Gina Marcel (@fpgina) hosted our 2nd Faculty iPad share where teachers from The School at Columbia University get together to eat, shmooze, and share iPad apps. Here are some of the ones that were shown:

Toontastic shared by Gina Marcel, K-3 Technology Integrator (@fpgina)

SymmetryShuffle shared by Amy Liebov, Kindergarten Teacher (@AmyLiebov)

SoundLiteracy shared by Ibijoke Akinole, K-2 Learning Specialist

JibJab Jr. Books shared by Tabitha Johnson, K-4 Librarian (@tabletj)

ShowMeApp shared by Aletha Haynes, 2nd Grade Teacher (@ahaynes16)

7Billion shared by Nadine Renazile, 5-8 Librarian (@infobirdie)

CharacterPad shared by Nancy Wong, K-2 Numberacy Liasion (@scampnyc)

Cube it 3D also shared by Nancy Wong

Daniel Scher is a principal investigator for The Dynamic Number Project. He works to create the iPad-compatible constructions for the Sketchpad Explorer app. Sketchpad Explorer is the iPad companion to Geometer's Sketchpad software program - both are published by Key Curriculum Press (@keypress on Twitter).

Daniel will be coming to The School at Columbia University to help me help the 5th grade teachers integrate Sketchpad Explorer into their math curriculum. He's psyched to watch/evalutate how kids learn with the app versus the software versus without either, and I'm excited to get a full grade of teachers to use a tool that I consider to be an industry standard for math educators. I love Geometer's Sketchpad, and I recently gushed about Sketchpad Explorer on Scholastic's Best in Tech Today.

Upon opening the Sketchpad Explorer app, there is an animated proof of the Pythagorian Theorem.

On the bottom right corner is a book icon. This takes you to many options, one of which is to visit the Sketch Exchange community site. From here, you can click Sketch Exchange sketches tagged with ipad, and then you can choose dynamic number in the tag cloud. These sketches open up with the full Geometer's Sketchpad software program as well.

There are four pages of sketches to choose from. I initially chose Balance Scale: Solving for Unknowns Part 1. When you choose a sketch, further down the page you'll find links to download activity notes, worksheets, and the actual sketch with the .gsp suffix. I was super excited to note the CreativeCommons license (!) of Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives which translates to: Give me credit, don't make money off it, and don't alter it. I love Creative Commons almost as much as Geometer's Sketchpad. :)

I had a bit of fun playing with this screen trying to figure out the value of the star and other shapes using the fulcrum, and yes, I think I'm smarter than a 5th grader.

Download the Sketchpad Explorer app here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sketchpad-explorer/id452811793?mt=8

(presentation designed by Don Buckley)

This year we are saying RIP to our AUP to make room for our RUP. 

Back in 2006 when I started at The School at Columbia University (it was entering its 4th year!), the Technology Department strove to create a simple and clear Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) that was 10 items long. We review this AUP with each grade at the beginning of every school year, The kids invent a million what if? scenarios, and it's equally hilarious and exhausting to counter them all. After we review the policy point by point for 20-30 minutes, students have to sign the AUP and take it home to get a parent/guardian's signature as well. Only after they return the signed form to me are they allowed to use the machines we provide for them. We're a 1:1 school: Child in grades K-2 are assigned an iPad and children in grades 3-8 are assigned a laptop - with overlap as needed for projects.

This year, Don Buckley (@donbuckley) decided to rename our AUP, so we are now calling it our Respectable Use Policy (RUP). It's not just semantics, shemantics. We want our community to fully appreciate, internalize, support, and ultimately respect our policy and not just accept it. This is an example of how we use/reinforce a consistent vocabulary for our student body. (In my case, I reinforce this vocabulary in a very shrill and repetitive way.)

For the record, we do not filter. We use Columbia University's network, and they do not filter. This means that we ask/expect/hope/pray members of our community will make good choices. Our RUP is below:

The School's Respectable Use Policy

The School's students will use its technology facilities in the spirit of The School's code of conduct and in a responsible and legal manner, following the rules listed below:

Respect

• I will always use the computer with consideration and respect for others and myself.
• I will not eat food or drink beverages while working on the computers.
• I will be responsible for my computer's whereabouts at all times. If I am not using my computer, I will return it to a charging station

Email and Communication

• I will use electronic mail only for school-related purposes. I will never use abusive or profane language in public or private messages.
• I will not access my personal e-mail account, social networking sites, or personal instant messaging software from any school computer.
• I will not use others’ names or passwords.

Safety

• I will ask a teacher for permission before I download or install anything from the Internet.
• I will keep my network and electronic mail account passwords private.

Software/Apps

• I will use teacher-approved software and apps when given permission at appropriate times.
• I will not illegally copy or download software or media (games, MP3s, etc.).

Internet

• I will not shop online or make any purchases using a school computer.
• I will not visit inappropriate websites. Teachers and administrators will determine appropriateness.

I understand that failure to follow these rules when using The School's technology, whether at The School or off-campus, will result in suspension of my technology privileges and/or additional disciplinary action.