iTablet: Apple Will Dominate the Education Market!
I just read a very interesting blog on www.theappleblog.com titled, “e-Textbooks: How Apple Can Dominate the Education Market With the iTablet. Click >HERE< to read it.
The Apple Blog, agrees that the iTablet will be debuting very soon, and agrees with the current rumors that it in fact will be focusing on eBooks, but The Apple Blog believes the iTablet’s true niche will be the Education Market and eText-Books.
The article sites the Kindle’s difficulties in education due to a clunky keyboard and navigation problems, and how a true touch-screen device would not only remedy these problems but better serve professors in education.
“The problem with the Kindle DX is that interacting with the text requires the use of a small joystick and clunky QWERTY keyboard. A touch enabled tablet device, however, offers a much more natural method for interaction. To add a note just tap on a place in the page. To highlight text just drag your finger across it.
What’s more, a tablet device from Apple will have the benefit of being a multi-use computing platform. With the Kindle DX you create your annotations and then have to export them to your computer or the web to make use of them elsewhere. By contrast, with something like the iTablet you could just tap on the screen and automatically have all of your notes exported to another program, or have all of your highlighted text exported as citations. The device could smartly conver the locations of the text to real page numbers. If you want to share a piece of text with a fellow student or professor you could easily send it via email, instant message or Twitter.”
WiredEducator agrees that an iTablet device could be a great educational tool. We believe however its entry price will have to compete at least somewhat with NetBooks. Schools are facing hard times and many of the purchases are being determined by people that are only concerned about price. Apple will have to have a competitive price. We also think a physical keyboard and the ability to draft papers and create presentations will be a must for teachers. For the iTablet to be a true educational device it will need an iSight camera, iMovie, Pages, Keynote, and a wireless keyboard. Classes are moving toward project-based curriculums, especially with their technology. Classrooms cannot afford to purchase both a laptop and an iTablet.
Publishers can profit multiple times with the device in our opinion. The texts could be offered at low costs or even FREE, and students could be given options to purchase complimentary videos, podasts, apps, etc., and teachers could purchase study guides, plans, and more.
The tablet device would also serve multiple roles. It would serve as a interactive response system as well. The classroom would be getting multiple tools in one device.
There are so many possibilities to consider. Send us your ideas.
Here’s to hoping a tablet device is truly in the pipeline.
“Did You Know?” Version 4.0 Fall 2009
I have always enjoyed these “Did You Know?” Video. Well, here is the latest, Version 4.0 for Fall 2009.
Know one can predict the future, and I am certain that is not the intention of this video. The purpose of the video is to help us think differently, look at the world differently, and transform the ways we can make an impact using technology.
Hey Teachers: Snow Leopard + Smartboards = Problems
Before you upgrade your school’s Macinotsh Computers to Snow Leopard, Apple’s newest operating system, you might want to wait for a few important updates. Many Smartboard users have shared various problems after upgrading to Snow Leopard.
Smart Notebook on my computer would not work at all after the Snow Leopard install. Other users mentioned various problems ranging from issues with Smart Response not working, to crashes, complete inability to start the program, issues with flash, letters connecting, problems with the receiver, and MORE! (Yikes: Click HERE to read discussions on the problems.)
Smart Technologies has no comment on the problems, however Twitter’s @SMART_Tech responded to @justcombs and @wozzza tweets that a fix is on its way for this Fall. Discussion boards also suggest an update soon.
Snow Leopard also broke my compatibility with my school’s color printer, (I’m still searching for that printer driver fix) and will not run FileMaker Pro 8 at all. FileMaker told me to purchase FileMaker Pro 10. Yep, it’s expensive.
I really like Snow Leopard, but I am disappointed developers and Apple did not prepare us for a smoother transition. Snow Leopard was indeed announced two years ago.
Please Post a comment if you are aware of any other incompatibilities teachers need to know about before upgrading to Snow Leopard.
Wired Educator gives a thank you to Justin Combs for the heads-up on the Smartboard issues with Snow Leopard. He was the catalyst for this story.
We will post an update as soon as we receive word of a fix.
Wired Educator will now continue the school year with regular weekly updates. Send us your suggestions for posts.
Have an awesome school year.
7,000 Textbooks in Your Pocket: Thanks CourseSmart!
Wired Educator’s An iPod in Every Classroom Initiative just got a big boost today with news that CourseSmart will offer over 7,000 textbooks to iPhone and iPod Touch owners via a free application called eTextbooks for the iPhone (with subscription to CourseSmart).
CourseSmart is already being used by college students at over 6, 000 universities via any computer and an internet connection. Now with the new iPod Touch/iPhone app true mobility is possible. Students will have access to their textbooks and notes anywhere they go.
CourseSmart claims to save students over $58 off the average cost of the original textbook from over 12 different publishers and add the benefits of digital books like keyword searches, mobility, thumbnail and full page views.
Boasting 7,066 textbooks, in 935 course areas, in 113 disciplines from 12 major publishers, makes CourseSmart the leader in eTextbooks. You can go to their website and see if the text book you need is available using their search window. All you need is either a course name, author, title, keyword, or ISBN.
The only downside I can find is that their is obviously no resale of the books and the books you download typically expired in 180 days. (I am sure some young college programmer is working hard on a workaround for the latter as I type.)
The excuse, “I didn’t have my book with me,” could soon be lost forever.
Watch out Kindle!
