Category: Apps

Creating a Scavenger Hunt for use with Mobile Devices

Create a Mobile Learning Scavenger Hunt  – this is a post describing the use of an app (available on Apple or Android mobile devices) for participants to locate specified information, or undertake certain tasks in a given location. This particular post describes the use at an education event where the tasks set out via the app make use of the features of the mobile device (such as using the camera or audio recording apps) for participants to either work individually or in collaboration with others, and to use the scavenger hunt app to provide the feedback (whether answering questions, locating specific places and unlocking clues when in location, or taking images or recording audio at specified locations). The app used in this event is called Social Scavenger, which is free, but the ideas which are described could be adapted for use using other tools to suit the required learning intentions for a specific class.

The video below gives a flavour of the use of this scavenger hunt app in use at the education event

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0ghDN6VH6G0

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BYOD4L

Bring Your Own Device for Learning (BYOD4L) is an online, free, non-registration week-long course provided by several higher education institutions as a way of providing a platform for anyone (whether learner or teacher) to engage in reflection, practical activity, and collaboration on the theme of Bring Your Own Device for Learning.

This online resource is designed for a specific week (from 14 July 2014) with collaborative activity of participants encouraged and supported from anywhere during this period. However the online resources, links to tools, apps and research put together by the organisers and made available online, as well as the shared dialogue and feedback from participants during this week linked from this site, make this a resource which will have usefulness well beyond the week itself and will be of benefit to learners and teachers whether or not they were able to make use of the resource during that specific time period.

Supporting Guided Reading with Mobile Devices

Monica Evon has produced a grid (shared on the te@chthough blog) in which ideas for supporting guided reading are matched to apps on a tablet device. Although these ideas are matched to a specific device and apps available on that operating system (in this case iPads) the ideas can be applied to other devices or operating systems and appropriate apps, programs or online tools. So there are ideas and suggested apps shown for practising vocabulary, listening, reading aloud to someone else, writing, and reading to self. Although each activity and suggestion is only for a specific device and operating system, there are alternative apps, programs or online tools available to achieve the same learning intention – Monica Evon’s post may help prompt ideas to use what is available.

Displaying your mobile device screen through a projector

So you want to display what’s on your mobile device to your class? There are a variety of ways to do this from direct wired VGA connection or with Apple TV (for the iPad) or with apps (such as AirServer app).

7 Ways to show iPad on a projector screen – a post by Tony Vincent on the Learning in Hand blog describing a variety of ways in which to display what’s seen on the iPad on a projector, with each scenario explained and the resources required to make it work. Each situation makes one tool more suitable than another so this post also explains how different situations will be best served. Click here for 8 ways to show your iPad on a projector screen, an updated version of this post by Tony Vincent

How to mirror iPads onto your whiteboard – a post by Tim Bleazard on the City of Bradford ICT support blog describing different ways of displaying what’s on the iPad through a projector. 

Here’s a video by Richard Hirstwood showing how you can connect an iPad to a projector, screen or television with leads or via wireless: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf2qeXC6aOo

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Here’s a video tutorial on using the Reflector app on an Ipad to mirror what appears on the iPad on a projector: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=4ezxd0Hsavk&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D4ezxd0Hsavk%26feature%3Dyoutu.be&app=desktop

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Mirror360 – an app which promotes itself as able to mirror everything on the mobile device screen through a desktop computer to a projector

One Tablet Classroom

12 Apps for the One iPad Classroom – if your school or classroom is in the early stages of using mobile tablet devices there may well be only one tablet device per class at the beginning stages. If that’s the case then this post by Monica Burns may be helpful as it provides suggestions for apps which will be useful where there is only one iPad tablet device in the classroom.

iPads4Schools The One iPad Classroom – this post on the iPad4Schools blog describes some apps and some guides to workflow (storing and sharing work done by multiple pupils through the one iPad) which will work where a class has access to only one iPad tablet device.

Playing with Media on the iPad – #CUERockstar – ideas and links to resources for use with an iPad (though ideas can translate to other devices) including ideas for when a device is a shared device to manage class folders of images. Describes various tasks and suggested apps which can be used to undertake the tasks.

iPad as the teacher’s Pet v2.0 – a post by Tony Vincent which sets out how a teacher can use a single iPad ior tablet device in a classroom, even where pupils do not have devices, for many different purposes. Each is described and illustrated with visual infographic posters.

If you’re appy and you know it…

There are thousands of apps and online tools available to download and use on mobile devices, but which are the best, and how can you use them with pupils?

This blog contains a section on Device Neutral Assignments, allowing staff and pupils to select a tool that will work on their device to achieve a task.

As the use of mobile devices for learning evolves in Falkirk Council, we’d love to hear about the latest and greatest apps and tools you are using with pupils, and share the best tools to support staff and pupils.

Click on the big red “Submit” button to suggest a tool for learning!