the students they can use any app in the certain numbered folder, and it helps eliminate confusion on which app the students should be using. The first grade iPads are set up by categories. For example, there is a different folder for each Daily 5 activity. When students are able to Listen to Reading on their iPads, they know to only use apps within that folder.  

Putting apps into folders: To put an app in a folder, first make the apps jiggle like previously described. From there, touch and hold your finger on the app you want to add to a folder and drag it onto the app you would like it to be in a folder with.

When your iPad looks like this, you know you are about ready to create a folder.


Once you have successfully created the folder, you have the option to rename it if you don't like the name the folder was automatically given. The icons should all still be jiggling, which allows you to rename the folder. This is what the screen will look like to do this.


 After the folder is created, you are able to add any other apps to that same folder using the same method as previously described. 


Removing apps from folders: To remove an app from a folder, make the apps jiggle as described previously. From there, drag the unwanted app to the side so it is no longer in the folder. This will return the app to a free spot on the home screen. 

Here you can see the App Store app is about ready to be removed from the current folder. 


It is important to note that at Roland-Story, whenever we add new apps, the folders are deleted unless we create a backup! Be sure to speak with the tech interns if you are seriously considering organizing student iPads this way. Typically the younger grades provide the organization for the students to help scaffold them to do their own organizing once they are in the upper elementary.    
Moving Apps to Different Screens
Moving one app: To move an app to a different screen one at a time, make sure all apps are jiggling. Hold down the app you want moved and drag it to the side of the screen. From there, the screens with shuffle, allowing you to choose which screen you would like the app to be on. You can also use this same procedure to move apps to different screens within folders.   

Moving multiple apps at once: Moving one app at a time can prove to be a little tricky as well as time consuming. To move multiple apps at once, move all of the apps you would like moved into a folder like described previously. From there, drag the folder to the dock using the same steps as you learned earlier. Then you will be able to swipe to the screen you would like the apps to be on and remove the folder from the dock to the appropriate screen. You can then remove the apps from the folder or keep them there, whichever organizational method you prefer! 

Note: Pressing the home button gets the apps to stop jiggling. 

Please share some ways you prefer to organize the apps on your students' or even your personal iPad to maximize productivity! 

Friday, November 14, 2014

Socrative

(www.socrative.com)
Have you ever thought it would be nice to visualize student understanding? Socrative is an app that allows you to do just that by easily giving formative assessments to your students in a fun and effective way! Socrative allows you to make quizzes, polls, space races, and exit tickets for your students. (Space race has you choose a quiz you've already made and assign teams. These teams compete to finish the quiz the fastest.) The app then collects and digitalizes all student answers in "real time," and then creates the data report for you afterward. 


To begin, you need to first create a classroom. You can create an account directly in the app or on the Socrative website. To do this on the iPad, you will need to download the Socrative Teacher App from the App Store. It's free!
(www.socrative.com)
After you register, you will receive a unique code for your classroom. Your students will log in using this code, so only they have access to the content you create. They will download the Socrative Student App. 
(www.socrative.com)

Now that you've logged in and created a classroom, you can create content! Socrative has created a very impressive and complete user guide to explain how to create everything in the app. It has step-by-step picture directions on how to create each form of assessment. I would highly suggest checking out the user guide!


Below are a few screenshots from the Socrative User Guide, to help you get a better idea of how to use the app. 

The dashboard is where you decide what type of assessment you are going to create.



The "Quiz" feature can be used to create multiple choice, short answer, or true/false quizzes. Essentially students sign into your classroom, select the quiz you created, and take the quiz. You will create the quizzes to be used for Exit Tickets and Space Race as well. 


Once everyone is finished, Socrative will then collect the data for you. It will automatically set up a spread sheet to show which student answered what for each question, even graphing individually by student if you wish!



"Exit Tickets" can be used as a quick, easy, and paperless informal assessments to see if students are understanding what you taught them. This will let you know what you need to reteach. This also allows for complete honesty when you ask if students understood the material versus a thumbs up or thumbs down assessment.


Last but not least, "Space Race" allows students to race against each other while they complete the quiz. As a teacher, you can even display the "real time" rockets racing each other using the projector to give students even more motivation. This would be a useful tool for math facts or vocabulary words, anything where speed and accuracy are important. This seems very fun and engaging and definitely a predicted student favorite! Who would of thought students could be seen laughing and smiling while taking an assessment!


Give Socrative a try in your classroom! Their website has incredible resources, support materials, and classroom ideas to use this app! Explore it and give it a try! Contact a tech intern if you would like to us to help you set up the app with the students in your classroom. 

What are ways you use assessment in your classroom and how can Socrative help make it more engaging for your students? Take a risk, and let's find out! 


