Easy Content Distribution for iPads

When getting started in an iPad classroom, one of the first ideas to consider is how the teacher can quickly and easily distribute course materials / content to the students. Below is one method that I used when getting started in my 1:1 iPad classroom. Keep in mind there are endless solutions and the method chosen should be determined by your unique situation. The method below simply takes advantage of a public link to a Dropbox folder as well as a Chrome extension to quickly shorten the Dropbox folder URL.

Explain Everything X 4 Ways

When it comes to flexible iPad apps, nothing quite fits the bill like Explain Everything. Developed as a screencasting app (in my opinion, the best in the app store), I have recently found that I am using the app for anything but screencasting.

1. Image / Poster / Graphic / Diagram Creator:

The way I find myself using Explain Everything these days is as a platform to create images or posters.  With the built in free hand cutout feature, the ability to import pictures from the iPad camera roll as well as any cloud platform that you have connected to the app, any image can be imported into a blank slide as part of a creation.  With the small i tool in the left hand menu, images can be layered, locked in place, duplicated and sent to the backgroun, allowing the creator to layer images to create a polished product.  Once complete, there is an option to export the final product as either an image file or PDF via email, to the camera roll or to any cloud based platform. (example diagram created with explain everything below)

2. Brainstorming Platform:

One of the most underutilized features in Explain Everything is the magnifying glass tool in the left hand menu.  Use this tool with a two finger pinching gesture to zoom out of your Explain Everything canvas.  With a combination zooming, free hand drawing, typing and inserting images, users can easiliy create huge mind maps within the app.  Often when I attend conference sessions or presentations, I like to take my notes in a non-linear fashion and Explain Everything provides a nearly endless canvas on one slide to create mindmaps.  For exporting, users can again choose from image or PDF options.  Keep in mind that the farther out one zooms when creating, the harder it will be to view the final product when it is exported. Below are two screenshots of some quick brainstorming and how the zooming feature can provide a larger canvas to continue developing ideas in the app.

*Bonus Idea: Students can use the zooming feature when screencasting in Explain Everything as well.  When recording, zoom into an idea on one part of the canvas to explain a concept.  Then, with the screen recording still in progress, zoom out of the initial concept and into the next idea.  

3. Explain Everything as an IWB when used with Reflector:

With a combination of Explain Everything and Reflector that is running on a MacBook or PC Laptop, Explain Everything becomes a blank canvas that can be manipulated anywhere in the classroom.  Math and science teachers can use the blank screen to solve equations and demonstration problem solving. By using the magnifying glass zooming feature in the app, teachers can begin solving equations on the app & zoom out to create more space and continue the process in another section of the blank canvas. Also, teachers can use the “open in” feature on the iPad to import PDF documents from the web, Box, Dropbox or Google Drive to annotate readings, documents or slides.

4. Presentation Platform:

Explain Everything has the ability to open a number of file types using the iPad “open in” feature.  With existing PPT or PDF files, teachers or students can open their presentations in Explain Everything.  While presenting to the class (either wired into a projector or with Reflector) teachers can mark up the presentation slides with the pen or point out specific ideas with one of the pointer tools. See the screenshots below that demonstrate how a PPT file can be manipulated and presented from Explain Everything

Use the Zoom tool (small magnifying glass) to zoom out of a slide and annotate in blank space.

Another approach to presenting with Explain Everything is to create an image, slide or diagram within the app where certain objects can be manipulated and certain objects are locked in place.  A great examples of this approach is one that was taken by one of Jason Heim’s students at Blake Middle School in Medfield, MA.  His student created an interactive slide in Explain Everything to conduct a live presentation in her science class about moon phases.  In the screenshot below, the yellow object can be moved, allowing the student to not only explain, but manipulate the slide to demonstrate and provide a moving visual for the class during the live presentation.  

iPad X External Video

A frequent question I am asked during iPad workshops is how to get video that is saved on a computer onto an iPad to be used in apps such as iMovie or Explain Everything.  The question is usually driven by teachers and students wanting to know how to download videos hosted on YouTube and get them onto their iPad to include short clips of in their video projects.  I'll leave the explanation of how to download YouTube videos to others (it is my understanding downloading videos is a violation of the YouTube TOS).

As a resource for those looking to transfer video to their iPad (camera roll) I created the graphic below.
While it is likely there are other solutions, I find that both Dropbox and Box provide a reasonable work around.

Postach.io X Evernote X Explain Everything X iPads

Postach.io is a new blogging platform that allows an Evernote Notebook to be turned into a blog. After a Postach.io account and blog (1 per user at this point) is setup, users can pick from an existing Evernote Notebook or can use the notebook created by Postach.io.

Within each notebook, notes are by default kept private unless certain tags are added to each note.

To post an Evernote note to the blog, simply tag the note with "published".

To create a new page on the blog, tag an Evernote note with "page". The note that is published as a page can be edited in the future to update the page.

