Teacher Material

In this case a teacher created lessons and graphics and presented them in many different conferences. Many teachers were interested in what she was doing so they would request for the to present certain material. One day she received a cease and desist letter for the graphics she was using. She realized that the copyright holder’s name was someone who had attended one of her last conferences where she presented that material.

This teacher was not violating copyright laws, but the teacher who obtained the copyright was violating the laws. The teacher who created the graphics and presented them at the conference had copyright on the material even if she never got any kind of official paten or copyright make. After something has been created it automatically has a copyright. The original creator has ownership over that material. For the other teacher to then get copyright on the image that the first teacher gave her was in violation of the copyright laws.

The teacher who created this material could give out the material she was creating. Other teachers could then use the material that she presented on, and that would not be breaking copyright laws. Other teachers could not sell or make copies to give out to even more teachers. The original creator should be given credit and merit, so teachers should not just create copies for all of their friends to use.

Other teachers could use the images that the original teacher created as long as they give credit and merit to the original creator. They cannot take the material and then claim it as their own. That would be in violation of the copyright laws. Teachers cannot just steal other teacher’s lessons.

Aliment Case Study

In this case a school created a website for formal students to keep in contact with the school. The school called their site Alumnet. One day the school received a cease and desist letter stating that the copyright holder’s rights were being compromised for using the Alumnet name. The question to look at is if this was an actual copyright issue or not.

First, the school believes that they actually had the name before any copyright holder had it. If the school can prove this then the copyright holder has no case. The copyright holder would have to prove that he or she came up with the name before the school began using the name for their site. If the school has evidence of when they created their site, then this would be an easy case to prove.

Secondly, the school was using this name as something specifically related to their school. They came up with a creative name for their website, and it is not bringing harm to the copyright holder’s marketability. The school is using this site to keep people connected to it. This does not effect the copyright holder.

Another issue is that the school can use the name Alumnet through the fair use act. This is an educational purpose. The school created the idea behind the site. The school did not just take this name from the copyright holder to use for the original purpose of the name. The site was used as a specific tool for this specific school.

The school is not making any kind of profit from using the name Alumnet. They are not violating copyright laws by naming their site Alumnet. The school should not be afraid of the cease and desist letter. Oftentimes those are used as a scare tactic, but they are not actually breaking copyright law.

Pooh Case study

Case Study 5 Pooh

In this case a class developed a radio program about children’s books. They called it Pooh’s News. This was after Winnie-the Pooh, but they did not use any characters or voices from the book. There were no graphics that represented Pooh and there were no other connections to Winnie- the –Pooh. They received a cease and desist letter for using the name Pooh on the school’s radio station.

One pro for claiming this case as something that falls within the fair use act is the creativity aspect. This class did not take the name Pooh to represent a bear in a story they were writing. They used it in a creative way to name a radio show about children’s books. The name represents what the radio show is about, so the class that came up with this name did so by being creative.

The fair use act also looks at the intentions of the user. The classroom that used the name Pooh did not use it with malice. They did not think they were using any copyright material when coming up for a name for their radio show. They did not just steal the name of the character for one of their own character’s. They did not even create a Pooh character. Pooh’s News was the title for a program on their local school radio station.

When deciding if something falls into the fair use act one also has to look at the original purpose of the copyrighted material compared to what is being claimed as a copyright violation. In this case the purposes of the name are not the same. Pooh’s name was given to a specific character in a classic children’s book. In this case the name Pooh did not represent a character in a book. It was used to connect to children’s books, but the school did not write Pooh into their own book.

The school’s use of the name Pooh did not harm the original’s author’s marketability. The classroom wanted to think of a name that would connect to children’s books. This does not bring any kind of negative press towards the author. It also does not keep the author for any types of sales or profit on anything.

I do not think that this was a copyright issue. I think the school classroom would be covered under the fair use act. They were being creative and they did change the purpose of the name. They were in no way harming the original copyright holder’s marketability or profit.

Movie Day

Case Study 4 Movies All Day

In this case study a school was planning a special event day which included playing movies. The people planning the event advertised the movies that would be playing, but never advertised specific times. The movies were going to be played as they needed to be switched out. This was a free event people to come and watch the movies whenever they wanted to. The school received a cease and desist letter claiming that the copyright holders’ rights were being compromised. When looking at this case the fair use act must be considered.

