Videolicious and Splice

5/16/13 
This week my 9th grade Earth Science students have been working on Videolicious videos about topics in Earth Science. Some students are familiar with Splice so I have allowed them to use this App instead, but they need to have a picture of themselves in their video. They are working with a self-chosen partner or individually. (Interestingly, many of my best students have chosen to work by themselves.) I'll attach the rubric we're going to use to assess the videos.What I thought would only take a few days, has taken over a week (6 1/2 class periods to create and turn in the videos.) We have learned many lessons through this experience, as follows.

1. Since videos are 1 minute max in Videolicious, the more specific the students' topics the better.
2. My students are extremely camera-shy! This took me by surprise!!! Be ready and willing to let them take as many as they need to feel comfortable.
3. You need some "quiet areas" available for students to go and record.
4. After students have shown you their script, let them put their names on the board for a running list of who is next as soon as a group is finished.
5. Allow groups 10 mins max to record, then let another group take their place. 

One of the main drawbacks of multiple users on one iPad is that, since there is no login, students can delete each others' videos on the Camera Roll. Many of my students have had to completely redo their videos because the student using that iPad another period has deleted their project. :(((  There are 2 ways I can see around this problem:
6. Students make and use their own Dropbox accounts for everything they need to save. and/or
7. Students make and use their own Videolicious account, AND make sure they attach their video in Edmodo before they leave at the end of the period.

General reflections after using iPads for (almost) one school year

This school year, I was extremely fortunate to have sole access to a cart of 45 iPads. We have tried to integrate the use of the iPads as much as possible, always mindful of the content students are required to learn, as assessed on district semester exams and CSTs at the end of April.We have used Edmodo and Studymate extensively, with excellent results. We have also used Nearpod, Socrative and Blackboard with varying levels of success. I will discuss these Apps in another post.

Now we are nearing the end of Year 1, I would like to share some insights and experiences I have had.First and foremost, flipping the classroom is extremely enlightening. The dynamic in the classroom changes so that I am not the enforcer of discipline and imparter of information. I am now the iPad manager, technician and keeper of order in the room. The latter role allows me to treat the students more maturely, encourage more meaningful learning from them and remember why I love teaching! Here are some specific suggestions I have for teachers just starting out using iPads, particularly with 9th graders.

General iPad use:
1. Post a list of users and assigned iPads on top of the cart.
2. Number the iPads with stickers on the back, then apply clear packing tape over the top of the sticker. Sharpie numbers come off incredibly quickly!
3. Instruct students to put the iPads back in the cart all facing the same direction, with the charging outlet facing outward. Before they leave for the day, count the iPads and have students who didn't put them in correctly, come back and do it properly. The earlier and better you train them, the easier iPad use is for the year!

Things I wish:
1. I would like the ability to see multiple screens at all times, as I used to be able to do in a lab setting.
2. I want to be able to turn off iTunes or lock it down so students can't install games on the iPads.
3. There should be a setting on the Configurator that lets me delete any Apps I haven't installed.