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Lights, Drones, Action! A Coding App to Tickle You Pink!

3/31/2015

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When you find something cool that Adam Bellow likes, the chances are high that you will like it too! For me, this truism manifested itself recently in the form of a tweet Adam sent declaring his love for the recently released Tickle app for iOS. Tickle is a free coding app for the iPad that lets students create programs to control Spheros, Air Parrot Drones, and even Philips Hue Lights. Intrigued? I thought you might be! Here's what you need to know.

Tickle started as a Kickstarter campaign, and uses block coding elements that were inspired by the likes of Scratch, Tynker, Blockly and Hopscotch. The simple coding interface is accessible enough to be used with early elementary students, but it has enough potential to challenge middle school students and beyond. Programs can be written and tested in the app without connecting to any other devices, but connecting to a Sphero or an Air Parrot Mini Drone is where the real fun begins.
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While I would love to have tested it on a drone, we didn't have one to hand. However, we do have some Sphero balls, so I set to work building a simple program to put Tickle to the test. It's easy to get started. Simply choose a template for the device you want to write a program for and drag the blocks you need to the canvas. There are various categories for each type of block you might want to add, and mistakes can easily be undone with the undo arrow, or by dragging errant blocks to the left-hand side of your screen. You can also access the in-app help by tapping the question mark at any time.
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If you have programmed a Sphero before, you will most likely have used the Sphero Macrolab app. This is the native app that Sphero built for programming Spheros and Ollies, but it is not nearly as easy on the eye as Tickle is. There are definitely some similarities in the kinds of things you can make a Sphero do, but Tickle is more visual, and, in my opinion at least, it is also much easier to use.

You can also use Tickle to create fun video games. The Flappy Batman demo that comes with the game is an example of what that might look like, and these types of projects could be a great additional activity for classrooms that may not have enough Spheros for all students, or for specific coding challenges like the ones you find in apps like Hopscotch.

So, there is a lot to like about the new Tickle app for iPad. It is yet another fantastic coding app for the iPad, and one that deserves a place on the home screen of your school iPads.


~ Jonathan Wylie, Technology Consultant

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From Beta to Masterpiece...

3/20/2015

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I’ve always thought an iPad is an amazing creation tool to use in education.  So, I was super impressed when I learned about a way to improve iPad use through an Osmo.  Osmo is an accessory for the iPad that connects physical objects around us to the learning environment created in Osmo Apps, creating a whole new platform for interaction.  On its release, there were three free apps, Words, Tangram, and Newton.  
This winter when I was assisting a teacher in creating a custom playlist for her Words App, I stumbled upon a unique opportunity.  At my.playosmo.com, you can sign up to become part of their beta testing program to try out new apps the company is developing.  I thought, why not? and signed up.  

A few months later, I received an email inviting me to test a new app they were working on.  I was so excited!  It felt really cool to be on the inside track to learning about a new program from an innovative company.  The process was simple.  The app was sent to me to download and explore the beta version.  The company created a virtual forum to share experiences with other beta testers.  There was also an area to report bugs with the program and receive technical support.  It was really interesting to see other peoples’ examples, questions and suggestions to help improve the program.  The company was really listening to our feedback and as suggestions were made, new updates were released for us to explore.  I took a lot of pride in helping to recognize what I was amazed by with the app and what needed to be improved to help the app become what it is today.  If you have an Osmo in your classroom or school, I would recommend signing up for the beta program,

The new app that I test drove was Masterpiece.  It is an art-based app that allows you to choose what you’d like to draw from a photo that you take or the photo gallery.  The image displays on the screen, where you can resize it and manipulate the lines to fit your drawing style.  Then, you start drawing.  It is a very different style of drawing.  It almost reminds me of the style of tracing where you hold an image up to a window to see the lines through the light coming through the pieces of paper.  However, in this app, you see the image projected on the iPad and you draw on the paper in front of you and you watch the iPad to see if your lines match up.  It requires you to think about the image in a different way.  As you begin to sketch the design, you see your lines and your hand on the screen.  When you are finished with your drawing, the app takes a picture of it that can be emailed or saved.  And the biggest surprise for me was that it was recording the entire process and generates a stop motion style video of you completing your work of art!  You can check out my fantastic art skills below ;)

If you’ve never seen an Osmo before, contact your DLGWAEA technology consultant to check Osmo out.


~Amber Bridge, Technology Consultant
@abridgesmith

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YouTube Kids Made Me Dad of the Year (Again)

3/16/2015

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I don’t know if any of you have ever shared my problem, but I am the parent of a four- year-old-girl.  More specifically, a four-year-old-girl who is obsessed with YouTube.  My wife and I used to think it was kind of funny when she would watch videos of PlayDoh, “Thomas the Train” and similar demonstration or cartoon videos.  In the last six months, the things she liked to watched changed.  The videos were harmless, but very annoying, especially to her dad.  

