The iWorks applications on iPad are mostly there to replace similar programs on desktop computers, like PowerPoint, Word and Excel. I chose to work with Pages and compare it to Word for this week's TECH assignment. So here are a few things about Pages that I found were similar to Word, and one thing that is notably different in a good way.
Similarities:
1. The Interface. Pages' interface is almost a direct copy/paste from Word. You have many of the same buttons, from choosing your text size/style to printing options. If you're familiar with the way that Word works, the Pages version of word processing software will feel instantly familiar.
2. Pages also includes many of the same templates for the different types of documents you would like to create. In this way, it mirrors the Word startup page in which it asks you to select a template before you begin to work.
3. The tools. Any tool you have at your disposal in Word can be found here in Pages, as well. I was unable to find anywhere that Pages was lacking in comparison in my short time with the application. In fact, Pages offers a few things that most versions of Word do not... including...
Differences:
1. Speech to text conversion. While some versions of Word may or may not have this feature, it is completely dependent on whether or not your PC has a built in mic, or if you have one sufficient enough to use. This is not a concern on the iPad, as they come with built in microphones to detect your voice. While there are a few hiccups here and there when using this feature, as long as one speaks clearly and at an even pace, Pages will write whatever you're saying.
2. Touch. Unless you are using Word on another tablet, Pages offers touch control features that Word doesn't have. It actually makes the interface a bit more enjoyable and easy to use than the traditional point-and-click mouse input does.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
GAIN - Google Drawing
Google Drawing is a tool used to create images using shapes and lines, along with text, that you can insert into your Documents or Presentations files. Like everything else I've covered so far when it comes to Google's software, Drawing can be opened up for collaboration with others. While Microsoft Office itself doesn't have a standalone piece of software for drawing, there are tools in Word that allow one to insert shapes and lines, even if it is a bit obtuse in practice. There is also Paint, an application that comes with most PCs for free, and while that particular piece of software is a little more free in terms of what one can draw than Google Drawing, it is a little bit similar in nature.
The cool thing about Drawing lies in its collaborative ability. The tutorial I watched depicted one person creating several shapes and aligning them the way that he wanted (which, when I tried it afterward, was very easy and convenient! Much more so than my experiences with the drawing tools in Microsoft Word). It also demonstrated the ability to insert text into the shapes, how to change the colors of the shapes, and introduced to me the ability to chat with others who are able to edit the document. This allows that other person to make their own suggestions, and being able to talk to them in real time about what you are working together to create gives the project an amount of synergy that one would not find in Paint or Microsoft Office.
It is also easy to see how, according to the Graham book, one would be able to use something like Google Drawing in the Common Core standards. Whether it is by using graphs, charts and diagrams to decipher meaning from images, or drawing shapes for a math class using certain parameters Google Drawing offers a great tool to be used in the classroom setting.
The cool thing about Drawing lies in its collaborative ability. The tutorial I watched depicted one person creating several shapes and aligning them the way that he wanted (which, when I tried it afterward, was very easy and convenient! Much more so than my experiences with the drawing tools in Microsoft Word). It also demonstrated the ability to insert text into the shapes, how to change the colors of the shapes, and introduced to me the ability to chat with others who are able to edit the document. This allows that other person to make their own suggestions, and being able to talk to them in real time about what you are working together to create gives the project an amount of synergy that one would not find in Paint or Microsoft Office.
It is also easy to see how, according to the Graham book, one would be able to use something like Google Drawing in the Common Core standards. Whether it is by using graphs, charts and diagrams to decipher meaning from images, or drawing shapes for a math class using certain parameters Google Drawing offers a great tool to be used in the classroom setting.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
TECH - Tablets in Education
It feels like it was just a couple of years ago that the iPad was released. Since then, it has quickly taken off, selling millions and millions of units and inspiring Apple's competitors to release their own versions of tablet computers that offer similar features. It is safe to say that tablets have taken over the world, to a degree. Anyone can use them. Adults can use them to check e-mail, teens can use them to create media, and children can use them to play games like Angry Birds.
So why not educators and students in the classroom, too?