One point for the fair use act is that the school is not making profit from this event. This event is a free showing, so they are not trying to make a profit from showing these movies. The showing of these movies was to create an event for the community to all gather together. It was not to make any type of profit, so it does not hurt the copyright holder’s profit for business.

Another point for fair use is that the planners of the event purchased the movies. They did not obtain these movies from an illegal sight, they purchased the movies. After they purchase the movie they have the right to show the movie. They are not making copies of the movie for everyone to take home with them, but legally they are allowed to show a movie that they have purchased as long as they are not charging for the event.

A point against saying that is fair use act is that any showing of the movie in a large public place should bring a profit for the copyright holder. The copyright holder can claim creative commons and state that anyone who shows their movie must make contributions to the holder. That could mean that the school must charge for the movie showing in order to pay the copyright holder for the rights to show the movies.

Schools who show movies are not changing the purpose of the original purpose of the movie. The movie was created for entertainment purposes, so when the school puts on events like this and wants to show a movie they are doing so for entertainment purposes. Schools must have a license in order to show movies to the public.

Gap VS Photographer

Case Study 3: Photographer vs Gap vs Jaguar

In this case study Gap printed a shirt from a photograph that they got off Flicker or a picture of an old Jaguar car. Someone pointed out to the photographer, Chris Devers, that is was no doubt his picture, because of the reflection in the front mirror. Devers was very upset that Gap used his photograph to create a shirt design. He was never contacted about usage of his picture and he was never paid for usage of his image. The other side of this is what about the creator of the car. Do they have the first copyright, because they are the ones who created the car, which allowed Chris to take the photograph.

Gap could claim that they have the right to use the photo, because they used the photo and created something new. They created a shirt design, they were not trying to just create another copy of the image Devers took. In the business world, however, companies have to get permission to use materials that others created. Devers took the picture that inspired the design and they used it without him knowing it. Within Devers Creative Commons rights he could have restricted Gap from using his image for profit. Once a photo is taken the photographer does not have to obtain a copyright for it to be protected by the copyright law. Anything created is under copyright, as long as it can be proven that it was created first.

I think that Gap and other companies that are taking images they find online are in violation of the copyright laws. I think that photographers have the right to know who is using their photography as a design tool. Companies need to give photographers credit when credit is due. Pictures are a form of intellectual property, so companies should not just go online and use exact copies of anyone’s photograph without mention or capitol given to the one who took the picture.

In education students can use photographs to create their own designed material. Students could not print an exact copy of a photo and call it their design, but they could use the photo as inspiration in creating their own design. Students can use images they get online as part of their projects. They have to use the images for a purpose other than the original intent of the photographer. Students would not be selling their projects as Gap is selling the shirt that has the image on it.

Billboard Case Study

Case Study 2: Billboard

In this case study a mother was upset when a billboard featured her daughter’s picture endorsing a message that the mother did not want her daughter to represent. The mother did admit that she took her children to a modeling agency a couple years previously and she did sign a release for the photos. She knew that there would be a possibility for the photos to be sold in stock, but she was never informed who bought the images. The copyrighting issue lies in asking if the mother had to agree with the messages that groups were sending using images of her daughter.

The argument for this being an infringement of copyright is that the mother did not give the organization permission to use her daughter’s image. She was never told where her daughter’s image was being used. The cons of this being a copyright infringement is that she did sign an agreement saying that she acknowledged that her daughter’s picture could be sold.

I do not think that this is a copyright issue. I think that the billboard was extremely controversial and I think it was very extreme, but the mother did sign a form acknowledging that she understood that her daughter’s images could be sold. I think that in these cases that the parents should be told where their children’s images are going, but I think that is between the modeling company and the parents. I think that the activist group that used this image did not use it illegally.

Within education this case would be extremely different. Schools do require students to have release forms in order to use their personal photos in advertisement. Parents have to give the schools permission to use photos of their children in any yearbook or school newsletter. Just like this parent, other parents give schools permission to do this , and then the school can use the photos in any way they feel is best.

