iPad training Session 1

Thank you to all who attended the first iPad training session and also to those who took the time to complete the survey.  Based on your responses I would say it was a successful day!  Below I will summarize some of the survey results.

The presenters were knowledgeable about the topic.
	SA 15 88% A 2 12% D 0 0% SD 0 0%

The presenters were responsive to the needs and interests of the participants.
	SA 12 71% A 5 29% D 0 0% SD 0 0%

I had the opportunity to share my ideas and knowledge, as well as learn from and  with the other participants.
	SA 11 65% A 6 35% D 0 0% SD 0 0%

Participating in this workshop was a good use of my time.
	SA 10 59% A 6 35% D 1 6% SD 0 0%

When asked "What new thing did you learn?" here's what you said: The three fingered drag How to turn on the machine and navigate. I learned about many educational apps and how to now use them in a classroom.  "I learned a lot!  I like the period trick in settings.   Also, I had never done a full run-through of the settings, so that was interesting as well.   I think this first day served its purpose to get everybody on the same page.  " I learned how to shut off an app. Using Skitch to add drawings etc. to Evernote. Gestures. Evernote, Skitch, pen abilities, note taking apps, battery information I learned how to set up an Apple account and password. I also learned how to move icons. "I learned how Ever Note can allow you to share material between multiple electronic devices " The application of different apps. Evernotes How to use the 4 finger multi-gesture move to go left, right and up. How to close an application with 4 fingers. How to use apps for note taking. How to use certain apps for giving demonstrations. How to project what is on your ipad onto a smart board. How to take a picture of what you are looking at on your ipad. How to save on drop box and similar programs. Project the screen of the Ipad on to an apple TV. How the cloud works How to stop screen rotation Many educational Apps New ideas for students to take notes electronically how to prevent the screen from locking how to completely close any application that is running Don't know how to do one of the things listed above?  Please, ask one of the people who attended the session!  Know a cool trick that isn't listed?  Add a comment to this post to tell others about it. Below is a snippet from an article I read this morning that emphasizes the importance of collaborating with your peers to learn to use technology to really impact learning. If iPads, tablets, laptops, or anything else will transform classroom practice, it won't be because we airdropped them from the sky and teachers and students happen to catch them. It will be because the new affordances of technology capture the imagination of teachers and students and invite them into a sustained conversation about what's worth learning and how best to prepare young people for a changing world. Weekly (or bi-weekly, or monthly...) iPad Meetings? We need to talk, share best practices, teach each other!  Who's interested in starting an informal group to share iPad apps, ideas, and anything else tech related?  Please click this sentence to complete a survey so I can get an idea of interest. HAVE A GREAT VACATION!

Weekly Update

Competency Reports

• A cycle competency reports are just about done.  Thank you all for having your grades ready and dealing with the disappearing rankbook!
• Based on feedback from staff there have been some tweaks made to the competency levels.  This is what will be being used for this round of reporting, but it is by no means set it stone.  If you have suggestions please make them!  Use the comment link at the bottom of this post so we can have a public discussion about this!  Below is the chart going out to parents:

Level	Letter	Number	Performance Description
Advanced	ADV	90-100	The student consistently exceeds the performance standards for their grade level.  The student, with relative ease, grasps, applies, generalizes, and extends key concepts, processes, and skills consistently and independently.
Proficient	PR	80-89	The student consistently meets the performance standards for their grade level.  The student, with limited errors, grasps key concepts, processes, and skills for their grade level and understands and applies them effectively.
Needs Improvement	NI	65-79	The student is progressing toward meeting the performance standard for the grade- level. The student is beginning to grasp key concepts, processes, and skills for the grade-level, but demonstrates inconsistent understanding and application of concepts.
Not Met	NM	0-64	The student has not yet met the standard. The student is not demonstrating understanding of grade-level key concepts, processes and skills and requires additional time and support.
Not Assessed	NA		The student has not been assessed on this standard

 

• You are able to see the Competency ratings in iPass.  If you go to a student in view only and look at the grades tab you'll be able to see what their competency status is.  The standards align with the charts each department gave me.  If you don't know what your standards are send me an email and I'll send them to you.

Parent Teacher Conferences 

• If you haven't yet made your referrals for Parent Teacher Conferences, please do so by filling out this form:  https://docs.google.com/a/ssvotech.org/spreadsheet/gform?key=0AvHo4bouD7-edHNHT0FvSmtrdWE0Ykt3SjNjeEN4T2c&gridId=0#edit

Tech help with the Biggest Loser Competition

Thanks to Colette, SSVT is on its way to becoming a healthier, svelter, workplace (we hope...)!  So far 25 staff members have signed up for the biggest loser competition.   If you haven't signed up yet we encourage you to do so!  In the spirit of health and weight loss, I figured I'd dedicate this post to providing technical resources that will help you achieve your wellness goals.

1. Fitday:  http://www.fitday.com
FitDay is a free online diet journal and calorie tracker trusted by more than 6 Million users around the world.
Whether you're trying to lose weight, looking to maintain a healthy level of fitness, or training for a specific goal, you need FitDay!
Using FitDay is quick and easy. Register for your free account and immediately start taking control of your diet and fitness goals.

2.  My Fitness Pal:  http://www.myfitnesspal.com
MyFitnessPal is a diet and fitness community built with one purpose in mind: providing you with the tools and support you need to achieve your weight loss goals.

3.  Calorie Counter:  http://caloriecount.about.com
CalorieCount.com is a free online resource for those who want to live a healthy lifestyle. At no cost whatsoever, you can use Calorie Count to look up nutrition facts and view complete food labels for more than 250,000 foods. Members use Calorie Count as an online diet program, a nutrition coach, and a workout partner. Your personalized CalorieCount.com account provides a food journal, exercise log, a weight tracker, nutrition data, and diet analysis, all customized to your personal goals, so that you can start eating healthier. By seeing your calorie requirements, daily calorie count, nutrition analysis, and weight loss progress, you can get the weight loss results you seek or maintain the fit and healthy body you already have. In addition to the helpful diet and exercise tools, there is also an online community of 4 million members awaiting your unique story on the path to better health. 

4.  Fooducate:  http://www.fooducate.com
Fooducate is an iphone app, one of my personal favorites!  You scan the barcode on any food item and it will give you a "grade" for that product.  It allows you to easily see the health value of a particular product and helps you to make healthier decisions for you and your family.  From their website:

Fooducate automatically grades foods and beverage on a scale from A to D. There are 10 distinct grades: A, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, and D.  Fooducate’s  algorithm is based on information that is publicly on a product’s package: the nutrition facts panel and the ingredient list. We do not receive any additional information from manufacturers.  The algorithm rewards minimally processed, nutrient dense foods with the highest grades. This means that real foods, with intrinsic nutrients will score better than processed foods that are poor in built-in nutrients and use fortification as a means to appear healthy.

Scan this QR code to download Fooducate to your iphone/ipad: