Friday, June 7, 2013

How to install Apps

Hi All! Attached is the document I wrote outlining instructions for how to install apps on the iPads. I'm happy to walk anyone through it, but just so everyone has access to the instructions, here they are:



To Download Apps:
1.       On the MacBook Air, open iTunes. Click iTunes Store on the menu at the left of the screen.
2.       In the search bar at the top right of the iTunes window, type in the name of the App you want, or a term to search (such as “art history”). When the results appear, make sure you click the iPad app, not the iPhone app.
3.       A sign in box should now pop up. To download apps, the Apple ID is 06m467.vpp+carta@gmail.com and the password is hslps06M467 (capital M)
4.       You can continue to search for and click on Apps to download while others are downloading.
5.       When you’re done downloading Apps, it’s important to QUIT out of iTunes.

To Install Apps on iPads:
6.       Click on the rocket on the lower left of your task bar on your desktop to open the Launchpad. Click on Apple Configurator.
7.       Click on Cart A on the left under Supervised Devices, then click Apps at the top of the right column (next to Settings)
8.       Click plus sign at bottom, which takes you to folder where all downloaded Apps are.
9.       Check the ones you want to install. Click Open.
10.    All apps you just checked will appear in Configurator. All installed Apps will appear. If the box is white, it’s not installed on any iPads. If the blue box shows a Minus sign, it means the App is on some, not others. Click each app so a blue checkmark appears if you want it installed on each iPad.
11.    Hit apply at bottom. When the iPads are connected to the laptop with the black cable, you will see each iPad processing (with a little pie chart icon)

To Sync Changes from one iPad to All iPads:
12.    To make changes to one iPad that you want to sync to all iPads, in Configurator click Settings on the top of the right column. In the middle column, click on the iPad you want to use as a model. In Settings, click Restore: Don’t Restore Backup. Click Apply. Wait for it to process changes.
13.    Unplug iPad, make your changes (like combine apps into folders). Plug iPad back in, select it in the middle column.
14.    On the right, click Restore: click “Back Up” to create new backup
15.    Title it date and whatever changes you made (like Cart A-5/20-Condensed Art Folder)
16.    Then click all iPads at the top of middle column, select the new backup profile you just made from Restore on the right, then hit Apply. Wait for it to sync.


*If the pie chart processing icon seems to be stuck near the end, don’t worry because it’s not stuck. This is a final step that takes a while.*

If you need help, call or email Todd Grunow, 718-935-5639 TGrunow@schools.nyc.gov who is the Mac specialist for the DOE

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Ten keys to a successful school iPad program

"If you’re using iPads, utilize their unique assets. Look for ways to take advantage of their mobility, built-in camera, microphone, video, and so on."
 
Sam Gliksman wrote the book "iPad in Education for Dummies." In this article he discusses "Ten keys to a successful school iPad program."

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2013/04/30/ten-keys-to-a-successful-school-ipad-program/

Monday, April 29, 2013

Jeff's 3rd Sessions

Today I asked Jeff to show me the basics of iMovie.  I'd like to eventually utilize it as a tool for students (and me) to create videos to post on a class website.  Namely, for my seniors, I'd like to create a website that students can ref to after they graduate and enter college.  In the class we would create helpful videos such as demos ranging in topic from grammar and writing mini-lessons to cooking healthy breakfasts- a variety of topics the students can refer back to and support their success in college and careers.

Here's a short 21 second video that I made with Jeff's help in our session today.  Please respond and share some of the ideas you are working on too!


iPurpose before iPad

Greetings HSLPS,

I cribbed the title of this post from this blog post:
http://mgleeson.edublogs.org/2013/04/28/ipurpose-before-ipad/

I wanted to post it there because I thought it was a great post laying out, in simple terms, different apps for different purposes.

It includes explanations of this great visual:




I realize there are growing pains in any technology implementation, and not every app will suit ever teacher or student, or work in every setting. All that said I thought this blog post provided some very good guides for effective use of iPads in schools.

