Google Earth

A. I had used Google Earth before, so I was pretty excited to learn about the capabilities it has.  I learned with google earth I can explore the moon, look at underwater terrain, watch the sunset in any location, and view overlays of important information on any area.  You can also create overlays of your own.  Another neat feature is that you can look back in time to earlier pictures to see how the area has changed.  And it seems like there are many, many more possibilities that are not apparent when just exploring the program for the first time. 

B.  I looked at ideas for using google earth with elementary and middle school students.  The ideas for middle schoolers involved a lot of creating layers to help students explore historical places, poets, presidents, battlegrounds, and even human migration.  There was also a great idea about using placemarks to track where and how laws are made, and the historical feature to track how humans are changing the environment.  There was also a great idea about creating 3D shapes and comparing them to real-life buildings.  For elementary, the uses were more simple-- identifying states and countries, for instance.  They also suggested having them placemark places that are important to them personally, having them use the weather layer to track rainfall over a period of time, exploring distances between places, and creating a map using the line tool to track American explorers. 

C.  I looked at the Google Earth for Educators page.  One thing I really liked was being able to see an example of student work.  This gave me a much better idea of what students can accomplish.  I also discovered World Wide Panoramas, which allows you to stand in all kinds of places all over the world and look around you.  There are categories like family, history, paths, food, and a lot, lot more.  I loved it!  I also learned that you can create virtual tours, which could be a very useful assignment in school. 

My general feeling is that if I became a little more familiar with Google Earth, it could be a really great tool, with lots of applications I haven't even thought about!

Mlearning Article # 10 iPad

“The iPad for Teachers and Administrators”

This article is on the different apps available to help teachers and administrators. The iPad is a good way to cut down on paper and keep organized. You are less likely to misplace a note or forget to schedule an appointment when using an iPad. Administrators and teachers need an app that accepts PDFs, allows for handwritten notes and typed text, has a filing system, and has an audio component. Here are some examples of apps that could be useful:

DOCas: a document reader and handwritten note taker that also handles PDF files.

IEP Checklist: an app that reinforces Individualized Education Program info and lets you put in student information.

Look For: This app allows a principal to organize, identify, clarify, and provide real-time feedback to teachers about instructional practice.

GradeBook Pro: Can be used to track grades and attendance, and it uses student photos.

TeacherPal: Another app for attendance, grades, and student photos. It also has a section for student behavior.

Teacher Assistant Pro: Tracks behaviors and achievements

Planbook: Allows you to write lessons, add assignments, and attach links to lessons. Links with Dropbox.

GoDocs: Allows you to read, edit, and download Google Docs offline.

Sticky Notes: Never run out of sticky notes!

Goodreader: Lets you sync your folders via Dropbox, SugarSync, iDisk, etc. You can manage files, text search, and more.

I found this list of apps very helpful, although some of them were specialized for special education teachers. It is a nice place to start, although I am sure there are hundreds of useful apps available for teachers. It read a little bit like an advertisement for these apps and the iPad, although I think the author was genuinely excited about the apps she had been using. I also have to agree that an iPad could quickly become indispensable to a teacher, and replace day books, sticky notes, etc., and in this case there is no question of an e-reader working in place of a tablet. A Kindle or Nook will not be as useful.

Mlearning Article #9 iPad

“In World of Education Apps, Tech Owes Teachers Some Media Literacy”

This article was written by an education editor for the Huffington Post who attended a Digital Media and Learning Conference. One question that came up was, “How does a teacher make sense of which education apps are best suited for the classroom when everything just looks like Angry Birds?” Many educational apps are designed to appeal to students, but app creators need to show educators the most effective ways to use them. Then teachers will be able to talk intelligently to kids, administrators, and parents about their use in the classroom. A lot of software is created, but then there are no helps for teachers to find out how to use them well. It was suggested that educational app developers should consult with a panel of teachers who understand content standards and the subject matter. Most teachers understand that there must be quality content in an app, not just novelty and fun. Many are ingeniously creating all kinds of lessons using things like “Myth Busters” and rap songs. However, new technology takes time to learn and set up, and has the potential for technical failure. It would make it easier for teachers if there were some sort of media literacy provided.

