iPads at Soccer

I love going to my son's soccer practice. As I am not the coach of his team, I can just sit back and relax. It is my time to just sit, to reflect, to day dream, and to use my iPad! Over the past few months, I have come to appreciate this device and how it has made an impact in my life. It has allowed me to do what I never had time to do... Read, reflect, and write!

There are a lot of reasons why I like using the iPad...

The battery last forever. I don't think I have been in a situation yet where it has shut down on me due to no battery. I can not say the same about my laptop.

The form factor of the iPad is perfect for every situation. It is very natural to have the iPad in my lap, on a table, or wherever. It would just feel awkward to be sitting at a soccer practice with my laptop. I don't feel that way about the iPad.

The ability to connect to 3G is extremely useful. I debated whether or not to spend the extra money for the 3G version of the iPad. If I already had a smartphone, I may not have opted for the 3G iPad. However, without a smartphone, the iPad fills that gap nicely. I love that I can turn on 3G for the months I need it, and turn it off when I don't.

I look forward to continuing to learn how to use this device. I am interested in setting aside one week this year when I will put my laptop away and only use my iPad. Can I only use this device and nothing else? We shall see!

iPad2 Creation Toolkit - iMovie

Media creation is an important element of the Middle School classroom. Students and faculty at my school have traditionally used a variety of Windows-based tools to create audio and video presentations. As our school transitions to iPads, there is a whole new set of tools available to explore. With the support of a Hathaway Brown School Summer Technology Mini-Grant, I am creating a "toolkit" of media creation tools available on the iPad. My goal is to provide an overview of some of the apps and provide detailed instructions on how to use each. The focus will be on tools for audio, video, and photo creation.

My first set of instructions detail the ins and outs of using iMovie. I will focus on Photoshop Express for my next set of instructions.

View the document at... http://bit.ly/p2hGpN 

I would appreciate any comments and suggestions.

Coffee: A Social Experiment

I read a blog post yesterday about an interesting social experiment. Johnathan Stark loaded $30 onto a Starbucks card and then shared an image of the card online. Since July 7th, people have been using the card. At times, the value of the card goes to zero. However, more often than not, there is money on the card. Anyone can take the image of the card, go to Starbucks, and get a free coffee.
Something about this story struck me. It is an interesting social experiment in sharing and giving back. Anyone could go to Starbucks and buy $50 worth of coffee beans. However, if this were the case, there would never be money on the card. But, there is money on the card (you can keep track at http://mobile.twitter.com/jonathanscard). Over $3,600 has passed through the card. People are not just being greedy. People are adding value to the card!
So, what would you do? What would your students do? I would love to figure out a way to apply this experiment in a school setting. If you have an idea, let me know.

Permission to be Creative

We are twenty four days away from the first day of school, and I am already accomplishing one of the goals I have for the 2011-2012 school year.... create a blog. My second goal will be to post to the blog every week!! We will see how that goes.

I had to pause for a moment when going through the process of creating the blog. Blogger wanted to known the name for my blog. I thought to myself, "ugh, what should I name my blog?" A few days earlier I had read an article detailing how Mail Chimp, an email newsletter company, is giving their employees "permission to be creative." One paragraph in the article stood out...

“We provide an environment that allows for, and encourages, acting on spontaneous creativity,” says Kurzius. When employees feel safe sharing their new ideas--no matter how goofy--and have the freedom to pursue them, good things ultimately arise. “I plant the seed and water it and then stand back and watch it grow,” he says. “Outside of being accountable to our customers, the less formality, the better.”
Creative Cultures: MailChimp Grants Employees "Permission To Be Creative," July 26, 2011

As soon as I read that paragraph, I knew that the statement "permission to be creative" would become my mantra for the year. I want to post it in my classroom and share it with my colleagues. I want it to direct every action I take when working with students and teachers in using technology in the classroom.

Back to the name of my blog... After a few seconds, it came to me that I had to name it "Permission to be Creative." It would become my guiding statement for the year. Thank you, Mail Chimp!!