Which tablet is right for me?

At my school we are beginning to demo a class set of iPads, 20 iPads intended for student use. After a recent introduction one teacher asked me about the difference between the iPad and some other tablets, like Amazon's new Kindle Fire or any of the NOOK eReaders. Each tablet seems similar enough, yet which one is better? Some are more expensive than others, so what do I need to just get the job done?

I kindly told her that she was asking the wrong question. In a classroom setting, you want to ask the question, How do I plan to use my tablet? The answer to that question will determine which brand you choose and which model. Whether you're planning to use a tablet for personal use, in the classroom, or for any other purpose, you have to know what the intention is. Just as you use a hammer and a screwdriver for different tasks, each individual tablet will benefit each audience differently.

So, let's sift through the options without getting bogged down by the technical aspects of each.

What's a tablet and an eReader? I thought we were talking about iPads!

I suppose the first question to answer is this one. First, "tablet" is the generic term for iPads, Kindles, NOOKs, the Motorola Xoom, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and the rest. Because of the prevalence of the iPad, all of these products have become known as iPads. It's just like a Xerox machine. Xerox is a specific company, whereas the common and generic product name is a copy machine. So, Xerox is to a copy machine as iPad is to a tablet.

A tablet is a computer that has been slimmed down so it fits into a smaller container, yet allows you to do simple tasks. It fits in the void between smartphones and computers. The idea is that there are tasks you don't need a computer to do, like surfing the Internet or sending an email, and those are the things you'd do on a tablet. They are more mobile than a computer, but more robust than a smartphone.

Within the large collection of tablets exists a smaller group of text-only devices. These devices, which are designed for reading text without the ability to surf the Internet, are known as eReaders. The earliest versions of the NOOK and Kindle are eReaders. They may provide access to the Internet to purchase additional titles from a bookseller, but their primary purpose is to display text.

$ v. $$$

Money always raises the questions of "Why should I pay a lot of money when I can get the same product for less?" and "Why is one company charging so much more than the others?"  These questions usually stem from the price difference between the iPad, which is roughly $500, and its competitors, the Kindle Fire at $200 and a NOOK, which can duck under $100. The simple answer is that when you pay more for a device, you are paying for a higher quality machine and one that will--or should--provide you with greater capabilities. According to iSuppli, it costs $259.60 to build an iPad (source) and $326 to build an iPad 2 (source). On the other hand, iSuppli declares Amazon's Kindle Fire can be built for $201.70 (source).

The reason you're paying so much more for the iPad is that it is a much higher quality machine, one that is more powerful and is made with more reliable parts of a better grade than its competitors. The iPad's inner parts make it a superior product in terms of power, speed, reliability, and capability. As the numbers show, Apple is using superior parts to build their iPads, which helps consumers feel more confident using an iPad while providing the Kindle Fire with only lackluster reviews.

Text Only v. Text and Pictures

Again, the question we must keep in our minds is "How do I plan to use my tablet?" In regards to this particular aspect, are you looking for device that will allow you to read text-only documents, as you would do with a traditional book, or would you like to view magazines and websites that include photos? If you are only wanting to read traditional text, an inexpensive eReader, such as a NOOK Simple Touch, which sells for less than $100, may be the way to go. However, if you're looking to jump online and catch up on how your fantasy football league is performing, you're going to need something a little more substantial.

WiFi v. 3G

This is a question of how your tablet connects to the Internet and it is one of the first determinants of price.  All tablets are equipped to connect wirelessly to the Internet via WiFi, but not all tablets are designed to connect using a 3G service.  While WiFi is standard, 3G is an add-on that requires you to purchase an additional service from a cellular company, like AT&T or Verizon.

Question to ask yourself: How important is it for me to take my tablet anywhere and access the Internet?

Many shops and restaurants are beginning to offer free WiFi service, which means you could take your tablet into the shop and access the Internet. If you plan to use your tablet primarily at home or in a coffee shop you should be okay with the baseline tablets. However, if you plan to use your tablet in the car on long trips or in locations that will not have WiFi service, you may want to consider going with the 3G option. If the tablet is going to be used within your school, and your school is equipped with wireless Internet, you don't need the 3G service.

16GB v. 32GB

These numbers refer to the amount of memory in your tablet, so the bigger the number the more information your tablet can hold.

Question to ask yourself: What will I put on my tablet? 

Tablets allow you to keep all kinds of things in one place. You can put music, pictures, movies and TV shows, games, and programs on a tablet and access them at any time. However, each program consumes a certain amount of space, which will require you to figure out what you want to put on your tablet. If you don't plan on keeping your photos or movies on your tablet you can get away with using a tablet with a smaller amount of memory.

