Spotlight

Frequently I come across a blog post or an article that lists great apps. Judge for yourself, as I am not a critic, I am just providing the links:

1. What's On My iPad - teacher features
2. 11 iPad Apps to Show Off
3. iPad Apps - Top Apps
4. PC Magazine (Aug 11) 100 Best
5. iEar - I Education Apps Review - iPad Apps Reviewed
6. Links and stories about apps
7. App News - Android and iOS
8. iPad recommended education apps
9. Tony Vincent's recommendations
10. Tech Radar - Best apps 2012
11. 2012 - Larry Ferlazzo's list of places to find apps for education
12. Tom Barrett's iPad page of links and suggested apps and how to use them in the classroom
13. Top 10 Apps for Digital Storytelling - Paula Nagle
14. 29 Days of Andriod Apps by Richard Byrne
15. TechChef4u Recommends - Lisa Johnson
16. 21st Century Learning - At Martin J. Gottlieb Day School

Walnut iPad cover by Miniot (Photo credit: Stewf)I have a few new "toys" to share. First of all our school purchased iPads for a few projects. After working with them and students I must conclude that the Apple designed magnetic cover is not great for middle school students.  There are so many better choices for students to hold the iPad, prop it up and easily type on the screen. One of my favorites is PropUp iPad case. The cost is $30, but will fit an iPad that has a silicone cover as well. Yesterday another tacher showed me the $5 stand she bought at the store Five Below. It is plastic and the angle can be adjusted easily.
I found the silicone covers for under $10 at discount stores like TJMaxx, Marshalls, Target, Wall-Mart and Ross. There are some at Five Below, but the quality is questionable on those. Cheap screen savers can be found at Five Below as well. There are other bargains to be found on ebay if you like looking there for items.
Some students will enjoy using a stylus and these too can be found at discount prices. Once again Five Below has one for $5, but it is thicker than a pencil. The best bargain can be found at Amazon.com: 3 Pack of Universal Touch Screen Stylus Pen (Red + Black + Silver): Cell Phones & Accessories for $2.00. They are fine even if you get them and your kids do not like them, not much is lost for $2 for three stylus pens is a good deal. If you want to spend more you can purchase ONE from Apple at $15. Happy shopping.

iPad mini (Photo credit: patrick-allen)This is a blog site that has some recommendations for apps both free and paid. Most are recommended for the iPad, idevices and are for grades 2-6.

PETE&C is the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Exposition & Conference. It is a long name for a smaller, but excellent educational technology conference. Held in Hershey for the past nine years, it attracts around 2,200 educators, principal, IT Directors as well as others from all over the US.

On Sunday DiscoveryEducation sponsors a pre-conference day of discovery with sessions unlike the conference schedule. Most of the sessions are right on current or emerging technologies with ideas you can take back to your classroom to use right away.

Steve Dembo and Porter Palmer from DiscoveryEducation started off the day with a few demos and challenges. Dembo challenged the audience to "blow up old models of a classroom". Be creative with everything from the seating to the location of materials around the room. He also showed how is young son is using some augmented reality games with manipulatives:

1. Life of George
2. Cublets
3. Sifteo cube

Image via WikipediaI run a club on Mondays called "iTouch, iPad, iPhone". There are about 30 middle school boys and girls in grades 6-8. Each week we share what is new and their favorite apps. This week I am going to share with them the following FREE apps:

1. Blockwick - an Unblock Me type of thinking puzzle game.
2. Tiny Tower - Lifestyle type of game for creating your own tower of shops, people and businesses.
3. Jet Pack Joyride - Arcade type of game.
4. Hero Academy - just what is says - create and train new superHeros.