App Review: iTunes U

 iTunes U

(Currently Free) 

Basics: iTunes U has LOTS of curriculum material created by educators categorized by subject area, submitting institution, and grade level.  All the material is vetted through the submitting organizations, mostly Colleges, Universities and K-12 Education groups.  There is a Beyond Campus area that also has materials from museums, libraries (think Library of Congress!), and other educationally minded organizations.  Best of all - all material is available for  FREE.

Educational Use: iTunes U is all about education as a majority of the information has been created by educational institutions.  Find the material needed to introduce, reinforce or supplement topics you are teaching about.  If you are in a situation where your students have the devices, as a teacher you can now push out the material you choose within iTunes U to the student devices using a common Apple Account (as long as students leave it logged into that account... Please note: don't share the account password with students as it is an account that works in the App Store, iTunes and iBooks!!)

Drawbacks in Education: The biggest drawback used to be that it was housed inside the iTunes Music Store.  But, now that it is available as a separate app on mobile devices it takes away the fears that tech departments had in having iTunes open to access iTunes U when in a controlled environment

Cross posted at WaffleBytes

EduTecher ... An awesome teacher tool!

Searching through Links on the new app is really easy to do.  Just like the original app, you can do a full library search, but now you can choose your subject areas and levels just like on the site.  In addition you can look at the details, or quickly scroll through the site logos.  You can share any links via Email, Facebook, or Twitter.  You can also add to the link to your Favorites, and even take notes on it.  Watch all the eduTecherTV Webisodes right from your app streaming in HD quality video.  The app, like the site, no longer streams through YouTube so it can be accessed from all schools no matter what the filter is like.  You can also share the webisodes or even stream them to an AirPlay device like AppleTV. Remembering your favorite links is easy with the new eduTecher. Simply click on "add to favorites" from any of the link descriptions on the site and your link will be saved. Click on "My Favorites" in your Backpack to view all the links you've saved. You can also share links with your contacts and view links that your contacts have shared with you.   eduTecher now allows you to take notes on any of the web tools we review.  Say you want to write a note to remind yourself to try a specific web tool with your 2nd period class - just add a note to the link and it will appear in your Backpack under "Notes".  Notes can easily be edited and shared with other eduTechers. Exploring and finding great web tools on eduTecher is great - but sharing your findings with other like-minded educators is even better.  Now you can easily choose to send and receive messages with users that you have connected to.  Simply click on "Messages" to get the conversation started.    Want to have a blog? Well it couldn't get any easier than this.  The eduTecher app offers a safe and free way for teachers and students to create their own blogs.   Blog posts can be shared and commented on (with moderation if you so choose). You can easily create a new post or respond to a post on the go.  Visit the Forum on the eduTecher app to read and respond to entries created by other eduTechers.  This is a great place to provide your "2 cents", give helpful feedback or advice, and weigh in on issues facing educators today.   Building a PLN (Personal Learning Network) is easy with the new eduTecher app.  Users can connect with other registered members that teach in the same location, teach similar subjects, have the same educational technology interests, and more.  Becoming a contact will allow users to share notes and favorites as well as send and receive messages and chat. Creating a profile on eduTecher is simple.  You can share as much or as little information as you want with other users.  You can choose to include a picture from your Gallery or even take a new one. You can also include your Twitter ID, details about who you are and what you do.

We are really proud of the new app and hope you love it! iPad and Android versions will be out very soon and we will update you when they arrive. Please feel free to share this app with your friends, students, and colleagues. explore.  share.  contribute. Adam S. Bellow www.eduTecher.net

Turning Education Upside Down: After-Thoughts from the TSETC

Music is one of my all time favorite pleasures in life. It’s how I joined the whole iPod revolution years ago. I truly feel that certain songs make up the soundtrack to my life. Sometimes music just speaks to you: the right song for the right time at the right place. Usually I keep these songs to myself, but I feel compelled to write about a certain song. 

During my two hour drive home from the Tri-State Education Technology Conference (TSETC) in New Jersey last Saturday, I was listening to my “Meet the iPad” playlist. (Yes, I’m geeky enough to have a playlist for my workshop, but that’s not the point I’m making here.) As I sat in New York City traffic, I listened to Jack Johnson’s song “Upside Down”. After a full and exhilarating conference, certain lyrics jumped out at me and reinforced some of the thoughts that were racing through my mind. I’d like to take a moment to share a few of those lyrics and thoughts...

“Who's to say

What's impossible

Well they forgot

This world keeps spinning

And with each new day

I can feel a change in everything

And as the surface breaks reflections fade

But in some ways they remain the same

And as my mind begins to spread its wings

There's no stopping curiosity”

Sometimes I do feel like I am fighting an impossible battle. “What good will an iPod really do?” More than you know apparently. “You know, iPads can’t fix all the problems in education.” I never said they could. “They are a distraction.” Well, a piece of a paper and a pencil can be a distraction too if they are not monitored.

Yes, I do love my personal iPhone and iPad, but the real reason I love using mobile devices in the classroom is because they are socially acceptable, educational, and engaging: they are TOOLS to help educators and students individualize learning. Just like my glasses, sometimes I need them, sometimes I don’t. I often feel like there is an overwhelming majority of teachers who haven’t recognized that the world is changing. Aren’t they curious about all the wonderful technology tools that are available to make learning individualized and engaging? Have they seen how students respond to information when it is presented in a familiar and individualized way? And why do people look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them I drove to NJ for a free conference on a Saturday all by myself?

For me, TSETC was an opportunity to learn from other educators, as well as educate other educators. It was very encouraging to see over 400 other educators learning and sharing about different technology tools. I felt like the day was filled with minds spreading their wings and I sure hope no one stops their curiosity. A quick search on Twitter for #TSETC tells me curiosity is in full force, and that makes me proud to be a part of TSETC. 