I think Postach.io could become a viable blogging option for schools in 1:1 settings (iPad or laptop) where students are already using Evernote as a digital notebook platform. While Evernote notebooks can already be shared with a public link or directly to another Evernote user, Postach.io allows Evernote users to fill a notebook with multiple notes, but can select which ones are published to the blog by tagging with "published."

When Postach.io & Evernote are used in conjunction with Explain Everything, students now have the ability to publish blog posts through their existing Evernote account that can include customized images, graphics or posters. One of my favorite uses for Explain Everything is to create graphics by using the cropping image & text feature. Once the graphic is created, it can either be exported to the camera roll or uploaded directly to Evernote. Once the image is included in the Evernote note that is tagged with "published", the blog post will appear on the Postach.io blog with the custom image. (If publishing directly from Explain Everything to Evernote, remember to go into the note and add the "published" tag word).

The image below was created using Explain Everything & demonstrates the ability to create and export to the camera roll from the Explain Everything app:

 

DJs, Papert, Jet Engines & iPads

I had the fortunate experience of giving the afternoon keynote on day two of the EdTechTeacher iPad Summit in Atlanta.

The crux of the keynote was based on the disruptive nature of technology and how other industries are adopting this disruption. The analogy started with an examination of the impact of technology on DJs. Prior to starting my career as a teacher and working with EdTechTeacher, I spent countless hours with a set of Technics 1200s (turntables) and crates of records. There was a skills in digging through crates to find the perfect record, to know where to look to find the records and to then integrate that new record into your existing collection. Records are knowledge and currency for DJs. The artistic skill of DJ'ing can't be accomplished without this currency and the acquisition of this precious vinyl is a time consuming process. However, due to the disruptive nature of technology on DJs, things have changed.

The technologies outlined above allow the DJ to no longer carry heavy crates of records, or even potentially turntables (I admit that I slightly despise the idea that DJs don't need to use turntables...). The connection I was attempting to make between the disruptive impact of technologies on DJs is this. The image on the left requires a DJ to physically manipulate two records to beat match two songs that play at different BPMs (beats per minute). There is a physical, artistic skill required to manipulate, match and eventually get two records to play at the exact same speed without one running away and eventually getting out of sync.

At the fullest extent, technology eliminates the need for turntables, vinyl and a mixer. The question I posed to the audience during the keynote revolved around whether the DJ setup on the right requires any artistic talent. While a computer program may now beat match two songs and while the skill of finding, organizing and accessing vinyl records quickly and effectively is no longer necessary, the individual using the setup on the right is still a DJ. In many ways, the setup on the right lowers barriers for individuals to enter this world and be creative with music selection, mixing and transitions.

In many ways, iPads are quite similar to the DJ setup above. The simply lower the barriers to expression and demonstration of understanding in multiple creative capacities. The technical skills required in the past to create all sorts of creative content are simply no longer required. Does this mean he student is any less creative, I would argue no. Just as the skill of digging through dusty record crates, physically beat matching two songs and skillfully organizing a record collection were once necessary skills for a DJ, those skills in many ways no longer apply nor do they have any substantial value. Technology has lowered the barrier and more students than ever before now have the tool available to create extraordinary content.

While prepping for the iPad Summit and the keynote, I found myself reading the works of Seymour Papert. Luckily in my readings I came across the quote above from "Looking at Technology Through Shool-Colored Spectacles" and it instantly resonated with me and I felt that his message had to be shared with the group in Atlanta. The analogy above transcends any particular bit of technology and instead focuses on the more important concept of using any new innovation to its full capacity. Whether it be a jet engine rigged up to propel a stagecoach or an iPad in schools. Any disruptive and innovative technology will only be effective if it is applied to a scenario that allows it to be unbridled and reach its full potential.

After reading the article and quote by Papert, I kept thinking that the analogy applied to the way in which iPads are currently being used in schools across the country. Is the iPad the jet engine that Papert referred in his analogy? Are schools the stagecoach? I believe the analogy fits. It is not that the structure of schools are non-functioning institutions, but it may be that the structure of that institution is simply not ready to accommodate the potentially disruptive nature of this device (or any mobile device for that matter). Further, the full capacity of these devices simply can't be met because the structure of the existing institution isn't designed to allow students to create and flourish while using them. Spend any time in an iPad classroom and you will quickly realize that the iPad classroom becomes the iPad hallway and the iPad cafeteria. Meaning, when students are creating, taking diverse paths to demonstrate their understanding (podcasts, movies, screencasts, journals, writing) the existing space and structure isn't flexible enough.

Technology has the potential to be disruptive and that disruption can lead to change. However when these disruptive technologies (jet engines or iPads) are used in conjunction with existing structures that were not intended nor able to handle their capabilities, all potential for lasting change and substantial impact is lost.

