iPad users group for promoting the use of iPads in academia at North Dakota State University
April 17, 2012 Leave a comment
Our next meeting of the NDSU iPad users group will be on Tuesday, April 24.
January 19, 2012 Leave a comment
Apple announced new iPad textbooks today. The books are readable in the iBooks 2 application and they have released a free application for authoring your own custom books.
June 23, 2011 Leave a comment
The NDSU.edu website features news and information on its front page that demonstrates the impact on the core missions of the university. Although the iPad users group has not even held its first meeting (stop by on July 6), the group is already starting a buzz on campus. The NDSU news service has a feature article on the newly formed group. Thanks for that! We appreciate the university getting the word out. The more people we have participate the better.
June 22, 2011 1 Comment
Wallace High School has initiated Ireland’s largest iPad 1-1 offer by providing 530 iPad 2’s to students in their key stage 3 levels (ages 11-14). According to the press release:
It became evident that the use of a single device, used by teachers, understood by parents and students would allow all learners to make progress supported by portable, digital technology. Sharing resources, interacting, the creation of a seamless transition between the school day and work at home suddenly seemed possible.
June 20, 2011 Leave a comment
The British Library has released a free app which provides access to 1000 books from their 19th Century collection. The digital books are scanned in color from the original and show the embossed covers, illustrations and marbled paper. The free content contains works of philosophy, science, history, classic novels and much more. For those interested in 19th century books, this app is just the thing for you.
June 19, 2011 Leave a comment
Apple has just released a new iPad 2 commercial called “Now”. Not a bad commercial and it has a nod toward education.
June 13, 2011 4 Comments
Ten days ago I sent out a call to form this NDSU iPad users group. The response has been overwhelming. To date there are 67 people signed up for the listserv interested in learning more about how to use iPads in the class, in the office and in the research lab. Given the immediate replies from so many people I think it behooves us to have an organizational meeting sooner rather than later. I have scheduled IACC 104 on Wednesday, July 6 for our first get together. We will meet at 2:00 pm. This will be an informal meeting to talk about what we want to accomplish as a users group, how often we want to meet and to share iPad insights with each other. Hope to see you Wed., July 6, 2:00 pm in IACC 104!
June 13, 2011 5 Comments
According to Nancy Lilleberg, Manager of ITS Instructional Services, our long wait for NDSU to enable the Blackboard Mobile Learn Module may be over. NDSU had the capability to enable the Mobile Learn module for some time but security concerns have kept it turned off. In contrast, UND has utilized the Mobile Learn on iPhones, iPads and iPods for some time and they even have their own customized app in the iTunes app store (UND mobile access).
In a June 10 email, Nancy says:
We just got done talking with the Blackboard people about the security issue with Bb Mobile and got good news. The custom fix that the company created for us sounds like it will work out. We’ll still need to put it on the test Bb server first and test it, but having it in place by Fall semester or sooner looks very doable. Instructional Services and the Help Desk will need to become comfortable with the tools to get ready to support you, but Instructional Services will put high priority on it.
Let’s hope we don’t have any more surprises! The only thing that Bb left up in the air is that we wanted them to put it in writing that NDSU will receive the same level of support with the custom build that we currently get with the “general” build. Our rep needed to check with the company to make sure that would be OK, since it is legal in nature.
Again, thank you for your patience with this delay. Things are finally moving ahead in a positive direction!
Nancy
Here’s hoping we can finally move forward at NDSU.
June 7, 2011 Leave a comment
Yesterday, Steve Jobs took the stage of the World Wide Developers Conference in San Francisco and announced several new things coming at Apple. iCloud, Mac OS 10.7 (Lion) and iOS 5 for mobile devices were demonstrated. Looks like there are nice features coming to the iPad (and iPhone/iPod) soon.
Read more about it . . .
June 2, 2011 1 Comment
From IrishTimes.com:
A CO Mayo secondary school is getting rid of schoolbooks and replacing them with iPads.
St Coleman’s College in Claremorris, Co Mayo, came to the ground-breaking decision recently after several weeks of consultation with teachers, students and parents.
The iPads will be phased into use from September, when all 90 first year students at the college will be given the option of using the Apple machine instead of a bag full of school books.
Each iPad will be furnished with a suite of learning apps at an estimated cost of €700 for the full package, but with the price spread over a three-year period, the value for money cannot be ignored, according to the school principal Jimmy Finn.
“It is a bit of a unique idea, but we have to continue to move with the times.
“We received huge support from the teachers and parents for the idea – we had 96 per cent support – but in no way is this obligatory.
“Parents have the choice to go with the iPad or schoolbooks like it was always done.”
NDSU iPads for Education and Research 