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07 Nov 2014
Comments: 0

Miami, FLORIDA November 7-8

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Day School, located in Coconut Grove, Florida, has proven to be a leader in mobile learning, technology integration, and project based learning. St. Stephen’s has a beautiful campus and well-equipped, state-of-the-art classrooms.

Now the doors are open to all who would like to come and enjoy Miami Device, a two day Mobile Learning Event.

Explore The Lisa Johnson Thinglink

Go Behind the Scenes with the TechChef…

Presenting…

GROOVY GRAPHICS IN THE ICLASSROOM
- Cooking Up Groovy Graphics
INSTANT PD WITH ITUNES U
- 14+ Tips for Creating PD That Works with iTunes U
- Student Created Books in the iClassroom Course
SASSY SAMR

05 Nov 2014
Comments: 0

Outlander SAMR… S.A.S.S.Y. Sassenach

*** Bear with me on this one… and please know that even if you have not read the book or seen the series… you will be able to relate and utilize the resources shared… ***

The Back Story…

I have been reading the Outlander series since my Senior year of high school. It only took close to two decades to bring this beloved epic historical fiction series to the screen. As I am hopelessly sucked in to the highlander realm eight episodes deep… the series goes on hiatus… until April (I know… heavy sigh….).

Coping with the Hiatus…

Trying not to fash myself… and knowing that I couldn’t blog about Outlander just to blog about Outlander… this TechChef had to find a way to tastefully blend her literary palette with a crafty instructional recipe. SAMR seemed to be the perfect framework for serving up this topic as the technologies we have available today have redefined how we can interact with the content and the series (cue Twitter chats).

As more and more literary classics are transformed for the screen… consider the possibilities of connecting with the actors and director and gaining insight as to their stylistic choices as they are being made. Thus, to bide my time until April… “Outlander SAMR was born…” – I hope you enjoy this S.A.S.S.Y. Sassenach 😉

The Birth of Outlander SAMR…

Installing the S.A.S.S.Y. SAMR 2.0 Update…

As I began wrapping up this post and prepare to reveal S.A.S.S.Y. SAMR 3.0 at Miami Device this week… it occurred to me that I hadn’t even shared S.A.S.S.Y. SAMR 2.0 in an official blog post. Have you installed the update complete with additional app-tivities and discussion questions?

Back Up… What is S.A.S.S.Y. SAMR?

Great question! For those of you unfamiliar with the TechChef acronym to make the SAMR model easily digestible check out this blog post and S.A.S.S.Y. SAMR 1.0 interactive infographic.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LATEST TECHCHEF GAZETTE ISSUE? Preparing for Back to School and Beyond…

TechChef Techucation Gazette: Sign up to receive future issues of the monthly e-Newsletter: There are many more learning app-ortunities and professional development toolkits to come. If you don’t want to miss a morsel of this techucation feast, sign up today.

Hungry for MORE… EXPLORE the TechChef4u Alliteration Alliance!

Check out the other topics in the Ed Tech alliteration portfolio:

TechChef Presents!

Where will Lisa Johnson be sharing her app-thusiasm next?

Technology in Elementary Education Conference (College Station): Keynoting
TIC 2014 in June (Iowa): Keynoting
iPadpalooza 2014 in June (Austin)
SDE Power Up! 2014 in July (Vegas)
ETT Summit 2014 in July (Chicago)
ETT Summer iPad Workshops in August (Austin)
Miami Device 2014 in November (Miami)
Stay Tuned for Updated 2015 Dates!

1:1 Deployment and Interested in 1:1 Deployment or PD strategies and implementation? Looking for a dynamic presenter or interactive workshop? Contact TechChef4u (lisa.johnson@techchef4u.com) for parent presentations, hands-on workshops, keynotes, and much more! Read testimonials about TechChef presentations.

Updated Stock of Chic Geek iJewelry on etsy!

1,800+ iPad Lessons Pinned HERE!

Contact TechChef4u to schedule Spring and Summer PD and Workshops: lisa.johnson@techchef4u.com

“Differentiated iClassroom” iTunes U course is now available!!!

