New Augmented Reality Tools: Play Videos on Your Worksheets
I’ve been exploring new AR developments that have outstanding potential to positively influence any learning environment. The video I created below captivates a sampling of some new AR tools that anyone will be able to integrate in their classrooms (with patience, a few tools, and some background knowledge, of course):
With these new developments, you can expect me to post more information in the near future describing how to do this, or at least instructions on where to go to receive more assistance.
Meanwhile, if you have any questions or need any help, feel free to contact me.
It’s an exciting time to be involved in education!
Read MoreThe Best App Of All Time? “Hey Mom” Mobile Service
Amongst all the amazing apps and mobile services available, there’s one that’s irreplaceable. We all have access to it at some level. Many consistently use it; for some (myself included), we sometimes forget we have it.
It’s beyond Android, Apple, and Microsoft. This app can’t be downloaded; rather, you personally develop it. It can be hidden, but it can’t be deleted. Furthermore, its effectiveness evolves with your consistent implementation.
Other key features of this app:
- True 1:1
- No updates ever required
- 24/7 Access
- Always has your best interest in mind
- Cross platform capabilities
- Highly personalized and customized to meet individual needs
- Has implications beyond its use
- Multiple options: “Dad,” “Mentor,” “Minister,” “Spouse,” “Sibling,” “Friend” selections available
- No extra purchases required
How to access:
- It’s simple. Call someone you care about.
My dad’s recent diagnosis of cancer was a wake-up call that our time here together is limited. Person-to-person contact is ideal, but at times isn’t feasible. Mobile devices provide us with the ability to keep regular contact with those closest to us. I don’t want to interject my personal values on anyone, but I think most would agree that life is ultimately all about relationships.
If some time has passed since you’ve used this service, consider giving it another go. You may have to redevelop it, but you’re the programmer that carries those unique capabilities.
Here are some great references that might help retrain you on how to effectively use this service:
- Relationships 101 by John Maxwell
- Winning with People by John Maxwell
- Enthusiasm Makes the Difference by Norman Vincent Peale
What Apps Would The Greatest Thinkers of All Time Have Used?
“There’s an app for that.” – Socrates
Obviously, that’s not a true quote, but…. what if?
If history’s renowned “thinkers” and philosophers- Socrates, Plato, religious leaders, etc. – had mobile devices to use on a consistent basis, what apps and services would they have employed? We can’t say with certainty, but we can have fun speculating. One thing is conclusive: we are the generation that can use these amazing tools to reference and renew the thoughts and intellect from yesterday.
The apps listed below are widely known; framing their use from this perspective renews respect for what may be normally take for granted.
For those who really like to speculate, here’s a thought to chew on while you’re reading: if yesterday’s innovative thinkers had access to these apps, do you think we would have progressed towards peace and prosperity or regressed to further corruption?
This is intended to be a lighthearted post; I encourage you to post your thoughts and ideas (however “out of the box” they may be) in the comments section at the end of this post or on the K12 Mobile Learning Facebook page.
Here are four apps and services that I think some of the greatest thinkers of all time would have appreciated:
1. TED
Read MoreWhat Can Education Expect From Kinect?
I rarely cross-post my articles, but this took several hours to develop and is emerging classroom technology that needs active voices from the community of education professionals. What follows is a post I just published at KinectEDucation:
Classroom integration of the Kinect may be preliminary, but assessing its potential is not. The featured video below encapsulates an early look at what the field of education can anticipate with the Kinect as a classroom focal point.
If you’re in agreement that the Kinect could create a new classroom identity – one that’s aligned with the current parameters demanded by the structure of most schools – help pioneer this new dimension to learning. Spread the word about the free, open-source KinectEDucation community through the KinectEDucation Facebook page, Twitter, and YouTube channel.
Share your best practices and ideas relating to Kinect integration in learning environments in the community forum.
Read More
3 Mobile Services That Enhance Health and Nutrition Curricula
Ten years ago, health and nutrition curricula were required to focus on the attainment of knowledge related to healthy consumption. We heavily relied on the obtainment of factual knowledge that would later be used to recall the nutritional value of foods; this was the method employed to insure that what we were consuming was nutritionally sound. Since lack of awareness was a contributing factor influencing poor eating habits, knowledge attainment was the natural first priority.
The problem with this approach? We forget facts, and reported nutritional values evolve as new research emerges.
In today’s world, there’s an abundance of organized, dynamic information readily accessible at our fingertips. Resulting from the cultural revolution of mobile devices, access to information is no longer isolated to specific demographics and isn’t contingent upon location. This considered, schools should move along the continuum and shift their focus from knowledge acquisition to the employment of tools that utilize this knowledge.
We learn best when learning is most relevant; mobile services provide opportunities for meaningful and timely learning. Here are three outstanding services that leverage the power of mobility to provide valuable, on-the-spot nutritional information:
1. Food Scanner: Good Food or Bad Food
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