Things to Know about Apps & Apple Devices

I've put together a list of things to know about iOS, apps, iTunes, and the App Store:

• Some software programs for Apple handhelds (known as "apps") come preinstalled on every device, including Safari for web browsing, Mail for email, and Notes for text files.
• You can download and install many more apps from the App Store. The App Store can be found in two places: in iTunes on Mac and Windows computers or in its own app on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.
• The App Store is organized in categories, including Games, Education, Photography, and Productivity.
• In addition to browsing categories, you can search the App Store. In iTunes you can perform a Power Search to filter results to free apps or a specific device. Alternatively, you can browse and search app at AppShopper.com. AppShopper's search results are more detailed than iTunes'.
• Approximately 34% of all apps are free of charge and another 31% are 99¢. The average price for an app is $2.50.
• You must have an iTunes account to download apps. For school sets of handhelds, it is recommended you create an account specifically for school. Typically Apple demands a credit card number to create an account. Follow these directions before creating an account and you won't be required to supply a credit card number.
• Each app downloaded is associated with an iTunes account.
• You can authorize up to five computers to use an iTunes account. An unlimited number of Apple handhelds can sync to a single computer.
• A single computer can have more than one account authorized on it. This is different than being signed in. Authorizing multiple accounts allows for installation of apps that may have been downloaded while signed into different accounts. Authorize accounts from iTunes' Store menu.
• Accounts authorized in iTunes are also authorized on the devices synced to that iTunes app Library.
• Syncing an individual device to the same computer each time is ideal. Attempting to sync to a different computer than the original can result in data loss and extreme frustration.
• You can sync multiple devices to one Mac or Windows computer simultaneously. There are options for carts, cases, and hubs to allow for connecting large numbers of devices to one computer.
• iPad can run almost all iPhone/iPod touch apps. iPhone and iPod touch cannot run iPad-specific apps. Universal apps can run on all three kinds of devices and are denoted in the App Store with a + symbol.
• Apps are updated periodically. Updates are free and often offer extra features and bug fixes.
• Some apps require the latest version of the iOS. You can check to see if your device is running the latest release of iOS by connecting it to iTunes, clicking the device's Summary Tab, and click the Check for Update button.
• Unlike music and movies, you can always re-download both free and paid apps from the App Store free of charge. Be sure you are signed into the iTunes account in which you originally bought the app.
• Free and paid apps purchased in the App Store app on the Apple handheld are copied to the iTunes Library upon the next sync.
• Periodically paid apps go on sale for free. For school sets of devices, be sure to document when apps are downloaded for free in case of a software audit.
• I often share apps you may be interested in on Twitter. Oftentimes the apps I share are temporarily on sale, so download them while they are free or cheap. twitter.com/tonyvincent
• Twitter users who reference an educational app frequently tag their tweets with #edapp. Searching Twitter for #edapp shows you these tweets all in one spot. Read more about #edapp.
• Apple has different Terms & Conditions for educational institutions relating to paid apps. Apple expects U.S. education customers to purchase a license for each device a paid app will be installed on using the App Store Volume Purchase Program.
• Apps can be organized into folders by tapping and holding one app until it jiggles. Then drop apps into existing folders or drop an app onto another to create a folder. Press the Home button when done.
• Folders and icon positions are individual to each device. Unless you restore a device from the backup of another device, folder and icon positions have to be manually set on each handheld.
• Deleting an app from the iTunes Library will also remove the app from any device which synchronizes with that library.
• Delete apps on the device by tapping an holding one app's icon until all icons begin to jiggle. Tap the X next to an app's icon to delete the app. Press the Home button when done.
• To prevent students from deleting apps, enable Restrictions and turn off Deleting Apps in the General section of the Settings app on each device.
• To prevent students from logging into their own accounts and installing apps, enable Restrictions and turn off Installing Apps in the General section of the Settings app on each device. However, this will need to be turned off and back on each time you want to legitimately install apps, even through iTunes.
• Double-tap the Home button to access a list of recently used applications and toggle among them.
• Got a lot of apps? Tap the Home button while on your first screen of apps to access a search field where you can enter an app's name to launch it.

Four Student Response Systems

If you've got a class set of computers or mobile devices, then you've got a student response system. Response systems sold to schools typically consist of a handheld remote, called a clicker, and software for managing students, questions, and answers. Rather than pay over $1,000 for a set of clickers, a WiFi-equipped classroom that already has iPod touches, iPads, netbooks, etc. (or invited students to bring their own) can turn those devices into a response system for much less.

Google Docs

Google Docs provides a free way to collect responses called Forms. The teacher creates a questionnaire for students to complete. Questions can be multiple choice, true/false, short answer, essay, or a scale. Once the form is completed, Google provides a very long URL that is much to long for anyone to manually type. So, forms can be linked from or embedded in a class web page. Alternatively, a URL shortener like j.mp, bit.ly, or tinyurl.com can be used to create a shorter web address that redirects to the obnoxiously long one. This way students can simply type the short URL in their device's browser to access the questions.

The responses are collected in a spreadsheet the teacher accesses online. Google makes it easy to see responses in graphs by simply choosing Show summary of responses from the Form menu. With a Google Form, students are not required to respond at the same time. The questionnaire is online and ready for them any time they ready. For more information about using Google Docs as a student response system, view Radford University's video on YouTube.

Poll Everywhere

Another service that can be used as a student response system is Poll Everywhere. They have a nice Web interface that looks great on a laptop or mobile device. Poll Everywhere can also take responses through text messages. Students text in their answers to the teacher's question using identifying codes. Be aware that Poll Everywhere and Google Docs do not provide feedback to students since there is no way to indicate correct and incorrect answers. While there is a free Poll Everywhere plan for K-12 classrooms, the $50 per year plan gives teachers the ability to see individual student responses and to approve text-based responses before they appear for the whole class to see. Read more about Poll Everywhere.

