2016

In 2016 I am employed by Te Aku ki Papamoa school but am now available to consult with other schools across the country. I will also be running workshops and a variety of events at the school. I have created a new website to keep you up to date with what's happening.

The Apple Watch and why I LOVE it.......

My new Gadget the 'Apple Watch' arrived on my wrist (finally after a wee Customs drama that I won't go into). This thing is A M A Z I N G - I love it when technology just has me thinking WOW (and what will they come up with next). I knew I had to have it but frankly didn't expect it to become a device that I just couldn't see myself doing without.

Other than the fact I think it is visually gorgeous (I chose the Stainless Steel, Milanese loop option and ordered an 'extra' black sports strap and are just waiting for the soft pink modern option which is my favourite but unavailable when I went to order) as with all things Apple it really does deliver, don't get me wrong there are still things I wish it did and I'm sure it will in the future as they evolve and push out updates.

Ok, so what am I using it for.......what can it do and how does it work?

It bluetooth's to my iphone (syncs with it) so that the data or incoming that the phone receives is seen at a glance on the screen of the watch. You can have notifications on or off on every app depending on what you choose to see (or not). So when a text comes in on my phone but the phone is in 'my office' and I'm in a classroom I can see it on my screen (a 'tap') happens on my wrist (it literally feels like a light tap). Same thing for all other 'apps'  that the phone and watch 'share' e.g. calendar, email, music, twitter, shazam, fitness pal etc. On top of all that the watch has its own set of powerful apps - fitness, remote (I can operate any Apple TV from the watch!) and the usual alarm, timer, world clock, weather etc. 

This all means that I now have a choice of what I want to respond to and am able to prioritise at my leisure rather than feel I have to constantly check my phone incase I miss an important email, text or event. I think this will improve my productivity as well as make me more 'socially connected' (you know what I mean.......how many of you go out for dinner and have to have your phone on the table?).

My husband said "You make me laugh.......you have to have the next iPhone cause its got a bigger screen then you buy a watch with the tiniest screen ever!"........yip, I did and I don't regret it one bit! 

The watch is not about interacting as much as it is about 'glancing' - you don't type on the screen you just talk. The hands free 'Hey Siri" (although not 100 percent effective for me yet......sometimes she just doesn't get me!) is pretty damn good. I can be driving and just say "Hey Siri, ring home" and off she goes. When she 'doesn't get me' you just hold in a button on the side of the watch and you can just talk and then she does it. I've had no problem at all with the kiwi accent (which I found just didn't work often enough on my iPhone to warrant me using it).

The Google maps function is nothing short of brilliant on the phone, you just 'ask for directions' and up they pop on the watch and each time you need to make a turn it vibrates on your watch and shows a direction arrow......soooooo cool. 

Oh and about the cool factor......or not so cool factor........yes you can answer your incoming phone calls from your watch (and make outgoing calls of course)........you just lift your wrist and talk. Now there's the problem, I did this in the supermarket the first day I got it......I felt like a twit! I felt like everyone was looking at me like "What isssss that woman doing?".......but hey, when you've all got them you'll be just like me and then we'll all be cool, lol!

What do I want to be able to do?

At the moment I can 'see' Facebook messenger messages as they come in but I can't respond to them (I have to go back to my phone to do this), apparently they're working on the Facebook functionality. Several of my children still communicate through Facebook so this is important to me.

I love the built in fitness and tracking app but I'd like to be able to post my experiences onto social media. 

What surprised me?

The battery life (which let's face it with the iPhones just wasn't great until the 6 came out), I put the watch on to charge at night but it is never below about 60 or 70 percent.

The range that the watch has was much better than I expected, as long as the phones are in the same wifi the distance is really good, the watch has a little symbol that lets you know if you are out of range.

I've got a set of bluetooth headphones and it's just brilliant being able to control your music via the watch while you're out walking etc.

I don't think it will be long before they are for sale here in NZ and I can't see any Apple lover or gadget geek being without one!

ADE

Ok so June is almost over.....what's been happening on my digital landscape?

I was honoured to become an Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE) recently,

"Apple Distinguished Educators (ADEs) are part of a global community of education leaders recognized for doing amazing things with Apple technology in and out of the classroom. They explore new ideas, seek new paths, and embrace new opportunities. That includes working with each other — and with Apple — to bring the freshest, most innovative ideas to students everywhere."

One of 30 in NZ and just a couple of thousand throughout the world. Being 'Apple to the CORE' means so much more to me than just the devices, although I would never want to be without them, it's about empowering students and teachers to truly make a difference in the lives and learning of those around them, to communicate, to collaboration and to celebrate.

To make the opportunity even more exciting Glen and Monique Storey (my partners in crime at TAKP) are also on the same path and will attend the ADE 2015 Institute with me in August. Exciting times.

Reflecting on where 'May' went....

Ok, the month of May is almost over and I haven't posted since week 1!

It's catch up time...at Te Akau ki Papamoa (TAKP) our schoolwide professional development is focused on Writing in 2015 - the Writing PLC group (which I am a part of) is focused on developing  a 'Modern Writing Curriculum'.

Over the years I have curated loads of resources to support teachers, I will start sharing links to the writing parts of those resources.

First...

My Writing Prompts Pinterest Board

"Kids Konnect" Conference 2015

Many years ago (2010) as part of an ICTPD cluster, I organised a 'Kids Konnect' conference.

I have decided to do the same thing this year but with a group of schools from our 'Coastal Strip'

• Te Akau ki Papamoa
• Golden Sands
• Tahatai Coast
• Omanu
• Mount Primary

So often the connecting and learning we do is as teachers across schools but seldom is it our kids. 

We'll be connecting face to face this time but it would be great to evolve this style of conference to be virtual, initially within NZ perhaps and then global, who knows. Let me know if you'd be keen.

I'm just in the planning stage, all 5 schools are onboard and committed so it sounds very exciting.

A date is set for early in Term 3 so I'll keep you posted!

Display idea.......with a digital twist?

Here's my 'resource', Arty idea for the day 

I've also added it to my Pinterest board 'Arty Ideas for School'

How To....visit this website

My idea: I'd get kids to 'design' personalise one of these each and then use them in the class to display their artwork or independent contracts etc. If you didn't have anywhere to stick them too (with a magnet, which could be tricky......I'd put one of those super strength velcro dots on them that stick to vortex classroom walls......or you could even attach two back to back and 'hook' them over a wire?). For a digital flavour you could have your learners design an avatar (or you might just want their photo) print it out and laminate it and add it to their 'trap' (See my Avatar Only2Clicks page for a range of websites you can use to create them).

Loads of potential!

Are you a Dropbox user?

I love it when developers and innovators listen to consumers and adapt their products to suit, Dropbox have done just that.

Dropbox is one of the few tools I have the paid version of - I couldn't be without it. I have a super fast Macbook Pro and I keep it that way by not saving a thing to it......I save everything I do into Dropbox, all my photo's and movies or digital objects I have created (everything that's not created in my Google Drive that is). I received an email this week which informed me that you can now add comments and collaborate on documents!

This is a copy of what they sent:

We know working with multiple people can be difficult. With conversations scattered across email threads and chat windows, feedback can get lost and it can take forever to get everyone on the same page.

That process just got much simpler. Now you can post comments to files on the Dropbox website — so conversations stay organized in one place, and you can gather feedback in just one step.

To bring someone into the loop, just type "@" followed by their name or email address. They'll get an email notification with both your comment and a link to go right to the file.

To try it out, go to Dropbox.com, click on one of your files, and add a comment on the right. To learn more about this feature, visit our help center.

Try it out