How to limit students to one app.

Some teachers have asked how to keep students from going to other apps that they don't want them going to. With Apple's IOS 6, you now have the ability to limit an iPad  to the use of a single app, and turn it off and on as needed. Here's how...

In the General Settings of your ipad, click Accessibility and turn ON 'Guided Access' and set a passcode.

To use this feature, open the app you want to use, and Triple-Click the home button.    

Tap the Start button. 

To turn off Guided Access, triple click the home button again and enter your passcode. 

Final Projects

Congratulations, you made it to the final mandatory assignment for the year!  For this assignment, we would like you to make a project on the iPad about the iPad.  Use iMovie, Keynote, or any other app you can think of to create a short (1-2 minute) presentation or movie.  Tell us about how the iPad could transform your classroom, how you have used the iPad, or maybe highlight one activity that you did with the iPad...anything that involves your iPad is fair game.  You may want to include screenshots of your notes or apps you use.  You can also record yourself in iMovie.  Creativity is a plus for this assignment!
We gave the students in our pilot a similar task called "A Day in the Life of My iPad".  The video below is one example.
When you have completed your project, you can submit it to the iPad Teacher Group conference located on your First Class desktop.  Make sure you include your name in the filename. Please let us know if you need help getting your presentation turned in.  If you made a movie on your iPad, you can save it to your camera roll.  Once you have done this, you can open the folder within First Class on your iPad and click on the plus sign.  You will then be able to upload your movie (use the Upload Photo option). If you make a Keynote presentation. email it to yourself and then forward the email in First Class to "iPad Teacher Group".
This assignment is due January 4th.

iPads and iTunes U Webcast Series

Apple is offering a three-part series on using the iPad to customize your course.  The series take place at 1 pm EST on November 13th, November 27th, December 4th.  For more information, or to sign up, click here.

Using iPads in a non-iPad Classroom

Many teachers who are not part of the iPad program, and do not have an iPad themselves, have students with iPads enrolled in their classes. We would like you to comment below with your suggestions for how they can make the most of having these few devices in their classroom.

This assignment is due Tuesday, November 13th.

2012 Paideia iPad Grant

There is not a new blog assignment this week in order to give everyone a chance to work on their grant applications. 
All current and past participants of our teacher pilot program are eligible to apply for our iPad grant.  A limited number of iPads will be awarded. An application was emailed to you.  If you have any questions, please see Amy.  All applications are due by Wednesday, October 31st at 4pm.

Ebooks...What's your opinion?

We would like your feedback on using ebooks at school.  If you or your students have used any ebooks for your class, please comment below and let us know what  your experience has been.  We would like to know which ebooks you have tried, what app you are using to access the books, the pros and cons of ebooks, and anything else you think we should know about your experience with ebooks.

iPad=Tool

"Tools are important and necessary, but they come and go as better tools come along. Obsess instead about ideas."

For your first assignment of this school year, we would like for you to read an article entitled The Secret To Successfully Using iPads in Education.  In the article, the writer states that iPads should be used "as a tool that can help students solve specific problems, overcome certain obstacles and create content to demonstrate their understanding." After reading the article, think about a way that you can use the iPad(s) in your classroom to do each of these things. Test out your ideas in your classroom and write about what you did in the comments section. Your comment to this post should be in three parts:
1.  I used my iPad(s) in my classroom to have students solve the problem of...
2.  I used my iPad(s) in my classroom to help students overcome the obstacle of...
3.  I used my iPad(s) in my classroom to have students create...

This assignment is due Monday, October 8th.