I have created a short video that explains how to view/edit the OCMS Computer Lab Schedule. Anyone can view the schedule from our website but only those that I have given permission to can edit the schedule. Fee free to make changes as needed.
Socrative is now my go-to tech that I use regularly in my classroom. Socrative is an online student response system that is easy to setup and even easier to use. I can create a quiz, test, review game, exit slip or discussion questions in minutes and the students always enjoy getting to use their cell phones or tablets in the classroom. I really like Socrative since it is so easy for students to access and use. Students or teachers do not have to download anything in advance or go through any elaborate setup process to use Socrative. Students simply go to m.socrative.com, enter my room number and wait for me to start the activity. Another great feature is the report that is available at the end of every activity. Socrative provides instant feedback by allowing you to view, download, print or share the results of each activity. The report provides individual student information such as overall score and answers chosen for each questions which is great for a quick item analysis. To get started, simply create a free account at www.socrative.com.
Doceri is my new favorite app for my iPad Mini! Doceri allows me to draw/annotate on images from my iPad Mini and displays it on my Smart Board (using AirPlay). Doceri has many great backgrounds preloaded (whiteboard, chalkboard, various graphs, maps, music and construction paper) and has a variety of tools to write/draw with. You can draw/annotate over any image in your iPhoto Library or use the camera to take a picture to write on. Once you are finished, you can share your drawings/annotations by emailing it, saving it as PDF or a JPEG. Another interesting feature is the ability to screencast your lesson. For example, you can work out a math problem on the white board using Doceri to project it and record the lesson, and then upload the video straight to YouTube or share it via email. Overall, this a great app once you get used to writing/drawing on the limited space of the iPad or iPad Mini.
Doceri is a free app as long as you don’t mind the Doceri watermark and occasional ad. You can buy the somewhat pricey ad/watermark free version if that is an issue for you.
JotNot Scanner Pro is an iPad app that allows you use your iPad as a scanner. You simply use the app to take a picture of the page, map, picture, receipt, etc…, crop your image and then choose how to share it (email it, print it, fax it, add it to your photo library or upload it directly to DropBox, EverNote or Google Docs. When sharing or printing your document you can choose from a variety of file formats such as JPG, PNG or PDF. As a classroom teacher, this app is a convenient way to scan items such as worksheets or student work that you would like to display on the Active Board or keep for future use. It’s also a convenient way to share things with other teachers or parents through the email option. Overall, I really like this app since it does an impressive job of scanning documents with my iPad Mini. The Pro version is $.99 with a somewhat limited free version available as well.
Remind101 allows teachers to send text messages to students and parents anonymously. You can send notes, reminders, etc… from the Remind101 website or the app available for the iPhone and iPad. The best part is that it’s FREE and anonymous! You can’t see the students or parents number when you message them and they can’t see yours. Another nice feature is that Remind101 doesn’t allow the students or parents to respond to your messages. It’s also very easy to setup. You simply have the students text a code provided by Remind101 to a number that is given to you by Remind101. Once setup, you can see a list of students and parents who have subscribed to your messages and begin sending out reminders. I have found this to be very useful in my classroom.
AirServer is an AirPlay receiver that allows you to receive AirPlay feeds from your Mac or PC. This allows you to mirror or stream content from your iPhone or iPad to your PC, Mac and ultimately your projector. I love this software since it allows me to walk around the room as I make a presentation, use a variety of apps such as Google Earth or display content from the web. AirServer must be purchased from the AirServer website and downloaded to your Mac or PC. A free 7 day trial is available so you can try it before you buy it.
Much like Dropbox, SkyDrive is basically another option for cloud-based storage. You can store files in SkyDrive and access them from your PC, Mac, laptop, smartphone, etc… SkyDrive gives you 7 GB of free storage space when you create a new account compared to the 2 GB Dropbox gives you. Another nice feature of SkyDrive is that it allows many 3rd party apps to access, sync or save files to SkyDrive. SkyDrive offers many other great features that are lacking in Dropbox, but I personally still prefer the look and feel of Dropbox.
Dropbox is an absolute must have! Think jump drive and remote storage all rolled into one great package. You can install Dropbox on your PC, Mac, or Smart Phone and access your files, pictures, etc… from anywhere. When you install Dropbox on your PC or Mac and create a free account the program creates a 3 GB virtual folder that you can simply drag or copy your files into (of course you can create as many folders as you like inside the Dropbox folder to help with organization). Once your files are in the Dropbox folder, you can access them (open, edit, delete, etc…) from any PC, Mac, or phone with internet access. Dropbox has a great app for the iPhone that very intuitive and easy to use. Dropbox also allows you to grant or share folders/files with other Dropbox users. For example, my ever-changing budget is an excel spreadsheet that I store in a folder called budget (I know, creative) within the Dropbox folder. I shared the budget folder with my wife so she can access the most current version of our budget from her computer at home, at work, or on her phone. Very convenient! For teachers who are constantly creating PowerPoint’s, worksheets, and various other activities at home, Dropbox is an extremely convenient way to access files at home and at school.
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Penultimate is great handwriting app for the iPad. Penultimate allows you to digitally take notes, draw pictures, and create diagrams on your iPad. Pre-loaded with various types of paper (graph paper, lined paper, plain paper), Penultimate allows you use your … Continue reading
This Quick Tip demonstrates the two methods of calibrating an Active Board.
If the video does not load, it can be viewed at Calibrating the Active Board.
My Digital Classroom 