Hope you find it useful...

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Yesterday

Hi all:

I enjoyed working with you yesterday! I hope it was helpful. I see Alex posted about sharing thoughts, ideas, resources, etc. A great idea! She mentioned QR codes, which I went into with some of you. If you'd like more information, check my website at https://sites.google.com/a/teachingmatters.org/hslps-ipad-pilot/ where I added a QR code page under "General iPad Stuff" in the left hand menu. I also will be using the site to add and share any resources etc we cover.\

Lastly, sign up to meet with me next Monday. And, let me know any ideas you have that you would like to cover.

Thanks.

Jeff

Day 1 - Jeff's Sessions

Thanks to the team for signing up and having Jeff's first full day visit a productive one!  Please share an idea that came out of your sessions with Jeff:  I met with Jeff and Jarrod yesterday:

 Introducing Students to the iPad and Its Functions

  • The Students Guide to iPads - a free iBook that is very readable and well organized covering the main functions and tools of the device as well as basic usage instructions.  I think I will go through selected sections and pull key terms and make word bank.  I'll instruct students to read the sections, find the key terms, and define them.  This will serve to build their vocabulary as well as introduce them to the main functions of the iPad.  When I have a list of key terms, I'll share it.
QR Codes (Easy ways to share documents/links electronically)
(Don't use this code- it's just an example...)
  • QRs are those square digi-looking codes that you can scan to get more information about something.  You can use a QR app to create a QR for any document, website, image, etc. Then you can have students use the camera function on the iPad to scan the QR which will bring them to that link. (We'll just need to download a QR reader app to make reading the code possible.)  It saves copying for one thing.  For another, you can prepare several documents or links on the same topic and differentiate by assigning different students different codes, or you can give students a choice- review 3 out of the 5 documents of your choice....

What cool ideas did you learn?

Monday, April 15, 2013

My iPad support website

I created a website on which I will post information, apps, etc related to my meetings with you all. Take a look - it's at https://sites.google.com/a/teachingmatters.org/hslps-ipad-pilot/

Jeff

Saturday, April 6, 2013

The Student Guide to iPads

Heree's a free iBook that should be on all the school's iPads. A short (34 pages) overview of iPad basics. A good reference for all students and teachers.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/student-guide-to-ipads-ios/id570579620?mt=11

Friday, April 5, 2013

Friday, March 22, 2013

Studies of iPad Use in Education

Richard Byrne (whose blog iPad Apps for School is worth checking) posted a list of studies about research into iPad use in schools. Direct link to the post is here.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

iTunesU & the NYCDOE

iTunesU is a built-in "core" app on every iPad. It is a great way to get free courses from many different sources, including many Ivy League Colleges and app developers.

Individual teachers, or as a school, HSLPS can create a channel, and multiple courses and upload content to iTunesU for students to follow along with.

In that vein, the Apple reps for the NYCDOE have set up an iTunesU course full of information directly related to using iPads within the DOE system.

To join the Apple/NYCDOE iTunesU course follow these directions:

HSLPS iPad Survey

If the embedded form below malfunctions please click this link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1DcN_jtOdYfO4plSvcL77pv2RYPtlU2CSoR1ZiA2kSBY/viewform

Monday, March 11, 2013

iPad Pilot Team PD Providers

Chris and Jeff-

I wanted to introduce you to each other and give you a forum to exchange comments in order to avoid redundancy and working at cross purposes.  Here's a place to share ideas or comments and I can chime in if needed.

Jeff will be coming to our school for 2 after-school PD sessions to discuss classroom pedagogy, subject specific apps, and  assessments..  He will also come to our school for 8 half days to work with teachers inside their classrooms and provide planning and observation feedback.

I am hoping Chris will come back for more presentations to teachers and other tech support for us.

Chris, how does your school manage work flow from student to teacher/ teacher to student (assignments)?

Thanks.
Alex

Saturday, March 9, 2013

App Recommendations

In order to make it easier for us to find the information we are looking for, I'm starting this new topic regarding App Recommendations.

