Comparison of Google Docs and Pages on the iPad by Dominic

Post by 6th Grade Digital Dragon Dominic:

Google Docs vs. Pages

At St. Clare we have two  main document apps, Pages and Google Docs. Since there are two apps you may not always know what app to use so here are some pros and cons of Pages and Google Docs.

Pages

Pros: Pages has more fonts. It also has options for spacing. It has templates which in my opinion are not very useful, but maybe they are for some people. You can also add graphs in Pages.

Cons: If you make a document on Pages you can't work on it on a computer. You also need a printer that works with iPads, which we have at St. Clare, but a lot of people don't have printers that work with iPads at home. Pages also does not work with Google Drive.

Google Docs

Pros: You can print a Google Doc on many platforms because of Google Drive which allows you to view, edit, or print on many platforms just my having a google account. While it does not have very many fonts, the fonts are good. There are separate buttons for undo and redo while in Pages you have to switch between redo and undo, which is not a big deal but maybe it is for some people. You can also send a doc through Drive.

Cons: In Google Docs there are no spacing options so if you want to space things you will have to hit enter/return a lot. There are not as many fonts in Docs. It does not have any graphs or picture you can add in. Sometimes Docs does not do things you want or acts weird.

Verdict

Which one you should use depends on your preferences, printer, or if you are required to use one.

Vocabtest.com by Ellen

Post by 6th grade Digital Dragon Ellen:

This is a site for grades 6-8 vocab.  We use it to practice words and earn bonus points.  

We learn about stress marks, definitions, and parts of speech. It has all the different lessons on it with all the 20 different words. When you finish a vocabulary test, you can email it to your teacher to get bonus points. When you visit vocabtest.com , you press on your vocab level, unit, and what test you want to take. Each test gives you your words.  There are multiple books to choose from as well.

Graphing Calculators by Clare

Post written by 8th grade Digital Dragon Clare:

Mrs. Wade's algebra class has recently used the website desmos.com and graphing calculators to graph equations. Both have graphing abilities, but the graphing calculator is more commonly used among students. Desmos is very straightforward, and to get the graphing function the user can simply click on the button labeled "Launch Calculator" and get a colored graph with many possibilities. On Desmos, the linear equation can be in any form. To use the graphing ability on a graphing calculator, you must input equations in a different screen and they must be in slope-intercept (y=) form. Graphing calculators can be more useful because they have regular calculator abilities as well as being able to make graphs. If I had to choose a single tool to use, I would choose the traditional graphing calculator, but Desmos is very accessible. It is free, and if you have your iPad and wifi, you can easily launch it and get an accurate graph where you can find the exact point with just the touch of a finger, or a click of the mouse if you are using a desktop computer. In conclusion, Desmos is the better tool if the goal is only to graph, but the graphing calculator is better all-around.

Meraki Mobile Device Managment

We use Meraki as our "Mobile Device Managment" System. This system makes it easier to manage the growing number of mobile devices coming to school each day. Here is a rundown on how it works.

Students receive a link by email to enroll in Meraki Systems Manager. When they tap the link it prompts them to install a “Profile” on their iPad. The profile is a collection of settings that allow us to perform some functions on a class set of iPads. It does not wipe the iPad, but may result in apps, music, movies or TV shows that don’t meet “allowed content ratings” being removed. (That content is still tied to your Apple ID so it will still be viewable from other devices.) The profile allows us to remotely configure iPad settings for use at St. Clare, to gather some basic information about the iPad, and to deploy apps.



More detailed information on how we use Meraki to manage mobile devices.

The Simple Things - Part 2

Our students have been utilizing Google Apps for Education for several years. Until the start of this year, it has been leveraged for collaborative tools like Google Docs. This year we decided to enable a limited email service for middle school students to coordinate with the launch of 1:1. It was expected to be a possible channel to communicate with a student or an entire class. We did not realize what an essential tool it would prove to be. Teachers are frequently sending homework or project updates to the class list. In some cases, homework assignments have been distributed and collected by email. Teachers have appreciated the ease of communication that it provides. Students have also taken advantage. They can easily get clarification on grades or assignments from their device. Like the wired keyboards, email has been one of the simple things that have made 1:1 successful.

The Simple Things - Part 1

One of the simple things that has made the 1:1 program work better for our students was the addition of wired keyboard from Logitech. It was a long process; they were announced last spring, pre-ordered in June and finally shipped in October. These keyboards have the benefit of being full size and truly "plug and play." There is no configuration or temperamental Bluetooth connections to deal with. They have been a great addition to our program and they have really helped students when a class period will require a lot of writing.

Google Maps Engine

Quick Info:
- Google Maps Engine
- Web based service integrated into the Google Apps for Education Suite. Allows students to define points and paths on a map and to share with other users for collaboration.

Usage Examples:
Seventh grade science class has used Google Maps Engine in conjunction with Earthweek.com. Students have been plotting events like earthquakes, volcanoes and hurricanes to be able to study patterns over the course of the year.