QuestionPress

QuestionPress (formerly QuickieQ) is a 100% web-based audience and classroom response/assessment tool. This means that QuestionPress is accessible on any Internet connected device. Students can easily find and bookmark their teacher's QuestionPress URL. Alan Degener, QuestionPress' developer, writes more about the service:

QuestionPress is one of the few response web sites that allows you to offer a fully live session where you can control which questions are asked, when they are asked, in what order they are asked, and when and how results are sent to the responders’ screens. Questions can also be served at the responder’s pace with options that allow for the scores and correct answers being displayed upon completion.

You can use a prepared question set and/or create questions on-the-fly. Points can be assigned to all questions and QuestionPress can auto-score multiple choice, true/false, yes/no, short answer, fill in the blank, sorting, numeric, “images as answers”, and “check all that apply” problems. Other question types include essay, ranking, and file uploads. Dynamic questions with images can be created using a simple yet powerful WYSIWYG editor, which includes a math equation editor and grapher. Questions can be edited on-the-fly and questions created in a live session can be imported into question sets or used directly in future session. Question sets can be stored, organized and shared with others. Session results can be organized into folders and sessions can be reopened to help consolidate data.

There are no responder accounts with QuestionPress, so students do not need to remember yet another login and password. Students can use student ids or other codes to protect privacy.

A standard QuestionPress license starts at 35-responders per session. Polling mode increases that limit 10 fold, allowing you to put polls up on your classroom web site. You can also use QuestionPress for homework since it is web-based and can run asynchronously. The email feature allows you to email results to responders when they finish the question set or you can add comments and annotations and send out emails later.

QuestionPress starts at just $24 for an annual 35-responder license. Larger license and multiple session licenses are optional. Group accounts are also available. For more information, a complete list of features, and to sign up for a free trial account go to questionpress.com.

eClicker Host

An option for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch using teachers is the eClicker Host app. Priced at $9.99, it's a very affordable solution because no subscription is required. Only the teacher needs the app; students can use any web browser or the free eClicker iOS app. Student devices need to be on the same WiFi network as the teacher's iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. The app provides a URL for students to type into their browsers. Devices running the optional and free eClicker app automatically detect the teacher's device on the network running eClicker Host. If eClicker Host is running on iPad, up 64 responders can connect. For iPhone and iPod touch, the maximum is 32 responders.

Like QuestionPress, the teacher can control what question is displayed on students' screens. When the teacher moves to the next question, everyone's screens change at the same time to display the next question.

Teachers can compose multiple choice or true false questions on their mobile device or at eClicker.com. Sadly, eClicker does not support short answer or open-ended responses. I don't mind composing the questions on my iPad. I can even include images from my Photo Library or draw one within the app. Alternatively, questions can be edited on a computer at editor.eclicker.com by first creating an account within the eClicker Host app. When done editing, syncing your account updates the on your device. Teachers can even share question sets with one another via Bluetooth.

eClicker has worked well for me for informal assessment. However, it does not have a management system where I can track students over time. It's not a quiz or evaluation tool. If you use eClicker, you'll notice that each question has a timer. I have not found a way to turn off the timer, which can be a distraction. eClicker Host lacks options, especially compared to QuestionPress. But, with fewer features, eClicker Host is streamlined and simplistic. Find out more about eClicker.

Response systems can improve attentiveness, increase knowledge retention, inform instruction, and provide immediate feedback. It's nice to have affordable choices. I've only highlighted on the four systems I've used myself. There are certainly many more. Which one to choose? Fortunately Google Docs and Poll Everywhere can be used for free, and QuestionPress has a free trial. There is no free version or trial for the eClicker Host app. If you have a favorite, please tell us about it in the comments.

Classroom clicker photo licensed under Creative Commons by Flickr user Kentucky Country Day.

What I Bought in 2010

Like I did for 2009, I thought I'd look back on 2010 by sharing technology and technology-related products I purchased during the year. While I think these items are way awesome, it's not about the stuff. It's about what I can do with the stuff--and I have to say, I can do some pretty incredible things!

iPad, iPhone 4, 4th Generation iPod touch
Since I do so many iPad and iPod touch workshops for teachers, I certainly had to purchase these items. I replaced my iPhone 3GS with the iPhone 4 because of the higher resolution display and better camera. I've been using the Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit to copy photos and videos directly from iPhone to iPad. I also use the Apple iPad Case because I like the way it props up iPad for easier on-screen typing. It seems overkill to have all three, but strangely enough, I have been known to use all three devices at once.

Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
Touchscreens are a great way to interact with apps, but they are also a great way to smear and smudge glass. Zwipes work better than any other kind of cloth or towel I've used on my iPad, iPod touch, and iPhone. I keep Zwipes all around the house, office, and in my travel bag because I like to wipe my screen clean several times a day. A word of caution: I cut a Zwipe into fourths, thinking that would be a terrific size for travel and to give away at workshops. However, cutting the cloth made lots of microfiber pieces and the cloth unusable for screen cleaning because of the fuzzy mess left behind.

Tekkeon TekCharge MP1800
Since I travel so much, I find that my iPhone's battery charge isn't sufficient to get me from Point A to Point B. The Tekkeon TekCharge MP1800 is a high-capacity battery that juices up anything that charges through USB. I also use it to charge my iPod touch and MiFi mobile hotspot. The MP1800 is also a flashlight.

