Voice Thread

I created a blog last spring and have continued to use it to share my thoughts on technology and teaching. Check out this post about Voice Thread to find out how to use it and why it could be useful in your classroom!

Enabling the Microphone

As most of you know, many of the apps on the iPad allow you to record your voice. This can be beneficial for you as a teacher to record directions in Showbie, for students to create projects in Toontastic, or even as a progress monitoring tool in VoiceThread. In order for these apps to reach their full potential, the microphone needs to be enabled. This simply means the iPad needs permission to access the microphone. This can be done in a few simple steps:

First, go to Settings.

On the left-hand side of the screen, tap Privacy.

Then, a menu will show up on the right-hand side. Select Microphone.

After you select Microphone, the applications that have requested access to the microphone will appear here. It will be gray if it has not been given permission to be accessed.

Slide the toggle to the right with your finger, so it turns green. This will grant the microphone access to the app you are trying to use to record your voice. 

After this has been done once for an application, the iPad should not require the microphone to be enabled again when trying to use that same app. If it does, now you know what to do!

What are some apps that you use the microphone for in your classroom? 

Reflector

"Reflector is an AirPlay receiver that allows you to wirelessly display your iPad or iPhone on a number of devices." 

(http://www.airsquirrels.com/reflector/)

By visiting THIS website, you can download Reflector onto your computer. This is the screen you will see when you click the link:

On the left side, there is a 'for mac' section. Click the download button under For Mac. 

Reflector will start to download. Depending on the settings on your computer, it may appear at the bottom of your browser, or you may need to open finder and go to downloads. 

Once it is finished downloading, open the file "Reflector.dmg". This screen will appear:

Drag the reflector icon to the applications folder icon. Next, open finder, go to applications, and open reflector. It will ask you this:

Click 'open'.

Then this screen will appear:

Click, 'I have a license key' in the bottom right corner.

Then, this screen will appear:

If you are a teacher at our school, we have a code for you. Please email one of the interns and we can provide this code for you! You will copy and paste the code into the box and then click 'activate reflector'. 

Once you've completed these steps, you are ready to use reflector! 

Setting Up Email

Here at Roland Story Elementary, the 3rd and 4th graders have the opportunity to have an email address. They use this privilege to turn in assignments, participate in google forms to document their work, and learn to communicate digitally. I have had some great conversations with 3rd graders about digital citizenship and how to appropriately use this privilege. 

For our teachers, we have broken down the steps to setting up students' emails on the iPads. 

Step 1: In settings, find 'mail, contacts, calendars on the left side'. Click on this and the options will appear on the right side. Click 'add account'.

Step 2: Select 'exchange'.

Step 3: For students, email section = firstname_lastname / password = their student ID #. For teachers, email section = your full email / password = your email password. The description can be left blank. Click next when this section is finished.

Step 4: Type "m.google.com" into the server. Leave domain blank. In the username section, the students need to type their full email = firstname_lastname@roland-story.k12.ia.us. For teachers, type your full email as well. Click 'next' when all the information is entered. 

Step 5: Click 'save' and you now have an email account set up on your iPad!

Step 6: To be sure the set up worked, open up your mail app and see if you can send/receive emails. 

Learning is Happening!

Check out all the badges we've awarded!

We have been in many classrooms helping teachers log their students into email, log into Tales2Go, teach lessons, and show the students how to use the iPads. 

I had some great conversations with 3rd graders about digital citizenship and the appropriate use for their emails. They are excited to have this privilege and get started using it!

Mr. Gilroy (4th grade) and Mrs. Phelan (3rd grade) are using Google forms to communicate with their students. 

Congrats to these teachers for pushing themselves to learn:

Mrs. Hauer

Mrs. Nelson

Mrs. Sanderson

Mrs. Thein

Mrs. Hull

Mrs. Olson

Mrs. Rule

Ms. Hyatt

Mrs. Phelan

Mrs. Bauman

Mr. Gilroy

Mrs. Greenfield

We look forward to continue to learn as the year goes on!