Friday, September 20, 2013

My iOS7 Initial Review

I was sitting with Corey Dahl (@UncommonCorey) from ESU8 at the NNNC Fall Media Workshop in Norfolk the other day waiting for iOS7 to be released.(We did the same thing last year when iOS6 was released.) Waiting to see who would be the first to get it downloaded and installed.  After waiting for what seemed like a lifetime, we were finally able to start downloading.  It seems that EVERYONE was waiting for that same moment.  I had to restart my download numerous times, and Corey beat me this year.  

So far I have only updated one of my iPads, I still have one iPad and an iPhone yet to update.  I got a chance to “play” with iOS7 the other day and there are some aspects that I like.

  1. The ability to put as many apps as you want in a folder.  No more Math 1, Math 2, and so on.  Only one folder of each type.
  2. I like the fact that when you double click the home button, you see not only the app badge, but the application that is open as well.
  3. I like the swipe up to “close” the app out.
  4. The dynamic background and colors.  I really like the grey personally.
  5. When charging and finished charging the battery icon is green.

The jury is still out on the following:

  1. Search is done by swiping down on the screen.  I am still used to a screen by itself, but I will get used to it.
  2. New icons for Apple Apps.  It will take some getting used to.
  3. Multipage folders.  Just getting used to it will take some time, but like I said before all apps of a specific subject in one folder not may.  I will adjust.
  4. AirDrop.  I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but will in the near future and am looking forward to trying it.

I am sure that iOS7 will make some people happy and others upset.  I still have some “playing” to do with iOS7 to fully see what it can and cannot do.  I am looking forward to trying everything out that I can.

Friday, September 6, 2013

F.A.I.L

First Attempt at Learning (F.A.I.L) is something that I have seen all over the place.  It is one of the characteristics that a teacher need to not be scared about.  It is okay to “mess up” when teaching for several reasons.  First, it shows your students you are human and just like them.  Second, you model how to stick with it until you get it “right”.  Third, you can show them there could be more than one way to get to the “right” answer. And lastly, you may come up with more than one correct answer.

Showing students you're not perfect can allow for more learning to take place.  Learning by you and them together.  This will allow for more innovation in the classroom learning environment.  (I am on an integration vs innovation kick, I know.) This just doesn’t have to be innovation with technology, but with anything you do in the classroom.  Take it up a notch and show them that if you do “fail” you learn from those mistakes and still learn.  You may even need second, third, fourth, or more attempts to get something right.  Just tell them about Formula 409, the 409th try. They stuck with it and finally were able to get the results they wanted.  They weren’t afraid to fail 408 times.

There are multiple ways to get to the right answer.  I always told my math students I am just giving you several ways to do this, if you have a different way and show your work, I learn too.  Also, as in life, there can be more than one correct answer to a problem.  Getting to that correct answer may take 20 different way in your classroom to come up with that answer.  As long as they stick with it and remember that not getting to the desired result is LEARNING, then we are building life long learners.

Don’t be afraid to FAIL!!