AR.Drone Quadricopter
Augmented Reality is all the rage. That's where live images of the real world are mixed with digital information. The AR.Drone is a quadricopter controlled by an app for iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. It connects through WiFi and relays video from two cameras back to the app. Developers are busy making more apps that interface with the AR.Drone. I absolutely love flying my drone! I've recorded some really cool aerial video and you can find lots of great videos by searching YouTube. I'm taking my AR.Drone to the Mobile Learning Experience in Phoenix in April so that those at the conference can see this flying camera. I've bought an extra battery and charger so that I can fly longer than 12 minutes. I also purchased a Super Bright Blue LED UFO Light Kit for night flying. As much as I love the drone, it is easy to crash and can be expensive to repair.

Point 2 View USB Camera
If you've got a document camera, then you might not need a Point 2 View camera. If you don't, the Point 2 View makes for a pretty good doc cam. It requires the video to pass through a computer, but for most people, that isn't a big deal since a computer is probably already connected to a projector. The Point 2 View camera is very portable and IPEVO now offer a case (for an extra $40). My Point 2 View has traveled around the country with me as it's an easy way for me to show iPod touch and iPad screen. I really appreciate it's $69 price tag, which is inexpensive compared to a full-sized document camera. Read more about the Point 2 View camera in a post I wrote in April.

Universal Bracket Adapter Mount for Tripod
Now that so many handhelds, like iPhone and iPod touch, can take photos and video, there's a need to steady them on a tripod. The Universal Bracket Adapter Mount for Tripod is an innovative and inexpensive way to attach a handheld to a tripod. It's spring-loaded to fit devices of different sizes and has a hole for a standard tripod. With a mounted camera, I can film stable video, take focused photos, and do time-lapse photography. To go along with the bracket, I bought a new tripod for mobile movie making. The ZipShot Compact Ultra-Light Instant Tripod sets up in seconds. You've got to see the video of the ZipShot being opened!

Green Screen and Lighting
I use the green screen technique to give my videos a simple white background. You've probably noticed this effect in my Learning in Hand podcast. In 2010 I bought CowboyStudio Photography 10' X 12' Chromakey Green Muslin Backdrop with Support System and Carry Bag. While it is portable, I leave it set up in my office so it's ready to film when I am. An important piece to doing the green screen technique (called chromakey) is lighting. I light my screen with two work lights and light myself with two softbox lights. Separate lighting for the screen and the subject is important because you don't want the subject casting a shadow on the screen. I keep the green screen looking smooth by using a steamer on it before I film.

Canon Vixia HF S100 Camcorder with Directional Stereo Microphone
I upgraded to an HD camcorder in 2010 and it made a big difference in picture quality. Over the years I've tried all sorts of microphones with my camcorders. In 2010 I bought Canon 2591B002 DM-100 Directional Stereo Microphone for HF/HG Series Camcorders. It's a shotgun mic, so when filming, I don't have to worry about wearing a mic. Directional shotgun microphones are great in classrooms because they pick up sound from in front of them instead of all sounds in the room. Plus, there's no battery or set up to worry about. Note that many camcorders do not have the port where a shotgun microphone can be attached.

Blue Yeti USB Microphone
Blue makes the popular Snowball USB microphone. In 2010, Blue came out with the Yeti. It looks like a David Letterman-style mic and has settings to be directional or omni-direction. It sounds great and can be used to record or stream one person speaking or multiple people speaking. It is excellent for audio podcasting.

Software
While I'm always on the lookout for free apps, I have bought some apps and services in 2010. Most notably, I paid for Evernote Premium. I think Evernote is a great service, so it's nice I can support them. The main feature I use in Premium that isn't available in the free version is Note History. With this feature, I can go back in time to a different revision of a note. Other software I bought includes iTeleport for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. With iTeleport I can see my home computer's screen and control it from anywhere I have an internet connection. Another app for iPad is Air Display. It turns iPad into a second monitor for my MacBook. I've found this is to useful when traveling and working on projects. I move toolbars and pallets to the iPad screen where I can easily tap them and they are out of the way on my main laptop screen. When at home, I like to use my MacBook and my iMac at the same time. SynergyKM is free and is a tool that lets me share a single keyboard and mouse among multiple computers. Another free tool is Dropbox. Dropbox has software for Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and more. I can add anything to Dropbox and access it on all my other computers and devices. You get 2 GB of storage for free.

Magic Trackpad
I've always preferred a trackpad to a mouse. Apple's Magic Trackpad has replaced my mouse and I won't go back to having one. It's has a large touch-sensitive area and is wireless.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
While I like my Magic Trackpad, I don't really think of it as magical. But, I do think of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers as unbelievable. I use them on my Magic Trackpad and on my MacBook Pro to remove finger grease. Magic Eraser is also effective at cleaning white MacBooks and Apple iPad cases to make them look like new. Don't use water when cleaning electronics with Magic Eraser, because it works well dry. Also, don't use Magic Eraser on your device's screen since it is slightly abrasive.

Robots
In 2010 I started having robots do my dirty work! I bought a Roomba 562 Pet Series Vacuum Cleaning Robot. It can be set to vacuum on certain days at certain times, and it does carpet and tile floors. It's a little weird that Roomba does not vacuum in a pattern. Instead, it randomly wheels itself around the room, most likely going over each square foot more than once. My other robot is the Litter Robot LRII Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Box. Unlike other automatic litter boxes that rarely seem to work, my Litter Robot has worked flawlessly for 5 months. Seven minutes after a cat does his business, the robot's top sphere rotates 200 degrees and back, dropping clumps into a bag in the base. My cats always have a clean box, and I never have to scoop!