Flicker Case Study

Case Study 1: Flicker Picture

The issue with this case is who does this photo belong to. If the family decided to post this picture on Flicker does that give another company the right to use it for advertising. The company did not ask anyone's permission to use the photo for advertising purposes. The advertising company could try to prove that they were using the image for a different purpose than the purpose of the original posting. They could say there was no copymark symbol on the photo itself, and they were protected under the Fair Use section in the Copyright Law. The problem with the company trying to use the fair use section of the copyright law is that it could be argued that the purpose of this reprinting was not used for any kind of new purpose. Also, it was used against the family’s knowledge, which affects their privacy. Plus, whoever took that picture still own the rights to the picture.

The pro for the company in this case is that the company did not know that they were taking a real photograph to use for their advertisement. The company believed that it was just a computer-generated image that was available to be used. My biggest question is how they got the image, if they believed it came from somewhere that was computer-generated. The cons are that this picture was taken and there was no credit given to the photographer and there was no permission from the family or photographer to use the image.

I think that in the business world this is a copyright issue. This company needed copyright permission in order to use someone’s photograph for their advertisement. Companies cannot use photographs without the photographers permission for advertising purposes. Many photographers want their pictures to be used and are willing to let companies use their photos to advertise, but the company must pay the photographer for these images. Another issue with this case is the privacy of the family. Children’s faces should not be printed without permission from the parents.

If the picture was used in education it would not be a copyright issue. If students used this picture and created something new with it then they would be covered under the fair use section of the copyright law. Students would not be sharing this picture for a purpose that would harm the photographer or the family. They would be using it for an educational purpose.

This case can be used to remind users that images that you upload online can end up anywhere. This family had no clue that after uploading their Christmas pictures that one would end up being used as an advertisement in Prague. This case serves to show why copyright on pictures is important. This family and this photographer never wanted their pictures to be used, and no one has the right to use their picture without their permission.

Google Forms

After using Google Forms and Flubaroo I have learned some easy ways for making and grading quizzes. I watches several instructional videos on how Flubaroo works and then I explored how it works by downloading the add on. Working within Flubaroo was a simple process once it came to figuring out the averages of the class. I had an easier time working with Flubaroo when I was trying to average student's scores.

Google forms is good to work with when creating the quiz. It is an easy process, and had several different ways to create questions. I liked being able to created more than just multiple choice questions. I was able to create questions that were short answer, true and false, and matching. I like these settings on the Google Forms. I also like Google form, because you can compare student's answers very easily. You can scroll through students short answers or extended answers within one location.

I would use google forms to create short quizzes or surveys to see where my students stand during or after a lesson. It is a quick assessment tool for teachers to use to see what their students know and what they do not know. It can also be used to create surveys for students to fill out. The teacher would have the full survey results in one google form and would easily be able to assess the information gained from the survey.

Yogile review

Yogile is photo sharing service where users can upload photos for public and private
sharing. Users create albums where they can save with others who have the link to
the album. Users can even set a password on the album, so when others try to view
the photos only those with the password will have access to the photos. Within the
free version users have 100 MB of photos per month that they can upload to their
account. Photos are automatically deleted after 14 days of being uploaded. Users can
upgrade to the premium version for $45 a month and these limitations will be
removed.

I would use Yogile for my own personal use to share photos between friends or
family members. This is a great place for pictures to be in one neutral and safe
location. This will allow groups of people to upload pictures from different devices
without having to share them all on a social media network. This programing also
allows users to download any pictures that have been uploaded to a joint album.

One of my favorite features of Yogile is its’ security system. Users have customized
links for their albums and they can set passwords on their albums. This becomes a
great tool for teachers to use. Protecting student’s images is important for teachers,
and so the password protection allows teachers and students to use this system
with more ease. Another feature of Yogile is its usability. Yogile can be used simply
by, creating an album and uploading pictures. After you create an album and you
share the link others can then begin adding their own picture to the album.