SMART Boards linked to Increased Achievement & More!
I enjoy my SMART Board and I am continuously finding new ways to put it use in my classroom. I know first hand how it is transforming classrooms and educators, but it is always nice to see some statistics to back us up.
Rowan-Salisbury School District in North Carolina announced their findings of 17 point increase in student achievement for students using interactive whiteboards compared to those students that are not. Additional benefits cited by their Superintendent included an increase in student involvement, fewer discipline problems, an enthusiasm for learning, and an increase in attendance.
Here is an excerpt from the Superintendent’s article:
The results of the Marzano Research Study indicated that the average percentile increase in academic achievement between the class that used the interactive board and the class that did not use the board was 17. The 17-percentile point increase is representative of a true change in student achievement and student learning. This is a phenomenal gain in achievement. Furthermore, if the teacher had been using the technology for at least two years, had 10 or more years of teaching experience, had received sufficient training to feel confident in the use of the board and used it as much as 75 percent of the instructional time, the gain in academic achievement between the class with the board and the class without the board was an average 29-percentile gain in scores. What an impact on student learning from just one technology tool!
Source: http://www.salisburypost.com/Opinion/060709-insight-grissom-colmn
If you know of any other studies completed on interactive white boards in education, please send them our way. Thanks!
Apple gets a boost to laptops… Lowering of price.
apple 15" and 13" gain a SD card Slot
Apple Notebooks get a kind of unexpected boost at Monday’s Keynote at the WWDC in San Francisco. The previous 13″ unibody macbook now is called a macbook pro and gains an SD card slot along with the 15″. This could not be any nicer if you ask me. I have two cameras and one camcorder that take SD cards. I can’t wait to no longer have to lug or find the correct cable to hook up my camera to my laptop.
The prices also got lowered. The 13 inch model now starts out at 1,099 while the 15 inch starts out at 1,599. I like these prices very much now. I think the 13 inch model now is perfect for education. I love its portability, durability, and aesthetics of the machine. I only hope the price of the 24″ display goes down so I can pair the 13 inch model up with the beautiful display apple makes.
Anyways, I think these prices are very competitive and think any of these new laptops would make a great addition to any classroom.
Flip Video $49 and Free Shipping at Amazon!
I often tout the great advantages of the Flip Video in the classroom. (Seriously, every teacher needs one.)
Well, 9 to 5 Mac is reporting that Amazon.com has the Flip for $49 and FREE shipping.
Go get’em! http://9to5mac.com/flip-camera
The following is from www.9to5mac.com :
Amazon.com offers the Pure Digital Flip Video Ultra F230w Camcorder in White for $49.99. With free shipping, that’s $10 under our last mention and the lowest total price we’ve seen. (Our last mention included a free $20 Shutterfly reward card.) This VGA-quality camcorder holds up to 30 minutes of video on its 1GB of onboard memory. It offers USB connectivity and direct uploading to YouTube and AOL via the included software.
TeacherTube Announces Special “MySite”
I received an email from TeacherTube announcing a special “MySite” for teachers and schools. I’m going to try it out and I would love to read your comments as well. The new features of MySite include: Letting staff or students upload media, customizing the look and feel of the site with school name, pictures, and a personalized url, and the ability to easily add and remove features as well as control the privacy of the site. MySite is advertisment-free, and TeacherTube promises to allow you the ability to moderate every aspect of the site.
Here is the email I received:
Imagine, your very own CO-BRANDED version of TeacherTube filled with just your K-12 school, college/university or organization’s media content. Post your class videos, your school district documents, or audio recording from one of your organizational meetings. You decide how your educational site works. Remove, approve, add, upload — literally at the click of a button. Whether you want to make a site for your School or just a showcase for your media of your class or organization in a SAFE setting, there are many options to choose from. Click Here for MySite Example Pages.
Will Free iPhones for Students End Truancy???
According to a recent post on Cult of Mac, the Aoyama Gakuin University in Japan is handing out free iPhones to students to help curb truancy. One Thousand 3G iPhones will be handed out to those enrolled in the School of Social Informatics. The phones will be used by the university and the students as a research tool, and to keep students updated with schedules, but the GPS system will be used to help keep truancy down. The program is in its trial stage.
Art Teachers: Put An iPod Touch in Your Classroom
An iPod in Every Classroom
For the past four years I have been giving presentations and instructing teachers on the fantastic uses of an iPod in Education. In my presentation, I really try to help teachers in every course of study find valuable uses for an iPod in their instruction and lessons. Being an artist myself, it is with great pleasure to see meaningful use of an iPod Touch and the app Brushes as a learning tool and medium for artists.
There are great apps for many classrooms, and the app store has been heavy on programs for Math, Science, and Social Studies, but this new app Brushes may leap frog all of them.
This week The New Yorker announced their plan to feature the impressionist work of Jorge Colombo on the cover of their June issue created on an iPhone with the app Brushes. I think it is amazing that the cover of the New Yorker is made with a finger on this $4.99 app.
There are many other great apps for the art class as well, and combined with video and audio podcasting and the other great features, you have an excellent tool for your art room.
So, how are you planning on using an iPod in your classroom? Contact us and tell us how you do it.
Here is the New Yorker article on the cover: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/tny/2009/05/jorge-colombo-iphone-cover.html
And here is a video of Colombo and the app in action: http://www.newyorker.com/video?videoID=24059201001
