Post It Note Plus App

In my work with schools from 18 districts surrounding the Omaha metro area, many of my training sessions in the past couple of years have been related to helping teachers integrate iOS devices (iPod & iPad) as teaching and learning tools in the classroom. One of the most difficult challenges is the rate of change when it comes to the devices and free apps that are available. My suggestion to the teachers is always..."find 10-15 'go to' apps that you can use multiple ways for multiple subjects and learn to use them well!" I have a list and I'll share that in a future post. I'm always on the look out for apps that take a task or activity that teachers currently complete and make it easier. My latest find is from the makers of Post-it notes. Do you have any idea how many Post-it notes teachers use in a week? month? year? My latest find is called Post-it Plus and it is free app available at the following web site: http://www.post-it.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/PostItNA/Home/Ideas/Plus-App/ Here is how it works: 1. Use traditional Post-it Notes--One of the activities I did with students was to have them put down a character from a book the class was reading on a Post-it Note and then the other members of their group (or the class) added notes with adjectives to describe the character. Other ideas would be creating a timeline with different events on each note, word walls with synonyms of words on notes that the students add for each word on the word wall. There are tons of ways that I have seen teachers use these sticky little notes to generate ideas, reposition thoughts, put ideas in order, etc. 2. Once the notes are tacked to a space (wall, poster, desk, etc), simply open the Post-it Plus App from the iOS device and use the camera feature to snap a picture of the Post-It notes. Once you snap the picture you will be prompted to accept or retake the picture. 3. The Post-It notes are now captured as a board and can be slid around, moved, etc. and the teacher (and students) have an electronic Post-it note board that can be shared, edited, and stored for future use. Let me know how you are using this app........I'd love to share your ideas with the teachers I work with because together we are smarter!

2015 Resolution...."to blog more frequently"

In my work with teachers, students and technology, I often get caught up in my day-to-day tasks and do not take the time to blog and share ideas with those beyond my workshops and training sessions. My New Year's Resolution is to try and blog at least once a week about something new that I'm working on, discovered, or revisited in the area of technology integration. Hopefully, I will look at this blog in January 2016 and note a year's worth of blogs and ideas that have been shared with those beyond my face-to-face trainings and workshops. Wish me Luck!