Despite the weather-related, slow start to the semester, I've been better able to use the iPad for my classes. The Anatomy app has allowed me to readily show examples and I can now use the Pad if the computer in my room is down. Looking forward to merging my iTunes accounts so that I can access music & my other apps though the Pad rather than bringing a separate device to class.
For my Independent Study, the iPad has been particularly great sine we can quickly access and exchange clips, charts, and sites, going back & forth quickly and with great graphics.
Learning some new tricks that I hope to share with you soon.
Anjana
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
One of the best reasons to have the iPad
Technology has affected every aspect of teaching. As technology infuses all aspects of education it becomes a more essential ingredient to all teaching. When the technology doesn't work it becomes a burden because students have come to expect that instruction will be delivered in a specific way (usually via a PowerPoint presentation) or as the instructor you have developed a method of delivering instruction that requires the technology.
As the semester has progressed I have faced this type of issue. One of the rooms that I teach in has frequently had some technological issue relating to the desktop. This means that the PowerPoint presentation that I've developed cannot be displayed on the screen clearly. Normally, this might not be a major issue because in the past I have given students my complete slides for each lecture. However, in an attempt to add value to the classroom experience I've recently provided the students with the PowerPoint outlines without all the notes included. This has lead to students spending more time taking notes rigorously in class and has made the clear presentation of those notes much more important.
The iPad has proven to be a useful back up solution to the desktop in many of the classrooms. When the desktop computer in any of the classrooms isn't working I just take out my iPad with the special connector and plug it in just like a laptop. I store all my complete PowerPoint presentations on Dropbox. With remote access from anywhere, its made my presentation of the material very easy even when the desktop in the classroom hasn't worked.
Ultimately technology can be a part of the problem or it can be a part of the solution. Its up to instructors to develop skills using all of these tools.
As the semester has progressed I have faced this type of issue. One of the rooms that I teach in has frequently had some technological issue relating to the desktop. This means that the PowerPoint presentation that I've developed cannot be displayed on the screen clearly. Normally, this might not be a major issue because in the past I have given students my complete slides for each lecture. However, in an attempt to add value to the classroom experience I've recently provided the students with the PowerPoint outlines without all the notes included. This has lead to students spending more time taking notes rigorously in class and has made the clear presentation of those notes much more important.
The iPad has proven to be a useful back up solution to the desktop in many of the classrooms. When the desktop computer in any of the classrooms isn't working I just take out my iPad with the special connector and plug it in just like a laptop. I store all my complete PowerPoint presentations on Dropbox. With remote access from anywhere, its made my presentation of the material very easy even when the desktop in the classroom hasn't worked.
Ultimately technology can be a part of the problem or it can be a part of the solution. Its up to instructors to develop skills using all of these tools.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
A security issue
This semester, I am teaching in a traditional classroom where I used to use
an overhead projector to display my teaching materials to the class. This is
where I decided to start my iPad classroom experience. When I was practicing
the presentation in my office with a projector, I found that presentations of
class materials from the iPad can be very dynamic, real-time zoom makes the
presentations clear to the students, and switching between pages on the iPad is
quick and easy.
When I was teaching with the iPad for the very first time, I was presenting the class materials with all these excellent features of the iPad to the class. Everything worked well until there was a page where I had to stay there for more than five minutes for detailed explanation. The iPad automatically turned off after this 5 minutes because of the unchangeable security setting. I had to turn the iPad on again to show the class materials. When I entered the passcode on the iPad, the number actually lit up and the whole class was watching me entering the passcode on the iPad. I ended up changing my code after the class.
This was where I found the security flaw when using our iPad to display the class materials. Do you have this problem? How do you solve it?
When I was teaching with the iPad for the very first time, I was presenting the class materials with all these excellent features of the iPad to the class. Everything worked well until there was a page where I had to stay there for more than five minutes for detailed explanation. The iPad automatically turned off after this 5 minutes because of the unchangeable security setting. I had to turn the iPad on again to show the class materials. When I entered the passcode on the iPad, the number actually lit up and the whole class was watching me entering the passcode on the iPad. I ended up changing my code after the class.
