It should be no surprise that students love to create projects on the iPad.  It also should not be a surprise that teachers have concerns using the iPad in the classroom.  The question I receive the most often is; “How does student work get from the iPad to my computer so that I can grade the student’s work?”  In the past I had two solutions, each has its benefits and weaknesses.

     OPTION 2- Google Drive- Teachers could create class period folders and share the folder with students within the class.  This would allow students to upload their projects to the teachers Google Drive seamlessly. 
     The weakness with Google Drive is that students must have a Google account.  Google requires account holders to be 13 years of age, which limits the number of students in both the elementary and middle schools.

     OPTION 1- Dropbox-  I create a school wide Dropbox account with a folder for each teacher.  I share the teacher folder with the corresponding teacher that way they can access student work from any computer or iPad.
     The weakness for Dropbox in this scenario is storage space.  You receive 2.5 GB for signing up and 3.0 GB for uploading pictures from a device.  If a teacher has 200 students and they are using iMovie the storage space is taken up quickly.

This week I have found option 3, thanks to Kelly Dumont, called Instashare.  Instashare works like AirDrop with two exceptions, it works with the iPad and it works over Bluetooth as well as Wi-Fi!  Users simply drag the file to the users device they wish to send and it’s magic. 

Last year I was introduced to an app that changed my life, Doceri.  Often when looking for apps you find a handful that do basically the same thing with minor changes.  I was in search of an app that would allow me to control my computer from my iPad, allowing me to be mobile inside my classroom.  I had tried apps like SplashTop (Whiteboard) and it was OK, but it didn’t wow me.  I had connection issues and the touch was not as accurate as I had hoped for.
 
Doceri does control my computer with pinpoint accuracy and a intuitive interface.  Which, by itself, would have sold me on it, but it does so much more.  For example, while controlling my computer I can switch between screens (if your running dual displays) with one click.  Splashtop does not allow that.  Another example of its robust platform is when you are holding the iPad in portrait mode and hold your finger down on the top screen an arrow will appear drawing your student’s attention to a colorful hand or arrow(Video 1).  Splashtop does not do that either.
 
Doceri does more than just control your computer.  Doceri also acts as a screen cast program and as an interactive whiteboard.   Each stroke of your finger or stylus is recorded separately.  Doceri refers to this as “Timeline” (Video 2) .  With timeline the user can playback their presentation, edit, add audio, and add new slides.  In the playback mode the user can speed up or down the presentation and add stopping points to the presentation.  With class websites, blogs, and flipped classrooms gaining more ground in schools Doceri makes posting a lecture, notes, or presentation simpler then ever (Video 3).  Once again, Splashtop does not allow this.
 
The app is free for the ipad and can be used with apple TV.  However, if you want to control your computer you must pay $30 for a software download onto your computer. 

Connecting-                       Advantage Doceri –QR code
Multitasking-                  Advantage Doceri  - Dual Screen
Screen Casting-                Advantage Doceri- Audio and    
                                                Timeline
Perfect for posting to class blog or website-           
                                                Advantage Doceri- Timeline!
Pre-Created Screens      Advantage Doceri
                                                (Doceri 48 vs. SplashTop WB  7)
More Random                   Advantage SplashTop WB
                                                (Smiling faces, check marks, etc.)


D.W.