SKYPE for the Classroom

SKYPE has unveiled an app designed for the classroom.  You can read more about it at http://education.skype.com/about.  It is still in beta format.  It will be interesting to discover how teachers are able to use the application in the teaching/learning process. 

Google Docs Support of New Microsoft, Apple, and Adobe Extensions

Google now supports 12 new extensions from Microsoft, Apple, and Adobe extensions in Google viewer. The announcement was made February 18th.  You can read more at http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2011/02/12-new-file-formats-in-google-docs.html

Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey

Linda added the following resource to the textbook website at http://dlthede.net/Informatics/Informatics.html

February 24, 2011 2011 HIMSS Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey. The HIMSS 2011 Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey builds on research that HIMSS released in 2004 and in 2007. Survey continues to suggest that nurse informaticists play critical role in the implementation of various clinical applications including clinical/nursing documentation and clinical information systems, computerized practitioner order entry (CPOE) and electronic medical/health records. Excellent information! (Chapter 18)

http://www.himss.org/content/files/2011HIMSSNursingInformaticsWorkforceSurvey.pdf

Countering Security Threats Due to Criminal Malware

Linda added the following resource to the textbook website at http://dlthede.net/Informatics/Informatics.html
February 23, 2011 InfoWorld iGuide: Security threats and countermeasures. Interactive guide to criminal malware, the risks to your company from both external and internal threats, and the steps you can take to guard against them including links to more information (Chapter 21).


http://www.infoworld.com/d/security-central/infoworld-iguide-security-threats-and-countermeasures-480?source=ifwelg_fssr#

iPad Apps for Education

Martha shared a gem of  resource - a listing of iPad apps for education.  I am copying the list below.  Hope that you find one or more of them helpful!
1. Teach with Your iPad
http://teachwithyouripad.wikispaces.com/  

2. Apps for Education - Assistive and children
http://www.connsensebulletin.com/2011/01/apps-for-education-update/

3. 26 Apps to Up Your Productivity
http://adrianbruce.com/teacher-toolbox/26-ipad-apps-to-up-your-productivity-learning/

4. iPadSchools
http://ipadschools.wikispaces.com/

5. iPads in Education
http://ipadineducation.co.uk/iPad_in_Education/Welcome.html

6. Apple's Rewind 2010 - Best Apps
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewMultiRoom?fcId=402041463

7. IEAR App Awards (Science and Math apps)
https://spreadsheets.google.com/lv?key=0AoiJs2gxg9KmdE1RQmtoanZpdnBlT0Vvam5jRDEwVWc&hl=en&authkey=CK6twdsC  

8. 40 iPad Apps That Librarians Will Love
http://www.onlinecolleges.org/40-ipad-apps-that-librarians-love/

9. Top 140 Best iPad Apps
http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/top-100-best-ipad-apps-681998?artc_pg=1&resize=003304d3-204d-4884-898f-f8350835c7ca&oldsize=160x600

10. HC iPad User Group favorite apps (Mobile, History/Geography/Economics, Sharing, Art/Drawing/Brainstorming, Bible, Voice Recording, News/Podcast, Reading/Books, Science, Math, Physical Education, Brain Games, Applications for Finding Apps, & General Apps)
http://walden.hollandchristian.org/groups/hcipadusergroup/wiki/19d60/Favorite_Apps.html

11. 30 Useful IPad Apps for Business and Presentation
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/useful-ipad-apps-for-business-presentation/

12. Apple's Recommendations - Check Both iPad and iPad/iPhone links (English Language Arts, English Language Development, Math, Science, History/Geography, Art/Music/Creativity, Health/Physical Education, Language)
http://www.apple.com/education/apps/

13. Escondido SD App Spreadsheet (A listing of apps by pertinent school grade levels)
https://spreadsheets.google.com/lv?key=tenru11ELMGfma9kDka2moQ&type=view&gid=0&f=true&sortcolid=0&sortasc=true&rowsperpage=250

14. Acalanes SD App List
https://sites.google.com/site/learningcontinuity/with-ipads

Searching for Apps

A. AppAnnie Top 500 Charts
http://www.appannie.com/top/

B. App Guide from MacWorld - iPad
http://www.macworld.com/appguide/browse.html?compat=iPad

C. Appolicious
http://www.appolicious.com/

D. AppShopper Top 200 Education
http://appshopper.com/bestsellers/education/free/?device=ipad

Creating Slideshow Movies on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch Devices

In a few months, I will be writing a chapter entitled "There's an App for That" - and I am really looking forward to the experience :-).  I am always on the lookout for simple and powerful ways to enhance the teaching/learning experience.  I stumbled across an app that allows users to create slideshow movies on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch devices with the capability to upload the movies to YouTube.  The app is called Sonic Pics (http://www.sonicpics.com/).  The free version is "crippled" because it allows the use of only 3 images.  That said, it certainly demonstrates the app.  The cost to purchase the app is $2.99.  The app website includes videos that step the user through the process.

This app may be a perfect solution for faculty in the GC Faculty Development Workshop using the iPad. We will be covering podcasting in an upcoming workshop.  Sonic Pics may not be as robust as using KeyNote and GarageBand, and iTunes, but it is certainly a reasonable alternative. 

PollDaddy and SoftChalk

  The past two weeks, I used clickers (TurningPoint) in class and the students really liked the anonymous polling.  I decided to try to have a few online class meetings in my legal and ethical issues class - so how to replicate that experience? 

All of my face-to-face classes are "hybrid" classes, meaning that the course resources are all in a learning management system.  I had designed the lessons using SoftChalk, so I needed an online polling solution.  I decided to use PollDaddy.  I selected a court case study from the textbook and entered the questions into PollDaddy - along with some choices for answers.  PollDaddy provides the "code" that you can copy/paste for web pages.  I copied the code and then opened my course lesson in the HTML view - and copied the code.  All I could see in SoftChalk was "Script" buttons.  However, when I previewed the poll in a web browser it looked PERFECT!!  Yesterday I made the announcement to the students that the poll was open.  Today a third of the students have already take the poll and are split 50/50 on the answers.  They are looking forward to hearing feedback about how the case was decided in court. 

Polling, whether done in the classroom or online is phenomenal resource!