We Are Wired!...For Now!

We believe at this time with our network, which is very good, we will be buying some wired keyboards for the iPad2.  We are looking at 10 keyboards at first to see if students actually use them.  While wireless would be best, wired will be o.k. to start.

See purchasing option!

Listen Up!

Thankfully, the iPad 2 will have its own microphone, so thumbtack mics and any other type of mic will not be needed.  While the Apple ear bud headphones are an option, eighth graders exchanging ear wax doesn't seem like something I want to witness, we have opted for a $10.00 Koss headphone.

We are purchasing 30.

We are buying them through Amazon!

First Week Musts!

A list of "First Week Musts" that will take place in my room!  This will be updated as ideas present themselves!

1.  Technology Inventory:  A Google Form to inquire what students' technology access  Including Cell Phones:  Unlimited Texting?, Web Access; Internet: High Speed?; Personal Mobile Devices:  iPad/iPod/Zoom/

2.  Class time devoted to setting up major tools in our school's Google Apps:  optimizing search, mail (setting up signatures, labels, and others stuff), creating at least five readers subscriptions and folders within that app, creating document collections for presumed classes, set up iGoogle, and bookmarks.

3.  Set up a Posterous account and connect the professional blogs with our classroom accounts.  The reason for this is that Posterous, through their iPad app allows for uploading pictures from the iPad.

4.  Develop specific information pertaining to the "Teaching Cybersecurity" list of items that USA Today presented.  The article is found at http://goo.gl/Tix4E

5.  Letterhead created in Google Docs to be consistent with our house.  Link

6.  Set up Google Voice Number so students receive help anytime.

10 Port USB in; Cart Out?

Through great conversation today on Twitter with @ndavidovics and  @iPodsibilities  we may be changing our thoughts on syncing and storing carts.  A 10 port USB hub linked to our preexisting MacBook along with a lockable storage device may save us around $1,600.  The hubs we are looking at...

Looks well made...the details are here.

  This one is located here and seems cheap...not sure it will be the one.

Developing idea...Further Ideas


Buy one stand up lockable Rubber Maid storage device, place dish racks (or some other idea that may come to mind) and eliminate the expensive cart!

Individual Tutoring For The Masses!

When a portion of the students do not understand items from an assessment, I record my explanation of how to solve assessment problems so that each student who doesn't understand may view the explanation on their iPod/iPad during their time.

In creating these tutoring sessions, students who do understand DO NOT need to hear additional explanations!

I use Camtasia, but Screenr would work as well.  I have created a consistent opening song and ending song along with title pages.  I have went so far as to place background music during my explanations!

I really think next year, with a classroom set of iPads this will be an easy way for me to reteach difficult assignment problems as well.  The students will have a larger screen to see the actual writing on the screen.

Below is an example:

Operation Equipment Case Complete!

We found that the Roo Case has withstood the test of time.  It has been truly a great case!  It also fits perfectly in the Bretford iPad cart.
Roo Case


The case below WAS going to be our case, but found that the Roo Case was cheaper
We have decided that the xenGadget leather case is going to be our case of choice.  We have decided against screen savers!  We are trying to squeeze every penny out of allotted budget and screen savers are out! 

Positives:   Red (school color), Front and Back Protection, Two different stands, leather, cost ($34.99), sleep mode when closed

Cons:  None (at this time)

Side Note:  It is not available at this time, will order and hope it comes in by first day of deployment!

xenGadget Direct Link

See details by tuaw.com

Glad That Decision Is Completed!  Hope they are adequate!

iPad2's or iPad2s

This isn't the most pressing issue, but I did say I was going to document (writing, video, or audio) everything pertaining to my implementation of iPad2s!  (Not sure if this is grammatically correct...see below)

How and when do I type iPad2's or iPad2s?

I understand the apostrophe s but it really looks different after a number.

Maybe someone really smart will help with this...

Video and Backchanneling

Playing a video is always a risky endeavor.  Will the students pay attention; will they find it interesting?  
The answer to these questions is YES, when using backchanneling.  
In my future, the backchanneling of videos using Today's Meet will be more productive iPad 2's.   I have developed a way to use Google Chrome's Incognito Window to show two screens (video and conversation) at the same time. (See video below)  I also used Safeshare.tv as the method of showing the video.  It is my hope that next year, I will be able to individualize the viewing of video clips using iTunes podcasts or options of videos that I create and upload so that students can have a conversations such as this...
Student #1, "In my video, this is stated..."Student #2, "In my video, this is explained..."
Obviously, this is in the infancy of being efficient using an iPad 2, but my planning continues...

Equipment: iPad 2 Background Photos

I will be customizing each background for our iPad 2s next year with the iPad number, our school name, and mascot.  The process by which I did/will do this is below.

Equipment: Desks For Collaborative Groups

A look into how we use our "traditional" desks for collaborative math groups.  I am thinking about trying to acquire some comfortable furniture to mix with traditional desks.  More to come on that piece of the classroom.