Post App names, price, a brief description of what it does (even one sentence), and if you've used it in the classroom, maybe you can describe this too.

So far the recommendations made in the previous post:

Jarrod- iPoe (Edgar Allean Poe)

Jimi- iTeacherBook (free last Wed) regular price $4.99.

Alex - Paperless, lite version is free, full version for $1.99- a list maker- you can create check boxes, priotritize, etc. 

Chris- AppsGoneFree, AppShopper, AppPriceDrop by Apple Slice, DiscoverApps - all to find free or reduced priced Apps.


Add your App discoveries!

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Free Apps for Free Apps

One of the best ways to get use to the wide variety of possibilities of the iPad is to take advantage of free apps.

Here are a few free apps that alert you to when other, paid apps, are on sale. Once you "purchase" an app, free or paid, you get all future updates for free too. So, if you find a $4.99 app has gone free one day, download it, it's free, and you'll get all future updates for free too. Any app is worth a test run if it doesn't cost you anything...

Here are the ones I use on a daily basis:

AppsGoneFree - daily newsletter of 8-10 apps free for 24 hours

App Price Drops by Apple Sliced - not all free, but tracks price reductions as well

AppShopper - no longer an app, Apple removed it from the App Store (click here if you want to read the explanation), but the website is very useful for creating wish-lists of apps and being notified when apps go on sale

Discovr Apps - It is currently $1.99 but I got it, via AppsGoneFree, when it was free, so keep an eye on it. It's another great app for keeping track of price drops. It also displays apps in a mind-map style, showing related or similar apps to all apps you search. A great way to, literally, discover new apps (hence the name)


Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Dropbox & the DOE

Dropbox is a great way to eliminate the thumb drive. Save a file in your Dropbox on your home computer, have that file on your work computer. View on your iPad... a great way to ensure your files are wherever you are...

As with anything, there is a quirk with getting Dropbox to work within the DOE network. In order for Dropbox to connect you need to set up the proxies.



Click here for a PDF of these directions

Initial PD follow-up

HSLPS iPad team,
It was great meeting everyone, I'm looking forward to working with HSLPS on your iPad program.

In order to keep everything centrally located on this blog, here are a list of the links & resources from the 3/2/13 professional development session:

Presentation materials, including slide deck:
http://goo.gl/rzxT9

Resource links:
http://www.iear.org/
http://www.appitic.com/
http://ipadapps4school.com/
http://cybraryman.com/ipad.html
http://cybraryman.com/apps.html
http://appsineducation.blogspot.com/
http://ps10ipads.wikispaces.com/App+List



Thanks

Monday, March 4, 2013

Dropbox and School Computers

I was able to create a separate login id on one of the computers in the English office, so that I could access Dropbox at school. It's quite easy...

Saturday, March 2, 2013

iPad Pilot Launch Day!


Okay team- Here I go.  I'm a blogger now!

I am truly excited to start this work with you all and I am thrilled about the team of people who have volunteered to launch this effort together.  Don't forget to think about who you can "pull in" as your silent partner.  The expectation would be to occasionally sit down with them and share some apps or lessons, help them learn to use the device and invite them to observe some classes.  Ideally, they will be an extra hand in the classroom as well so they can get some firsthand experience.

I was excited but a little overwhelmed by all the info.  I learn by seeing then doing and without the doing step, I am quite lost.  I will start slowly as Chris recommended.  I will ask you all for help as well!  As one of my first projects for my senior ELA class, I am thinking about creating a classroom wikispace (Chris did a webinar on this at SimpleK12) where we choose some important topics (maybe getting "college ready").  I'm still thinking about content and activities.

So- here's my first questions- choose 1 or 2 and post a quick response...

1) Now that it is set up, the very first thing I'm going to do with my iPad is...
2) In the classroom, I think I'll finally be able to....
3) I didn't realize...
4) I am pretty confused about...
5) Here's something I think you will want to know...

See you in the blogosphere!