TotalApps » Education

Apple Phasing Out Apple Learning Interchange

David John — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 18:43:03 +0000

For years the Apple Learning Interchange (ALI) has served as an important resource for educators to access great education content, share best practices, and learn more about using technology in the context of teaching and learning. Over the last three years, iTunes U in the iTunes Store has grown to be an even larger education resource.

On September 3, 2010, Apple will be phasing out the ALI website and we invite you to visit iTunes U and the following resources to continue learning and collaborating with other educators. As we look ahead, we believe that iTunes U is the best way to meet the growing needs of teachers and students demanding flexible access to world-class curriculum and learning resources.

iTunes U – There are over 800 universities with active iTunes U sites. Nearly half of these institutions — including Stanford, Yale, MIT, Oxford, and UC Berkeley — distribute their content publicly on the iTunes Store. In addition, cultural and education institutions such as the Library of Congress, public broadcasting, and state departments of education also contribute to this growing educational content repository which now includes over 325,000 free lectures, audiobooks, lesson plans, and more. iTunes U is the ideal resource for educators who want to gain insight into curriculum being taught world wide, get access to primary resources, and find inspiration for enhancing teaching and learning with technology.

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Wacom Revolutionises Education with Interactive Displays

David John — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:16:25 +0000

There is no questioning how much technology has revolutionised the way we teach and learn in today’s classrooms. From handheld learning through to interactive whiteboards. Wacom have overcome one drawback of the interactive whiteboard in the release of its latest PL interactive pen display.

With traditional interactive whiteboards educators frequently lose engagement with their students while their back is to the class writing on the board. The PL interactive pen display offers all the power of the whiteboard but without having to even turn round.

The complete range consists of the new 16” widescreen model called the PL-1600, the larger 17” PL-720 as well as the recently launched 21.6” widescreen PL-2200. Each interactive pen display enables teaching staff to conduct lessons or lectures interactively and with an individual style. For the modern lecture theatre or classroom, each model represents a smart and innovative presentation tool.

The PL series has been designed for those who want to boost productivity and ergonomics. Using the digital pen directly on the screen provides perfect hand-eye co-ordination and enables fast data input. Handwritten notes, sketches, drawings and diagrams can be updated in real time or created spontaneously resulting in lively communication between teachers and their students. Teaching staff can add ideas and suggestions from students directly to the slides, increasing interactivity, creativity and discussion.

In addition, working with an interactive pen display connected to a video projector means that teachers and lecturers can face their students while giving lessons or lectures, ensuring that they can instantly pick up signals, gauge reactions and interact with students, creating a more productive and engaging atmosphere.

New widescreen displays

The PL-2200 is a 21.6” interactive pen display with full HD resolution, providing a large, widescreen, working area for the presenter. In contrast, the PL-1600 offers a compact 16” widescreen display, making it the ideal mobile solution for users who change their teaching environments frequently.

Both models include a widescreen display, providing clearer precision for both the annotator and the audience. Also included are advanced video capabilities with the inclusion of DVI-input and DVI-output. This means either analogue or digital sources can be used without the need for a DVI-splitter. Teachers can incorporate different types of media, such as the internet, digital or audio content into their lessons and control them all from the interactive pen display, using it as a central hub.

Complete with a video scaler, the PL-2200 and PL-1600 support wide-format input as well as native aspect ratio. The PL-2200 has also been fitted with an anti-glare coating to reduce reflections on the screen and an easily adjustable display stand for maximum comfort. The addition of a dual port, USB 2.0 hub means that files can be easily transferred to and from the display via a computer.

The PL-720

Also in the range is the PL-720 interactive pen display. This particular model offers a 17” LCD screen and compact 4:3 format. With its small footprint, desk space is conveniently minimised and it is easily integrated into existing teaching or presenting environments.