Yogile is great for classroom use. Yogile can be used by teachers and by students for
sharing pictures with each other and for sharing pictures with parents. Teachers
could create albums of pictures of the kids doing a special project or on a field trip
and then parents would have access to the pictures. Yogile can also be used by
students when they are working on some type of media project. For example,
students could go on a virtural scavenger hunt and take pictures along the way.
After taking these pictures they can upload them to Yogile for their class and teacher
to view. A benefit of Yogile is that the teacher can monitor the pictures and remove
anything that may be inappropriate. This creates a safe environment for teachers
and students. I would use Yogile in my classroom as a way to share pictures and
videos within the classroom.

Edmodo Review

Edmodo is a program that teachers can use as a site where students and teachers can interact with each other. Teachers can upload links, assignments, and quizzes to Edmodo and then students can log on and complete assignments or ask the teacher questions. This site can also be useful for working together in groups. Students can work on projects together, since it is all saved to the cloud. Edmodo allows teachers to extend the classroom to an online space. It allows for students to work on assignments at their own convenience. They are not restricted to just using classroom time to do things that are on Edmodo, or if they have questions after school they will be able to post them and get a quicker response. 

I would use Edmodo to help my students and I all stay connected. I would use it in order to upload links and videos for students to be able to view after school, or as an easy access point to use during school. I would also use it as a quick check on comprehension. I could put a short quiz on Edmodo and see the results instantly. I would also use it as a backup tool. Everything that is on Edmodo can be saved into a backpack. That information is all saved on the cloud, so it can be accessed anywhere and at anytime. 

Some of the positive features of Edmodo are that many users can collaborate on material in a closed environment. Outside people will not be able to see the students' work, but the work can be shared within the class. This is extremely convenient for group projects. Another positive feature of this program is that the teacher can add many different types of files. They can add YouTube videos, power points, images, or Google Forms. Edmodo can be downloaded on many different kinds of devices, so students can use it on their phones, iPads, or on their laptops. No matter what device they are using, the same material is available for viewing on all devices. 

Edmodo is a great program for educators to use. It can allow them to post extra information that can help students better learn the material they are covering. It can also give students a chance to blog and comment on each others work. This program allows for teachers to go beyond the class period and gives teachers a place to put all of their materials. Parents can also create an account, so they can keep up with their child's assignments. Edmodo could also serve as an area where teachers can connect with the parents.

Music: Discover Musical Instruments

Discover Musical Instruments is an application that, as its' title says, allows students to discover different instruments. Students can go through the many instruments that are pictured in the application and then click on them to hear what the instrument sounds like. This application is very simple, but it accomplishes its' purpose very well. It includes a range on instruments that are very well known like the guitar and the piano, and also includes instruments that children might not be as familiar with such as the oboe and the tambura.

In the classroom teachers can use this application in many different ways. One instance this application could be used is when teachers are talking about music around the world. Teachers may not be able to actually find the instruments for the students to see and use in person, but this application can provide students with a visual image and the auditory sound of the instrument. Music teachers could use this application when they are introducing new instruments to their classes. Schools will not have access to each type of instrument that is featured in this application, so it can be used as alternative to having the instrument in person. Students could also use this application in their own free time just as another activity to play. A group of students could create their own music using the different instruments.

Social Studies- Stack the States

Stack the States is an application that asks questions about different states. If the students gets the question correct then they drop the state. The goal is to stack the states up in order for them to cross a finish line. If the students miss the question they do not get the state and then a new question will appear. The questions range from which state is Ohio to which state borders Canada. There are questions that mention specific cities, asks about state's capitol city, or asks about different landmarks that are in a specific state. There are also questions about state flags and state abbreviations.

This is a fun game for students to play to increase their knowledge about different states. It is also good to use to show students how much they know or do not know about geology. I would use this game in my classroom for students to gain more information about states and to practice what they already know. I think this is a fun game that is not just asking question. Since students also have to try to make stacks of the states that adds something more fun and interactive for them to do. I also like that when you miss a question it immediately gives you the correct answer. This way students know that information for future questions.

I also like this application, because it gives students a chance to see the states as individual states. In this application when you are choosing an answer they provide you with four different choices. This allows students to see each individual state with a more close up view. Oftentimes, when we just focus on seeing states as the whole United States, students overlook the individual states. This application helps students look at differences in shapes and sizes of the individual state. It also gives students to learn more about each individual state. It helps them remember where specific landmarks are located and helps them remember where each state is located on the map.   

