Stop Worrying About The Apple Watch

I've seen comments here and there about how teachers are worried about the Apple Watch and that cheating is going to be harder to detect if kids have them. Please stop blaming devices.

Want to make it harder for kids to cheat? Try assessing in a more meaningful way. Multiple choice tests that can be passed by tapping an answer to a friend should be tossed. It's no different than kids using a phone to cheat on a test. If the phone can provide the simple answer, there is something wrong with the test, not the phone.

Look at more project based learning assessments and presentations in class. Have students demonstrate understanding beyond the recalling of memorized then forgotten facts. Get them out of their seat and show everyone what they know.

If students are more engaged and are showing what they have learned, the fear of the Apple Watch or whatever tool comes along will be a thing of the past.

Update 2: iP@ds in my classroom #EdChat #EdTech #PBL

This is Update 2 for my iPad project. Here is my first update.

My students have spent the past two weeks working on their projects. They are working in groups to create the ideal transcendental its society. The first few days with the iPads was more of a "What can we do we these?" experience for the kids. They logged into apps and took pictures using Photobooth. It was overall silliness at times, but I knew that was going to be the case, so I let them have fun. I really think that is important to remember. Some of these kids have never used an iPad outside of the Apple store and they should have a chance to play with them within the context of school and learning. I want them to see the iPad as a tool to explore the world, not just as another computer to do menial tasks.

After the playful period, students began to do serious work. Kids were using SketchPad Pro to design crests and flags for their community. They also used it to create detailed maps of their society. Some students utilized Pages to create the groups rules and job descriptions. It was great to see them working hard and collaboratively. It was a surreal experience at times. There were instances where it was dead silent as students all worked on various parts of their projects. I'm excited to see the work two students are going to present after writing a rap and using GarageBand to create beats to perform to. It's something that would not have been possible before. One of those students actually came in to school early in the morning to work on the iPad. He said it was the most fun he had ever had writing before. You cannot ask for better feedback than that.

Dropbox has been a great tool for my students. Signing them up to accounts at the start of the year is one of the best things I did this year. Without pushing, students created their own group shared folders and have been putting all of their work there. Students have been able to upload photos and videos from the app to work on at home. Dropbox has allowed the students to quickly and easily share all of their work. I also noticed that students have created folders for other classes as well, so I know they are really enjoying the program.

Kids have spent the past two days filming and editing using iMovie. I've only had to help a couple of groups with some user issues, but students have mostly figured out how to use the apps on their own. I think that is something that has always stood out about the iPad. The device itself and many of the apps are very easy to use and understand. It has allowed the students to spend more time on creation and that pays off when it comes to learning. I really look forward to sharing some of the projects with all of you once they have been presented in class.

Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or suggestions.

- @TheNerdyTeacher

Quick Hit - Saving Documents from iP@d to Dropbox #edchat #edtech



I wanted to share with everyone a way to save Pages and Keynote files from the iPad to your Dropbox account. Here is a link to the document I shared with my students on Dropbox. http://db.tt/VySWoJ6y

Basically, you create a document using Pages or Keynote and email to yourself. You go to your email through Safari and access your email. In the email, open the document and it will take you to a new tab. From the new tab, it will give you different programs you can open the document in. Choose Dropbox and it will let you save the file in an existing folder or you can create a new one. The PDF is a bit more detailed, but it works every time. Give it a try.

- @TheNerdyTeacher

iP@ds in my classroom - Update 1 #Edchat #EdTech #Education

Here is the first of many updates on how the iPads are being used in my classroom.

The students were finally able to get their hands on the iPads on Monday (November 28). The first day was spent mostly on the ins and outs of how the iPads were to be used. I showed some of the basic features of the iPad and let them take them for a spin. They were excited to see what they could do and spent time taking pictures and playing around with the free apps.

I showed them how to log into Dropbox and Evernote and how to log off those apps as well. Since these are shared devices, it's important that the apps used allow for user sign in and sign out. I reminded the kids to log off any students that forget to do so and see me if there are any notifications that pop up. The kids were excited and we did not have any major problems on the first day.