This was where I found the security flaw when using our iPad to display the class materials. Do you have this problem? How do you solve it?
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
SUNY 2020
During the month of November 2013, I was tasked with working with a group of faculty and staff to put together the SUNY 2020 proposal. My main use for the iPad during the writing was for presentation in the President's Board Room. I was able to use the cables provided and show on the screen the Request for Proposal and the websites that were pertinent for the proposal. The cables can get in the way though. The other issue I had was the timeout is too quick so I had to unlock it every few minutes so that we could see the screen because I was not actively swiping my fingers on the screen. I am going to look into the wireless apps that some of the other faculty mentioned during the meeting we had last month. I am also going to see if there is a longer timeout option.
During the meeting we had some brainstorming and I was able to go to specific pages in the RFP to get information to the faculty and others in the meeting so that we knew what was required of us. It worked effectively. I was also able to zoom in an out much easier just by a swipe of my fingers if the text was too small which you cannot easily do when you are using a laptop and a powerpoint.
I wanted to use one of the whiteboard apps but at this time I did not need one.
During the meeting we had some brainstorming and I was able to go to specific pages in the RFP to get information to the faculty and others in the meeting so that we knew what was required of us. It worked effectively. I was also able to zoom in an out much easier just by a swipe of my fingers if the text was too small which you cannot easily do when you are using a laptop and a powerpoint.
I wanted to use one of the whiteboard apps but at this time I did not need one.
Friday, February 7, 2014
iPad and street maps
I found using map apps incredibly useful when recently traveling with the iPad in tow.
The ability to zoom in and use maps to navigate in a foreign city is not only helpful, but if you happen to be connected to wifi, gps finds where you are anywhere on the map.
I've been to Venice many times but have always found new ways to get lost trying to navigate the serpentine streets in search of an obscure church or site. Twisting canals turn and lead the tourist in an unexpected direction where maps are helpful.
As luck would have it, we rarely are connected to wifi when really lost and most cities will not give you a constant nor reliable wifi for your iPad. I found downloading a few maps in advance of my daily walking tours was very useful. You can save a few snapshots of street maps in the Photos file and then zoom in when walking through unfamiliar streets.
The streetwise maps purchase for major cities worldwide is:
http://www.languagequest.com/traveler/home/publisher_maps.php?publisher=Streetwise&gclid=CPbsoMXJu7wCFW1nOgodxRQAAg
Perhaps the college can purchase the Florence streetwise map and share it with all of our Farmingdale Students studying abroad in Florence this summer? I'll be sure to mention it to Lorraine and Jessica. I'm more familiar with Florence but the map will be a great compendium for any study abroad class in an unfamiliar city.
-Thomas Germano
February 5 (+2), 2014
The ability to zoom in and use maps to navigate in a foreign city is not only helpful, but if you happen to be connected to wifi, gps finds where you are anywhere on the map.
I've been to Venice many times but have always found new ways to get lost trying to navigate the serpentine streets in search of an obscure church or site. Twisting canals turn and lead the tourist in an unexpected direction where maps are helpful.
As luck would have it, we rarely are connected to wifi when really lost and most cities will not give you a constant nor reliable wifi for your iPad. I found downloading a few maps in advance of my daily walking tours was very useful. You can save a few snapshots of street maps in the Photos file and then zoom in when walking through unfamiliar streets.
The streetwise maps purchase for major cities worldwide is:
http://www.languagequest.com/traveler/home/publisher_maps.php?publisher=Streetwise&gclid=CPbsoMXJu7wCFW1nOgodxRQAAg
Perhaps the college can purchase the Florence streetwise map and share it with all of our Farmingdale Students studying abroad in Florence this summer? I'll be sure to mention it to Lorraine and Jessica. I'm more familiar with Florence but the map will be a great compendium for any study abroad class in an unfamiliar city.
-Thomas Germano
February 5 (+2), 2014
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