Interactive pen display technology

Wacom’s patented pen technology provides a natural tool for freehand writing, annotating and navigating directly with the pen on the screen. The ergonomically designed cordless and battery-free pen provides 512 pressure levels and has a programmable double side-switch.

Software included

Each model in the series includes Uniboard Software for presenting and teaching. The software is an easy-to-use application that supports the pressure sensitivity of the interactive pen displays and works on Windows and Macintosh systems alike.

Pricing and availability

Although these prices may sound expensive they are actually less than installing fixed whiteboard solutions, the new PL-1600 is priced at £979,99, the PL-720 at £1.099,99 and the PL-2200 at £1.599,99 (all prices include VAT). The PL range of interactive pen displays carries a two-year warranty. We will be testing one of the PL series out in the next month and will put the device through its paces beside a number of different whiteboards.

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iPhonific : iPhone Dedicated Photography

David John — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:22:03 +0000

Today FlixelPix has launched a new website focused on photos captured and posted using only a mobile phone.iphonific.com is a new offering from the photographer behindFlixelpix.com and is designed to be a mix of iphonic experimentation wrapped up in the concept of a photo 365.

David Commented “With the release of iPhone 4 mobile camera technology has come on leaps and bounds. I have always wanted to embark on a Photo 365 and experimenting with the iPhone and a range of different Apps seems like the logical challenge”.

The iphonific website is broken down into categories and every photo will arrive on site directly from the handset. There won’t be any Lightroom, Aperture or Photoshop enhancements instead David is relying on the latest mobile software to tweak the images directly on the phone.

Welcoming Comments

David commented “iPhonific isn’t a self indulgent journey, it is simply a way of taking post production and advance DSLR settings out of the equation allowing there to be focus on composition. I would appreciate as much feedback as photographers can offer on the photos, feedback is how we learn”.

You can follow the site via the RSS feed and each photo will be posted via the @flixelpix twitter account.

Links:

iPhonific
FlixelPix
Flickr
Twitter

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Film Making Comes to iPhone 4

David John — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:03:28 +0000

Last year we marvelled at the quality of High Definition video produced by digital SLR cameras.

We produced a “5 Top Tips for better video on a DSLR” but it is hard to believe HD has now got even smaller with the release of the new iPhone 4.

This week sees the release of a ‘digital short’ that was not only captured completely on the iPhone 4 bit also completed edited in iMovie for iPhone.

We published an iMovie for iPhone hands on with samples last week and we are pretty sure this is first digital short released. The quality is spectacular and was produced in just 48 hours.

The team behind the project will be posting a few ‘behind the scenes’ films in the next few days. More information here.

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Education Eye : A live view of Innovation

David John — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:40:37 +0000

Every so often you discover a brand new way to keep up to date on ICT innovation in education. FutureLab have released a brilliant live eye on education entitled “Education Eye”.

The feed (below) maps the latest blog posts, tweets and news relevant to the ICT, Technology and Education sectors.

The system is completely searchable and you can refine to the eye view to areas that you are specifically interested in. I am hoping the DigMo! / TotalApps Education section will be approved as a news source in the next few weeks.

You can revisit this page to see the latest Education Eye finds. This morning alone I discovered two new educational blogs that I have now subscribed too.

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How Digital Photography Supports Learning

David John — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:23:48 +0000

A number of months ago I wrote an post entitled “Six Reasons for Photography in Education“. A few weeks ago I was approached to develop the topic into a full blown magazine article that has now managed to make its way to print in the current issue of Vision Magazine.

Vision is Futurelab’s bi-annual magazine offers possible visions of the future of learning with digital technologies and other innovative resources. The good news is the magazine is completely free and you can download it in PDF format here.

Even if you don’t like my article on photography there is a stack of inspiration educational technology material in there to keep you interested.

Links:

Futurelab Vision
FlixelPix (My Photography Blog).