Science- Gravity 2 Application

Gravity 2 is an application that allows students to explore how gravity works. This is a game where students try to get a ball through different obstacles in order to hit a red button. Students have to set up the course to make different things hit the red button. Students will have to figure out how gravity works and use the tools provided to guide the ball to hit the button. As students work through the levels in the game, the task gets more and more complex. There are more parts to the obstacle and there are more tools added to help the ball push the button. On some levels there are magnates, so students can learn about magnetism as well. This game is fun, because while students are playing it they might not be realizing what they are learning about gravity.

I would use this application in my classroom. If I used it I would want to make sure we talked about what they were discovering about gravity. This way they are not just playing the game for fun, they are using metacognition to think about what they are learning through playing the game. Elementary students could play this game to discover how gravity works. I like that students are able explore and figure out how gravity works using this fun game. I think this game would be a great way to introduce students to a unit on gravity.

Language Arts- Read Me Stories Review

Read Me Stories is an application that reads through stories for children who are learning how to read. Students can choose between having the story read to them or they can read it themselves. Within the application users can buy series of books or they can preview one free book from each set. The sets are continuous, so users will probably want to buy the sets. These books are interactive, after reading the text on the page users can click on certain characters and speech bubbles will appear sharing the character's personal thoughts. Within this application the stories are about different animals and their adventures. The language in this book is good for beginning readers. It is also good to follow along with, because as the application is reading the words the word being said is highlighted.

I would use this application in a lower elementary level classroom. I think that it is a good tool to use for readers who are beginning readers. These books are interesting and can be used for students to listen to and follow along with independently. I think that students would enjoy getting to click on the different characters as they are reading, because it is something different than reading a paper book. Students should be exposed to books in many different ways, and this application allows them to see that books and reading can be done using ipads or tablets.

The biggest downside to this application is that it could become pricey. In order to have a complete set of books teachers would have to buy the sets. One set would not be a lot of money, but after getting several sets the cost would add up. Paper books cost money as well, so teachers just have to decide what if they want to have a lot of digital books as well. Digital books such as ones in this application are useful, because they provide a different type of interaction. They allow students to be read to individually, which might be good during a centers time. While the teacher is working with a smaller group other students could listen to a digital book on an application such as Read Me Stories.

MathBoard Addition

MathBoard Addition is an application that tests students on addition problems. Within this application students can take an addition quiz, play an equality/inequality activity, play a find the sign activity, and play a matching math facts activity. When students are doing the activities there is an option for them to use a chalkboard to write through their problems. Students have the options to see a number line and make marks on it to help them work though the problems. In the application there is a learn section where students can look at an addition table. They can also enter in addition problems and the application will give them step by step instructions on how to solve the problem.

I think this would be a good tool to use in the classroom for students to practice their addition facts. Students would enjoy using the application as opposed to doing a worksheet. I like that students can work through the problem on the side of the application. I think that is helpful for students in order for them to visualize the problem. I also like that students can see their results and it creates a graph of their progress. This will help show the students that they are improving over time.

I would not use this application all of the time, because students need to do the addition problems without having multiple choices provided. This application does allow for students to just fly through the quiz by just clicking on answers. On many timed applications students want to make a fast time, so they rush through the quiz without actually paying attention to the problems being asked. If the teacher tries to emphasize that the time is not as important as solving the problems, this might help students slow down and take their time on applications such as this one.

Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts is a tool to use for video conferencing. Groups of people can be involved in a call that allows for video chatting or for screen sharing. This program can be used for group calls and for working on group projects. Users can all see each other or they can all work on their screens while being able to talk to each other. This allows each party to be able to see and work on the document that is being viewed. Google Hangouts can also be connected to users Google Drive. This allows the user to share their documents with the audience involved in the call. Another feature of Google Hangouts is Hangouts On Air. This feature allows users to schedule a Hangout for a specific time and invite other users to join. 