23 Oct 2014
Comments: 0

Half the Page is a Stage … in a WordPlay iBook

I have to say I don’t typically blog to blog… I blog because I am moved to share, reflect, or archive something I feel has merit and value in the edusphere (and I do not endorse products and apps lightly). The new development of WordPlay Shakespeare iBooks definitely jives with these ideals and made me “as merry as the day is long”. While I am a self-proclaimed Shakespeare buff, I have to say Shakespeare proves to be an arduous reading for many (see clip below).

One person, Alexander Parker (@afmparker) and The New Book Press (@thenewbookpress) seeks to make Shakespeare accessible to all. Truly Shakespeare was never meant to be read… it was meant to be acted.

“The short and the long of it” is that the New Book Press has created a revolutionary new iBook (accessible on both the Mac and the iPad) that seeks to inform the language through the performance by providing Shakespeare’s text side by side with a custom production.

“But really… What the dickens is WordPlay Shakespeare, you say?”

“As good luck would have it”, Alexander Parker kindly spent some time with our Freshman and Senior teachers this week showcasing the WordPlay books as well as sharing some pedagogical nuggets for utilizing the books in the classroom with students.

Sadly my sketch notes skills are quite shabby and do not measure up to the likes of Brad Ovenell-Carter (@braddo) and Tracy Clark (@tracyclark08) or the annointed infographic genius of Sean Junkins (@sjunkins)… so I opted to recap this information by app-smashing the free InstaMag app and Thinglink app.

“Sweet are the many uses of Thinglink”

Though my affinity for thinglinks may seem like madness, please know there is whimsical method in it (Shakespeare Thinglink embedded below linked here). 😉

Beyond the pedagogical tips I have included some ideas for morphing student Shakespeare projects utilizing the iPad as well as a range of student samples from a variety of plays.

“Something transformative this way comes…”

I am super stoked to get this tool in the hands of students. Stay tuned for an updated post in spring when we begin to devour the text in the classroom setting.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LATEST TECHCHEF GAZETTE ISSUE? Preparing for Back to School and Beyond…

Hungry for MORE… EXPLORE the TechChef4u Alliteration Alliance!

Check out the other topics in the Ed Tech alliteration portfolio:

TechChef Presents!

Where will Lisa Johnson be sharing her app-thusiasm next?

Technology in Elementary Education Conference (College Station): Keynoting
TIC 2014 in June (Iowa): Keynoting
iPadpalooza 2014 in June (Austin)
SDE Power Up! 2014 in July (Vegas)
ETT Summit 2014 in July (Chicago)
ETT Summer iPad Workshops in August (Austin)
Miami Device 2014 in November (Miami)
Stay Tuned for Updated 2015 Dates!

Updated Stock of Chic Geek iJewelry on etsy!

1,800+ iPad Lessons Pinned HERE!

Contact TechChef4u to schedule Spring and Summer PD and Workshops: lisa.johnson@techchef4u.com

“Differentiated iClassroom” iTunes U course is now available!!!

30 Sep 2014
Comments: 3

9 Must Read iPad Instructional Support Resources!

With Apple Under 13 and new parameters for enrollment of iPads within JAMF’s Casper system, this year of iPad deployment and support has been full of new learning app-ortunities and challenges. In fact, I feel as if I have been living and breathing and even sleeping iPads since the beginning of school. That being said, these experiences have fostered deeper learning about our initiative and continued ways to fine tune managing devices to sharpen their impact within the instructional setting. Reflecting upon the past two months, I found these experiences and resources could be easily divided into 3 different platters: Students, Parents, and Process.

Students

Student iPad Orientation iTunes U Course: This course serves the purpose of providing all iPad set up and instructional materials in one place that is easily accessible and can be stored on their device for later reference.
Student iPad Apps for Secondary: As many students may not know what apps are provided to them or what these apps do (especially the ones that are similar in nature), this Thinglink provides a quick overview of some of the apps that are essential for workflow and productivity.

Parents

Social Media Awareness: A Letter for Parents: This is a fantastic post from Carl Hooker highlighting a letter that was sent to parents addressing social media and student’s digital footprints.
Digital Parenting 101 iTunes U Course: Carl has designed an excellent iTunes U course to serve and support parents as well.
Staying Sane in Cyberspace: This is a Listly that TechChef assembled highlighting multiple tools, parent/child technology agreements, and articles to aid parents in navigating conversations with their mobile natives.