What do I plan to buy in 2011? I'll buy at least one Android tablet or handheld. I predict that Google's Android operating system will become a viable alternative to Apple's iOS in schools in the coming year. By the looks of it, we'll have plenty of quality choices for mobile learning in 2011!

Disclosure: I don't receive free or special deals from companies. I put my money where my mouth is--probably too much money when I add it all up. I do, however, make a little money if you follow a product link and buy from Amazon.

Recommended iOS Apps for 2010

The educator and developer community at iear.org has taken nominations and votes for their 2010 Best App Awards. While nominations and voting is now closed, the list of dozens of nominees is a valuable resource. Nominations were made in early December by those who read I Educational Apps Review's blog. There are nearly 20 categories and each category is divided into elementary and secondary.

You can view the 125 apps categorized in a spreadsheet or view their icons in a widget. Clicking an icon will take you to the app's details page in the App Store. The widget was made using Appsfire's Widget Maker.

Evaluation Rubric for Educational Apps

Harry Walker is the principal of Sandy Plains Elementary School in Baltimore County, Maryland. Fourth and fifth graders at the school are piloting one-to-one computing with iPod touches. In addition, Harry is a doctoral student at John Hopkins University. He's investigating the impact of iPod touch on student achievement.

One of his challenges is wading through the huge number apps available. He's crafted a rubric to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of an app in terms of how it may impact student achievement. His criteria include curriculum connection, authenticity, feedback, differentiation, user friendliness, and student motivation. Click to view the PDF.

Harry is looking for feedback about his rubric. Please offer any suggestions or compliments in the comments below. The feedback will help Harry improve the rubric and make it more useful. You're welcome to use the rubric yourself (just email him for permission).

Don't forget there's a great app review community at iear.org where educators review educational apps.

A Word About Free iOS Apps

Did you know that once you purchase an app, you can always download that app again for free? This is handy for apps that have been accidentally deleted or you want to download a purchased app onto a second computer or device.

As you might have noticed, an app can change price. Prices often go up and down. For example, in April I bought the student response app eClicker Host for $24.99. In May, the price was reduced to $9.99, and the app continues to be priced at less than half what I paid. Developers have the freedom to change prices at any time.

To tell the truth, you can live happily without ever paying for an app because a large portion of apps are free. In fact, 30% of the apps in the App Store are free of charge. App developers price their apps at $0 for many reasons:

• the app makes money from advertising
• the entire app is an advertisement
• the app is a "lite" version of a paid app
• the app does not make money for the developer

Another reason an app may be offered for free is that the developer wants to build buzz for the app. Often apps are offered for free for a day or two before returning to the original price. For example, SonicPics is currently priced at $2.99. I happened to have downloaded the app in April when the app was offered for free for one day.

Remember that app downloads, whether they are free or paid, are associated with a single iTunes account. If an app is for classroom use, be sure to download it using the classroom or school iTunes account so that it can be installed on the devices that use that account.

When you download a free app for use on a classroom set of handhelds, I suggest documenting it. If the school is audited by Apple, you then have proof the app was purchased for free.

There are a number of sources that provide timely information on app price reductions:

• AppShopper.com and the AppShopper app provide many search options. I like the Popular Price Changes in Education page. You can limit that page to just iPhone or iPad apps. Education isn't the only app category with great apps for students, so you it might be worth checking out Popular Price Changes in All Categories. AppShopper is nice enough to provide web feeds for these price reduction lists.
• Twitter users frequently share apps they have found on sale. Even if you don't have a Twitter account, you can search Twitter for #edapp free to see if there are any current deals.
• iTunes lists Top Free Apps in Education (and top free apps for all other categories). Apps that are on sale often climb to the top of the Top Free Apps lists as users grab them before the price reverts back to paid.
• FreeAppAlert tracks paid iPhone apps that just became free. You can get their alerts via email if you'd like. Similarly there's Free App a Day, but it focuses mainly on games.

If you have any kind of inkling that you might use a free app, I suggest "purchasing" it while it's on sale. You can immediately delete the app if you don't want the app taking up space on your device or in your iTunes library. Like paid apps, you can always download an app you "purchased" for free again from the App Store. This works even after the app has increased in price. In other words, you can download a free app, delete it, and re-download it for free anytime in the future, even if the app is no longer offered for free.

To re-download an app, you will have to click its price in the App Store. This will make it seem like you are going to have to pay for it. However, after entering your password, the App Store will display a message that you have already purchased the app and kindly informs you that you can re-download free of charge.

Obviously, paying attention to price reductions can save lots of money, especially when it comes to class sets of iOS devices.

Refine Your Twitter #edapp Search

Twitter has become a valuable tool to discover educational apps. I've written about the #edapp keyword tag, and Episode #22 of my podcast features apps I learned about through the Twitter #edapp tag. Since searching Twitter is now a part of my daily routine, I thought I'd share some search tips.

When you use the twitter.com website, you can save a search. Login and input your search into the box on the right side of the page. On the search results page, click Save this search. The search text will appear on the right side of the page under Saved Searches each time you're logged in. You can click the saved search to see the latest results without having to retype the search.  Your Saved Searches also appear in many Twitter apps for handy access. 

