Video projects are always a favorite among my students, but the classroom is not always the best place to shoot a video.  One of the easiest ways to update your students video productions is with the introduction of a green screen. The two main hurdles are:  How do you set up a green screen in a classroom without spending a lot of money?   How do you incorporate green screen into your classroom?
     There are two major parts to a green screen project in your classroom. First the actual green screen. A green screen kit can be purchased from Amazon for as little as $49.  I recommend a slightly higher priced set up that comes with lights as well which runs about $150.   Link: http://a.co/b0hSbKr . Of course you can achieve very similar results with a green painted wall, or green paper on a bulletin board.  Just make sure that the paper is bright green and large enough that you can fit as many students into the frame as are working on the project. My rule of thumb is that four people should be able to fit comfortably within the confines of  the green screen.  My current set up is a green sheet attached to the back board of my room.  Price: $29  Link: http://a.co/ad9z17S
​

     The second part of the green screen project is your mobile device and the app you will be using for the green screen.  There are several different applications to choose from.  The first, and most popular is called TouchCast

TouchCast is free of cost and provides you with a mobile movie studio on an iPad.  Overall, it is an excellent app with the ability to add multiple mobile devices as secondary cameras.  This app will give students the feel of working with professional level equipment without going beyond the teacher's budget.  All of the technical ability of a TV studio in an iPad to iPhone.  Be warned that there is a learning curve to this App.

The second app is
 Green Screen by Do Ink:

     Green Screen is a simple  App that does one thing, it allows the students to film their green screen scenes within the app, then export the scene to a different movie editor such as iMovie.  This App cost $2.99 and is comparable with both the iPad and the iPhone.  I prefer this App because all of my students have access to iPads or iPhones.  This means they can easily shoot their green screen shots on Green Screen and export the scenes to iMovie or Clips which is already on their devices. iMovie also the virtue of being a very capable editing program with a simple learning curve. In many cases,  my students have learned how to use iMove prior to entering my class.  The comfort that the students have using iMovie allows them to spend more time crafting their story and green screen shots as opposed to spending the time learning the mechanics of editing their clips into a finished product.
    If you assign your students video projects then it is time to take the leap and incorporate a green screen into your classroom.  The possibilities are unlimited. The green screen gives your students the creative freedom to take their projects to new and exciting places, without ever leaving the classroom. 

     For the past four years I have been passionate about the incorporation of video into my classroom.   Initially I started, as many other teachers have filming myself teaching my class.  Unfortunately, it just isn't effective as a teaching strategy.  As the years have progressed I have learned that the best way to incorporate video into the classroom is through student creation.  These videos give students a chance to share their voices with other students and faculty.   When the students eventually get around to YouTube or Instagram video publication then these students get to share their voices with the world.  The biggest problem has always been the editing process.  Teaching students to edit video is time consuming. For many of the students the process is also very tedious.  These two problems have prevented many teachers from using video production in the classroom.
    The the answer to these two problems is Apple's app Clips. Using an iPhone or iPad Clips is a free app that allows your apple device to become a simple and effective video studio.  Shoot your video in the app or prior to editing from there your edit in the app.  Clips has a very simple interface that most students will be able to grasp without the learning curve associated with most other video editing programs. Titles and dynamic backgrounds are available in the app for quick use.  Clips includes a variety of music that you can use for your video without the normal worry of copyright violation.  Once the video is completed, the students can then save their creation directly to their Photos.  From Photos the video can be published on any platform the is desired.  Check out clips today.  It is the easy way to incorporate video into your classroom.  
​      Below is an example of a video I shot, and edited using the Clips app, then published to my YouTube channel. Total creation time 17 minutes.   Questions welcome. 

     New technology is exciting, and can invigorate a classroom. However, when I show colleagues and students new pieces of technology I am often met with one comment, "Well that is very interesting, but how can I use this practically in my classroom?".   The answer to this question is different for each teacher, and each group of students.  The ideas that have worked best for me have often been inspired by projects I see in other classrooms, so here is my favorite, "tech based" project from my class.  Please steal this idea, and adapt it for your classroom.  
     For the past three years I have been using Sphero robots and FlipGrid in my classroom as individual tools.  This year using these two phenomenal technologies my classes were able to work on a project with classes in Ohio which incorporated science, literature, and robotics.  The project was exciting, and successful and hopefully you can use this project as a template for your classroom.
    This project starts with my students reading The Grapes of Wrath, then trying to explain to me that the struggles faced by the load family are not important.   My students are just not able to empathize with the struggles facing the Joad family. This project uses Sphero robots to simulate the struggles of the Joad and allows the students to understand these struggles through practical experiences with the robots. This project also incorporates FlipGrid, a video response app, which allows my students to reach out to a class of Sphero experts at McCormack Middle school in Huron Ohio.  A big should out to Leah Lacrosse and her students for all the help.   I could easily spend two more pages explaining the project, but instead check out this series videos documenting the entire project.  That way you get to hear what my students thought of the project as well.  Please steal this idea and use it in your classroom!  Then share it!   