• Movies: Movies require huge amounts of memory, so if that is a "must have", you'll need a tablet with a lot of memory. Movies consume roughly 1GB. "So, roughly, I can put 16 movies on my tablet?" Yes. But, don't forget that you're going to have many other things on your tablet, not just movies. Those other programs and apps will also require memory, so you need to consider everything else you'll be using. If you're hoping to put movies on it for your kids while on long trips, you'll want more memory.
• Songs: Each song uses a different amount of memory, but a safe assumption is that 1GB will hold about 160 songs. Got 1000 songs you're planning on putting on your tablet? You'll need 6GB of memory. 
• Pictures: Just as songs consume different amounts of memory, the same can be said for photos. High quality photos will obviously require more space and you can plan on 1GB of memory holding about 370 high quality photos.

Final Summation

If you're looking to purchase a tablet for yourself or your classroom, the baseline question to consider is this: How do I plan to use my tablet? This question will guide much of your decision. However, spend some time working and familiarizing yourself with a variety of tablets. Since these are expensive purchases, you want to feel confident that you are getting exactly what you're wanting. Just as you wouldn't buy a car without taking it for a test drive, make sure you know what you're getting before you fork over such a large sum of money! Happy searching!

Fixing Problems with Glogster on My Mac (Updated)

http://techmeetsed.com/files/2011/05/Glogster_EDU_Logo-1fgcmgt.png

I had some problems recently with Glogster and wanted to offer some possible solutions that we found. 

1. Spanish accents would work on some computers and not work on other computers.
2. Often times the program would not let students save their work. When they click Save & Publish, Glogster would indicate it was saving, but it would never come out of that state.
3. The program would lock up from time to time, preventing students from doing any further work.
4. Images would move around the screen without reason. Sometimes the image would chase the cursor; other times the image would move slowly across the screen when dragged to a new position; and other times a static image would move indiscriminately around the screen.

Solutions we've found:

1. Only certain fonts within Glogster accept accents. The most reliable font is Arial (Latin all), which will allow the use of accents. Several students created beautiful pieces with colorful fonts, but were later forced to change their glogs to accommodate this requirement. 

For a concise list of keyboarding accents on a Mac, here is a great resource: http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/international/accents/codemac.html.


2. According to the folks at Glogster, the problem of "perpetual saving" is that the Flash program installed on the computer crashed. Essentially, something in the computer went wrong and you're paying the price. This problem usually results from having an old version of Flash on your computer. To avoid this problem, use Google Chrome, which doesn't use the Flash on your computer, but uses the most up-to-date version of Flash within the browser itself. 


3. Most problems seemed to be resolved by using the Google Chrome web browser. I believe this problem is linked to Flash breaking down. The best solution I found was to save the project, exit the glog I'm working on, then going back to the glog and continuing my work. 


4. I'm not sure about what causes this problem, but as with most problems, the best solution I found was to save the project, exit the glog I'm working on, then going back to the glog and continuing my work.

We were able to alleviate most problems by accessing Glogster via the Safari web browser. When working on a Mac, only Safari and Chrome allowed Glogster to work as designed. Firefox prevented students from working efficiently with Glogster. (On a PC Glogster works well with Internet Explorer.) Most websites are tested to work in a variety of web browsers, especially the most popular ones--namely Internet Explorer and Firefox, as of July 2011--but as browsers update themselves, certain programs are left to either adjust or fall by the wayside. Unfortunately, it seems Glogster has become a victim of trying to appeal to the various demands of the numerous browsers.

Hopefully you’ll find Glogster to be a great tool in your class, and hopefully these tips will help it be the best it can be!

Google Earth Across the Curriculum

GE Image property of http://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/earth_logo_large.jpg

Most of us have seen the wonders of traveling the earth courtesy of Google Earth, but have you had the chance to consider its vast resources and how they might help you in the classroom? Google Earth has become one of those resources I can't live without as it contains so many incredible pieces that complement each part of my curriculum. Whether I'm using it for a geography lesson or conducting a lesson on area, you can be sure that I'm going to use Google Earth first! 


In fact, the more I learn about Google Earth the more I grow to love it and appreciate all the different facets of it! Lately I've been doing many presentations for educators on the benefits of Google Earth and just how they might use it in their classes, whether they're teaching kindergartners or college students, whether they're discussing science or art. 


Here is a link to the outline I use for my course: tinyurl.com/GEATC2. Inside you'll find tons of links to fantastic resources and ideas for projects. One of the most beneficial links you'll find is to a document I worked up regarding Google Earth Layers: tinyurl.com/GEATC2Layers. This document lists all the layers within Google Earth 6 and highlights how some of them might be used by different subjects.

Have a great time using Google Earth and if you have any questions or comments about my presentation, please leave a comment. Also, feel free to use any of the material I've provided, but please, give credit where credit is due. Happy travels!