Monday, November 10, 2014

B.I.G. Update!

With only 5 weeks left of this semester, we thought we should update you guys on the leaders for the B.I.G. (Blog Incentive Game)!

The person with the most amount of points at the end of this semester will receive the grand prize!  We encourage all of you to get at least 1 more badge this year - especially a learning badge.  Not only does it put you in the running to receive a prize, but you will continue to learn more about technology in the classroom!

Badge Reminder:
Comment Badge (1 point): Comment on any posts and receive this badge!  Share your thoughts, give us ideas, or just write to say you've read the post.  Anything works!
Learning Badge (3 points): Invite an intern into your classroom to teach a lesson using technology or help you learn more about an app!  If you use Handouts or Homeroom, you can earn this badge also!
Initiative Badge (5 points): Research a new app or technology tool and share it with us and/or your colleagues! 

The leaders are:
*drum roll please ;)*

Mrs. Olson - 14 points
Mrs. S. Johnson - 9 points
Mrs. Hull - 9 points
Mr. Gilroy - 8 points
Ms. Hyatt - 7 points
Mrs. K. Johnson - 6 points
Mrs. Phelan - 6 points
Mrs. Hauer - 3 points
Mrs. Nelson - 3 points
Mrs. Sanderson - 3 points
Mrs. Thein - 3 points
Mrs. Rule - 3 points
Mrs. Bauman - 1 point
Mrs. Greenfield - 1 point



Handouts

Are you tired of making copies or taking stacks of papers home with you to grade?  Do you want to go paperless in your classroom?  If you said yes to one of these questions, then the Handouts app is for you!  Handouts is a paperless student/teacher platform for tablet-centered classrooms.  It addresses the creation, distribution, collection, and grading of worksheets, printables, homework, quizzes and assignments.

Here's how to use this (FREE!) app:

CREATE


Take a picture of a worksheet or import one from a digital file (like Dropbox). You can use all of your existing worksheets!













DISTRIBUTE


Select which handouts you would like to distribute, then send to your class with one tap.















WORK ON TABLET



Student can complete handouts with a stylus or their finger.













GRADE & FEEDBACK

After students complete their handout, they send it back to the teacher with one tap. The teacher can then grade and add feedback and send it back to the student.















STUDENT PORTFOLIOS


Teachers can favorite student assignments to create portfolios of significant work and keep track of uncollected handouts.




Let one of the tech interns know if you would like to try this out in your classroom!

For more detailed instructions, feel free to check this YouTube video out!
Handouts - Simple Classroom Workflow

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Add a Printer

We have installed a new printer in the elementary computer lab. You will have to add this new printer in order to print things to the lab in the future. Adding a new printer to your computer is very simple! Follow the steps below to add it:

1. Open system preferences. In the second row, select "printers and scanners"



2. On the left side, there should be a list of printers you already have added to your computer. Click the + sign on the bottom left side of that box.


3. A new window will appear with a list of options. 
Find the name that says "ES Lab M602".


4. Select the drop down menu for "use" and change from 
Secure AirPrint to HP LaserJet 600 M602. 
Click add in the bottom right corner to add the printer!


5. This screen will appear once you click add. Give it time to set up. 



Be sure to select this printer when you print in the future.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us! Happy printing! 

Monday, November 3, 2014

MackinVia is Working!

I know a lot of you have been missing MackinVia since it hasn't been working very well this year, but it is up and running again!

You'll start by logging in just like before -- Roland-Story Elementary School and the AEA username and password.

Once you're in, you don't have to log in each student individually!  Students can start reading once they log in that first time.  As you can see, the green backpack in the corner is gone!


For some reason, we had to get another app called SWKids Reader for the students to read the ebooks. This app is free and we will be adding it to all of the iPads.  It may ask for students to create an account, but it will work if they don't so you don't need to have them create one.

If you would like us to help your students log in to MackinVia or want to use it right away so you need that new SWKids Reader app, let us know so we can get you started!  Feel free to ask us any questions about the changes.

Private Classroom Albums to Share with Parents

Do you want to share pictures and notes with your students' parents, but don't really want to start a blog?  A great alternative to this is gethomeroom.com.  You can upload albums and pictures of what you are doing in your class such as presentations, field trips, or anything else you'd like parents to see.  Parents can like and comment on pictures, just like Facebook.  The great thing about this site is that it is completely private because you choose who gets to join your classroom.  Your pictures can be viewed on Android or Apple devices with the FREE app or it can be viewed on the website.



Check out this easy to use program!  If you have questions or need help setting up an account, feel free to ask on of the interns!  We'll give you a learning badge if you set up this up for your classroom!