Before you save your search, consider refining it. You can refine the #edapp search to produce results that are more useful. One thing you can do is add more tags to the search. I've added #iear to my search. #iear is the tag used by the I Educational Apps Review community. I've also added #slide2learn. Slide to Learn 2010 was a conference in Australia devoted to Apple's handhelds and the conversion continues on Twitter. To have your search display results from all three tags, enter the following into the search field (be sure to capitalize OR):

#edapp OR #iear OR #slide2learn

Retweets are when someone repeats someone else's Twitter update. Retweets are a way for users to give credit to the original author and to repeat the information to their own followers. Most of the time retweets start with RT. I often look out for RTs because these are the tweets that someone thought were so important that they were worth repeating. However, retweets can be annoying when reading through the results of a Twitter search because you find yourself reading the same tweets over and over. You can omit retweets from your search results by adding -RT to your search string. I've refined my search to:

#edapp OR #iear OR #slide2learn -RT

Just as you can omit retweets, you can use the minus sign to exclude tweets that contain certain words and tweets from specific users. For example, I do not want tweets from the Twitter username _EducationApps_ to appear in my search results. So, I type a minus in front of _EducationApps_ in my search string so that tweets from this user do not clutter my results:

#edapp OR #iear OR #slide2learn -RT -_EducationApps_ -KnowPro

I can, of course, refine my search string even more. As I read through my search results, there will probably be more users I want to remove from my results and perhaps more keyword terms I want to add. 

To sum up, instead of simply saving a search for #edapp, you can refine your search string so that you are one click or tap away from reading tweets that are of interest to you.

Learning in Hand Podcast #23: Collecting & Organizing Voice Memos

Learning in Hand Podcast Episode #23: Collecting & Organizing Voice Memos explains how to sync voice memos from an iPod, iPod touch, or iPhone. Using Smart Playlists in iTunes, see how students and teachers can sync and automatically organize recordings. This process is essential in classrooms where teachers collect reading fluency samples, student reflections, and podcast segments.

Download, watch on YouTube or Vimeo, or view in iTunes all 6 minutes 12 seconds of Episode #23 for tips, how-tos, and ideas for collecting and organizing voice memos.

Download the handouts mentioned in the episode:

Collect Student Recordings with iTunes Directions		Collect Student Recordings Using Posterous.com Directions

Transcript:

This is the Learning in Hand Podcast. I'm Tony Vincent and this is the show where I share tips, how-tos, and ideas for handhelds in teaching and learning. Episode 23, “Collecting and Organizing Voice Memos” recorded August 2010, happens now!

iPod, iPod touch, and iPhone have the the ability to record voice memos. If your iPod doesn't have a built-in microphone, you can attach one like the Blue Mikey, Thumbtacks, or earbuds with mic.

I covered lots of information and uses for voice recording in Episode #14. There are many occasions where teachers want students to record audio. Whether it's to assess reading fluency, share reflections, record segments for a podcast, document a field trip, record a musical performance, or archive a discussion or interview, the teacher will most likely want to transfer the recording from the device to computer for listening and sharing.

Voice Memos can be transferred to iTunes by syncing. When synced, a Voice Memos playlist will appear if you don't already have one. All recordings are placed in this folder. By default, recordings are named by the date and time the recording started.

Once copied to iTunes, the recording is in two places: iTunes and the handheld. If you delete a voice memo on the handheld, it isn't deleted from the Voice Memos playlist in iTunes. But, if you delete a voice memo from iTunes, it is deleted from iPod touch the next time you sync.

That Voice Memos playlist isn't well organized. All you is see the date, time, and length of the recording. This is no good for the teacher who is collecting reading fluency samples--or collecting any kind of recordings. I'd like to show you how to use Smart Playlists in iTunes to automatically sort Voice Memos into playlists for each student. This makes it easy for teachers and students to find their own work.

First, set up a Smart Playlist for each student:

1. Choose New Smart Playlist from the File menu.
2. Set the rule to Artist contains and the student?s name. Click OK.
3. Complete the steps above for each student.
4. For each smart playlist, click View Options from the View menu. Remove all checkmarks except Artist, Time, and Comments.
5. When a voice memo is added and Artist is changed to the student?s name, it will automatically appear in the student?s smart playlist.

So then here's how it works:

1. A student records using the Voice Memos app on iPod touch. The student should say his or her name at the beginning of the recording.
2. Connect to the computer. The recording should appear in iTunes? Voice Memos playlist. You may have to click Yes if a dialog box appears asking if you would like to copy voice memos to your iTunes library.
3. Select the Voice Memos playlist.
4. Click View Options from iTunes? View menu. Checkmark Artist and Comments and click OK. Also select as List from the View menu. (These actions only have to be done once).
5. Play the recording and listen for the student?s name. Press Pause and click the recording?s Artist. Change the Artist to the student?s name. Be consistent about spelling and whether you use last names or initials.
6. Optionally, click under Comments to add any additional information about the recording.
7. You may delete the items in the Voice Memos playlist after you have added Artist information. This way the Voice Memos playlist shows only recordings that have not yet been tagged with a student?s name.
   You can place your smart playlists into a folder. Create a folder by choosing New Playlist Folder from the File menu. Name the folder. Then drag and drop each student?s playlist onto the folder. This is really handy for computers that are shared among multiple classes.

Having sorted recordings is helpful for collecting portfolio artifacts, grading, and easy access for students to incorporate into their projects.

There are of course variations to the process I've shown you. For example, if only one student uses each iPod, you can name each iPod the same as the student. When synced, the iPod's name is shown in the Artist's field and will automatically sort without you having to listen for a name.

Another way to collect and organize recording is to have student email from their iOS handheld to Posterous. Watch episode #21 for more info. At learninginahand.com/23 you'll find a handout with the steps for using Posterous for collecting student-made recordings. You'll also find a handout with the steps for setting up Smart Playlists like I've shown in this episode.

That's it for Episode 23. For a transcript and much more about iPods, iPads, and podcasting, click on over to learnininginhand.com. Thanks for watching!

App Store Volume Purchase Program Explained

Apple has recently updated the Terms and Conditions for iTunes and the App Store. In addition, the company has announced the App Store Volume Purchase Program. In the past Apple had no mechanism for downloading an app more than once, so schools would purchase an app one time and distribute it to all their iPod touches, iPads, and iPhones. This arrangement made app purchases for class sets of handhelds inexpensive but was not properly compensating app developers.