In the past I have had students write letters to themselves. I would then mail these letters upon this that classes graduation from my school. I have done this with all the grades I have taught, 9th, 10th, and 11th, graders. The students could write anything they wanted to the future version of themselves that they wished. These letters would remind my students who they were, and more importantly give them a chance to appreciate how much they had changed in the ensuing year(s). I found this to be an exciting, and useful method of allowing students to reflect on their successes, failures, and the fickle way life has of changing our plans. This project was not without its problems. Buying envelopes, stamps, and remembering to mail the letters was always a bit of a hassle. Then there is the problem of students that moved. A few (three in the course of 18 years) letters came back because the student had moved in the ensuing years.
The came FutureMe, and app that does all of the leg work for this project, and delivers the letter the a students email. In this age physical addresses seem to change more often than email addresses. This App (.99 cents) allows the students to set up an account (free) which verifies their email address, and then write themselves an email to be delivered at a future date. There is also a website that does the same thing for free, FutureMe.org. This has allowed me to simplify and expand this project. Students can now write the one graduation letter, or expand it to write several letters to their future self.

      Since I first saw Star Wars in the late I have wanted a robot.  Something to follow me around, and make cool noises.  While 2015 isn’t all that the movies had promised it has delivered to me two robots that I can use in my classroom.  The first is the Sphero, which I will discuss in a later post, the second robot, and the focus of this article is Swivl.  Swivl is the perfect classroom robot for any teacher trying to create a classroom video archive.  Swivl is based on two very simple ideas: first keep the speaker in frame while creating video and second provide consistent quality sound for the video regardless of the movement of the speaker.  The Swivl unit is comprised of two parts the robot or base unit itself, which can be mounted on a tripod, and the IR tracker/Bluetooth microphone that is worn by the subject of the video this component is called the marker by the Swivl web site.  The marker unit is small enough to wear comfortable and is stored and charged within the robot itself. As a teacher or student wearing the marker moves around the classroom the Swivl keeps the wearer in focus while providing a quality audio stream to the recording device.  

The Basics:
      The Swivl is basically an IR tracking unit.  The user wears the marker and the base unit tracks the IR signal produced by the marker.  The base unit can be mounted on a tripod via the universal mounting screw on the bottom of the base unit.  The base unit also has four rubberized feet for a firm grip on any classroom surface.  The unit is able to swivel (get the name) 360 degrees and has the ability to tilt 25 degrees.  The Swivl web site says it has a 30 ft range.   I have found that claim to be conservative based upon my use of the Swivl in my class.  The Swivl also has a rechargeable battery and can run without external power for about five hours, thus far in my use this claim has also proven itself to be accurate.  I must admit though I keep my base unit plugged it in my classroom, and the run time limitation is based solely upon the marker's battery.   
      The Swivl can mount any OS device I have tried including: an iPhone 4, iPhone 5, iPhone 6 plus, iPad Mini as well as the iPad Air 1 and 2.  So the base unit can accommodate any tablet or phone a user may have.  There is also a way to mount a  DSLR or traditional video camera, but it will require an additional adapter which cost an extra $49.  
      The Swivl robot is only half of the equation, there is also a companion app that is specifically designed for recording via OS devices. There is also an Android app, but I have never used it.  The Swivl app allows a user to set the record quality, tilt, and microphone source.  The app also gives the user access to the Swivl cloud service.  This service allows the user to save the video onto a platform that is accessible to anyone that the user invites.  The cloud service also allows the user to upload slides to the video presentation.  This is particularly useful for those people using Keynote to support their lectures and presentations.  The free basic package of cloud storage allows unlimited uploads, but a limit of 200 minutes of storage.  If you want more storage space the web site offers several different subscription options. I recommend checking out the web site for all of the details. (www.swivl.com)   If you don’t want to store your video on the cloud the app will also output your video to your photos on the recording OS device.  
      I have owned my Swivl since May and I have been very impressed with the robot/app combination.  The tracking ability of the robot is excellent.  It keeps up with me as I move around the classrooms with no problems.  When I turn away from the unit it does momentarily lose its lock and stays focused at the last point the marker was located, but it reacquires quickly once the IR signal is re-established. The sound quality from the Bluetooth mic is excellent.  I have always hated the acoustics of the classroom when recording videos the room either sounded like an echo chamber, or muffled and unclear.  This mic reproduces my voice clearly with little or no distortion.  
      I also have to give a big thumbs up to the Swivl support service.  My marker developed a problem and would not charge.  I emailed the company, and they fixed the problem.  Initially, a very pleasant woman gave me some advice on how to fix the problem, when those suggestions did not work, the company replaced the tracker.  I respect a company that stands by its product, and this type of support inspires my loyalty to a brand.  Nice work.