Process

6 Do’s and Don’ts for Secondary iPad Deployment: This is a recent article TechChef published highlighting Do’s and Don’ts of secondary iPad deployment.
Bowling with Bumper Rails: iPad Restrictions in Schools: Another epic article from Carl Hooker sharing some of the iPad Restrictions that have been added to devices at each grade level and the rationale behind this decision.
A Whole New World of Apps (for the Under 13 Generation): And one more Carl Hooker article highlighting the new Apple Under 13 program from app provisioning and app personalization to content distribution and parent involvement. (Also check out this article from the Bobcat Blog highlighting this process.)

Certainly this list of resources is in no way comprehensive but I think it does a good job of highlighting both the reflections of the process as well as the instructional resources that have been designed to underpin the ever-evolving nature of iPad management and instructional support.

Of course, I could not forget my educators… I have one delicious new resource for y’all as well…

Teachers

Recently, I delivered a webinar (which has been archived) focusing on “Back to School with iPads in the Classroom”. Both the webinar and slides are available HERE. The webinar touches on:

First Steps with iPads in both Elementary and Secondary
Critical Considerations to keep in mind
8 Must Have Apps for Back to School with iPads

All 8 of the apps are evergreen in nature (can be used year round in a variety of different ways) and quite a few have had feature updates that will definitely leave you brimming with ideas and inspiration.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LATEST TECHCHEF GAZETTE ISSUE? Preparing for Back to School and Beyond…

Hungry for MORE… EXPLORE the TechChef4u Alliteration Alliance!

Check out the other topics in the Ed Tech alliteration portfolio:

TechChef Presents!

Where will Lisa Johnson be sharing her app-thusiasm next?

Technology in Elementary Education Conference (College Station): Keynoting
TIC 2014 in June (Iowa): Keynoting
iPadpalooza 2014 in June (Austin)
SDE Power Up! 2014 in July (Vegas)
ETT Summit 2014 in July (Chicago)
ETT Summer iPad Workshops in August (Austin)
Miami Device 2014 in November (Miami)
Stay Tuned for Updated 2015 Dates!

Updated Stock of Chic Geek iJewelry on etsy!

1,800+ iPad Lessons Pinned HERE!

Contact TechChef4u to schedule Spring and Summer PD and Workshops: lisa.johnson@techchef4u.com

“Differentiated iClassroom” iTunes U course is now available!!!

04 Sep 2014
Comments: 2

I Came for the WHY… I Stayed for the WHO!

A chat with one of our new Ed Techs prompted me to reflect on my last two years with Eanes ISD. And that led me to resurrect an unpublished post I drafted on the plane a few weeks ago…

While preparing for last month’s presentation “AWESOME ePortfolios” at Ed Tech Teacher’s Summit in Chicago, I found myself listening to Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle” Ted Talk and reading Austin Kleon’s “Show Your Work”.

Start with the WHY

Simon’s states, “People don’t buy WHAT you do… they buy WHY you do it and that WHAT you do should prove WHAT you believe.”

Discovering the Golden Circle

His Golden Circle centers with a “Why”. The “How” and “What” must then revolve around the “Why”.

Applying his tenets and words of wisdom to my own sessions, I couldn’t help but flip the frame of reference on myself.

As I wind down from a very eventFULL summer and become entrenched in my third year as an Educational Technologist for Eanes ISD, I found myself reflecting on my decision to pick up my family and move to Austin to be part of what I very much now feel is my family and by far the best job on earth.

At my previous job, I knew in my heart that personalized learning was here to stay and that a 1:1 with mobile devices would facilitate that ideal. But what really made me take the Eanes leap… was a very distinct feeling that Eanes special sauce was passion and a clear and compelling vision.

I Came for the WHY

During an inspiring site visit to WHS, I discovered that Eanes ISD didn’t start with the WHAT on a whim: Let’s buy a bunch of devices. They started with the WHY (Learning and Engaging through Access and Personalization) and then moved towards the decision to initiate an iPad pilot. They didn’t say let’s buy this cool mobile furniture… they asked how do we support collaboration and creativity and then designed flexible learning environments to facilitate that. As I dive in to year 3, I have to say their WHY is always at the forefront of their decision-making and I am overjoyed that the 3 C’s as well as social and emotional intelligence will be threaded through instruction as we support the whole child.