While the tablets all have their own strengths and weaknesses, there is one thing that they all share: they are all electronic book readers. Nook, Kindle, iPad, Surface Pro... all of them have book stores that are just a few taps away. And this feature is one of the greatest reasons why many schools have recently chosen to adopt iPads and other tablets instead of textbooks. For one, carrying around a tablet is much more convenient (and lighter)! But it is also almost always the case that purchasing a textbook on a tablet is much cheaper (sometimes up to 50%!) than buying the physical version of the same text. So not only is it a more convenient way to read textbooks, it is also cheaper, too, and schools love being able to save money. Add to this the fact that some tablets, like the Kindle, offer book rentals as an alternative to full purchases, and that makes the price even cheaper.
If educators are going to use tablets in the classroom, we need to do more than just use them as an alternative to textbooks. Devices such as tablets and smartphones are becoming extremely prevalent in daily life for people today. We've got to take advantage of the popularity of these devices and learn how to use them to teach more effectively. Luckily for us, there are hundreds of applications on the app store available to use. And most of them are very cheap! There are media creation apps, like iMovie, Garage Band, and Comic Life, that allow our students to create videos, audio and images. Beginning the school year by asking our students to create a comic strip about what they did over the summer is a great way to get them writing and creating media on the iPad, and it is a fun way to let them be creative, as well.
In the future (and the present, as well), it is going to be very important for school and educators to adopt tablets, and learn to use them to their fullest capabilities. Devices like the iPad have taken over the globe, giving people a computer that can fit in their hands, and that they can take with them anywhere. It is an incredibly useful tool, and they are not going to go away any time soon. Therefore, it would be wise for us to take advantage of the tools and apps they have to offer, as well as the alternatives that they provide to using traditional textbooks, at a much more affordable price. There are hundreds of ways to effectively use tablet computers to teach, learn, create, and play in the classroom. It is up to the current and future generations of teachers to provide our students with the best ways to use them.
So why not educators and students in the classroom, too?
While the tablets all have their own strengths and weaknesses, there is one thing that they all share: they are all electronic book readers. Nook, Kindle, iPad, Surface Pro... all of them have book stores that are just a few taps away. And this feature is one of the greatest reasons why many schools have recently chosen to adopt iPads and other tablets instead of textbooks. For one, carrying around a tablet is much more convenient (and lighter)! But it is also almost always the case that purchasing a textbook on a tablet is much cheaper (sometimes up to 50%!) than buying the physical version of the same text. So not only is it a more convenient way to read textbooks, it is also cheaper, too, and schools love being able to save money. Add to this the fact that some tablets, like the Kindle, offer book rentals as an alternative to full purchases, and that makes the price even cheaper.
If educators are going to use tablets in the classroom, we need to do more than just use them as an alternative to textbooks. Devices such as tablets and smartphones are becoming extremely prevalent in daily life for people today. We've got to take advantage of the popularity of these devices and learn how to use them to teach more effectively. Luckily for us, there are hundreds of applications on the app store available to use. And most of them are very cheap! There are media creation apps, like iMovie, Garage Band, and Comic Life, that allow our students to create videos, audio and images. Beginning the school year by asking our students to create a comic strip about what they did over the summer is a great way to get them writing and creating media on the iPad, and it is a fun way to let them be creative, as well.
In the future (and the present, as well), it is going to be very important for school and educators to adopt tablets, and learn to use them to their fullest capabilities. Devices like the iPad have taken over the globe, giving people a computer that can fit in their hands, and that they can take with them anywhere. It is an incredibly useful tool, and they are not going to go away any time soon. Therefore, it would be wise for us to take advantage of the tools and apps they have to offer, as well as the alternatives that they provide to using traditional textbooks, at a much more affordable price. There are hundreds of ways to effectively use tablet computers to teach, learn, create, and play in the classroom. It is up to the current and future generations of teachers to provide our students with the best ways to use them.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
GAIN - Google Slides
In the same way that Google Documents mirrors Microsoft Word, Google Slides seeks to provide an alternate version of Microsoft's PowerPoint software. While I am definitely more familiar with the latter, I learned some intriguing new things about Slides through some experimentation. Here are a few of them:
1. The Search Function
This feature is also included in Documents, but I think it is worth mentioning here, too. Slides offers a tool that users can utilize to search the entire internet (in a similar vein to Google's search engine) to find quotes, videos, pictures, and more. So if you're creating a presentation about zoo animals, simply type "zoo animals" into the search bar, and voila... you have hundreds of pictures of pandas, monkeys, and bears to choose from.
This is a much, much better alternative to PowerPoint's offering of ClipArt. ClipArt's limited selection of images pales in comparison to Slides' search function. It's a powerful tool that we can use to spice up our presentations.
2. It is Free and Collaborative
Yeah, we know this already. But seriously, how great is that fact? You can get a piece of software that is a slightly better version of PowerPoint, but for absolutely nothing. Anyone can use it. And, on that note, you can share your presentations with anyone. So if you have a group project you've assigned to your students, they can all easily make changes to the presentation at their own home computers, without the need to meet up together in person.
3. It is an Online-Only Resource
One of the few drawbacks to Slides is that you cannot access it without the internet. So if you're in a jam, and have no wifi hotspot to use, you'll be in trouble if you need to edit your slide at the last second.
4. It is Easy to Use and Accessible
Slides is user-friendly, and offers a very comprehensive interface that anyone can use. For those familiar with other presentation creation software like PowerPoint, you will find the interface even more familiar, yet with a couple of extra, powerful tools like the search function with which to work.
1. The Search Function
This feature is also included in Documents, but I think it is worth mentioning here, too. Slides offers a tool that users can utilize to search the entire internet (in a similar vein to Google's search engine) to find quotes, videos, pictures, and more. So if you're creating a presentation about zoo animals, simply type "zoo animals" into the search bar, and voila... you have hundreds of pictures of pandas, monkeys, and bears to choose from.
This is a much, much better alternative to PowerPoint's offering of ClipArt. ClipArt's limited selection of images pales in comparison to Slides' search function. It's a powerful tool that we can use to spice up our presentations.
2. It is Free and Collaborative
Yeah, we know this already. But seriously, how great is that fact? You can get a piece of software that is a slightly better version of PowerPoint, but for absolutely nothing. Anyone can use it. And, on that note, you can share your presentations with anyone. So if you have a group project you've assigned to your students, they can all easily make changes to the presentation at their own home computers, without the need to meet up together in person.
3. It is an Online-Only Resource
One of the few drawbacks to Slides is that you cannot access it without the internet. So if you're in a jam, and have no wifi hotspot to use, you'll be in trouble if you need to edit your slide at the last second.
4. It is Easy to Use and Accessible
Slides is user-friendly, and offers a very comprehensive interface that anyone can use. For those familiar with other presentation creation software like PowerPoint, you will find the interface even more familiar, yet with a couple of extra, powerful tools like the search function with which to work.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
GAIN - Google Documents
While I am most proficient with Microsoft Word when it comes to word processors, I am becoming more and more convinced that Google Docs is a better service. While both are incredibly similar in most aspects, there are some minor advantages that Google Docs has over Word, and a few things that Documents just does better.
The ability to share and collaboratively edit a document on Google Docs is a great tool. For school purposes, for example, students in a group project can easily get online and contribute to their part of a project without having to get together to work on it all at once. And while Microsoft Word does now include this option, it is definitely clunky when compared to the Documents version of the same service. One of my finals during my senior year of college was done in this manner, and it was very efficient and convenient.
One of the biggest things that always bothered me about Word was how annoyingly difficult it is to add pictures and images to a document. Google Documents has made this process easier in that, unlike Word, one doesn't have to know the ins and outs of the program just to be able to put a picture in the exact spot they want to. Word has an awkward interface when it comes to formatting and arranging the pictures in the document, and I've seen plenty of people get frustrated just trying to perform this simple action without warping their document's text all over the page.
Another benefit of Documents? It's free. Instead of handing Microsoft an entire week's paycheck just to be able to use Word, Google Documents is sitting right there, waiting to be used by anyone and everyone for the cost of nothing. And if that isn't enough to convince most people to use Docs, I don't know what is.
The ability to share and collaboratively edit a document on Google Docs is a great tool. For school purposes, for example, students in a group project can easily get online and contribute to their part of a project without having to get together to work on it all at once. And while Microsoft Word does now include this option, it is definitely clunky when compared to the Documents version of the same service. One of my finals during my senior year of college was done in this manner, and it was very efficient and convenient.
One of the biggest things that always bothered me about Word was how annoyingly difficult it is to add pictures and images to a document. Google Documents has made this process easier in that, unlike Word, one doesn't have to know the ins and outs of the program just to be able to put a picture in the exact spot they want to. Word has an awkward interface when it comes to formatting and arranging the pictures in the document, and I've seen plenty of people get frustrated just trying to perform this simple action without warping their document's text all over the page.