The new App Store Volume Purchase Program requires schools to follow Terms and Conditions that are different from the Terms and Conditions for individual consumers. Apple even reserves the right to audit purchases to make sure that schools are following all of the usage rules for educational institutions, including purchasing activation codes for each device onto which an app is installed.

In the Terms and Conditions and in the Volume Purchase Program Frequently Asked Questions, Apple describes the process of ordering vouchers which can be used to purchase activation codes. While schools with class sets would buy activation codes for each of their handhelds, only one code would be redeemed if all handhelds are synced to the same computer. The remaining activation codes would not be redeemed, but kept in case of an audit.

Jim Siegl made a useful flowchart that visually explains the process:

1. A Program Facilitator creates a quote for a one or more Volume Vouchers for a set dollar amount in $100 increments.
2. This request is routed to the district Authorized Purchaser who approves the quote and places the order.
3. The voucher is sent to the Program Facilitator via mail.
4. The Authorized Purchaser receives the Voucher and send the voucher to the Program Facilitator via internal mail.
5. Using a New Apple ID created for this purpose, the Program Facilitator searches for and purchases apps in
   variable quantities, up to the dollar limit of the voucher amount and billed accordingly.
6. The Program Facilitator will receive an email with a link to a dashboard, now populated with app-­‐specific codes. These codes can be distributed to users for redemption at the App Store.
7. The Program Facilitator distributes the app specific codes to the individual that requested them.
8. The requestor redeems the codes in one of three ways (assume 30 iPods)
   
   • a. One code is redeemed to a single iTunes account, iTunes is activated with that account on up to five 5 computers. The 29 remaining codes are kept on file in the event of an audit.
   • b. 30 codes are distributed and redeemed against 30 school managed iTunes accounts.
   • c. 30 codes are distributed and redeemed against 30 student managed iTunes accounts. App becomes property of the student.

As you can gather, the process is complicated. No more can teachers with class sets of Apple handhelds simply purchase an app in iTunes and sync. Now the teacher must work with the school district's Volume Purchase Program Facilitator to acquire a voucher and activation codes. Jim has written more about the intricacies of the Volume Purchase Program and step-by-step instructions on the IEAR wiki.

As part of the program, individual app developers have the option to offer up to 50% discounts on purchases of 20 or more of the same app. You won't see the discount in the App Store itself. You'll have to search for the title of app on the App Store Volume Purchase Program page. For example, when I search for SonicPics, I can see pricing for 1-19 units and for 20+ units.

For a class set of 30, it would cost about $45 to purchase SonicPics for each handheld. In the world of desktop software, that's not bad. However, it's still very pricey compared to the $3 it would cost before the Volume Purchase Program went into effect. The best way to take advantage of the power of Apple's handhelds is to equip them with multiple apps, which will add up very quickly. Not only will the Volume Purchase Program be costly when buying many different apps, but it also requires schools to keep documentation in case Apple decides to do an audit.

I think the extra cost and steps to purchase apps for schools will greatly curtail educational app purchases. Some good news is that the Volume Purchase Program is only for paid apps. Free apps can be downloaded immediately without going through the process outlined in the flowchart. It's reassuring to know that 30% of apps in the App Store are free and you can search the App Store for only free apps by conducting a Power Search.

With nearly 300,000 items in the App Store, there's a good chance you'll find a free alternative to a paid app. For instance, searching for Digital Storytelling gave me a great free alternative to SonicPics called Storyrobe.

Often apps are offered for free for a limited time. You can find out about these deals by searching Twitter for #edapp and using sites like FreeAppAlert and AppShopper. When downloading free apps, educators should document that the app was free. This way if the app does become a paid app in the future, there is proof the app was properly acquired.

Judi Epcke, Scott Meech, and I discuss the Volume Purchase Program in Episode #3 of the IEAR podcast. The three of us were confused and frustrated by Apple's new process. Hopefully as more schools transition to using the App Store Volume Purchase Program, we'll know more about the benefits and limitations of the recently developed rules for purchasing apps.

Hurry! Free eBooks from Kaplan

Kaplan Publishing is offering 100 free eBooks in the iBooks Store. To see what books are available, you first must download the free iBooks app (which requires an iPad or iOS 4).

Launch iBooks, tap Store, tap the Featured tab, and tap the ad for Kaplan's free books, or go to tonyv.me/kapfree in mobile Safari. You are taken to a page where you can see the free books in the categories of College, Graduate, Law, Medicine, Nursing and Education.

Free books include in the Education category include First Year Teacher, Sharp Vocabulary, Sharp Writing, Kaplan 101 Biology Practice Questions, and SOS: Stressed Out Student' Guide to Handling Peer Pressure.

The books are free until August 30, 2010.

If you'd like to be in the know for timely deals on eBooks and apps, follow me on Twitter (username tonyvincent) and/or search Twitter for the hashtag #edapp.

Learning in Hand Podcast #22: Educational Apps

Learning in Hand Podcast Episode #22: Educational Apps features lists of apps for Apple's handhelds. It also showcases apps that educators have shared on Twitter.

Download, watch on Vimeo, or view in iTunes all 10 minutes 22 seconds of Episode #22 for some great app suggestions. Links to all sites and apps can be found below in the transcript.

Transcript:

This is the Learning in Hand podcast. My name is Tony Vincent and this is the show where I share tips, how-tos, and ideas for handhelds in teaching and learning. Episode 22, “Apps for Education” recorded June 2010, happens now!