I wanted to leave the audience in Atlanta with a critical question to consider, is the iPad a solution or a problem. Those who argue that it is a solution, point to either the problems it is solving or the ways in which it is effectively being used in the existing structure of traditional schools. If we consider the iPad to be a solution in schools, we are only using it to address the low hanging fruit. We define the problems by the solutions available and if the iPad is a solution, the problems are easy to solve. My perspective is that the device is a problem, a problem in a very specific sense. If the iPad is a solution, then the problems that it can solve in the existing structure, time and space provided by schools are easily solved and will not lead to any substantial change that allows students to demonstrate their understanding through the process of creating content. If we view the iPad as a problem, it will force us to consider the changes that may need to be made in order to unleash the full potential of this device when placed in the hands of students. This is a good problem, one that will have us rethink learning spaces and the environments in which our students grow and learn. As Justin Reich, my colleague at EdTechTeacher put it so clearly in his recent EdTechResearcher EdWeek blog post:

I have to give special thanks to Shawn McCusker (@shawnmccusker) for providing me with a sounding board and thoughtful insight into many of the ideas outlined above. I am greatful for your help and wisdom.

iPad Summit Keynote X Jet Engines...

Thank you to Seymour Papert for the inspiration for the image below.

More to come...

 

iPads X Video Feedback: Pages, Explain Everything & Google Drive

I thoroughly enjoy coming up with workflow solutions for iPads. Don Orth (@fonddonorth) recently posted a picture of a well thought out iPad workflow solution for teacher created video feedback on student writing. Don's diagram below uses a combination of eBackpack, Explain Everything, Reflector and PDF Annotate.

Don's diagram is outstanding, but I also wanted to provide a solution for schools using Google Apps and iPads. The diagram below uses a combination of Pages, Explain Everything and Google Drive to achieve the same result, teacher created video feedback. Pages could of course be swapped out for any word processing app than can export as PDF and at a $9.99 price tag, that may be necessary in many instances.

A thank you is in order to Don for prompting me to update and finalize the workflow diagram above.

As always I like to highlight which apps were used to create the content in is post & the post itself.

Image: Created with Explain Everything & exported to the camera roll.

Blog Post: Written with Blogsy & published to a Blogger blog.

iPad X Reflector X iMovie = iPad Screencasts

I frequently get questions from people asking how to create screencasts of an iPad. I have tried a number of workflow scenarios that started with various document camera setups, but have settled on the setup below.

The tools used include:

• QuickTime Pro
• Reflector App
• iMovie (MacBook)

The process is quite simple and is described in the image below:

1. Mirror an iPad to a MacBook using Reflector
2. Use QuickTime to record the mirrored iPad
3. Record and create the screencast. I don't record my voice in this process, instead I focus on the process I am capturing on an iPad.
4. Import the video recorded with QuickTime into iMovie. Record the voice overs in iMovie & export the final product to either Vimeo or YouTube.

Enjoy!

As a side note. I always like to point out what I use to create these posts.

The image above was created in Explain Everything & exported to the camera roll.

The blog post was written using Blogsy & posted to this blogger hosted blog.

 

Explain Everything X Google Drive = Awesome!

Using iPads in the classroom and particularly workflow solutions for iPads has slowly progressed from maddening to relatively seamless. While just last year an app for Google Drive didn't exist, it now directly interfaces quite nicely with a number of student creation apps and nearly everything can upload to Google Drive using the "open in" feature.

Here is where things get fun. With the recent update to Explain Everything, the app now directly interfaces with Google Drive. This connection allows students to create screencasts, upload them to Google Drive as either .mp4 or .xpl files. Once uploaded they can be shared with the teacher through the Google Drive app, or they can be uploaded to a folder that has been created and shared ahead of time from the student to the teacher. To extended the process, the teacher now has the ability to download the .xpl files from Google Drive and "open in" Explain Everything. This process allows the teacher to view the screencast and more importantly, add a slide with screencasted feedback. The .xpl file can then be uploaded back to Google Drive and the student can download and watch the feedback in Explain Everything. Below is a diagram to explain the process as well as a video tutorial that walks through the entire scenario.

**Update: With a recent update to Explain Everything, videos uploaded to Google Drive can now be played back in Google Drive without being downloaded.**

Explain Everything from EdTechTeacher on Vimeo.


How can you envision using this workflow solution to have students create and receive feedback?

As a side note. This blog post was created entirely on an iPad (the video was created, edited and uploaded from a computer)
Image: Created in Explain Everything & exported to the camera roll.
Video: Embed from Vimeo.
Blog post: Written using Blogsy and posted to blogger.

iPads as Digital Paper = Notability

Notability is a powerful digital note taking app that allows users to create digital paper that can include:

• Text
• Images
• Audio
• Freehand Writing

Along with creating notes from scratch, Notability is also an outstanding PDF annotation tool.

 

While the application is relatively straight forward, there are a few features that typically need explaining to a first time user. To help those getting comfortable with Notability, I thought this video tutorial might be a help.

Notability on the iPad from EdTechTeacher on Vimeo.

It is important to keep in mind when using Notability that the contents in the app are stored locally on that single iPad. If the iPad is damaged or the app is deleted, all of the contents within the app will be lost. It is highly recommended that the contents of the app be periodically backed up using the "open in" feature from the app. Notability will "open in" Google Drive, Dropbox and many other cloud storage tools.

Enjoy.