After a very reaffirming convocation… I ventured to add a layer to Simon’s Golden Circle… the Who…

I Stay for the WHO

But truly beyond the WHY…. is now the WHO, the people that get the vision and work tirelessly to support it and integrate the devices to transform and redefine the classroom. I feel very blessed to be in a place that supports big ideas, pushing the boundaries, and people that want to challenge the status quo. We hire the WHO to support the WHY.

Our amazing teacher of the year, Norm Morgan, devotes himself to our robotics program at the HS and gave an amazing speech… reminding us all that what students learn in the classroom has the impact to change the world.

While we lost two members of our iVengers team this year, we gained two new members. One of which created by far my favorite interview video of all time:

These are just a few of the people (the WHO) that truly support our WHY.

“So as we embark on the 2014-2015 academic year… I ask you to reflect on your WHY… and the HOW, WHAT, and even the WHO that support that vision.” – Lisa Johnson

As you begin to choose tools and apps, plan student projects, attend conferences, embark on new initiatives, and do what you do best… consider your WHY when making these HOW and WHAT decisions.

Hungry for MORE… EXPLORE the TechChef4u Alliteration Alliance!

Check out the other topics in the Ed Tech alliteration portfolio:

TechChef Presents!

Where will Lisa Johnson be sharing her app-thusiasm next?

Technology in Elementary Education Conference (College Station): Keynoting
TIC 2014 in June (Iowa): Keynoting
iPadpalooza 2014 in June (Austin)
SDE Power Up! 2014 in July (Vegas)
ETT Summit 2014 in July (Chicago)
ETT Summer iPad Workshops in August (Austin)
Miami Device 2014 in November (Miami)
Stay Tuned for Updated 2015 Dates!

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LATEST ISSUE? WICKED GOOD SUMMER PD IDEAS!

Updated Stock of Chic Geek iJewelry on etsy!

1,800+ iPad Lessons Pinned HERE!

Contact TechChef4u to schedule Spring and Summer PD and Workshops: lisa.johnson@techchef4u.com

“Differentiated iClassroom” iTunes U course is now available!!!

13 Aug 2014
Comments: 1

Worthwhile Wednesday: TechChef4u’s Epic PhotoMap PD Recap 2

The summer has proved to be quite eventful indeed. As I am never one to hoard resources, insights, and learning… I sought to spend a few minutes this week encapsulating the last two weeks for you… in an Epic PhotoMap or two…

ETT Summit Chicago

During the end of July, I had the app-ortunity to both attend and present at ETT Summit Chicago on the Navy Pier.

Presented: I presented S.A.S.S.Y. SAMR and ePortfolios are AWE-Some.
Attended: I attended both a day long “Google Apps Integration & Advanced Workflow Scenarios for Middle School and High School” workshop with Greg Kuloweic as well as Richard Byrne’s session on “Discovery, Discussion, and Demonstration” and have included my notes and pertinent links within the PhotoMap below.

ETT Austin “The iPad Classroom”

The following week was spent delivering a 3-day iPad workshop to an amazing bunch of educators! As this is the first time I have used Google Sites to build a workshop page, you will need to bear with me 😉 Certainly viewing all of the workshop resources for a 3-Day intensive iPad workshop might be overwhelming… Taking that under consideration, I have diced up the entirety of the workshop resources into daily digestible bite-size morsels:

Day 1: We focused on Collection tools (e.g. Padlet, Notability, Google Drive, Google Forms, Batch Geo, and Evernote)
Day 2: We focused on Connection tools (e.g. Kahoot and Nearpod) and then moved on to Creation tools (e.g. Book Creator and Explain Everything)
Day 3: We focused on creating a take-away to Donate to our staff upon returning from the workshop and ways to continue learning through Curation and Connection tools like Pinterest and Twitter

All of the resources (including slide decks and directions) can be found on the ETT Austin Google Sites pages which are embedded within the Thinglink below.

