*Image Credit: Google
It also doesn't help that my classroom wi-fi doesn't support Blogger...
I debated about posting today when my frustrations are so fresh in mind, but I think it might be best to go ahead and rant on here. Makes the post feel more "real," doesn't it?!
My students have been working on a Literary Analysis essay which requires them to compare and contrast one literary element in two short stories. Last week, to brainstorm, I had the students form groups based on the literary element they had chosen to analyze. Then, I had them use AirBoard to collaborate in brainstorming. They did not like AirBoard. While they liked the fact that they could all contribute to a board and everyone's work was showing up in their screen, the board was too small, and the lack of typing ability meant that their handwriting was too large and took up too much of the board itself. FAIL. Unfortunately, our wi-fi does not allow the students to connect to each other with other apps like iBrainstorm. BOO... Fortunately, the tech gurus are looking into whether or not to allow the iPads to talk to one another. I can see how doing so may open the floodgates for students to randomly send stuff to each other when they shouldn't be, but that seems to me to be a classroom management issue.
While brainstorming, I also allowed the students to test out three different mind-mapping apps: MindJet, Popplet, and SimpleMind+. Each of these allows students to create spiderweb maps. Most students preferred SimpleMind+ and Popplet over MindJet. With SimpleMind+, students were able to change the colors of the bubbles, the background, and move the bubbles to different places very easily. Students who liked Popplet seemed to like the interface better because it was simplified, and looks a bit cartoon-ish, which is pleasing to them, aesthetically. MindJet requires students to press and hold a bubble and decide if the next thing they want to add is in the same "level" and what they are holding, or a "lower level". It works more like an org. chart, rather than a spiderweb. None of the apps allow sharing via Google Docs, which meant they could only be saved on the iPad and could not be viewed at home.
*Note, I want to set up "dummy" emails on each of the iPads so that students can use the email function in the various apps to send their work to themselves. Unfortunately, the email is restricted in the settings, and Technology has not replied to my email about wanting the passcode to add the dummy email into each iPad. I guess they're talking it over up there and will make a decision at some point...
So, here it is, the thing that has frustrated me and made me snappy and impatient with my students: WORD PROCESSING ON THE IPADS SUCKS. No way around it. Our district uses Google Docs and each student has his or her own log-in. I like Google Docs (although many of my colleagues don't!), because it eliminates the need for flash drives and email, as each student has an email and all of their work is saved to the "cloud." In addition, students can "share" their work with me in seconds, and I don't have to print anything. PAPERLESS!!! BUT, GOOGLE DOCS DOES NOT WORK WELL THROUGH SAFARI ON THE IPADS!!! Yesterday, I had the students create an MLA Template, so that they can just "make a copy" of the template, change the date, and be good to go with typing their essays. Today, they actually typed their essays. The problem was in typing the actual essay. I had them use the "Desktop" version, and there were so many bugs! They couldn't see what they were typing (BTW, we were docked on keyboards) when their essay went onto a second page, but could see their work in the "Mobile" version. This kept repeating over and over and over and I had students left, right, and center calling out to me for help. THE STRESS AND ANXIETY I WAS FEELING WAS OVERWHELMING. Finally, during second period today, I just had the students edit through the mobile version. Again, there were bugs (deleting something, then the cursor jumped to another spot in the essay and deleted there, copying and pasting when students didn't actually want that to happen, etc), but it went smoother than first period.
I don't know what to say except this: GOOGLE, START TALKING TO APPLE!!! BUILD A FREAKING APP ALREADY!!! Geez, how hard is that?!
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