Another benefit of Documents? It's free. Instead of handing Microsoft an entire week's paycheck just to be able to use Word, Google Documents is sitting right there, waiting to be used by anyone and everyone for the cost of nothing. And if that isn't enough to convince most people to use Docs, I don't know what is.
GAIN - Blog Post Comment
I read through TravelinEdMan's most recent blog post from March 29 (which you can find here), in which he discussed some changes coming in the near future when Microsoft finally updates their operating system from Windows 8 to Windows 10 (yeah, I'm not sure what happened to 9, either). Some of the tidbits I personally found interesting were that they're getting rid of Internet Explorer entirely and shifting into a new browser called "Spartan." Hopefully Spartan will perform better than IE does.
As someone who loved Windows 7, and very much disliked 8 (I refused to "upgrade"), I was also very glad to read TEM's comment that Microsoft will be fusing what actually works between both 7 and 8 into one, hopefully good OS when they release Windows 10.
And finally, for those of us who are familiar with, and use, Macs, there was the interesting bit that Microsoft Office 2016 will be nearly identical between the PC and Mac versions of the software, which will be good for those who get confused when switching between the two.
I don't pay a ton of attention to everything Microsoft does, so TEM's blog post was informative for me, and I was glad to know that some positive OS changes will be happening in the near future!
As someone who loved Windows 7, and very much disliked 8 (I refused to "upgrade"), I was also very glad to read TEM's comment that Microsoft will be fusing what actually works between both 7 and 8 into one, hopefully good OS when they release Windows 10.
And finally, for those of us who are familiar with, and use, Macs, there was the interesting bit that Microsoft Office 2016 will be nearly identical between the PC and Mac versions of the software, which will be good for those who get confused when switching between the two.
I don't pay a ton of attention to everything Microsoft does, so TEM's blog post was informative for me, and I was glad to know that some positive OS changes will be happening in the near future!
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
TECH - Tablets Options and Uses
In responding to the scenario with the principal, I put more of an emphasis on how the tablets and their respective operating systems would be used in a school/educational setting, and very little on how they would be used personally. I did this for the obvious reason that the school would be purchasing these tablets for educational purposes. So I chose to focus on the apps, the ability of each tablet to use the internet and its features, the pricing of the tablets, and the availability of books. While I understand that things like Netflix subscriptions are also available on tablets, that is usually a more personal use for entertainment (unless a teacher assigns the students to watch a documentary, or something similar!). So here are some of the pros and cons of each operating system that I found would be beneficial for the principal to know when finalizing his decision.
Apple (iPads):
Pros:
+iPads and other Apple mobile devices have access to hundreds of thousands of applications for all sorts of purposes. The App Store is home to some great educational tools, and these devices have, by far, the widest selection of apps.
+When considering the option of adding cellular data to the tablets, the iPads offer the most options in terms of providers and plans.
+iPads offer a tool on their iBooks software, called Author, that is extremely useful for educators, because it allows them to make their own books that can utilize apps and other media in order to supplement what the students are reading.
Cons:
-The biggest flaw with iPads, in my opinion, is their inability to use Flash. Flash is a widely used piece of software, and is required in order to watch certain videos or even view web pages properly. The lack of Flash on iPads could limit the selection of educational videos that the teacher and students are able to view.
-The iBooks store does not have the scope of available textbooks that the other tablets have.
Android (Kindle, Nook, etc)
Pros:
+While the availability differs depending on what device one is using, the Androids usually have the widest selection of available texts, even going as far as to have made exclusive deals with certain textbook providers in some cases.
+Unlike its iPad competition, Android devices are able to use Flash
+Generally, these devices are cheaper options in comparison to other tablets.
Cons:
-Their selection of apps generally pales in comparison to the other tablets. This could limit the ability of teachers and students to use certain apps to teach and learn more effectively.
Windows (Surface):
Pros:
+Because Surface tablets are able to use the same operating system as Windows PCs, they can easily use common software like Microsoft Office that are not as effective on other tablets.
+Unlike iPads, Windows tablets can also use Flash.
+Windows tablets usually contain more onboard memory than the competitors, allowing one to store more files on the tablet.
Cons:
-Surface tablets are, in general, on the expensive side of the tablet chart.