More about TechChef’s Concocted Thinglinks:

Both Thinglinks were created using the PhotoMapo app using this process:

Design PhotoMapo on iOS device and save completed image to photo roll (If you would like to include more than one image in your PhotoMapo, then create a collage using an app like Pic Collage or InstaMag prior to this step.)
Email image to self (I prefer adding all of the links on the Thinglink via my computer rather than the iPad, but truly this process can be achieved on either device)
Launch Thinglink (site or app) and upload PhotoMapo image.
Begin creating targets or nubbins on the PhotoMapo image that will include either text or an image. (If you are using an assortment of links, sometimes it is faster to work off of a laptop… However, if you are adding iPad created-videos, it would be more prudent to use the Thinglink app).

Hungry for MORE… EXPLORE the TechChef4u Alliteration Alliance!

Check out the other topics in the Ed Tech alliteration portfolio:

TechChef Presents!

Where will Lisa Johnson be sharing her app-thusiasm next?

Technology in Elementary Education Conference (College Station): Keynoting
TIC 2014 in June (Iowa): Keynoting
iPadpalooza 2014 in June (Austin)
SDE Power Up! 2014 in July (Vegas)
ETT Summit 2014 in July (Chicago)
ETT Summer iPad Workshops in August (Austin)
Miami Device 2014 in November (Miami)
Learning Forward 2014 (Nashville)
Stay Tuned for Updated 2015 Dates!

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LATEST ISSUE? WICKED GOOD SUMMER PD IDEAS!

Updated Stock of Chic Geek iJewelry on etsy!

1,700+ iPad Lessons Pinned HERE!

Contact TechChef4u to schedule Spring and Summer PD and Workshops: lisa.johnson@techchef4u.com

“Differentiated iClassroom” iTunes U course is now available!!!

23 Jul 2014
Comments: 7

Wicked Good Wednesday: Real-World PD that Actually Works!!!

At one point and time, we can all confess to delivering a one-size-fits-all or most app-roach to delivering content to adult learners. I have heard much talk about differentiation in staff development workshops and experienced the angst and eventual loss of patience and focus when a presenter tries to deliver the exact same content to a room full of educators that are clearly at very different levels and require very different tasks to meet their needs. While formative assessments and targeted surveys to staff can address some of this issue, I have yet to see very few actual examples of what this might look like in practice… until today!

Divine Differentiated PD Resources:

Fortunately, four lovely educators decided to step up to the plate and not only design resources that clearly plan for diversity in heterogeneous settings, but share the resources and their thought processes behind them:

Choose Your Own Adventure with Google Docs (@ShakeUpLearning)
Cruising with Google Drive and Docs (@iTechExpedition)
App Smashes and App Flows: Choose Your Own iAdventure (@LearnMooreStuff)
AppTRACKS and AppSTACLES (@askMsQ)

Differentiated PD Resources: Real World Activities that Actually Work!!!

Divinely Personalized and Student-Directed PD Resources

Not only has Sabba Quidwai provided 12 interactive AppTRACKS and AppSTACLE courses (explore them below), she has provided a truly epic…

Learner-Centered PD Resources: Real World Augmented and Tiered Activities That Actually Work!!!

… FREE interactive iBook to model redesigning learning including interactive resources and lectures ranging from note-taking and multimedia to screencasting and assessment.

Download the FREE iBook: “Redesiging Learning: Teaching in the 21st Century”

Dig Deeper!

As I have devoted multiple hours to writing an article featuring the above resources in greater detail, I will let the article speak for itself.

Dive Right In!

I will, however, share the resources in one additional format for those that like to peruse in a more visual fashion…

Hungry for MORE… EXPLORE the TechChef4u Alliteration Alliance!

Check out the other topics in the Ed Tech alliteration portfolio:

TechChef Presents!

Where will Lisa Johnson be sharing her app-thusiasm next?

Technology in Elementary Education Conference (College Station): Keynoting
TIC 2014 in June (Iowa): Keynoting
iPadpalooza 2014 in June (Austin)
SDE Power Up! 2014 in July (Vegas)
ETT Summit 2014 in July (Chicago)
ETT Summer iPad Workshops in August (Austin)
Miami Device 2014 in November (Miami)
Learning Forward 2014 (Nashville)

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LATEST ISSUE? WICKED GOOD SUMMER PD IDEAS!

Updated Stock of Chic Geek iJewelry on etsy!

1,700+ iPad Lessons Pinned HERE!

