Nearpod can control the iOS classroom

For a few years now, more schools are beginning to adopt the iOS classroom.  I'm not sure if that's a real term yet, but if it catches on, I will appreciate royalties.  iPads, especially, are being considered to enhance classroom learning.  From what I've observed, schools take two approaches to this: either they like to play it safe (toes in) by buying a few to pilot in a classroom/whole school or they pull out the checkbook and commit themselves to a large investment (the cannonball splash).  Both have their virtues, especially when budget is in consideration; however, neither one really has much chance of success without an implementation plan.  Just saying "I want an iPad so we can let students use all those educational apps" isn't a plan as much as it is simply wanting to keep up with technology trends.  If you're going to spring for a classroom iPad set, it needs to become a part of your curriculum that students don't see as a toy for playing games on all the time.  I find this reminiscent of when I attended elementary school and we got our first computer lab all so that we could play Oregon Trail.  It was a first step in implementation before really grasping the learning capabilities inherit to such devices.  My research has lead me to discover an app designed with forward thinking for how teachers can truly harness the iOS classroom. 

Summary: Nearpod, launched in 2012, is a device management system that allows a superuser (teacher) to push content and deliver interactive presentations to the student users.  It takes on properties similar to an MDM (mobile device management) system, putting the teacher in control  by synchronizing content of what students see and do.  The most impressive feature for this is the ability to create rich presentation material that includes audio and video multimedia, internet content, and interactive quizzes that push results back to the instructor.  There is also a public library of content appropriate across a broad range of ages and topics.  Creating content is intuitive and fun (at least for the first couple), and the delivery to other devices is great.  Imagine being in control of all those devices.  Feel the power...

Who doesn't love dinosaurs?

Cons: Alas, there are drawbacks to Nearpod.  The first is obvious - MONEY.  While there is a Silver Membership, it really feels more like brass.  Its privileges provide the limited capabilities of a demo: 30 devices, maximum 10 presentations, 200mb storage.  All in all, not impressive.  Cleverly designed to have you try it, like it, and affect your sleep once you realize you've used it to full capacity.  A Gold membership is a great way to go when dealing with a single classroom set, but $120/month is too much for teachers out-of-pocket, provides unlimited access.  If your school has multiple sets, a School Edition Membership may help you negotiate the right price. Drawbacks include:

• price tag
• content you create is only available using Nearpod
• cancellation of service may affect your ability to retain projects
• iOS compatible only (sorry, Droid)

For a classroom with iPads and iPods available for student use, this is a tremendous step forward in the instructional value.  The price tag coming with this app, in my opinion, is worthwhile to provide meaningful delivery of content  that engages student learning and still allows teachers to be put into control.  If you're going to spend the thousands of dollars to invest in classroom iPad sets, you need to also budget for ways get the most of them.  We don't buy toys for students (except when I was a kindergarten teacher), we provide tools for learning.  You can't buy a car as a single purchase - you need to continue to budget costs of gas and maintenance to get the most out of your vehicle.  Our technology purchases need to take on that same line of thinking.  Consider looking into Nearpod to meet those needs.  I believe this is the first of many MDM apps to come that will enhance the way iPads are used in education.

Brain Pop Jr. for iPad

While I was teaching Kindergarten and First Grade, Brain Pop Jr. may have been my lesson planning best friend (other than Courtney and Trish, of course).  Brain Pop provided an easy way to integrate technology through the use of colorful, animated multimedia that closely matched many of the concepts I was teaching at that time, whether it was for math, reading, health or history.  I could not envision my classroom without it. BPJr. follows Annie and robot Moby through a vast array of learning topics.  Each video lasts only about 5 minutes which gives you, the teacher, ample time to set up an activity (or clean up one!).  Using the videos also provides transitions in the lesson.

Here's what you need to know about Brain Pop Jr.

Like Brain Pop (Sr.), it requires a subscription to get full access.  This means all the videos on MLK, counting by 10's, nouns, George Washington, and exercise are neatly tucked away until you're willing to shell out some cash.  If your school has a subscription already, take advantage of it!  It's worth every penny and may not be there forever.  While the cost is not unreasonable, its impractical for a teacher to pay out of his/her own pocket.  At the very least, you can use it for upcoming holidays and historical events, which are typically featured for free during the week of the event. 