I would use Google Hangouts for working on group projects. I think it is a great way for every member that is involved in the project to be able to work together and talk through the information that each individual member has gathered. This would be helpful with working with many conflicting schedules. Google Hangouts is easy to use and can be used in multiple ways. It can connect friends who are in many different locations or it can be used in the work place. I would also use Google Hangouts as an alternative to Skype, because multiple people can be a part of the call.

I like Google Hangouts, because it allows multiple people to be connected together. We learn from people, so I think Google hangouts is a great way to connect with others in a more convenient way than every before. I think it is a very powerful tool to use in the professional environment and in the educational environment. It allows people to connect with others in a quick and easy manner. Google Hangout can be used for professional development that is happening across the country. It can also be used to learn about students in a different culture. I think that Google Hangouts is a great tool for personal and professional use.

In the classroom Google Hangout can be used in many different ways. One way it can be used it to connect with different classrooms around the world. It can be used to see a classes' penpals in person. Another way that Google Hangout can be used in the classroom is by inviting authors or illustrators to have a Hangout with the class. Authors or Illustrators might not be able to travel to the school to speak, but a Google Hangout may be more convenient for them. Teachers could also use Google Hangout to do a virtual field trip to an Art or Historical Museum.  Google Hangout could also be used in study groups. Students can work with each other on studying to the upcoming exam.

I would definitely use Google Hangouts in the classroom to help students connect with others. I think that Google Hangouts provides students with an experience that they cannot gain within the classroom. It allows them to connect to others in a way that is not possible without video chat. 

Puppet Pals

Puppet Pals is an application where users can design puppet shows. There are multiple sets of characters that the user can buy and download for use in the puppet show. The show that the user creates can contain multiple sets of characters. Each set of characters comes with three different backdrops that can be used for the show. After the user selects the characters and settings they can record the show while moving around the characters and changing the backdrop. This application allows for voice recording as the show is being played out. After the recording is finished the user can title their show and then play it back and share it.

Within the application users can do a lot of editing and moving of their characters, They can make their characters bigger or smaller or they can move them to the foreground and background of a scene. This is a feature that a live puppet show could not have. Users can make different statements based on the size of their characters. Throughout the play the characters could grow or shrink, depending on what is happening.

This application would be great for students to create their own puppet shows. It will allow them to be creative and come up with a new story. Teachers can have groups of students write a script and then have them create it using the Puppet Pal application. The teacher can also allow students to improvise as they make their own show. It is a great tool to use when talking about story element. Students could create a play and identify the different story elements.

Puppet Pal can also help students with inflection. When creating the show the students can learn about they way the characters talk and how that influences the story. Students can give the characters different voices and attitudes that play in to the story line. This will help students see that inflection is important in story telling. Without inflection the story is much more dry and boring, and with using Puppet Pal students can compare stories using good inflection and not using good inflection.

I would use Puppet Pal in my future classroom. I think that it gives students a creative way of making up stories. It gives them a baseline by providing sets of characters for them, but after that students get to make everything else up. I think it will help students in their story writing and in the way that they present the stories that they write.

Show Me Interactive Whiteboard

Show Me Interactive Whiteboard is an application for creating slide shows. Within this application users can draw or type on the slides. Users create an account and then can share their slideshows with other people who use the Show Me application. I watched a few slideshows that were already created and the topics range from high school English to elementary school math. If teachers look through other videos they could find very useful slideshows that are already created that they could show to their students.

When users create their own slideshow there are many features that the whiteboard allows users to do. Users can add images and then they can draw arrows or lines to emphasize the material they want to point out. Users can also connect to their Google Drive or to Dropbox to get images from there. This application allows users to make something that is similar to a powerpoint, but then allows you to draw your own words, pictures, designs, or anything else.

The Show Me application would be great to use in the classroom for creating presentations. Students could easily create their own slideshow about any information they are learning about. This gives students a way to be creative in the way they present their information. Students can draw a write a story with this application and then share it with the rest of their class. Students could also take pictures and then write a story about it. There are many different ways that students could use the Show Me application to enhance their learning.

Grammar Express and Dictonary Application

Grammar Express is an application to help students with their grammar skills. In the free section users can take tests on nouns and pronouns. To use any other part of speech users must upgrade to the full version, which costs a couple dollars. Users can also take a final test that covers all parts of speech. There are several other Grammar Express applications that cover other parts of grammar such as: active and passive voice and different tenses.

