When I first heard about the app Haiku Deck, I assumed that it was an app that would walk me through or had something to do with writing Haiku poems. I could not have been more wrong.  I quickly fell in love with this app.  Haiku Deck is a free app for the iPad that helps you create simple, yet amazing presentations. 

I like the simplicity of this app.  You start off by creating a deck, aka a new presentation, select a theme and provide a title for the new deck. Once your deck has been created you can add slides to your presentation.  Each slide can contain an animated graph, text on a solid-colored slide, or text overlaid a picture.  When adding pictures to slides you have the option to add your own pictures from Facebook, Instagram, Flickr or from the camera roll on your iPad. If you don’t have your own pictures to use, Haiku Deck allows you to search for pictures that are copyright free. (Yes, copyright free!) Haiku Deck will even do the search for you based on the text that is added to your slide.

Once your presentation is complete you can publish and share your presentation on Facebook, Twitter, email, blogs and websites.  I will admit that there are some limitations to this app.  For example, you don’t have control of the size and color of the font.  However, this is an app that is simple and powerful enough to create a meaningful learning experience for students.  It's an app that I highly recommend for elementary age students and students with disabilities.  

Check out Haiku Deck'sPinterest board and well as a presentation that I created titled, Animals of the Masai Mara.

Have you ever wondered how to get videos onto your iPad? Well, here is how you do it.

The first and easiest way is to purchase them from iTunes. . . But that isn’t always possible especially if you record it on your camera. Well, whatever way you get the video, you need to have it on the computer that you sync your iPad to. Then you open up iTunes on your computer. If your left sidebar isn’t showing then turn it on by going to View and click on Show Sidebar.

Next, you will want to drag your movie from the computer into iTunes and drop it on the word Movies in the Sidebar.

Now, plug in your iPad to your computer. It will show up on the left side in the Sidebar. Click on your iPad so that it is highlighted in the Sidebar. A new menu will appear on the right side of iTunes at the top. Click on the menu called Movies.

Then you will need to make sure that you have a check mark in the box next to Sync Movies. Then select the movies that you want on your iPad and click on Apply button in the lower right corner.

Sometimes you will get a warning that the movies can’t be copied to the iPad because it isn’t in the correct format. To correct this, click on the Movies tab in the Sidebar. Then select the movie and go to the Menu bar on the Mac and select File and scroll down to Create New Version and select Create iPad or Apple TV Version. This will create your movie and then go back and sync it to your iPad.

If the video is in a version that won’t even play on the Mac, then you will have to use some third party video conversion software like Handbrake or something else.

Good luck and have fun.

Ross Rogers

Evernote is digital notebook that allows you to take notes, clip web pages, upload images and files, and much more.  It is ideal for note taking, organization, and storage because it syncs between computer, smartphone, and tablets making your information available everywhere.  Evernote's tagline is "Remember Everything."

Evernote is a great tool for educators to become familiar with and use for classroom organization, management, and file saving purposes.  Teachers are getting excited about the ability to begin going paperless and are finding many uses for Evernote in their classrooms.  

A few ideas for how teachers can use Evernote:

• Creating lesson plans and organizing in notebooks and with tags 
• Taking notes during Professional Development, faculty meetings, etc.
• Anecdotal Notes including images of student work samples
• Audio recordings of students explaining work, oral presentations, and reading fluency samples
• Create notes including PDF's, instructions, uploads to share and email to parents and students
• Save articles and web clippings that can be organized and shared later
• Upload and save pictures of students, their work, and important events
• Creating check lists and to do check boxes
• Set email reminders for a specific date and time in notes
  
• Online file storage including PDF's and images to be accessed anywhere
• Sharing information through social networking like Facebook, Twitter, email, and more
• Writing sub plans that can include links, pictures of assignments, and other resources which can be shared through email

The Prezi below is an great example of how one teachers is using Evernote in their classroom on a daily basis.  This Prezi was created by Rebecca Spink and was found here.

By Lindsi Sullivan

The Canyons District Technology Endorsement cohorts recently participated in a  week long hands-on Community Mapping class. Throughout the week, the participants covered three basic ideas:
1. The participants learned how to use a Garmin GPS Device.