The Technology Desert

As the Internet and digital technology continues to integrate itself into society, there are fewer and fewer areas of our lives left untouched to one degree or another. Whether sending and receiving emails on your phone, watching a video on a handheld device, visiting a website on a tablet device or recording a video on a wristwatch, technology is absolutely here to stay.

However, in spite of the advancements technology has made into society, it seems to have trouble gaining the same ground in the classroom, which has remained a relatively conservative arena when it comes to change. The newest improvements to classes seem to be dry erase boards as schools forego the traditional chalkboard, but this is hardly improvement enough. If schools are "training students for the future" and for "jobs that don't exist yet," we need to be adamant about incorporating current technologies into the classroom.

However, I don't blame teachers. Well, not completely. Teachers are hesitant to start using  technologies for the same reasons your parents are.

1. Fear of the unknown

It's easy to feel like technology is racing ahead and leaving most of us behind, especially when we hear of all the ways our students are using technology. We can begin to feel like there is too much to learn at this point. We ask ourselves, “If I decided to learn, how would I know where to begin? I still don't know how to change the clock on my VCR. How am I going to be able to figure out Twitter?” This sentiment is completely understandable, but also completely incapacitating. We decide that it's much safer to stick with what we know rather than moving in any direction.

2. We don't know what we don't know

Most teachers do not have the benefit of training that will teach us about the vast resources available, which tends to leave us unaware of what the Internet offers both us and our students. For this reason teachers need exposure to different technologies.

3. We aren’t taught how to bring technology into the classroom

Similar to the previous point, there is often a dearth of training for how to incorporate these technologies into the classroom. This can be solved by peer-to-peer training (i.e. learning what colleagues are doing, both within the school or in other areas around the district, city, state, nation or world) or through more professional training. Either way, teachers need a time to learn what sites exist and how they can be used in the classroom.

4. The continual change

The Internet is constantly changing. On a weekly, daily, and minute-to-minute basis there are new sites created, new tools being put out there, and new information being posted online. All of this adds to the daunting task of trying to stay on top of what is current, much less trying to stay one step ahead of the curve.

Integrating technology is a daunting task, to be sure.

 Brief Plea for Technology Integration Specialists

One of the most revolutionary positions in modern education is that of a technology integration specialist. This person is tasked to teach the teachers how to use different technologies, but the most important objective is to help the teacher understand how these technologies can be used within their classroom to teach the curriculum. (Curriculum must come first and technology merely serves as a means to an end.)

Ask yourself, How much more effective could I be if I had someone guiding me in this way? A position like this is vital to a school's relevance in the current world. These people provide the training teachers need so they will bring technology into the classroom.

Ideas for Appropriate Integration

I wanted to get back to the basics with this post and consider this question: If I am just beginning to get into technology and I want to put it in my class, where should I start? Am I too late to begin?

Not to fear, here are a couple of sure-fire tips to help you succeed!

1. Provide students with worthy choices

Have you ever been to a restaurant where the menu seems too limited and you order the spaghetti because you felt like there wasn't any other choice? Sometimes teaching can be the same way: we present students with a project without allowing them the opportunity to work with a tool that appeals to them.

Give students some choices about which tool(s) they can use to complete an assignment. That way you're hitting those learners with something that excites them. So, they may be more excited by ToonDoo than they are by Glogster or vice versa. Give them the opportunity to try out those different tools and allow them to explore their different styles of learning by allowing them to use those different tools. Fran Mauney of the Greenville (SC) School District recommends creating a menu for students so they have a variety of choices from which to complete their assignments. (Note: Ms. Mauney's menus serve a class for an entire unit, so this is not necessarily a one-time thing.)

2. Always have a backup plan

We know that when working with technology we'll occasionally run into a situation where nothing works. Either the school's server is down, an Internet connection is lost, or the website just isn't working with you! Sometimes things just don't work! Most of the ideas or resources we use in the class are web based, which means that if you're planning to use Kerpoof and the Internet is down your whole lesson is lost. So, always have a backup plan, which I suggest is the "old way of doing things". Ask yourself, "What else could I do if my whole lesson gets blown away because I don't have Internet access?"

3. Appoint a "Technician of the Week"

As you have different jobs in your classroom, perhaps the lunch count person or the door holder, have someone designated as your technology person. When you're doing technology assignments this person acts as the "go to" person. Tell the class that Joey, Bobby, and Susie are the Glogster experts and let them help their classmates. This will free you up to help students complete the assignment in an academic manner, while the "technicians" can help with more basic how-to questions. Some other roles for this person may be to get the computers up and running in the morning and shut them down at the end of the day.

4. Hold students accountable

Provide students some way to know they're on task and moving in a positive direction. Give them a rubric and help them understand how to follow it. After all, there's no use in using technology if doesn't adhere to the content and if there's no way to tell if they've learned anything. This is just like when you create any other lesson. You wouldn't plan a non-technological lesson without a way to determine what your students learned. It's the same with technology.