Contact TechChef4u to schedule Spring and Summer PD and Workshops: lisa.johnson@techchef4u.com

“Differentiated iClassroom” iTunes U course is now available!!!

11 Jul 2014
Comments: 5

Fierce Friday: TechChef4u’s Epic PhotoMap PD Recap

It has been a very frenzied few weeks with conferences, travel, and speaking engagements. Finally, I have had a moment to reflect and archive the learning and inspiration from the past 6 weeks in a Fierce Friday post… in the only way I know how… 😉

… a Thinglink of epic proportions…of course!

Dig in to TechChef4u’s Epic PhotoMap PD Recap: There is much inspiration and content buried and hidden in this Thinglink… so dig in and relish each nubbin! Here are a few to keep an eye out for:

S.A.S.S.Y. SAMR 2.0
Cooking Up Groovy Graphics in the iClassroom 2.0
World Languages and Constructivism from WHS World Language Department
Technology in the Early Grades Reboot
Teaching with iPad Exemplars (especially pertinent to History, ELA, and World Languages)
Background Info on the iTunes U app update that allows course discussion, curation, and management
7 FREE Interactive Biology iBook Textbooks
Ideas for Creating your own Graphic Organizer backgrounds to facilitate formative assessment and discussion using Padlet
And Much More…

Dive Right in to 9 Power-Packed Tools for Bridging the Summer and the Classroom: If you are interested in learning about how the Thinglink was created, explore these 9 Power-Packed Tools for Bridging the Summer and the Classroom and dive right in to the Edudemic post divulging delicious examples for both extracurricular and instructional integration.

TechChef4u Alliteration Alliance!

Check out the other topics in the Ed Tech alliteration portfolio:

TechChef Presents!

Where will Lisa Johnson be sharing her app-thusiasm next?

Technology in Elementary Education Conference (College Station): Keynoting
TIC 2014 in June (Iowa): Keynoting
iPadpalooza 2014 in June (Austin)
SDE Power Up! 2014 in July (Vegas)
ETT Summit 2014 in July (Chicago)
ETT Summer iPad Workshops in August (Austin)
Miami Device 2014 in November (Miami)
Learning Forward 2014 (Nashville)

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LATEST ISSUE? WICKED GOOD SUMMER PD IDEAS!

Updated Stock of Chic Geek iJewelry on etsy!

1,700+ iPad Lessons Pinned HERE!

Contact TechChef4u to schedule Spring and Summer PD and Workshops: lisa.johnson@techchef4u.com

“Differentiated iClassroom” iTunes U course is now available!!!

28 May 2014
Comments: 7

Winsome Wednesday: Delightful Student-Publishing!

If customization and edupreneuralism is the not-so-distant future for districts, than authentic opportunities for students to publish their own work is the equivalent trend for the classroom.

The Big Adventure of Berry by Daeun Jung

I have to say I quite accidentally happed upon these winsome student-created iBooks in a twitter feed. Truly, I do not use the word “winsome” lightly… these exceptionally creative inquiry books are charming and delightfully designed.

The Adventures of Tom Triceps and Brittany Biceps by Elaine Zhu
Ardelia Does a Cartwheel by Ardelia Tjandra
The Adventure of Oxylia the Oxygen Bubble by Adinda Aaisyah
The Big Adventure of Berry by Daeun Jung
Oxy’s Adventure by Luna Ojanpera

Scientific Narrative Story: Each book is a narrative story that blends scientific fact and fantasy with a dash of personification. While the books encompass multiple technologies from hand drawn images to text written in Pages, the final product was assembled in Book Creator.

“The Adventure of Tom Triceps and Brittany Biceps” by Elaine Zhu

Behind the Story: A “Behind the Story” section reveals the thorough process from inquiry to publication.

“Oxy’s Adventure” by Luna Ojanperä

Research and Resources: Clearly research and inquiry were main dishes for this project and were even included in the reference section at the end of each book.

The Adventures of Oxylia the Oxygen Bubble by Adinda Aaisyah

The Adventure of Oxylia the Oxygen Bubble by Adinda Aaisyah

About the Author: And of course no book would be complete without an Author Page.

“Ardelia Does a Cartwheel” by Ardelia Tjandra

Beyond the Book: So impressed with the transformative work that these five fourth graders recently published, I decided to dive a little deeper and get an exclusive interview…via a Google Form.