• Track Points
• Mark Waypoints (with averaging)
• Find Waypoints/Geocache
  We discussed how geocaching can be used to enhance the curriculum. Click here to see some  of our ideas.  Feel free to add to the list!
• etc., etc., etc.

2.  The participants learned how to find and use mapping resources for their classrooms.

• http://www.esri.com/
  
• http://www.esri.storymaps.com
• http://www.arcgis.com/
• http://resources.arcgis.com/
• http://cmap.maps.arcgis.com
• www.worldmapper.org

3. The participants learned how to create their own interactive maps in multiple steps.

• Mark Waypoints
• Import into Garmin Basecamp
• Export as .csv file
• Open .csv file in Excel and add other info as desired (more info about the specific location/waypoint, such as a picture link).
• Resave .csv file
  
• Import the .csv file onto a new map on arcgis.com
• Customize the map
  

Below are examples of some of the projects the participants completed in this course. Each project built on the skills of the prior project. 

For this project, the students learned how to use their GPS to track their initials in the field. They recorded their tracks on the GPS, and then created a map.

The tree project allowed the students to take the process a step farther by adding extra information to the map.  The students went around and collected information about the trees in their assigned area, compiled it into a spreadsheet, then created a map.

The watershed project gave meaning to the mapping.  It allowed the participants an opportunity to create a story map.  The students went on a field trip, where they collected water samples and other information at five different locations of Little Cottonwood Creek.  Then, they compiled the information and again mapped it.

TED (http://www.ted.com) stands for Technology, Entertainment, & Design -- three broad subject areas that are, collectively, shaping our future. TED is a collection of  riveting talks by remarkable people and are free to the world.  In classrooms, TED talks add inspiring introductions to core curriculum topics and bring traditional lessons to life.  Teachers can utilizeTED.ED resources for flipping video use in their classroom, browse playlists of already curated collections, and use talk “tags” to easily find resources to enhance student learning, and explore mobile app alternatives.

Why TED Talks in the Classroom?

• First of all, Great Content!!  Below are a few of my favorites
• Bring Traditional Lessons to Life - Learning about DNA, show a talk about DNA research.
• Real-life examples of knowledge, curriculum knowledge, being put to use in incredible ways.
• Show contributions youth have to make to the world!
• NETS for Teachers, Standard #1, Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, Item b. 'Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources."  More about ISTE Standards.....
  
• From the TED website, TED Talks focus on the "power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world."  What a great message!
• And finally, TED Talks connects to Core Curriculum!

By Rachel Murphy

When creating a Google Document, there is a feature available to help easily research the topic in Google, Images, Scholarly information, Quotes and the Dictionary definition.   the Research feature is found in the Tools tab and appears as on the right side of your document.  Once you find the information or images you are searching, simple drag or choose insert link to add it to your document.  When you do this, it automatically cites the information and adds it to the bottom of the document.  Below are some images of what you will see when using this helpful feature.  Danae Reff

I recently was told by Jared Ward about a fabulous presentation tool called Edcanvas. If you are looking for a way to make your presentations more exciting then you should check out Edcanvas. If you like having You Tube videos in your presentations but are tired of dealing with all the hassles of downloading, you have got to see how easy it is to add You Tube videos from Edcanvas!

The Edcanvas Search Tool bar allows you to search directly from the following sites:
1.     You Tube,

2.     Google images or web,

3.     Flickr,

4.     Educreations,

5.     Gooru.

In addition you can add content from a variety of sources.

6.     Insert from a webpage,

7.     Upload media/file,

8.     Insert from Dropbox,

9.     Insert from Google Drive

10. Insert a bookmark.

Creating a canvas is easy and fun! You can’t say that about most presentation tools. Some are even frustrating to use. Not Edcanvas! Simply drag and drop the desired content onto a tile. You can create a quiz as part of your canvas and show videos, images, and documents too. The sky is the limit with this new, easy to use tool. Take your presentations to the next level and amaze your students and colleagues too.

For more information about Edcanvas visit their website here. Watch Jared’s Edcanvas on Edcanvas here.
--Bobie Glassett

I recently attended a PTA meeting where a group of parents shared their concerns about the level of safety in using the internet at school.  The parents understood that using the internet was critical to teaching effective research, but were worried about some of the content that could show when students are trying to use a search engine to learn more about a topic.  Teaching and reinforcing safety for young people, in most cases, is a team effort on the part of all interested parties.  Sometimes, in an effort to completely protect children from damaging images, content, and people they could encounter online, some would throw their hands up and decide it’s best to “throw the baby out with the bathwater”.  