She was really into the mysterious hand that opens toys (Fun Toyz Collector)...

That wasn’t too bad, but the straw that broke the camel’s back was when she got hooked on these two families. These two families document everything and post it to YouTube. (The Shaytards and Daily Bumps).

I told her she had to quit watching them, which always led to her reply, “But, Dad, they are so nice.” About a month ago, I just took the app off her iPad.  She was pretty upset and kept asking about it. Of course, I lied and told her that Apple broke the app and they were fixing it.  I thought she would forget about it for a couple days, but she never did. About once a week, she would ask me to call Apple and see if they could fix it.  Then last week YouTube dropped the YouTube Kids app. This app became my iPad savior. 

The YouTube Kids app is pretty slick, and it has easy to use navigation with a few (very few) parental controls, but most importantly, it has filtering to make sure the videos she watches are age appropriate.  I have not put the filter through its paces, but it seems pretty fantastic. Since she is four and can’t spell, it is not a priority for me at this point.  

My daughter was excited and thrilled when I put the new app on her iPad, and of course, she told me I am the best dad ever...again.

Here are a few features you may like in this app. 


When looking at the home screen, The interface is easy for kids to manipulate.  The icons at the top navigate to the following:
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Kids can click on this link to see recommended videos.  Example - If you watch a video of Olaf singing, it may recommend you watch a video of Anna singing.  This option can be removed by turning off search.  

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When you click on this icon it displays YouTube shows.  Example - Nerdy Nummies ( check it out if you haven’t)

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YouTube Radio is the next icon.  Example - Kidz Bop

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Clicking on this icon will shift to learning videos.  Example - Khan Acadamy

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If you would like to explore other types of videos click on this icon.  Example - Play Doh videos

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Search button.  Much to my disappointment I found that by searching, I could locate all of the the videos I listed above.  But you can remove the search from the navigation in the settings.

Security Settings

In the bottom right corner of the screen you will see a little padlock icon.  Click on that to get to the parental settings.  You can turn off the default sounds, remove search, and also set a timer.  The timer will end your YouTube session after the selected time.


Here is a video of the app in action.
Jason Marshall - Technology Consultant 
@jmarsh77

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The Connected Educator

3/3/2015

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Congratulations!  
If you are reading this blog - that means you are a connected educator!  
You are a person who has reached beyond the walls of your classroom to learn from other educators. You have reached across the internet and connected your computer with mine and through that exchange of bytes of information we have the opportunity to both improve our practice.  

That is what being a connected teacher is really all about, improving practice - constantly growing in our own learning to better meet the needs of our students and to model best practices.  

I have been thinking a lot about being a connected educator recently, partly because I co-taught a class on the subject and because it is part of my own personal journey.  As I prepared for the class I revised this above image to illustrate my description of a connected educator.  

Full disclosure:  I did not create the image - only the descriptions. 

As I worked on this image I was struck by all the paths we use to connect with others that are not technology based!  When I first began this journey of becoming more connected - I believed that technology was the central pivot point. The farther I travel down this path the more I have come to understand that being connected is not searching for the perfect tool, rather it is a state of mind that seeks ways to connect - period.  

This huge mind shift from being an isolated, leave my door closed, teacher to joining a worldwide group of educators challenging one another to rethink the way we teach does not come easily.  

It is downright hard!  

And I wonder if we have made it harder because of our focus on technology! If the conversation begins with ways to connect - in your building, in your community, in your classroom, would that change attitudes?

In a blog post written by Daniel Rezac he reflects on the Connected Educator movement.  He shares some sobering statistics about how few educators are actually part of the movement and some thoughts as to why that is.  He sums up his post this way...

            Perhaps our connected educator movement- is not about connecting 
            educators with technology… at all. Maybe we’ve got it all wrong. 
            Maybe what we need to close this digital divide, is not digital at all. 
            Maybe our connected educator movement involves real, physical communication. 


That resonates with me.  

Being a connected educator means more than just being a lurker on Twitter.  
       It means utilizing Twitter to connect with other HS SS teachers to find a different way to teach AP          History.  
Being a connected educator means more than just writing a weekly blog because the principal says
        you must.
        It means connecting with book authors about the book you are reading.
Being a connected educator means more than reading Facebook.
        It means taking advantage of parent connections on Facebook to promote classroom activities               and share online content in the place that parents 'live.'
Being a connected educator means more than bookmarking sites on Diigo.
        It means being able to share websites with teachers in your building at the point of need because
        you know what they are teaching.
Being a connected educator is more than these things though...

Being a connected educator means connecting with those around you in every way you can - period! 

Beth Swantz - GWAEA, Technology Consultant


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