Here's a link to a good article on classroom management when using mobile devices: http://www.edudemic.com/5-tips-classroom-management-mobile-devices/

Using Discovery Education with Mobile Devices

Check out this link to an article about using Discovery Education with mobile devices. http://www.discoveryeducation.com/Any-Device/

Here's a neat idea for a smaller classroom iPad charging station.

http://technologyinearlychildhood.com/2013/12/08/dish-drainer-ipad-charging-center/

Online Conferencing/Collaboration

The end of the semester can be both exciting and exhausting. As we look forward to the semester's end we also have a flood of end-of-the-semester projects, tests, makeup work, and in some cases, exams. Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day! Many of our students can't stay after school because they have to ride the bus, athletic/band practice, etc. So how about extending your time/opportunities with online conferencing and collaboration? Here are a few ideas: What if you could team-teach within your grade-level, without leaving your room? What if you could hold an evening study session online? What if you and the other teachers could take turns proctoring a homework assistance program? What if students were organized into online study groups? What other ideas could you come up with? *Most of these applications would require students to have internet access which might be a problem for some. Here are some programs/software that could be used for conferencing and collaboration that I may not have mentioned before.  

• Google Hangout - I know I've already talked about Google Drive/Docs ability to share files and collaborate. Today I'll add the Google Hangout component. Using Google Hangout you can share live video conferencing with up to 10 students for free. So you could talk while you collaborate. However, this would require students to have webcams and Google accounts.
  
• Presentation.io - This website application allows you to upload a PowerPoint and send out a link to the conference. You can basically deliver a live presentation/lesson online. There are no programs to download or memberships required. Participants would need a computer/smartphone, speakers, and the link. The free version can remain online for 4 hours before it disappears. 
• Zoom.us - Zoom allows an unlimited number of participants for a limited amount of video conferencing. I believe a conference can last for 40 minutes. No membership is required for the participants (just the teacher). There may be a browser extension that has to be agreed to and installed but not a major software installation. I have personally used this as a Skype alternative to video conference with my family. The free version of Skype won't allow multiple participants. With Zoom I have conferenced with my parents in Alabama, my daughter in Hiram, GA, my son up in his room, my daughter in college in Virginia, and my wife in her room - all at the same time! Last week I used Zoom to tutor my daughter for her Biology test in College. She sent me the teacher's PowerPoint. I pulled it up on my computer and shared it with her over Zoom and walked her through the PowerPoint, explaining the more difficult concepts!
• Oovoo.com - Oovoo is like Zoom except that each participant has to have an Oovoo account. The advantage is that it does not limit you to 40 minute sessions like Zoom. However, we probably shouldn't be doing 3 hour lectures over the internet anyway! But, if you wanted to have an open drop-in conference during the evening, Oovoo would allow you to stay online all evening.

Zoom and Oovoo work best if each participant has internet access and a webcam, or smartphone access. Google Hangout, Zoom, and Oovoo have iPhone and Android apps. Presentation.io doesn't have an app but could be viewed through a smartphone browser.   Of course the iPads would work with these in a wireless environment.

What other things have you tried?

Explore STEM Careers at Discovery

Discovery Education is a company fueled by innovation, full of forward-thinkers who are passionate about harnessing the power of media and technology to better address and empower today’s 21st century learners. For #GivingTuesday, Discovery Education will hold a livestream event for students nationwide to hear from our company’s best and brightest employees. Students will have the opportunity to experience first-hand some of the unexpected and exciting careers that are powered by science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). On Tuesday, December 3rd from 11am to 1pm EST, students will meet 4 revolutionary STEM professionals—a Mobile App Developer, Social Media & Communications Executive, a Producer & Editor, and a Graphic Designer. These 4 individuals will answer questions and share insights that will inspire curiosity about the vast array of career options that are available to students who pursue STEM. Discovery Education’s App Developer is an innovator who used his knowledge of STEM to create one of the nation’s first fully digital and interactive digital textbooks, now used by hundreds of thousands of students nationwide. Our Director of Communications is a STEM storyteller, collaborating with social media and print publications to engage the public in the important work being done by education leaders on the ground. Discovery Education’s lead Graphic Designer weaves the “A” into STEM, creating remarkable imagery and visuals using advanced computer software programs. Our Producer & Editor records and edits our incredible footage with advanced technology to create engaging programming that makes STEM come to life in the classroom. This virtual experience to engage classrooms throughout the United States, inspiring thousands of students to dive in and discover exciting career paths that STEM subjects can lead to. Hope you can join us! You can register for the livestream at the link below: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/explore-stem-careers-at-discovery-tickets-9446036349

Create Student or Teacher Lessons at Educreations

Here’s another way for students to submit work from the iPads without having student email accounts.

Today’s site has been around for awhile and is quite easy to use.  It won’t work for submitting a long typed paper but would be quite good for digital storytelling in lower grades.

The site/APP is called Educreations.  It’s like Explain Everything, but free!  Here are the basics:

• Teachers can create a free account and create classes that are assigned a unique code.
• The students can join that class on the iPad by using the assigned code and creating a username instead of an email.
• Students can create lessons by taking pictures on the ipad and importing them, importing pictures from a website, drawing on the pictures, adding written or text notations, and adding voice recording.  So a student can use a diagram or picture to explain a concept or story both orally and with added notations.
• When the project is saved, it will be available for the teacher to see on his/her computer.  
• If every student in the class created an explanation of the life-cycle of a butterfly, they would all show up in the teachers folder that can be viewed by the teacher on any computer at school or at home. No worrisome transfer of files from iPad to computer or opening 20 emails with attached files.
• Teachers can create lessons or explanations which are available to the students when they sign in.
• See how a teacher used this to explain an anatomy lesson: http://www.educreations.com/lesson/view/agonist-antagonist-muscle-pairings/375924/
• Students could do the same thing on the iPads.

 Check out their page at:  http://www.educreations.com/
 

BYOT @ Rome High School

Recently, Rome High tried a "Bring Your Own Technology Day".  Please click on the comment link below and let us know how it went!  What were your expectations?  Did it go well?  How did the students respond?  Do you have suggestions for further BYOT's?