Dr. Darren Draper shared an analogy that really spoke to the concerns these parents had in the meeting.  He likened learning responsible internet use to responsible pedestrian practices crossing the street.  The street is an important part of life; it must be traversed in a safe way.  The internet is also an important part of life and must be navigated responsibly.  What I’m learning is that in order for me to be an effective educator who can teach students how to safely utilize the incredible wealth of information available online, I need to be aware of the dangers AND the resources.

Our Canyons Education Technology Department provides some information on online safety that is geared to parents, teachers, and students.  There are real dangers to be aware of, but once they are identified, they are relatively easy to avoid.  Find out more information about our Parent Connections project and download the brochures.  Education of these tools (social media-Facebook and Twitter, search engines, and other websites) for parents and teachers is critical to protecting children from the potential dangers they present.  The Parent Connections online safety literature includes some cautions, but also some academic resources for students to help in projects and other assignments.

Through my experience in the Ed Tech Endorsement program, I have learned about some incredible, free resources that teachers can use to help direct the students’ online activity.  A great hub of safe and credible information is the Pioneer Library website.  This service is provided by the Utah Education Network (UEN) and is available to all Utah students.  For at-home login information, check with the school or contact an Ed Tech.  It includes encyclopedias, copyright-free media(sounds/pictures), videos, and other targeted resources.  For a list of some other resources I have explored and recommend for teachers to use with students, click here!

--Katie Dewey

Nearly two months have passed since UCET 2013, and something I learned from UCET didn't sink in until a few days ago. Over the past few weeks I have helped Mrs. Barton at Crescent Elementary a little with a project she wanted to do. Many others helped much more than I did. The thing I learned from this experience was the power of one. It comes down to how one event can make an impact in one person and that is powerful indeed.

If you asked Mrs. Barton about her tech skills, she would say that they are not very high. However, she took on a project using technology in her classroom and enriched the school experience of the students in her charge.  Mrs. Barton teaches 2nd grade and everyone of her students created a stop motion movie as the culminating project for what they were learning about animals. This project took Mrs. Barton and several volunteers a lot of time to get the videos done. I am so impressed by the way she took this on, and how much time she was willing to devote to it. 

Mrs. Barton was the only teacher from Crescent who was able to take up the district on the offer of a free registration for UCET. She went determined to learn and did she ever. She attended a session on Using Stop Motion Movies as Student Projects given by Lisa Ferrara from the University of Utah. She had a great time during the session and determined she was going to take this back to her classroom. As I mentioned, she took a lot of time to get everything together, including purchasing a camera and the software  from her own funds to pull this project off. 

Last Wednesday, she invited parents, Mrs. Shumard, the principal, and others to attend the screening of these films. Though most are about 30 seconds in length, the kids put a tremendous amount of work into learning about the animals the chose to study. They also made backgrounds and other material for their movies. 

I am so proud of Mrs. Barton and her class for what they accomplished. Again, it goes to show what one person, attending one event can do that impacts not just one, but every student in her class.

Have you ever wanted to use that sound file that comes with iMovie Trailers? 

• It is not in your iLife library. 
• iMovie won't let you detach it from the trailer. 

Here is your answer from John Cogdell of Adelaide Australia.  Apple Support Community
"All the elements for Trailers, including music, are located in iMovie's package contents. In Finder, go to Applications>iMovie.app. Right-click (or Control-click) on iMovie.app and select "Show Package Contents" from the pop-up menu. Click on Contents then Resources. In the Resources folder you will find all the soundtracks."

Find the soundtrack you want. It could be named something like  "SoundTrack-Spy.m4a". Drag that to your Desktop, and then into iTunes. From there you will be able to see it in iMovie in your iTunes music files. It is now a stand alone audio file and you can use it, edit it etc. all you want.

I used this hot bit of information to help Altara BLT team create a tribute movie for Scott Jameson (their principal who is leaving). We collected old videos, green screen footage, stills and new footage and put it all together. Truthfully, we used the same music over so many times it is a little monotonous. I'm going to change that when I get a minute. Here it is!  
Posted by Colleen Bliss