Pros

• Short, engaging videos
• Easy Tech-integration tool
• Follow-up quizzes (easy/hard)
• Topics familiar to Kinder-2nd Grade curriculum
• Catchy music, corny jokes
• The App is Free...

Cons

• Paid subscription needed for full access
• Post-video activities are weak
• Students can print scores from Quizzes, but cannot send digitally to teacher
• Catchy music, corny jokes

In closing, I feel without a subscription, this app will be quickly forgotten due to its limited features.  However, since it doesn't take up much space on the device, it's worth keeping if you have a few iPads in the classroom to use as a holiday lesson.  

Is the App right for You?

How do you know if an app is worth downloading?

How do you know if it is safe to put on your device?

I am that person who loves downloading new apps just so that I can see what it looks like and how it feels.  Whether it is for a game, department store, or traveling I have a my own checklist to help me determine if I should A) Download it and B) Keep it once I do.  This article is to provide some fundamental security-related FYIs as well as help you become better at rating/reviewing content.  Most of the suggestions are standard for Android or iOS apps.  However, the security recommendations are primarily geared toward Android apps via Google Play store, which has looser restrictions and screening of developers and the apps they post. 

Before you download...

How much does it cost? 
Remember, there's no refund.  If it doesn't look worthwhile, there is probably a reason for it.  Just because its not free, doesn't make it worth avoiding.  Sometimes its worth dropping $.99 on an app!  Think how many times you shop from McDonald's dollar menu and that should put things into perspective.

Who Makes it?
Does the developer have a good/bad reputation?  Have they developed other apps in the past?  A first-time app publisher could be a red flag for an app teaming with bugs that may or may not be adequately addressed.  How often are patches and updates released?  If an app released last year has had no updates, don't expect any new features to be coming soon.

How Many People are Using It?
If its a new app, you may be first in line...but it may be worth your while to wait a little while.  User feedback is important and apps could be potentially malicious.  Let some of your peers try it first.

Read the Reviews
Ignore most of the people offering 5 stars.  You want to know why people DON'T like the app.  Some people will have shallow reasons for their displeasure with the program, but others will provide meaningful insight as to how expectations feel short, usability issues, bugs, or design.  Negative comments don't have to deter you, but it should educate you at the very least.

What do you want it to do?
Think about what you are looking for in an app before using it.  If you want to know the weekly sales for a store but can't easily find it on the app, then it is not meeting your needs.   Check your expectations.  If you're expecting a full-scope of interactive features and user interface quality, maybe demanding all that from a free app is unreasonable.  A couple bucks may get you EXACTLY what you want, but if you got it for free, take a deep breath...it's going to be alright.

What does the App Access?
This is especially important when dealing with Android device security.  All app developers must specify what device features an app will access.  You, as the user, must agree to allow all these permissions in order to let it run.  Be wary of apps that require access to your contacts - very few apps actually need this information.  This could be the result of careless developing or a means of stealing personal data. 

Always Write a Review
If you took the time to research an app, whether you love it or hate it - Rate it!  Be fair during your review and offer a review worth reading.  Writing "It's a piece of crap" does not help anyone, nor will it win you a Caldecott Award.

Book Creator for iPad

Become a Self-Published e-Book Author!

In January 2012, Apple released a beautiful free program called iBook Author, which allows you to create rich and beautiful e-publishable books to upload to an iPad's bookshelf.  Despite being a free download, the program has its drawbacks:

• MAC device-only 
• steep learning curve
• EULA (End User License Agreement) concerns 

This PC-user was disheartened, especially knowing that a similar program (i.e. Adobe InDesign) could cost as much as $500.  A little iPad App Store search brought me across this gem, Book Creator.  While I normally like to keep my app purchases below $1.99, I took a leap of faith and picked up this $4.99 treat.  So far, I am not disappointed.  Book Creator allows you to create digital e-Pub books to upload to your iPad Library.  After a quick tutorial, I set out in full pace.  5-10 minutes of playing around should make you a Pro...or at least comfortable enough to use it.  The features are limited, which helps minimize the learning curve, but I was still impressed by how much I could do!  Here's a quick list of features available on my current version of the app:

