Friday night we began by using the Collaborate app to participate in a Collaborate seminar introduction. That night I was able to quickly and smoothly enter the classroom and participate. I had the opportunity tonight to participate in another Collaborate online session and it was not so easy. First I accessed the session link in Google + through the Google+ app, clicked on the link and it said my system did not support this. I then went and accessed it through Google + in Safari and was able to copy and paste the link straight into the space on the Collaborate app. I met with success. I found out after the session that there was video streamed that I and others on iPads could not view. Sad face.
Spent the weekend posting and commenting in Google +. Started off accessing it through Safari. Then was told about the Google + app and downloaded it. Makes it so much easier to quickly view posts, write new posts and comment on posts. I am still however working on making my web links connect to my posts, hopefully third time lucky. I am also in the process of trying to figure out if you can copy a post from Google +. Have sent in a #tablet problem. This alerts the seminar leaders to an issue related to a task one can do on a PC but not a tablet. Learned the hard way that one should never write full post straight into Google + as it does not save it until it is shared and can easily,when using an iPad, be closed and lost.
One of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to add information to our Google Checklist accessed on Google Drive. This checklist is used to track our participation in the areas of posts and comments in Google+, tweeting, and commenting on another's blog post. We were directed to download the app Puffin, a browser app that supports flash player. It worked, but it took sometime to figure out how to add information to each column and to insert a copy of the post/comment. I decided to download the Google Drive app and see if this would be easier to use. I will be sticking to accessing it on Puffin.
Puffin is also a great app as it allows you to view videos on an iPad. Prior to downloading the app when on Facebook I could not view the linked videos, now with Puffin loaded I can.
I have found that the number and variety of apps that are available both free and for purchase seem endless. Through exploration of educational apps I have seen just how important it is for a teacher to make an informed decision ascertained through time spent using the app and understanding all of its facets before sharing it as a classroom learning tool.
Looking to the use of extras with the iPad. I purchased a keyboard. Sometimes it works great at others it suddenly will have a mind of its own and duplicate letters not just once or twice but at times rows of them. Needless to say this can get very frustrating. That is why I am presently typing using the iPads built in keyboard. It can be slower as it is designed for the two finger typer. One thing I find is that it thinks it knows best when to use a capital, needless to say I then have to go back and cor react the error.
The one thing about an iPad is that once you have one, you wonder how you ever lived without it. Prior to this week I used it mainly for quick access for a Google search, access Facebook and to check email, where two accounts have been set to come to one site. I also took it on holiday as it is light weight and portable, left the laptop behind and did not want for it.
It is amazing what tasks you can do on an iPad when you choose and commit to using it as your only computer. As with anything it takes time to learn and feel proficient with emerging technology. The key is being willing to take the time to learn it's many capabilities. It is then that you can make an informed decision as to whether or not the technology meets your needs and when looking to its use as a teacher both your needs and the needs of your students. The questions we need to ask ourselves as teachers are: Can this emerging technology enhance my students learning? Will it motivate them?
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***My blog post for this week. Written, copied and posted in Weebly on my iPad Mini. I used word doc found in the Smart Office 2 App to write the post. From there I emailed it to my gmail account. Accessed the email through the mail icon. Opened the document copied the post. Accessed Weebly through my web browser Safari. Signed in and accessed new post on my 509 blog page. Pasted the post. Clicked to add an image. Chose web search, entered the word iPad. It took me to images of iPads both professional and free. Went to free, acknowledged in writing that they were Creative Commons. Uploaded picture to my photos. Then uploaded it to the image spot in the post. Tapped on publish. Then exited editor and Weebly. I then went to Safari and viewed the post that you see above. More spacing then I had hoped, but besides that a successful endeavour. Thanks Jean, Sonny and Breanne for setting this challenge!