I think that the Grammar Express applications can be useful for students who are learning different parts of grammar. It allows students to see how much they already know about the subject that they are on and discover what they still need to work on. One thing I really like about the application is that it does not give the results until the end. That way it focuses students on the questions and not on how many questions they have already gotten right or wrong. At the end students are able to go back to the question that they missed and there is an explanation of why they missed the question.

The Grammar Express applications can be useful for teachers to monitor their students' progress. Teachers can look at their scores and they will be able to see their students' strengths and weaknesses. The teacher will then be able to alter their lesson plan based upon their students' needs. This application gives students a different way to take grammar tests. It also provides a way to save teachers from having to create their own grammar test each time.

The dictionary application that I explored was the Merriam Webster Dictionary application. Within this application users can do more than just look up words to find their definition. Users can play games within the application. These games range from matching vocabulary words to their definitions to matching words to their synonyms. These games can be used to strengthen users' vocabulary and to introduce them to new words.

Another aspect to the Merriam Webster Dictionary application it that each day it provides a word of the day. This would be a great tool to use in the classroom to introduce students to new vocabulary words. Each morning a new vocabulary word would be introduced, and then there could be some kind of system within the classroom that awards points to students who use the new word throughout the day. The word of the day will widen users vocabulary and introduce them to words that are less common. The words are more intellectual and learning those words will help students be able to have more intellectual conversations. This will transfer into their academic writing. With increased vocabulary strength students will write with a wider academic language.

The Merriam Webster Dictionary application also allows users to favor words. This is a great tool for users who want to continually go back to a certain definition. This could be used in the classroom with spelling or vocabulary lists. Students could favor their spelling or vocabulary words on the application and then they would have quick access to the words. Students could also favor words that they have trouble with. This will give them quick access to words that cause them frequent troubles.

Along with giving the definition of the word the app includes information about the word. It provides users with where the word came from, examples of how to use the word, and when the word was first used. This information provides users with interesting background information about the word they are trying to define. This information can also be used to enhance the classroom. Teachers can show students common themes in language within different time periods. They can also teach students where different words came from and how that gives the word its' spelling pattern.

Evernote

I chose to explore Evernote. Evernote is an application that can be downloaded on
mobile devices and it is a website that can be accessed on desktops and laptops. It is
a program that designed for note taking. Users can take notes on this program and
then can organize their notes into notebooks. These notes can be accessed on any
other device. Evernote is very convinent for taking notes in class and then being able
to look at the notes on another device. Users can also set up reminders on Evernote.
These reminders will send users a notification on their mobile device to look at their
notes. Users can also use Evernote to attach documents, power points, and PDFs to
their notes.

I would use Evernote as a tool for my personal note taking. It is useful in organizing
notes and it makes them easily assessable. I would also use the checklist tool in the
program. You can add checklists to your notes, so I would create a to-do list
notebook and then use that as a checklist. I would also use the tools within the notes
pages, such as adding grids and images. This will help enhance class notes and
better organize information.

I like Evernote’s organizational tools. I think that adding grids, attachments, voice
memos, and tags help information become organized into a way that makes sense.
These tools can be used when writing notes in class or can be used after class to
help better understand the information. I also like Evernote, because it can be
accessed anywhere. Anyone who uses Evernote to keep all of their notes in never
have to worry about losing their notes.

I would use Evernote in the classroom to help students keep their notes in one
place. This might be less useful for primary grades, but it could still be used.
Students could use it as they were coming up with writing ideas and topics.
Teachers could also set up Evernote as the students’ science journal. Students can
make notes on their ipads and then add them to their science notebook and share it
with the class.

Safari and Rover

Rover is a cloud- based streaming platform. It is used on ipads to allow users to have
access to sites that use flash or java. Ipads are not supported by Flash or Java, so in
order to run these programs Rover uses a middle system called ISwifter to access
the site. A downside to this is that there is a lag while running programs in the Rover
application. Rover also uses a lot of data, because it is getting video from ISwifter.
When too many people are trying to use Rover that can cause a network issue.