• Font editing (size, font, color)
• Change background colors
• Adding images
• Hyperlinks
• Embed video clips
• Add/Remove/Reorganize pages
• 3 Layouts (Portrait, Landscape, Square)
• Animated Page-turning features
• Import to iPad Library, send to Printer (app required), Email, or send to Google Drive (app required)

What drew me to this app is how easily I imagine using this with a group of students.  They can quickly learn the features and create their own work adding interactive content.  I quickly saw limitless potential with a group of students.  My first brainstorming lesson ideas were:

• Demonstrate a process/steps for a task
• Short story
• Informational Book using Web-search images
• Reinforce writing process (Publication phase)

Alas, this app is not all gold.  As stated earlier, this app sells at a mid-range price ($4.99) that can really add up when downloading to multiple devices.  The features are limited, which means for some (like myself) this hinders creativity and what you can do, but that is at the sacrifice when making a very user-friendly app.  Also, typing long expositions using the iPad keyboard is tedious.  I would recommend copying and pasting from another document or using a Bluetooth accessible keyboard for lengthy works.  Red Jumper Studio seems to take care of this app and provides regular upgrades and maintenance.  They have created something fun, imaginative, and inspiring.  Time to put all those great novel ideas to pen! 

To learn more about this app and its developers, visit the Red Jumper Studio website.

Toontastic - App Review

This is the first a 5-part series of of iPad app reviews I'll be composing.  In each case, I'll discuss a little background about the app, its strengths and weaknesses from my perspective, ideas for its implementation, and any success/horror stories from my attempts.  If you have an educational app you recommend or one you'd like reviewed, please submit your suggestions.  The first app is:

Toontastic!

Price:  FREE with option for in-app purchasing
Availability:  iPad iOS5 or later

Summary:  Use scenes and characters to create stories.  You can create your own drawings of backgrounds or character/objects or use some of the items made available to easily design a story.  While the app is free on the iTunes App Store, there is the option to purchase sets of characters and scenary to add to your story-telling collection (jungle set, U.S. Presidents, etc).  In addition, Toontastic records your characters' actions, records child's narration, and provides music selections to apply a mood to the scene.  The program is very intuitive.  I briefly demonstrated to a four-year-old child (3-4 minutes) how to use the program.  For the next 40 minutes, he was completely engaged in creating story after story.  This was a great application that allows you to easily create digital stories and engage students in learning. 

ToonTube:  It's essentially a private YouTube within this app that lets you publish your story to be viewed by other users around the globe.  All videos are geographically sorted and can be rated by others.  ToonTube has an easy-to-navigate "global view" that allows you to search the world for exciting tales. 

How to Use in Classroom:  While children as young as 4 will enjoy, this app is probably best suited for 1st grade (late in year) to 3rd grade.  Introduce the application first, let students play around with it, goof off, and experiment with creating backgrounds, characters, and props.  (15-20 minutes).  Teach a series of lessons of parts of a story (problem, climax, resolution, etc), and have students develop a short story with 2-3 characters.  Go through writing process to develop story (brainstorm, draft ideas).  Work this application in as the final part of a creative writing (publishing).  Allow students to publish work (with school/parent permission first) to ToonTube (or external site if this is an option) to share work and let students view others' stories. 

Strengths:  This is a great app to practice creating story arcs.  It promotes creativity and discovery.  Creates a published product that can be used as a culminating activity that assesses learning.  It's fun, engaging, and very easy to use. 

Weaknesses:  Does not "teach" or scaffold the process of creating a story; however, the Toontube site may have good examples of story development for students to view.  Publishing methods are limited.  I want a way to save my work and view it through other mediums, such as save off the device or upload to a website.  I believe the iOS5 update improves upon these capabilities. 

