WEEK 1 » ME, MYSELF, AND iOS

Introduction • Becoming an iTeacher
• Accountability • Going Mobile • Looking Ahead

Welcome to Week 1 of Me, Myself, and iOS!

Think back to experiences you have had with learning how to use and integrate personal computers and associated software (both productivity and educational). No doubt you have experienced many frustrating moments, sat through courses, and teacher workshops; oh, those dreaded teacher workshops on Excel, smart boards, and those "all day" or "all week" marathons to learn how to use and integrate complex education software packages for which your district or school paid hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Over the past 20-25 years, billions of dollars has been spent training millions of teachers how to use and integrate computer technology often with limited success; sometimes, perhaps many times, your frustration level exceeded your learning level or limited your potential to learn.


See if you can relate to this video.

 

First IT Professional Service Call.

Steve Jobs had a vision dating back to the 1980s that those at Apple Computers would create a device that would change the world in incredible ways while at the same time be intuitive and extremely user friendly. His vision resulted in the touch screen smartphone revolution led by his iPhone (introduced 2007) and the touch screen tablet revolution started by his iPad (introduced 2010).

His vision also led to the app revolution that we know today. In a very short period of time, his vision has transformed all aspect of our daily lives, from medicine to entertainment, and especially education. Close to a billion (yep, a billion) users worldwide from toddlers to great grandparents have learned how to use touch screen devices (smartphones and tablets) with absolutely no training! Okay, maybe a little informal help from friends or family, and other members of the iGeneration.

Oh, How Times Have Changed!

Compare this video, A Magazine Is an iPad That Does Not Work to the First IT Professional Service Call video above.

What a powerful statement “For my 1 year old daughter, a magazine is an iPad that does not work. It will remain so for her entire life. Steve Jobs has coded part of her OS."

Do you think the younger members of the iGeneration (many of your current students and soon all of them) are going to “really” learn from traditional textbooks and supplemental materials? Digital books and digital supplemental materials are the future of written or text based education. iTeachers don’t teach using traditional textbooks unless they are forced to by their school. Digital books and iBooks (Apple's digital books) are just one of many ways to reach the iGeneration. Think about this video and the profound implications as you interact with the iBook app that you are going to download this week. In Week 3, you will explore interactive K-12 textbooks where you will discover the power and potential of digital books.


In this section of the TDC course, we will review many of the basic features of iDevices (many of these you may already know or will acquire very quickly). Much more importantly, we want you to explore 100s of features and simple things that will help you use and integrate these iDevices in and outside of your classroom. So, let's have some fun!

Please meet Justin.

Digital Textbook or iBook, “iPad Users Guide”

Use the iBook app to download the iBook version to your iPad or iPhone. The “how to” details were covered by Justin in this section’s video. Click or tap here to download a free PDF of the "iPad Users Guide", for use on a traditional PC or Mac computer.

Oh, something to ponder. In most courses you have taken over your lifetime, you had to purchase “textbooks” that often set you back well over $100 or even $200 and more. Those days are not quite over, but very close to being over. So you know, all states are now mandating that K-12 schools begin adopting digital textbooks. You just downloaded one of the “textbooks” for this course and it was free. WOW, what a neat iConcept–a free textbook.