“I want to turn the whole thing upside down

I'll find the things they say just can't be found

I'll share this love I find with everyone...

I don't want this feeling to go away”

I do think education needs to be turned upside down. For me, TSETC reinforced the idea that passionate educators CAN actually do this. It was a strong reminder for me that what I believe is worth working for and that I’m not the only one out there asking for change. I agree that technology isn’t the answer to all of our issues in education, but I do strongly believe that technology can make us better educators, facilitators, and learners.

“Who's to say

I can't do everything

Well I can try

And as I roll along I begin to find

Things aren't always just what they seem...”

Yes, I know I can’t do everything. But I CAN try. In my ‘live blog’ from TSETC, I mentioned a conversation with a fellow attendee. She was truly shocked to hear that I was asking for change and that I was not tenured. She made note of her concerns for the current economy and her current job. How has education become so that teachers are afraid to ask for what’s best for their students? Isn’t that why we teach? Although I’m not a mom, I am an aunt. When I look at my 18 month old niece, I’m both worried and excited for her future. Will things change? Will she benefit from my efforts? Will other educators care about her future as much as I do? Jack reminds me that “things aren’t always just what they seem” and right now I have renewed faith and energy after this weekend about the future of education. It is bright.

“This world keeps spinning and there's no time to waste

Well it all keeps spinning spinning round and round and

Upside down

Who's to say what's impossible and can't be found

I don't want this feeling to go away”

I take comfort in Jack’s words. I’m thrilled to be an educator in these changing times, and I’m ecstatic to be an advocate for my students’ future. I feel inspired and motivated to take the knowledge I learned at the TSETC and apply it to my own classroom and school. I love the feeling I had driving home from the Tri-State Education Technology Conference and I don’t wan’t that feeling to go away.

Cross-posted on www.iPodsibilities.com

eClicker (Host and Client)

 App Title:  eClicker (Host and Client)

Grade Level: grades 4-12, higher education, and professional development

Cost: $24.99 for host, free for companion client

 Purpose: A+

Purpose Rationale: eClicker is an efficient personal response system (PRS) that allows teachers to access information about their students’ understanding in a quick and engaging manner. The eClicker system is made up of two companion apps: the host app and the client app. Teachers use the host app to create questions and begin polling sessions; students use the free client app to enter their responses once polling has begun. 

Program Functionality: A

Program Functionality Rationale: eClicker was easy to set up and worked well when connected to another iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Occasionally, you may need to wait a minute or two in order to connect.

Overall Educational Value: A

Overall Educational Value Rationale: eClicker’s full value in the classroom is dependent upon the teacher utilizing it. It is an excellent tool that is both useful and engaging in the educational setting.

Recommendation: If you are a teacher or school district looking for a PRS that will allow you to poll your students and receive real time feedback, I highly recommend eClicker for your classroom and school use. The host app may appear a bit expensive in the world of iPhone and iPod Touch apps but eClicker’s features are well worth the expense.

 
Classroom Use Examples/Ideas: eClicker offers a wide variety of educational uses in the classroom. By combining the two companion apps, teachers can assess students’ knowledge, engage students, access prior knowledge, quickly check for understanding, gather data through polls, preview and review content, administer pop quizzes, and even have a little fun while doing all of these things. 

Since eClicker is Wi-Fi based and will allow up to 32 clients, many teachers can easily utilize this app with their entire class at the same time. The question editor is simple to use in either landscape or portrait mode, and teachers can edit questions on their iPads, iPhones, and iPod Touches or on their laptops/desktops using the eClicker editor website (http://editor.eclicker.com). Once question sets are created, teachers can share the question sets with other teachers via Bluetooth or any Wi-Fi enabled device (please note that this feature is not supported on the first generation iPhone and iPod Touch). Questions can be given one at time by the teacher’s control or back-to-back for more of an assessment-based option. Students can view class rankings, which can either be turned on to create a more competitive game atmosphere or turned off to remove the competitive component. Teacher-created questions are stored separately from question sets so that they can be used in more than one questions set; this allows teachers to easily modify lessons for different levels of classes. To help differentiate instruction or add more information to a question, graphics can easily be added through an iPhone camera or an iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch photo library. An excellent feature of the most recent update of eClicker is the ability for teachers to annotate and draw images they can then use with their questions. 

The real time feedback included in eClicker is an excellent way to find out which students are struggling in your class regardless of how proud or how reserved they may be. At the end of eClicker sessions, teachers can email a log of the eClicker session to themselves so that the data collected can be reviewed at a later date. Also, all of the historical polling data is saved for future viewing by the teacher.

After utilizing this app with both students in my classroom and teachers in my workshops, I am very pleased with its multiple functions in the educational setting. Since the client version is a free app for your students, eClicker is a great way to tap into the iPhones and iPod Touches that are already in the pockets of your students/staff without your school district having to purchase the devices.

Developer: Big Nerd Ranch

Developer Website: http://software.bignerdranch.com/home

Product Overview PDF: http://bnreclicker.appspot.com/eClicker_Host_Overview.pdf 

iTunes Link for Host Version: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/eclicker-host/id329199509?mt=8 

iTunes Link for Client Version: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/eclicker/id329200145?mt=8 

Reviewer Name: Meg Wilson

Reviewer Blog: www.iPodsibilities.com 

Reviewer Twitter: http://twitter.com/iPodsibilities  

Other: Don't forget to check out our Ning (Online Community) devoted to helping teachers utilize these devices to the their fullest. Please leave a comment if you agree, disagree, or have other creative uses for this app in the classroom, etc to keep the app review discussion going.