My Score: 4.5/5

A Tablet Shoppers' Guide

If you're looking to purchase mobile devices for your school, like buying a pair of shoes, you need to base your decision off which one has the right fit.  Here are three areas you should consider before making purchase decisions for tablets:

1.  How will it be used?  If you haven't thought about this one, put down the catalogue now.  Too often technology is purchased because its shiny or trendy or someone else has it, but there was never a plan about how to implement it within your own school/district.  A course of action is a necessity when seeking the approval of budget and spending decision makers.  To create that course of action, you need to first bring this down to the classroom teachers, who ultimately determine the success or failure of a project.  Is this to scaffold concepts for delayed students?  Is it an incentive tool?  Will it be used independently or with adult supervision?  Have you talked this over with teachers in your district?  You should!  Teachers need to be on-board BEFORE the technology shows up at the door.  If they can't see your vision of how mobile technology will improve learning, the device will never make it out of the box. 

Not only do teachers need to be excited to use it, there needs to be discussion of how it can be used.  There are two paths this could take:  Free Exploration or Rigid Implementation.  Free exploration is based on that constructivist point of view - drop it in the classroom and see how it can be used, letting creative solutions come out from it.  In this scenario, student feedback is just as valuable as teacher input on the tablet usage.  In a rigid implementation, the device is put into the classroom for a specific purpose and the success/failure is based on its effectiveness.  Personally, I subscribe to the idea that you should have a little bit of both to see the best test results. 

2.  What can you afford?  An iPad 2, priced around $450-500 can quickly deplete a budget after multiple devices are being purchased.  With no doubt, the iPad has a lot of great features, but going back to the first question "What are you using it for?"  The context of your answer may inspire you to look at other options like the Google Nexus 7, which is half the price and offers competative features.  If you're not playing basketball, don't buy a pair of Air Jordans.  When it comes to spending, I'm practical and I'd rather have the right tool at reasonable price than a flashier tool with superfluous features for what I want to do.  I'm not coming down on iPad at all.  I own one and love it, but if you're going to buy one, it needs to do what you want it for at that price.

3.  How will I make the most of this new tool to improve learning?  This goes back to question #1 again.  Having a plan is a big part of the successful introduction to a new tool.  First is creating a plan for how to roll out the product.  Training is an essential element to any new introduction to the classroom.  In the case of tablets, this could easily be overlooked, as assumptions may be made that most people are familiar with and comfortable with tablets.  Probably true.  Since most tablets are so intuitive the learning curve is minimal for new users; however, your goal needs to be to re-shape teachers' mindsets from "how to use it" to "how to use it in a classroom."  When new technology is introduced in the classroom, two things need to happen.  First, teachers need to feel comfortable in using it.  Second, they need direction and ideas.  If you can wow them with it, they will want to wow their students with it (I bet you didn't know wows were contagious...).  Get your teachers on-board, get them excited, and demonstrate the unlimited possibilities of using a tablet with your students. 

Wrap-up:  If you noticed in this entry, I never really said "Buy this one."  That's because I'm not sponsored by Apple or Google, and that decision should be unique to your own situation and needs.  No matter which manufacturer(s) you go with, you'll find a long-lasting potential for classroom usage.  I plan to focus my efforts sharing ideas in how to use these devices in class.  In future entries, I may do a product review for each of the popular tablet devices, but truthfully there are so many of those out there already that I would just end up rehashing what's already been stated.  I suggest you check out some of those reviews before making your own purchase decisions as well. 

Introduction

I'm a former classroom teacher in kindergarten and first grade who loved using technology to improve my teaching abilities and student engagement in learning.  I have degrees in Elementary Education and Educational Technology.  What I enjoyed most about technology is the creativity in how it can be used to enhance an average lesson plan.  After leaving classroom teaching, I found myself wanting to hold on to elements of the life I left, and as such, this blog was developed. 

I plan to use this blog to review and continue to produce creative options for teachers that use shiny toys in the classroom as well as other cost-friendly and widely available solutions that are available to teachers with ideas in how to use them for your own teaching.  My hope is that my readers (elementary teachers being my target audience) will find this blog informative and helpful, providing you with both ideas and resources that will enhance your classroom efforts.  If you like this, please share it along.  I'm also open to feedback, so if you would like to leave a comment, please feel free to email me at kennedy.patrickkeith@gmail.com.  I look forward to your thoughts on how to continue to improve this blog to meet your needs.