I really appreciated this article. I feel like many of the educational apps I have looked at are either confusing (“How does this cover standards? How would I use this?”), or just not worth the class time it would take to use them. It would be great if educational app developers simply listed the standards that their app covered, and ways to use them in a classroom. Being required to consult with teachers before releasing the app would also be a great idea, and it would cut out a lot of the “gimmicky” products out there. I am somewhat confused about the use of games/apps in the classroom. Yes, letting the kids play Oregon Trail will teach them about westward expansion and the dangers settlers faced. Still, are you really going to let them play the game for hours in class when that material could be easily covered in one class period with a video, a collaborative project, and a few reflective sentences? Does it really engage their critical thinking skills? If app developers could address some of these concerns I think it would be very helpful.

Mlearning Article #8 iPad

“iPad or Netbook?”

Some schools are wondering which is the better choice for them-- iPads or netbooks? There is some confusion over the difference between these devices. Netbooks are lighter, cheaper, less powerful versions of laptops. They use the same applications as laptops, and they have internet access. However, it is difficult to work with audio and video on them. The iPad is different in form, encouraging users to hold it close to them rather than putting it on a surface. This is an important difference, causing people to think of more like their phone-- like an extension of their body rather than a separate device. This could mean that students will look after their iPads and be more careful with them than they would a netbook. Also, with an iPad eye contact is more easily maintained because of the lack of an upright screen. IPads run on an operating system which is specially designed for them, rather trying to run a desktop OS. Netbooks are still reliant on huge software developers, while iPads run apps that were made for mobile devices. These apps take into account factors such as location, battery drain, and screen size. They are creative and quickly developing, while netbooks are somewhat static in comparison. Another thing to take into account is how tactile iPads are. Using your finger rather than a mouse or keyboard can make using the iPad an engaging, direct, and flexible experience. Netbooks offer a more mobile version of what a desktop already does, while the iPad offers new methods of learning. It is a transformation of technology similar to the switch from command line input to a mouse.

I felt like this article read somewhat like an advertisement for Apple, although all of the things he said about the iPad are applicable to almost all tablet devices. I think most of these concepts are applicable to the Kindle Fire or the Samsung Galaxy, for example. I like the idea of a tablet because I feel like it is less of a wall between students and teachers. For one thing, it is easier to see what they are doing! I also like the tactile aspect of the iPads, which I think is particularly important for young learners. I agree with the author that iPads are a better choice for schools than netbooks, but I don't think he was fair about the downsides of iPads. One thing I found myself struggling with when using one in class is trying to get it to a good angle where I can see the screen and type at the same time. Also, I find typing on it slower and more difficult than on a keyboard because of the smaller keys and lack of physical buttons. Using your finger tip can be difficult when trying to draw or do other things that require some finesse. I think a mouse or stylus is better in those situations. I think these things will be worked out in time, but for now I see several downsides to iPads that are somewhat of a concern in a school setting.

Mlearning Article #7 iPad

“Schools Abandon Textbooks to Go All iPad”

This article is about schools that are giving each of their students an iPad. More than 600 school districts have bought iPads for all of their students, and it is not just in wealthy areas. One school in the Boston area paid $500,000 for the new iPads, and did it within its existing budget. They paid for the iPads by getting rid of computer labs, putting other construction projects on hold, and deciding not to buy new textbooks. They are not even buying e-textbooks, since they end up costing more in the long run. Some teachers were initially skeptical about the change-- they were afraid that students would spend all their time playing games and texting. However, they found that it was not too hard to keep them focused, and if they became too much of a distraction they made sure they were turned off (as simple as turning them over). The program is in its first year, but so far kids seem to be doing as well or better than before. The school is not committed to iPads forever, but are willing to explore new technologies as they become available.

I found this article really interesting, particularly the students' reactions to the iPads. Students seemed to like the iPads, and were excited about constant internet access, having everything in a centralized location, musical capabilities, applications in literature, better organization, note taking, and more. It seems like the students are taking full advantage of all the possibilities of an iPad, and not just using them as instructed by teachers in the classroom. My question is, what does the school do if a student loses or breaks an iPad? Also, do they keep the same iPad from year to year? Through the summer and school breaks? Having everything in a centralized location is wonderful, but I can also see there being some issues. Files may be lost if an iPad is damaged, and if students are not allowed to keep them over the holidays they may not have access to everything they need. Also, some parents may not want their child to have access to the internet 24/7, and this may cause some problems at home. If a child is not allowed to use the internet in their bedroom (only in the common area), they may have to do homework in the common area, which may affect their concentration. Giving iPads to every student sounds like a wonderful idea, but I would be interested in hearing how some of the more practical issues are resolved.