Apple has sold over 100 million of their handhelds, which include iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. These devices run the iOS, which was formerly known as the iPhone Operating System. This month Apple is touting that 5 billion apps have been downloaded, which is about 50 downloads per iOS device! There's so much in the App Store and it's growing by about 700 apps per day!

It can be challenging for an educator to stay tuned into the latest and greatest apps.

You can search the App Store for apps that might go with your activity or unit of study. When searching you can limit the results to free apps by clicking Power Search. Pay attention to the reviews. Unfortunately, reviewers are often not educators so reviews and ratings might not reflect an app's true value to you. Be sure to pay attention to the apps at the bottom of the page listed under Customers Also Bought. I've discovered some great this way.

Outside of the App Store, there are many helpful people who have put together various lists of apps for teaching and learning. I've bookmarked over 30 lists of educational apps on my delicious page at delicious.com/tonyvincent. Let me tell you about a few of them.

• There's iear.org where you can click a Grade Level or choose a subject under Lockers. Some of the reviews have videos and all reviews are by educators.
• The Recess Duty blog has a list of the 99 iPod touch apps used by a middle school teacher during the 2009-2010 school year.
• Macworld has an extensive App Guide with various categories, including Education Genres.
• ConnSENSE Bulletin has a very extensive listing of apps. Apps have short descriptions of their educational uses.
• There's a great 24-page document by Eric Sailers on Scribd.com full of apps for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch with a focus on Special Education. The list is arrnaged by category.
• Kindergarten Teachers at St. Mary's Episcopal School in Tennessee have a website for their Poddy Training project. They list a few of their favorite apps and their blog has some useful videos and advice.

My list of lists continues to grow! But I want to tell you about some of the apps I learned about from Twitter.

Long Division 1.4 for iPhone now lets you set you own problems http://bit.ly/926uii #edapp #edtechSat Jun 05 21:32:18 via webEsa Helttula idevbooks

Esa posted a link to the new features added to the Long Division app. It's an app that can be used to learn and study the long division method. Students can solve random problems, large and small, or enter their own. You might want to check out other apps by the developer, iDevBooks, including Long Multiplication, Column Subtraction, and Fraction Math.

Just been trying our #edapp StoryKit good for all ages could create work experience diary for older studentsMon Mar 22 14:21:38 via webIrene K cumbriaitouch

Irene wrote a tweet mentioning StoryKit. It's an app where users can create digital storybooks. Just combine text, a drawing or image, and recording a narration or sound effects. The storybook can be shared online. You'll get a URL, but the sounds won't play back on an iOS device--but sounds work great in a desktop browser. Here's an example.

You might notice that these Twitter posts, called tweets, contain #edapp. This is called a hastag. A hashtag begins with the number sign/pound symbol and then contains a keyword. Hastags make it easier to search and archive tweets. Educators are tagging their tweets that mention an education app with #edapp. This way, even people who aren't registered with Twitter, can go to search.twitter.com and search for #edapp. Twapper Keeper and Twubs are sites that keep archives of all #edapp Twitter posts and are full of great app suggestions.

@tonyvincent thank you for the #edapp idea -Faces iMake - Creative Craziness !!! - great tool for the classroom-http://appsto.re/facesimakeThu Jun 03 16:25:01 via webFaces iMake FacesIMake

The developer for the Faces iMake app wrote about their app that is all about "creative craziness." Instead of drawing with a pencil or paint, you draw with stuff. You use food and objects to make a face. It's actually quite fun and the objects can have meaning. For example, when I make a self-portrait, I included the foods I like and objects that have meaning to me.

A 3 inch ruler for the iPod touch/iPhone: http://bit.ly/dzRZXm limited but will include in iPod classroom app list... #edappFri Mar 19 16:49:04 via webRecessDuty RecessDuty

RecessDuty posted a link to a 3 inch ruler for iPod touch and iPhone called TapeMeasure!. It might be handy to instantly have a ruler around when you need it.

Numbl-Number Jumble Fun App: http://bit.ly/cOgz5u #edappWed Mar 24 12:48:55 via webRecessDuty RecessDuty

She also posted a link to Numbl - Number Jumble Fun. It's a game where 2 players touch numbered tiles as fast as they can to reach a target sum. This is great for sharpening mental math skills.

Mental Note (2.99) and Mental Note Lite. Nice combination of voice recording, text, picture, and drawing with email export. #edappSat May 22 09:58:41 via webmystre mystrEapps

Mystre mentioned Mental Note, both free and pay versions. It's a way to combine text, photos, sketches, and audio that can be organized and even shared through email.

Check Out - Podcasting for Education - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/podcasting-for-education/id352216825?mt=8 #iTunes #Free #EdApps #iPodFri Apr 30 14:16:20 via webFred Delventhal riptidef

Fred wrote about the Podcasting for Education app. It's a set of 7 tutorial videos for educators who want to learn how to podcast using GarageBand. If you're not a Mac user, this app isn't for you since GarageBand is Mac-only software.

"BrainPOP Releases Featured Movie App For iPad | BrainPOP Educators" ( http://bit.ly/bt1eQ9 ) #iPad #iear #edappSat Apr 03 23:39:09 via twitthatFred Delventhal riptidef

Fred also tweeted the BrainPOP Featured Movie app for iPad. While the current BrainPop.com site uses Flash and won't work on an iOS device, this free app brings one video from their educational site to the iPad. You don't get a choice in what the featured movie is, but they are all good. Tim and Moby rarely disappoint.