How Did You Organize Your Research?

“I had to make a resources list. I had to go to the book from the school library and look on the front page to find the author and then I added the title and the book page. I also did this for information found on the Internet.” – Luna Ojanpera

Can You Tell Me More About Your Inquiry Book?

“The unit of inquiry was about different body systems, my system was about the muscular system. We learned about the unit in different ways. We worked with the grade 12 students, we made experiments, we watched films and we read books. We had to find many questions for ourselves to learn about body systems. The inquiry book is where we keep all our notes.” – Ardelia Tjandra

What Was the Most Challenging Part of the Project?

“Learning to say all of the difficult science words correctly for my eBook recording words like duodenum. Writing the story was also really hard.” – Daeun Jung
“Drawing the pictures for the book. I found it hard to draw the neurons because I had to Google first to see what they looked like.” – Elaine Zhu

What Was your Favorite Part of Creating this Real Information Book?

“I really liked finding all the facts. I watched videos from the Brain Pop website to find a lot of my information. I also read books.” – Elaine Zhu

What Advice Would You Give Other Children and Students Looking to Publish Their Own Book in iBooks?

“My advice that is you must have access to good resources and helpful teachers to guide you.” – Ardelia Tjandra
“You need to make sure that you know the facts properly. You have to be ready to make lots of drafts.” – Elaine Zhu

How/Why is this Different From an In-Class Project That is Not Published to a Worldwide Audience?

“It’s different because it took a long time and we needed to find out a lot of new information. I wanted to make sure that the people who would read my book could understand it. I tried to use easy language to make it better for others to read.” – Luna Ojanpera
“When you publish a book, everyone in the world can download and read your book. It made me want to work harder.” – Adinda Aaisyah

What is One Thing that Surprised You During this Inquiry and Publishing Process?

“The thing that surprised me was that I never thought that I could publish a book in English that is about a body system. My first language is Chinese. I also never imagined that students in America could download and read my book.” – Ardelia Tjandra

What Would You Like Other Students To Know About Your Books?

“I want people to know that I actually come from Finland and English is not my first language. This was hard for me to make this book but I succeeded and my book was published by Apple.” – Luna Ojanpera
“My book really explains in detail about how neurons work to send messages. This was hard for me to learn about but I think that I have explained it really well.” – Elaine Zhu

Jane Ross (@JaneinJava), their teacher, mentor, and fellow Apple Distinguished Educator has curated a few additional resources to shed some light from the instructional point of view:

She also has a comprehensive FREE iBook on the topic available entitled “Creating Authentic Stories for the iPad: Publishing Student Authors on the iBooks Store”.

“Creating Authentic Stories for the iPad” by Jane Ross

While these books definitely reflect robust inquiry and research as well as clear understanding of their topics… we cannot dismiss the vital role and impact that publishing to a global audience has on our students.

“We publish not just to complete our books but to share them beyond our community and place our stories into the hands of people across the world.” – Jane Ross

Additional Content-Focused Book Samples:

TechChef4u Alliteration Alliance!

Check out the other topics in the Ed Tech alliteration portfolio:

TechChef Presents!

Where will Lisa Johnson be sharing her app-thusiasm next?

Technology in Elementary Education Conference (College Station): Keynoting
TIC 2014 in June (Iowa): Keynoting
iPadpalooza 2014 in June (Austin)
SDE Power Up! 2014 in July (Vegas)
ETT Summit 2014 in July (Chicago)
ETT Summer iPad Workshops in August (Austin)
Miami Device 2014 in November (Miami)
Learning Forward 2014 (Nashville)

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LATEST ISSUE? WICKED GOOD SUMMER PD IDEAS!

Updated Stock of Chic Geek iJewelry on etsy!

1,600+ iPad Lessons Pinned HERE!

Contact TechChef4u to schedule Spring and Summer PD and Workshops: lisa.johnson@techchef4u.com

“Differentiated iClassroom” iTunes U course is now available!!!

22 May 2014
Comments: 9

BYOD Potpourri

Recently, I have been publishing some content on “device agnostic tools” for the BYOD classroom. While these tools were shared to support a BYOD setting, truly they could easily be app-lied in a variety of settings as they are applications that work across a number of platforms and devices.