Mlearning Article #6 Kindle

“The Kindle Fire will Enable the Next Generation of 1:1 Education Apps”

This article is about the potential of the Kindle Fire in an educational setting. The author of this article has never been a fan of the Kindle in educational settings because of the lack of color and interactivity. The Kindle Fire, however, is a full Android tablet, is only $199, and has a 7” screen (a good size for backpacks, children, and adults). The screen is a little small for touch typing, but a great size for mobile internet access. The price is also great for schools, where children will be handling them (the author mentions that a 7 year old holding a $500 iPad is a scary sight). The Silk browser is always connected to Amazon's EC2 cloud, making connections ultra fast. Applications can be delivered right to the Kindle Fire in ways that won't work with other browsers, because of limitations in internet speed. The Silk browser will allow schools to hand out hundreds of Kindles without drastically increasing their bandwidth. There are some great possibilities, like data aggregation and analysis of assessments available in real time, or collaborative apps. These things are not on the market yet, but the Silk browser could possibly do things that are not even practical on a desktop browser.

I had some trouble understanding the technical aspect of this article, particularly about cloud computing infrastructure. Even after watching the video I was a little confused, but the possible applications of the Silk browser in schools seems interesting. If schools take advantage of the possibilities, I could see the Kindle Fire becoming the go-to tablet for schools. However, I wonder if the kind of content the author envisions will actually come about. I think educators are a little slow to catch on to possibilities, and there doesn't seem to be as much educational content as there could be, even for older devices. If Amazon markets especially to schools (and the Fire becomes the dominant tablet in schools), then I think educators might be motivated to create content for the Kindle Fire.

Mlearning Article #5 Kindle

“Will the Kindle Change Education?”

This article is about the impact of Kindles on education. The author of this article believes that e-book readers like the Kindle are pushing textbooks closer to extinction. One social studies teacher, Chris Edwards, says he sees in not only as an update of the book, but of the library. Kindles are light, use very little power (because the utilize e-ink instead of back lighting), and can hold an entire library (1,500 plus books). With e-readers, schools can get as many copies of a book as they need, immediately. This enables teachers to provide more options for students who are usually uninterested in reading, and more titles for the ones who read constantly. It also allows teachers to use new teaching strategies. Students can be asked to read, take notes, make clippings, and make connections among those clippings. There would be less photocopying, backpacks would be lighter, and there is the possibility that it would save schools money in the long run. The text-to-speech option on Kindles also has a variety of possibilities. It could help students who have vision problems, language barriers, or lack of reading fluency. Audio books are proven to help reading fluency, especially in kids who are more aural learners. However, there are some downsides. There are some questions as to the Kindle's durability in a classroom setting. Also, there is no output jack to connect to an overhead projector (although this would not be a problem if every student had their own Kindle). Also, Amazon does not allow transfer of content from one user to another. This is problematic when managing devices. Finally, the Kindle format does not allow users to create their own materials by themselves. At the time this article was written, Kindles cost $299, which is prohibitive for most schools (I looked it up-- they are now $79).

I struggled somewhat with this article, in that it seemed very dated. The author mentioned a “rumored” upcoming tablet by Apple, and wondered if the e-readers would prove too one-dimensional in comparison. I think at the time this article was written, very few schools used e-readers-- they were considered a cutting edge technology which may or may not endure. I think a few years on we can say that e-readers (and the Kindle in particular) are here to stay, at least for a while. Tablets have proved to be more useful in a school setting, but with the Kindle Fire and the Nook Tablet being priced around $200, they are giving the iPad ($500) a run for its money. More and more schools and college students do seem to be using them to rent or buy textbooks because of the lower cost, and the tablet apps are proving to be a very useful and engaging resource in classrooms. I think the author was right: e-readers and tablets are pushing textbooks (and other printed books) towards extinction. However, I think printed books will be with us for a good long while. There is something wonderful and useful about a book that I don't think e-books have been able to replicate-- at least not yet!