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UCAS Goes Mobile

David John — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:30:48 +0000

Applying for a place at University can be a challenging and stressful process. UCAS have come a long way from unwieldy forms and paperwork mountains instead transformed into one of the most impressive uses of ICT in education.

UCAS have now made it even easier for students to track their University application by the creation of a dedicated iPhone / iPod Touch Application.

The application offers read-only access to your application and allows students to view which universities have offered them a place, and view any replies they have made.

You can find out the key dates in the UCAS calendar and get the answers to your questions in the FAQ section.

Features

At-a-glance view of all your choices.
Detailed view of each choice including course details, start dates, decisions, conditions and replies.
A comprehensive FAQ section.
Outline of key dates in the UCAS application cycle so you know what to expect and what to do at key points.

All student and university information is held securely and can only be accessed by entering a Personal ID, username and password.

Links:

Download the App (Free)

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Next Generation Learning : 3 Year old effortlessly uses iPad

David John — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:50:21 +0000

Focusing on the use of the iPad in education I extremely cautiously put in the hands of a three year old and allowed him to use a colouring in application. The App in question is 123 Color HD.

The application is really simple challenge children to color segments of a drawing. Children find and touch the properly numbered or lettered color on the color pallet.

It is amazing just how quickly he was able to learn and interact with the interface from loading up the application through to interacting with the application to find the drawing he wanted to colour.

As numbers and letters are touched they are spoken in the selected language (of which there are a choice) and fun sound effects are played. When the drawing is complete, children are rewarded with animated musical notes and a musical track of their choice.

123 Color HD perfectly balances entertainment fun with educational value, capturing and holding kids’ attention as they learn. 123 Color HD excites and engages kids, makes learning fun and easy, and enables parents to feel great about the games their children want to play.

Links:

123Color HD App.

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iStudiez Pro : The Digital Homework Diary

David John — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 19:37:47 +0000

Using my Mac, iPhone and now iPad I am continually looking for better ways of managing my education workflow. From planning lessons, managing coursework plans and collating results I seem to have files scattered everywhere across devices and hard drives. Spotlight is my saviour.

The problem of managing large amounts of educational data and self management is no different for my students, numerous subjects, homeworks, coursework deadlines, lack of self management can be a barrier to success.

There is something about the iPad that I think works in the education environment and I predict post Christmas 2010 schools are going to see a number of student iPads out in class in favour of the traditional exercise book. For such a student iStudiez Pro is the digital homework diary of the future.

iStudiez Pro It is a feature rich application :

Smart Today view automatically displays summary of current classes and tasks after basic schedule was input

Fully-featured and detailed schedule planner (Support of every other day, every other working day, every X days/weeks, A&B weeks schedule)

Option to add holidays and cancel separate classes

Interactive multifunctional calendar including expanded month and week views (in iPhone version) allowing to track and manage both your schedule and your assignments

Push notifications with flexible settings allowing you to get alerted of upcoming classes and tasks.

Color labels to mark each particular course

Stylish and comprehensively designed icons to distinguish key class types

Integrated address book for partners and separate area to input (or copy from contacts) key info related to instructors (including office hours, email, webpage, phone number)

Data Backup functionality

On first running the application iStudiez Pro offers you a sample database populated with a number of classes and assignments. The sample data is a great place to start and quickly demonstrates the power of this information management system. I was immediately impressed with the design and user interface. iStudiez Pro is an easy to use app that offers students a set of professional educational self management tools.

Adding content to the application is simple with the ability to add courses and shape them easily around defined holiday periods. If you are worried about spending time programming your life into a single application with the fear of it crashing and the data being lost then fear not.

iStudiez Pro offers a backup feature allowing your entire database of content to emailed to you as attachment with an equally simple restore procedure. You literally have to click on the email attachment for the data to be restored.

I am not focusing in on how to use the app as there really isn’t any point, the interface is clean, intuitive and frankly beautiful. There is literally zero learning needed to use iStudiez Pro.

