Follow @ed_apps   When I found out our school was going 1:1, I was very excited.  I felt ready to ntegrate technology due to coursework I had taken through our local writing project, Prairie Lands Writing Project.  This learning track is structured around 21st Century learning.  We experienced many technology integrated writing assignments to better engage students in the writing process.  One of my favorites was creating Book Trailers.  The Book Trailer was introduced as an alternative to the traditional book report. We all know how traditional book reports work: ...

Follow @ed_apps Recently I hosted 20 teachers in my school district at the zoo for an afternoon. The idea was to explore how we might use iPads during a field trip. It was certainly an exciting form of professional development. Instead of sitting at a desk and listening to someone like me talk about what you could do, we just went out and did it! Teachers had a lot of fun, and many ideas were shared. Below are some of the activities that we (I co-hosted the afternoon with a...

Follow @ed_apps The most popular post I’ve ever written is 13 Ways to use iMovie in the Classroom, having reached thousands of readers in the first day. I’ve been meaning to follow it up ever since, and now I finally have created a short video introduction to using iMovie on the iPad. This first video is a short (less than 5 min) tutorial on using iMovie for iPad from start to finish. The next video I will be posting (which might take a week or two) will be on some...

Follow @ed_apps This post will show 10 apps or ways that iPads and iPods become powerful learning tools in an inquiry-based learning environment, tied to sound research by a leading education network, the Galileo Network. They offer up a rubric to determine how well a lesson aligns with the inquiry learning process. According to the rubric, there are 8 dimensions of inquiry: Authenticity Academic Rigor Assessment Beyond the School Use of Digital Technologies Active Exploration Connecting with Experts Elaborated Communication The iPad can easily support any of these dimensions, and I want...

Follow @ed_apps Is there an app for that? Well, chances are there are dozens of apps for anything you want to do, but sometimes you find one app that is robust enough to have multiples uses for you and your students. For me, iMovie is that app. I find myself using it for everything from slow motion videography to documentation, to presentations and everything in-between. Below are 13 ways that I have used iMovie (or have heard of others using iMovie) with students to enhance learning. Documentation: Use the camera...

Follow @ed_apps When ever I run a training session on iPads for learning, people ask me about my apps, they want a list everything I have. If I did that, most would be overwhelmed. I have 512 apps installed on my iPad right now (I consult in classrooms k-12). That is too many for any teacher or student. I often preach to teachers and administrators that they should start with a dozen apps, get to know them well, and start using them in the classroom. I’ve put together 9 apps...

Follow @ed_apps I’ve been doing some work with a physical education curriculum consultant, Mark. The iPad is exciting for phys.ed. because of it’s built in camera, large screen, powerful processor and simple user interface. Students can easily use the camera to record themselves perform various skill sets, and instantly replay on the large screen their performance. Using iMovie, students can even slow down the video of them, say, doing a lay-up, to watch it frame by frame and analyze things such as footwork, hand placement, elbow position, etc. We also...