The next day, the kids were diving deep into their project (Creating a Transcendentalist Society) and started to encounter some problems using Dropbox. Dropbox allows user to upload video and photos to their account using the app. However, the app needs permission to find your location to do so. All of the settings were set to prevent new apps from using location services. I had to convince my IT guy to give me the restrictions password so I can trouble shoot issues like this. It's important for the pilot teacher to have access to the restrictions password to solve these little problems. It took me a chunk of time, but I was able to fix all of those problems for Dropbox and future apps.

The next issue that came to light was the lack of email. We did not have email addresses linked to the iPad accounts and it quickly became apparent that without email, the iPads were not effective at sharing information quickly. I convinced my IT guys to put the same email account on the iPads and we hope to block the incoming mail to the account. Now, my students can quickly share their notes from their Notes app, photos, video and Evernote. Email accounts are necessary to quickly and easily share information. 


I spent the first week creating a system for where the apps go on each iPad. The most common apps were placed on the front page, apps that were more Language Arts were on the second page and the last page will be all Science (I'm piloting with a Chemistry and Biology teacher). Breaking up the apps this way will allow the kids to find what they need quickly. I also showed them the search feature in case they can't find the app right away. App organization might take time to set up, but it will save the student time in the long run. 


I'm still waiting for the grant money to come in so I can buy the apps that I really need. The free ones are good for now, but my kids want to do serious photo and video editing and the free apps do not provide the umph they need. Try and wait to roll out the iPads until you have all of the apps you need. 


The kids still have all of next week to work on the project and I have not had any problems with the usage. I've actually heard students tell others to stay on task with the iPad. That made me smile.

I'll be keeping regular updates on my site on the apps I use, the policies put in place and anything else that comes up regarding the iPad pilot.

Have a great day!

- @TheNerdyTeacher

Tech Made My Days Easier

My bed for the past couple of days.

This is my first post as a Daddy and it feels pretty good. I wanted to talk about how awesome it has been to have my iPad2 and iPhone4 during this whole process.

The live tweeting of the labor was a fun way to pass the time as everything progressed. I made sure to ask the wife and only did it when I could not be doing anything else. I received a ton of positive feedback and equally silly responses from those that were following #BabyProWatch2011. @BabyProvenzano was even able to get Chris Pratt (@prattprattpratt) from NBC's Parks and Rec to send @JenniferPro a tweet of encouragement! Twitter helped spread the information of the birth of my son faster than making individual phone calls.

The camera on my phone and iPad made spreading images of the most beautiful baby boy in the world very easy. Using Instagram, I was able to post pictures to Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. Sharing information quickly is key and I was able to show the world Baby Leo in an instant. The hospital's robust wifi definitely makes all of these things much easier. Also, my wife couldn't come down to the nursery, so I was able to share all of the cute pictures and video with her. That really made her smile and feel better.

As I visited Leo in the nursery, it was nice to have the iPhone to take pictures, but it was nicer tin have it to play him music. I played "Let it Be" by the Beatles for him while I fed him. It was that or "Closer" by NIN. JK. It was just a very cool moment of Dad, baby and good songs. A lasting memory for sure.

I've also been able to deal with school emails when they pop up. I will not have to worry about a crazy inbox when I return. Students have been good at avoiding silly emails. I was able to clear unnecessary emails as they arrive. It will save me tons of time when I get back.

Lastly, my Freshmen have been a bit goofy since I left. It's as if their collective IQ drops off a cliff the minute I leave. They had forgotten all of the basic essay steps I taught them and I was emailing constantly with my sub. This morning, I received an email from the sub asking for clarification on the assignments. She understood it, but the students had questions. I was ready to grab my iPad and start a Skyoe session while wife and baby napped. Sadly, the lab my students were working in is not set up with a webcam. This is a problem that will be addressed when I get back. Instead, I grabbed my phone, looked up the library lab phone number and had the sub put me on speaker. Whle talking, I pulled up the research paper assignment sheet from Dropbox and walked the kids through the assignment again. I took questions and put out fires from the comfort of the waiting room.

When I bought the devices, I never thought about how handy they wouldnbe while caring for my wife and newborn at the hospital. These pieces of tech made it possible to make connection to friends and strangers. I think that's what makes tech so great! The possibilities are endless when you can reach out and share with everyone whenever you want. Tech can be about making connections. I will never forget that fact.