Education Expert IPod Touchers

After spending some time yesterday working with my new iPod touch, I knew I'd better get some expert help. My friends, Kathy Schrock and Tony Vincent, long know for their "handheld" computer expertise, have resources to help me investigate what's "out there"!

Kathy's blog lists the apps on her iPhone (she upgraded from her Touch to the iPhone) and some of them I have already downloded using both the method of downloading directly from the touch itself and from the iTunes interface. I like to read the description on the computer screen to see where the directions for use (such as games) and for the user reviews. I still keep a paper list of which ones I have installed with any comments I have while working with them.

Tony Vincent's blog, Learning in Hand, also has an excellent set of resources, with tips and hints. That's my next step, check what I have downloaded and read Tony's advice.

iPod Touch

iPod Touch 2d gen
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

I knuckled under to the tech gods and bought an iPod touch, 2nd generation on Cyber Monday. This is what it looks like (with the fake cover) when you open the box. MacMall did a great job shipping it overnight to me and I had it in my hands at noon yesterday. (I got a free case when I sent in the rebate as shown here)

Despite almost 25 years of working with technology, I still feel the thrill of shiny new stuff to learn about. I spent so long with it yesterday, I felt like an iPod newbie, even after owning a shuffle and a 5Gen Classic. Both of my iPod's still work and I am still using them.

This iPod is quite different and feels more like my Palm handheld as far as being versatile. The adventure continues....

Holiday Pressure

Past Stats
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

In 1999 I bought my first digital camera and went to nearby Plymouth, MA to take some photos to practice. I was teaching workshops then and decided that it might make a good topic for teachers to explore. I began to develop the idea, make Web pages and then in my graduate work for Lesley University, I upgraded many of those pages for a closer focus to curriculum needs.

I deleted most of the frivolous material, like Thanksgiving greeting cards, mazes, placements etc. (leaving only one for very young students and some coloring pages that depict things as we think we know it in the time of the Pilgrim forefathers.) I continue to receive requests from Webmaster to include crafts, cards, etc. Teachers are busy people. Do they have time for non-curriculum areas?

As you can see by this screenshot of the stats for my Web site, the number of visitors skyrockets in November. I have my links to check and so I must go now.

Storage Options

Storage Options
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

Every teacher used to need a file cabinet and bookshelves to hold their precious classroom materials. There were teachers that kept them locked to prevent sharing with other teachers. Now that teachers create materials that are electronic; does this change their attitudes about storage and sharing?

Many teachers learn the hard way that the computer in their classroom belongs to the school district and not to them and they return to school in September to discover that their files, bookmarks and even applications are gone because the school decided to upgrade the computers over the summer. What can teachers do about this?

Some teachers use online bookmarking tools like Furl, Diigo, or Delicious so that they can access their bookmarks from any computer. Most browsers offer "exporting" bookmarks/favorites to a format that can be stored for backup or to "import" to another computer.

Online storage is a popular solution but you should consider that it should not be the only location for the storage of an important file. You can use this to share a large file (that won't fit in an email) with another person or for access if you are traveling. DropBoks, MozyHome, and Box.net are three which offer a small amount of storage space for free or for a small fee. If you want to know more or compare features, check out this review.

I am writing an article about the usefulness of USB based desktop and portable hard drives. I own two and am considering a third.

Suggest

Suggest
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

One of the newest features of Google Searching is called Google Suggest. Although handy for everyday use, teachers may find this to be an annoyance in the classroom.

Turn off this Google Suggest feature:
go to the Google Preferences Page
click in the button next to "Do not provide query results in the search box."
click Save Preferences

Google's Advanced Search Page

For my Tappedin.org session of Frazel Features I'm planning to promote learning and discussion about the Advanced Search Page of Google. As part of a chapter on searching in my upcoming book, I present information on why searching using this page yields better and faster results to finding information. The advanced search page has been recently redesigned to help users better understand searching.

These are links you will find helpful for the session!

Google's Advanced Search page

Google Help Search Features

Google Guide "Making Searching Even Easier"

Rockwell Schrock's Boolean Machine

The Future of Search from Google's Blog

Master the Google Operands

Blogging From the Beach

I am lucky to be staying in a hotel with wi-fi and it seems that they have had it for two years and I didn't know. I checked the Web site to recommend this place to a friend and saw that they had wireless. I should be reading but here I am blogging. Life is good.

Blog Wordle

Copyright Slide Rule

Miguel Guhlin recently had a blog entry about a new Web site that helps everyone understand about the rules of copyright. It's called the Digital Slider. I think everyone should check this out!