The safari application is another web browser. One benefit of using safari is the
reader option. This allows users to focus on just the text and then enlarge the text
only. This eliminates adds and images that are not relavent. On safari you can also
create a reading list in order to read pages offline. When users add something to the
reading list they can read it when they do not have wifi. The Safari application on
the ipad does not allow sites with Flash or Java to run.

I would prefer to use Safari. Safari runs more smoothly, and even though it does not
allow for flash or java, I think it still it better than using Rover. Rover is pixelated
and runs much more slowly than Safari runs. I think that Safari is better for use in
the classroom, because it causes less network issues. From what I have learned,
Rover is better for personal or home use, even though it was designed for school use.

iThought

After exploring iThought, I thought of many ways a teacher could use this in the classroom. First, when doing writing prompts students can use this application as a way to create a graphic organizer on what they will write about. Students can come up with a topic and then brainstorm about the key points that they will write about. This application can also be used when students are writing research papers. Students can write their thesis or topic sentence in the middle and then use the lines as points of research that they have found and as topic paragraphs. This would be a great tool for teachers to use to help students make graphic organizers.

iThought an also be used in reading when students are learning about main idea. The teacher can show them how to make a graphic organizer with the main idea in the middle and then the students can make their own using iThought. It can also be used in teaching cause and effect. Students can draw lines from the event to show their effects. iThought is a very useful in the classroom for students and for teachers.

Box.net Discovery

The box is another application that is similar to dropbox. It can be used to share documents between devices. This is convenient for when you create a document on one device and then you need access to it on another device. The box can be used on Iphones, Ipads, laptops, and desktops. It can be installed as an add on to the desktops and laptops. Users can create a free account, which allows for 5 GB of storage.

Users can also add notes to the box. The box could be used for note taking and then the notes would be accessible from any other device. The notes and documents can also be shared. This can be helpful when students or professionals are working in groups. Users can choose between making their files public or private as they are uploading the files.

Another thing I learned about the box is that you can upload many different types of files. You can upload documents, power points, excel sheets, and google documents. You can also favor documents and they go into a favorites folder. This is a way to find the documents that you need the most in a more convenient way.

The box is another great tool to use when sharing files. I will use the account I made when my personal dropbox fills up. The box is easy to use and helps files stay organized. You can make folders to put file into to help every document have a specific location. I would use the box application in my classroom to help organize my files and in order to share my files between my devices.

Pages Versus Word

I explored Pages, which is the Apple equivalent to Microsoft Word. When I explore this app I found that Pages was extremely easy to use. Its functionality is useful when you are creating documents on the go or when wanting to enhance the document more. I am glad that I explored Pages more, because originally I thought it was not as useful as Microsoft Word.

 Some of the similarities between Pages and Word is their functionality. They are both for creating documents, in which you can add images, graphs, and text. Within the document you can be creative with font style, size, and color. Another similarity is that from Word and from Pages users can send their document to their email or save it on their device. A third similarity is that they both include templates that users can use to help them with their purpose. This goes into a difference as well, because Word has more templates than Pages has. The end result within Pages and Word are similar, but Pages has a few features that Microsoft Word does not have and Word has some things that Pages does not have.

 One benefit of using Pages on mobile devices is having the touch screen.  The touch screen makes selecting text easier and it allows for easier cropping of pictures. The Ipad makes Pages extremely easy to use. When the user is used to doing everything on a touch screen, Pages can be used efficiently. For some people, they would prefer to use a keyboard to type and for them Pages might be harder to master on the Ipad. Pages is fairly simple, so after playing around within the application most people would benefit from its' functionality.

One difference is, on Pages you can tilt the charts and graphs to make them look more 3-Dementional. This aspect enhances the document for presentations. Another difference is with how Word and Pages saves their documents.  When working with Word the document being created has to be saved before closing out of the document, or the document will be lost. Pages automatically saves the document to the device as you are working.

I would use Pages in the classroom and for personal use. It is convenient to use on mobile devices, so students could use it at their desks while working on something. Students could also move around the room and work in different areas and they would not be limited to sitting where the computer is stationed. Also, as technology is increasing more and more students can type an function better on Ipads. Pages allows students to excel in what they are used to doing.