MSM 160 iPad Reseach Interview

Call Us at (262) 724-6653 (Google Voice)
Diigo Group: http://groups.diigo.com/group/middle-school-matters
email: middleschooleducators@gmail.com
Twitter: @MSMatters
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Middle-School-Matters/348279537549

Jokes You Can Use:

Two iPads walk into a classroom . . .

Two husbands were discussing their married lives. Although happily married, they admitted that there were arguments sometimes. The Chad said, “I’ve made one great discovery. I know how to always have the last word.”
“Wow!’ said Sherman, “how did you manage that?”
“It’s easy,” replied Chad. “My last word is always ‘Yes, Dear.’”

What’s this daily charge for ‘fruit’? The hotel guess asked the manager. “We didn’t eat any.” “But the fruit was place in your room every day. It isn’t our fault you didn’t take advantage of it.” “I see,” said the man as he subtracted $150.00 from the bill
“What are you doing”? Sputtered the manager.
“I’m subtracting 50 dollars a day for your kissing my wife.”
“What? I didn’t kiss your wife.”
“Ah,” replied the man, “but she was there.”

On Our Mind:

Museum Box

Interview: Dr. Monte Tatom

iPad research: http://www.fhu.edu/blogs/mtatom/post/2011-ACU-Connected-Summit.aspx
Contact info:
731-989-6088
School E-mail: mtatom@fhu.edu
Twitter – http://twitter.com/drmmtatom

Classes – small class sizes. Interesting mix: science, theater, special education prep, photography, Organizational Behavior, and Human Resource.
Students had to turn the iPads back in.
Did the teachers change teaching methodology or use the iPad to do the same things?

• Interactive textbooks are desired. Professors want them.
• Inkling.
• iPad as a replacement vs an extension.
• Still early on in the App development process.

How do you think the iPad 2 will solve issues?

• 85%-90% of frustrations will be solved. The ability to connect to projector is huge. Most of the negatives have been addressed, either during the time of the first project or what is now available.
• Individual use vs multiple users:
• Would limit the use if shared by multiple users. Preference is to put them into every student’s hands. Very personal machine. College students would’ve used them differently if they knew that they could keep them. The teachers used them much more and differently because they knew they would have them for a long time.
• Doceri. Valuable teacher tool.

Apps that were useful:

• Penultimate- notetaking app
• Sundry notes – notetaking & LCD connection
• DropBox – (We have codes!)
• Box.net
• Goodreader
• iAnnotate
• Mobile Learn – Blackboard connection
• ESV Bible
• Kindle, iBooks, Zinio, Google Books
• iDemo Web – Web site sharing
• Documents to Go Premium

Breakage:

• Not an issue.

Next Steps:

• Bringing in Tech to general education classes to see how it impacts student learning. Looking at the iPad2 and Inkling to see how useful it will be for students. Specifically looking at textbooks and the cost.
• Software Cost?
• Put the tools in the hands of the teachers first. Have them explore that tools (free especially).

Middle School?
A school to the north of Freed-Hardeman has been in communication.

Quote from Scott McLeod:

We have never learned how to use instructional media in our schools in any predictable or systematic way. An even greater problem is that we have not learned how to deal with the educational effects of modern technology outside the classroom. We live in a society in which school is one place to learn, but not the only place to learn. Machine-aided tasks are increasing at an exponential rate, and modern technology has much to contribute to the management of the classroom, as well as to the substance of learning. Nevertheless, schools and teachers act as spectators to the passing trends, while technology leaps forward, leaving the onlookers behind.
Allen, D. W. (1992). Schools for a new century: A conservative approach to radical school reform (p. 126). New York, NY: Greenwood Publishing.
http://bigthink.com/ideas/31769

Randy Thompson the “Edugator”: MiddleTalk announcement

 

Advisory:

Etch-A-Sketch

http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-504784_162-10007223-4.html?tag=img

Middle School Science Minute

by Dave Bydlowski (k12science or davidbydlowski@mac.com)

The topic is what should the MS Science Curriculum look like if it is aligned to the Position Paper of the National Science Teachers Association.

 

News:

When standardized test scores soared in D.C., were the gains real?

On the 2009 reading test, for example, seventh-graders in one Noyes classroom averaged 12.7 wrong-to-right erasures per student on answer sheets; the average for seventh-graders in all D.C. schools on that test was less than 1. The odds are better for winning the Powerball grand prize than having that many erasures by chance, according to statisticians consulted by USA TODAY.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2011-03-28-1Aschooltesting28_CV_N.htm

Resources:

Scumblr

Online index cards on a corkboard.
http://scrumblr.ca/

Zen.do

Still in BETA, but an interesting concept. The site turns notes into Flashcards.
From the site:
Students are asked to learn an extraordinary amount of information in a short period of time. When it comes time to review, we have to sort through book and lecture notes to determine what really matters and review it effectively.
As a result, we spend a lot of our study time figuring out what to learn and reviewing stuff we already know.
Start by doing what you’re doing. Yes, that’s right. Take notes in class (on your laptop) as you do normally.
Just one difference: Whenever you are writing down a concept, name, important date, etc. add a hyphen between a term and definition.
Now you’re ready to dramatically optimize your studying. Study you’re notes as flashcards. Indicate what you know and how important it is to you and that’s all there is to it.
You learn. We optimize your time.

http://zen.do/

Web Spotlight:

Our educational system emphasizes spoonfeeding us knowledge rather than teaching us how to create knowledge

http://www.minddump.org/our-educational-system-emphasizes-spoonfeedin

NMSA News:

• National Conference: Thursday, November 08, 2011 —Saturday, November 10, 2011 Louisville, Kentucky.
• Promotional Materials:
• Crossword Puzzle! (Maryland Conference)
• Other News:
• ISTE Eduverse Talks are the recorded sessions held on ISTE Island every week. Join ISTE in their Second Life conference location for their weekly talks on education.
• The ISTE Special Interest Group: Virtual Environments is holding meetings on Mondays from 4:00 – 6:00 pm (SLT) on ISTE Island.
• The Ohio Middle Level Association will hold their annual conference February 17 – 18, 2011 at The Easton in Columbus, OH.
• OMLA Registration Form
• OMLA Presentation Proposal Form
• The Michigan Association of Middle School Educators Annual Conference is coming up March 2012 in Warren Woods, MI.
  • MAMSE Exhibitor Form
  • MAMSE Registration Form
  • MAMSE Presentation Form
  • MAMSE Conference Program Book (2011)
• The National Substitute Teacher Association’s Annual Conference July 22-24.
• The North Carolina Middle School Association’s Annual Conference March 13-15, 2011
  • Conference Brochure
  • Presenter’s Application
  • Who They Are . . .
  • This year’s sessions . . .
• Classroom 2.0’s Live Calendar.
• Classroom 2.0’s Ning Blog: Archived content is available.
• Second Life:
• Regular Tuesday meetings are scheduled. See the board on the ISTE Island for up to the minute details. Check frequently this week as the ISTE Annual Convention is this week.
• Video: Educational Uses of Second Life