Nice overview of the ins and outs of iWork for the iPad. http://linkyy.com/KX #edappFri May 14 09:19:58 via Twitter for iPhoneKathy Schrock kathyschrock

And on the topic of iPad, Kathy tweeted a link to an article that tells about the ins and outs of iWork apps for iPad. That's Apple's suite of three apps: Pages for word processing, Keynote for slideshows, and Numbers for spreadsheets. They are $9.99 each and are pretty powerful apps, but they do have some frustrating limitations and quirks.

Like you might have guessed, I'm on Twitter and I often share apps, especially ones that happen to be on sale. Sales typically last only a day or two, so Twitter is a great way to share these timely deals.

My favorite app, SonicPics, is FREE today--and that's no joke. http://tonyv.me/sp #edappThu Apr 01 07:21:38 via webTony Vincent tonyvincent

For example, one of my favorite iPod touch apps, SonicPics, was offered for free April 1st. SonicPics is like Microsoft PhotoStory where you can narrate a slideshow of images. The end product is a movie file you can share with others. You'l need a microphone if you're using this on an iPod touch.

iCut app is free today. It's a game where you cut shapes into congruent parts: http://tonyv.me/icut #edappWed May 26 02:55:19 via webTony Vincent tonyvincent

Another app that was offered for free is iCut. It's a puzzle game where players cut shapes into congruent parts. It starts out easy but gets harder and harder.

Prices for apps change periodically. So prices you see on Twitter or on websites may be outdated. And sometimes an app might change its name or disappear from the App Store.

Take a 3D view inside a cell with iCell! http://tonyv.me/icell #edappFri Apr 02 00:32:53 via webTony Vincent tonyvincent

An app that is free and completely awesome is iCell. It gives you a 3D look into an animal, plant, or bacteria cell. You can spin and zoom around the cell. Tap a structure to see its name and read about it.

RT @tonyvincent: Take a 3D view inside a cell with iCell! http://tonyv.me/icell #edappFri Apr 02 00:33:39 via TweetDeckLucas Gillispie PCSTech

You'll notice that many of the tweets when you search for #edapp are re-tweets. That means that the person tweeting is repeating a tweet from someone else. When someone retweets, they thought the original post was so go that it was worth repeating. Retweet posts often start with RT.

EnterState app is hard! Tap 50 states in 60 secs or less: http://tonyv.me/enterstate #edappWed Jun 09 01:15:35 via webTony Vincent tonyvincent

I tweeted about EnterState. It's a game where you try to tap 50 states in a minute or less. It's really hard and I have yet to meet anyone who can do it, which makes it a great geography challenge for students.

A new talking picture book every day on your iPhone/iPod touch: http://tonyv.me/readmestories #edappWed Mar 24 07:28:15 via webTony Vincent tonyvincent

Very young readers will like Read Me Stories. You can get a new talking picture book a day. You can read 7 books during your free trial, after that books are 10 cents each.

Please consider tweeting about apps you like for teaching and learning. Just remember to include #edapp. Also, it's helpful to include a link to the app in iTunes. Do that by searching for the app in iTunes. On the app's details page, click the triangle next to the download button and choose copy link. You can paste that into Twitter. If Twitter doesn't shrink the link for you, you might need to make it shorter first by using a URL shortener service like bit.ly.

You've seen a nice sampling of apps. Thanks to everyone who shared these on Twitter and keep them coming!

That’s it for Episode 22. For a transcript, web links, and much more about iPods, iPads, and podcasting, visit learninginhand.com. Thanks for watching!

Wallpaper iPod touch with Numbers

When you've got a class set of iPod touches, it's important to number them. Not only should the device's name (set in iTunes) include its number, but the number should be visible somewhere on the device. Some schools have numbers engraved by Apple. Others write with permanent marker or place a sticker on the back. Numbering classroom devices is important so that students and teachers can quickly identify the handhelds. Classrooms that are lucky enough to have a syncing/charging cart or tray typically number the slots so they can quickly see which iPods are missing.

Most schools are putting their iPods into protective cases, which is a great idea. (I like the 92¢ silicone cases from Monoprice.com.) The problem is that the case covers the engraved number or sticker. Stickers tend to fall off cases and marker rubs off.

An innovative way to identify iPods touches is to set the wallpaper image of each device to include its number. This way you can simply press the Home button and the screen instantly lights up and displays the device's number. Wallpaper can be any image that's in the Photos app. That includes images synced using iTunes or images saved from mobile Safari or other apps.

I've made three sets of images that you're welcome to use as wallpaper. You can go to a webpage for the collection of images below you'd like to download on each iPod touch and save the image of the number for each handheld. Or, better yet, have a class do this and it will take just a few minutes.

Alternatively, you can download a zip file that contains 50 images. You can unzip the file and sync all the images to all iPods. Then on each iPod set the image with the proper number to be the wallpaper image. Don't worry, if you delete the original image, it does not affect the wallpaper.

	Orange Wallpaper Go to a page where you can save each image individually or download a zip file containing 50 images.
	Black Wallpaper Go to a page where you can save each image individually or download a zip file containing 50 images.
	Blue Wallpaper Go to a page where you can save each image individually or download a zip file containing 150 images.

Of course you can certainly create your own images with desktop graphics software like Photoshop or GIMP. The resolution of an iPod touch's screen is 480 pixels by 320 pixels and it's helpful to make your images that size. In your images you might want to include your school or class name or logo along with the numbers. You might even want to color code numbers. Something else that could be fun is including the name and/or photo of the student to which the handheld is assigned.

Unfortunately, there's no way to lock down the wallpaper image on an Apple handheld. While students might switch the wallpaper image, let them know the importance of not changing the number.

Perhaps students would like to create their own wallpaper that includes their numbers. They could make their own images in a drawing app like iDoodleIt and save their images to Photos or take a screenshot. Then from the Photos app they can set the saved image as the wallpaper.