-While windows tablets may have more apps available than Android, it still does not have the amount of apps that are available on the iPad.
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And finally, on the topic of cellular, we must consider exactly what that service provides and at what extra cost. Also to be considered is whether or not the added services justify the cost.
"Cellular" is a way of saying that a specific tablet is capable of staying connecting to a cellular phone tower. All tablets have wifi, but the addition of the cellular service allows tablets to stay connecting to the internet and other services, even if the tablet is out of range of any wifi hotspots. So long as the tablet remains connected to the tower, it can continue using online services. Only tablets that are compatible with this service can use them, and wifi-only tablets cannot be upgraded, so if one is wanting this service at any point in time, it would be wise to consider the option when purchasing the tablet.
Using the cellular service, however, comes at an extra price. For starters, tablets that can use the service are generally around $100 more expensive than the exact same model of said tablet that cannot. Add to that price the monthly fee of the cellular service through a contract from a provider such as AT&T or Verizon, and you are going to be paying more than you would for just the standard wifi model. Payment plan amounts differ depending on how much data you want to be able to use. The more you go up in gigabytes, the more expensive your monthly fee is going to be.
So the added convenience of always being connected can come at a price, so it is a good idea to consider if the school needs for these tablets to stay connected, or if it is just better to go with the standard models and use local wifi.
Apple (iPads):
Pros:
+iPads and other Apple mobile devices have access to hundreds of thousands of applications for all sorts of purposes. The App Store is home to some great educational tools, and these devices have, by far, the widest selection of apps.
+When considering the option of adding cellular data to the tablets, the iPads offer the most options in terms of providers and plans.
+iPads offer a tool on their iBooks software, called Author, that is extremely useful for educators, because it allows them to make their own books that can utilize apps and other media in order to supplement what the students are reading.
Cons:
-The biggest flaw with iPads, in my opinion, is their inability to use Flash. Flash is a widely used piece of software, and is required in order to watch certain videos or even view web pages properly. The lack of Flash on iPads could limit the selection of educational videos that the teacher and students are able to view.
-The iBooks store does not have the scope of available textbooks that the other tablets have.
Android (Kindle, Nook, etc)
Pros:
+While the availability differs depending on what device one is using, the Androids usually have the widest selection of available texts, even going as far as to have made exclusive deals with certain textbook providers in some cases.
+Unlike its iPad competition, Android devices are able to use Flash
+Generally, these devices are cheaper options in comparison to other tablets.
Cons:
-Their selection of apps generally pales in comparison to the other tablets. This could limit the ability of teachers and students to use certain apps to teach and learn more effectively.
Windows (Surface):
Pros:
+Because Surface tablets are able to use the same operating system as Windows PCs, they can easily use common software like Microsoft Office that are not as effective on other tablets.
+Unlike iPads, Windows tablets can also use Flash.
+Windows tablets usually contain more onboard memory than the competitors, allowing one to store more files on the tablet.
Cons:
-Surface tablets are, in general, on the expensive side of the tablet chart.
-While windows tablets may have more apps available than Android, it still does not have the amount of apps that are available on the iPad.
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And finally, on the topic of cellular, we must consider exactly what that service provides and at what extra cost. Also to be considered is whether or not the added services justify the cost.
"Cellular" is a way of saying that a specific tablet is capable of staying connecting to a cellular phone tower. All tablets have wifi, but the addition of the cellular service allows tablets to stay connecting to the internet and other services, even if the tablet is out of range of any wifi hotspots. So long as the tablet remains connected to the tower, it can continue using online services. Only tablets that are compatible with this service can use them, and wifi-only tablets cannot be upgraded, so if one is wanting this service at any point in time, it would be wise to consider the option when purchasing the tablet.
Using the cellular service, however, comes at an extra price. For starters, tablets that can use the service are generally around $100 more expensive than the exact same model of said tablet that cannot. Add to that price the monthly fee of the cellular service through a contract from a provider such as AT&T or Verizon, and you are going to be paying more than you would for just the standard wifi model. Payment plan amounts differ depending on how much data you want to be able to use. The more you go up in gigabytes, the more expensive your monthly fee is going to be.
So the added convenience of always being connected can come at a price, so it is a good idea to consider if the school needs for these tablets to stay connected, or if it is just better to go with the standard models and use local wifi.
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