If only there was a similar application for teachers that allowed the managing of the other side of the educational fence. How brilliant would it be to have the ability to use the software to add assignments to student’s istudiez Pro over wifi ?

Perhaps I am skipping ahead a few years but there is massive potential in the iStudiez Pro application that I think could be developed into a complete class / student management system, the interface would make it a joy to use.

Back to the present. If you are a student trying to juggle a number of courses then this application is going to be a life saver. At a cost of only £1.79 !!! it is aimed firmly at price any student can afford. I think I would like the ability to add additional custom items to the calendar but to be honest the developers have covered the major needs of any student.

With hints of a desktop version on the website blog I can’t help but be excited about the iStudiez experience.

It would be brilliant if school’s could offer customised databases with the specific school holidays and even school policies accessible within the app but again education is quite ready for a mass school wide digital diary (yet).

To keep it simple if you are a student then iStudiez Pro needs to be on your iPhone or iPad. You can get it here. (iTunes).

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My First 10 iPad App Downloads

David John — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:35:59 +0000

Like many other iPhone users the jump to iPad was viewed as an extension to my mobile computing experience. Planning the downloads in advance was easy as many of the apps have been on my iPhone for a number of years.

I have decided to document my first ten iPad app downloads so that I can look back in a few months time and see how my iPad use has changed.

I very much view the iPad as a mobile classroom, the ability to manage and create learning resources on the fly with the additional benefit of being able to organise classes and other tasks in Things.

In many ways the first four applications on the list are essential for productivity.

1. Pages

I still predict I will produce most of my Pages documents on my desktop Mac but Pages iPad offers the ability to start or update documents when necessary.

2. Keynote

I have big hopes for Keynote. Over the last few years I have converted my PowerPoint presentations over to Keynote, improved the content and added video.

I hope to pre-load a day’s worth of presentations in advance for class use. I expect most of the Keynote on iPad use will be updating and presenting rather than creating.

3. The Early Edition

A great way to catch up with your RSS feeds presented in a great newspaper style format. Although you have to add your feeds manually version 1.1 (already submitted for approval) allows importing of feeds from Google Reader.

4. Numbers

The essential markbook. I have been looking forward to Numbers for iPad the most. Most of my marking happens around the classroom visiting computer workstations. It is going to be interesting to see just how well this works being able to carry the iPad and update marks directly in Numbers.

5. iBooks

I think every iPad owner will download the Apple iBooks apps. I am particularly curious to try out the reading experience of iBooks and it will be very interesting to see who education text books make their way to the store.

6. Goodreader for iPad

Pretty much the essential reader for every possible document I own Goodreader remains a firm favourite on my iPhone. With the ability to read documents from MobileMe, iDisk etc there is no excuse for not having access to information when you are out and about.

7. Things

I run Things on my Mac, I run Things on my iPhone and now I run things on my iPad. Things is a brilliant application for staying on top of all those daily tasks I historically ended up forgetting about. I love it, the interface is clean, easy to use and the system actually works.

One negative is the price ! I have paid for the Mac version, the iPhone version, and the iPad version with no benefit or discount for customer loyalty and these apps are not cheap.

8. Instapaper Pro

I started using Instapaper a few months back and I love it. Instead of skim reading articles at my computer I can send them directly to instapaper for reading on and offline later. I do most of my Instapaper reading on iPhone and suspect Instapaper on iPad to be one of my most used apps.

9. Reeder

I use Reeder in partnership with Instapaper having subscribed to over 300 news feeds from a mix of education, technology and photography websites. With Reeder I can browse the latest news instantly and send larger articles to Instapaper for reading later.

10. iThoughts HD

I use mind mapping as a focal point for topic planning and project planning for creative projects. xMind is available on every computer and iThoughts HD brings MindMapping to situations away from a computer screen.

What have I missed ?

Have I missed any essential iPad apps ? we would love your feedback especially if you have been using the iPad for a while.

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