Cell Phones in the Classroom

School District 5 of Lexington and Richland Counties in Irmo, South Carolina, a suburban town just outside the capital city, is the latest district to permit cell phones and cell phone use inside the schools. They are the latest school district to approve a measure that is not only making many teachers and parents wary, but one that begs the question, "Can cell phones be integrated successfully into the classroom or are they bound to remain marginalized?” While one could speculate about its future implementation, the real answer lies with the individual classroom teachers. It lies in their willingness to allow phones in their classroom, their creativity to integrate them into the curriculum, and their ability to direct learning while their students are using a device that could easily become a distraction rather than a tool.

While modern cell phones possess many abilities, most people typically think of texting, video games, and the ability to use facebook as the main functions, and they are immediately turned off from the idea of allowing them within the classroom, much less using them as an educational tool. However, when one considers the real power and strengths of cell phones, he may reconsider his position.

As cell phone ownership and use continues to grow around the world, the capabilities of cell phones continue to grow as well.  Check out this snippet from Walking Randomly.com (accessed June 20, 2011):

According to the current Top 10 Android Linpack results, a tweaked Motorola Droid [cell phone] is capable of scoring 52 Mflop/s which is over 15 times faster than the 1979 Cray 1 [supercomputer].  Put another way, if you transported that mobile phone back to 1987 … it would be on par with the processors in one of the fastest computers in the world of the time, the ETA 10-E, and [it] had to be cooled by liquid nitrogen.

Simply put, modern cell phones have incredible capabilities that cannot be ignored! Furthermore, many areas have adopted “one laptop per child” initiatives, but given the widespread use of cell phones and the fact that they rival many computers in abilities, cell phones may prove to be a readily viable option for allowing students access to the Internet and providing them an opportunity to connect with their classmates, peers, community, and the world in new ways!

So, how might I use cell phones in my classroom?
Rather than listing a myriad of resources, let’s consider several broad applications for education.

1. Class Discussions
The media has recently produced several stories of teachers using Twitter as a conversational tool in their classrooms. (Click here for CNN’s story or for Philly.com’s story). By posting a question on the board and by utilizing Twitter students can engage in a class conversation that gives a voice to every student and no one person is allowed to dominant the conversation, which encourages quieter students to participate. No one is being asked to stand in front of the class, but everyone is able to share his/her thoughts, opinions, and understandings with everyone else. CoverItLive.com also has mobile capabilities, which acts like Twitter, but can be embedded into a website for later review.

2. Class Polls
Want to know if your students understand what you’ve just taught them, in spite of the fact that no one is raising a hand? Try a cell phone-generated poll by using a site like PollEverywhere.com. Students can text in answers to a classroom poll and watch as the numbers change before their eyes! Poll Everywhere is free and easy to use and would allow you another way to engage your students.

3. Web Quest
Lately you may have seen those funny black-and-white codes the size of a postage stamp popping up on everything from movie posters to a carton of eggs. These are called QR codes and, by using a cell phone’s camera, these codes will direct a web browser to a specific site on the Internet. You can generate a QR code for any website by visiting a site like qrcode.kaywa.com. Then, print up the QR codes for different websites you’d like your students to visit. This is especially useful if websites have long and complicated URLs.

4. Microphones
Many sites (i.e. VoiceThread.com, Voki.com and Blabberize.com) accept phone calls from users to record a comment on the page or add their voice to an avatar.

Student Accountability and Fears of Integrating the Classroom

One of the greatest fears of bringing computers into the classroom is the question of "unleashing the student onto the Internet". Teachers and administrators have a fear, and probably rightly so, that students' attention and ability to remain on task are more likely to stray than stay if given the chance. Unfortunately, that means most teachers opt away from incorporating computers and the Internet, rather than trying to guide the students.

My personal opinion is that students are always going to choose the easiest paths, unless they are taught to do otherwise. Just like children need to be taught how to read or work through a math problem, they also need to be taught how to keep focus and how to work diligently because if a child is given the option to study or goof off, human nature says he will always choose to get off task. Therefore, we need to see a student's lack of focus as a teaching opportunity. (There are obvious exceptions to this, but I believe it's a pretty reliable statement.) Therefore, whenever using a Web 2.0 tool or an interactive website, there is always the inherent possibility that students will get off task and, as the teacher, we need to help them get back on task and resume their work.

As far as holding students accountable for assignments when using the Internet, a great way is to present them with a rubric for how the assignment will be graded and teach them to self-assess their work. A website like Rubistar is a great tool for quickly creating a rubric you can use for students' work and this will help students know what to expect when they submit their project.

A rubric is also a great way to help students stay on task. Often a student's attention will stray when he/she is unsure what needs to be done and is unwilling to ask for direction. A rubric helps a student know exactly what is expected and figure out what still needs to be done on his/her project.