Classroom Use:
       The uses of the Swivl are limited by the imagination of the user.  I have recorded classes. I have taken this device to conferences to record presentations (I then had to give an impromptu presentation on the Swivl itself, because the other educators in the room found the devices unspeakable cool.) I have also used this to record class discussions by passing the tracker student to student.  I have used my Swivl a great deal, and I feel like I have only just started to discover the potential uses of my Swivl.  In short, if you need to record anything, the Swivl can do it, and do it well. 

What you get:

       The Swivl is not cheap.  Starting price is $399 for the robot, marker, lanyard, and phone/tablet grip adaptors as well as the lowest level of cloud support.  This a bit expensive for the average classroom teacher.  The question you should consider before purchasing this device is will you use it enough t justify the cost.  I do.  I have not regretted the purchase at all.  The device is solidly built and the support is excellent. Which makes the price a little easier to accept.  I have never opposed buying quality.  I wish I didn’t have to pay an extra $49 dollars for a carrying case, but it is necessity so make it a part of your initial purchase. I was able to purchase one from Amazon for $39.   I love the Swivl,  if you use it, you will too.  

Official Swivl website: www.swivel.com

          Teachers and eduction are in a transitional period  We can see the digital classroom of the future, but due to monetary limitations, or bureaucratic inertia the digital classroom we dream about is a few years away for most teachers.  The question then becomes how do I bring my analog classroom a bit closer to the digital future.  One simple way is through the Post it Plus app.  As a classroom teacher, I am always looking for apps that are simple, and work well in a frenetic classroom environment. Post it Plus is simple, works well, and allows me to bring something my students use on a daily basis, the humble Post it note, into the digital future.

The Basics: 
          Post it Plus is a free app from the iTunes Store. This app should not be confused with the plethora of sticky note apps that litter the App Store.  This is the official 3M Post it Plus app. Let me get this out of the way right now,  3M is not paying me to write this review. When I like an app, and it could be useful in the classroom I share the app on this blog. In the most basic language Post it Plus is a scanning application.  
          In my class students take notes in their text books using Post it Notes.  This is not a new or original concept, these are school owned books, my students cannot write in these books. Post it notes offer a solid alternative to annotating in a school book.  What this app allows me to do is use student annotation as a classroom teaching tool.  At the end of each chapter read, I ask my student to copy one of their Post it Notes and affix it to the white board.  They can add a question,  defined word, or just a comment regarding the chapter.  What I now have is a board filled with ideas, some of which I may not have had, and are worth sharing.  The Post it Plus app then allows me to share this board with all of my students.  
          Using the built in camera on an OS device the post it notes can be captured and digitalized for distribution to the students.  I can hear the comment, “Why not just take a picture?”  “Why do I need this app?”  The real difference is that Post it Plus allows the notes to be manipulated.  The app turns the photo of the Post it Notes into digital Post in Notes that can be edited and manipulated in several ways.  The user can change the orientation of the Post it Note up to 360 degrees.  The user can also add or erase handwriting on the note, or add a typewritten component to the Post it Note.  The app becomes a simple, effective, Post it Note editor.  Next question. “Do I need to take one picture for every note submitted by my students?”  The answer is ,”no”.  The description of the app claims it can scan up to fifty Post it Notes at a time. However, i have never been able to hit that number in classroom use. Yes, the app can recognize the Post it Note shape, but the writing on the notes is illegible.  I normally try to fit six notes into each photo, essentially five pictures per class. In practical terms it takes about five  minutes per class. Then I can manipulate the notes as I need to make them more legible.  Your success or failure will be based based on the quality of your OS device’s camera (I use and iPhone 6 plus), and how steady your hand is when taking the shots.  Six at a time works well for me, you may find it to work better or worse in your classroom environment.  Anyone who gets the full fifty into the shot with the notes remaining legible, please comment or email me. I want to know how you did it.
          Once all of the Post it Notes are photographed and converted the app creates what it  calls a “board”.  the screen looks like a bulletin board full of Post it Notes.  This board is now a resource that the user can share.  I share the Post it Note board with my students via iTunes U and Remind and ask for comments and replies.  Students can put their names on the analog Post it Notes and take credit for their ideas, or share anonymously.  What is crucial here is that student ideas are being shared among the class.  These Post it notes are the equivalent to colorful ideas bubbles that the class can share or as i refer to it a collaborative idea board  I also merge my classes so ideas can be shared regardless of class period.  The class discussions are no longer limited by temporal limitations. 

Classroom use:
          I find this a app useful in an English classroom. My students are comfortable with the Post it Note format of note taking.  This is not something new and technologically daunting for the students regardless of their skill level.  Sharing ideas and peer review are crucial skills our students need to learn prior to college.  I teach high school, but I am sure the resourceful K-6 teachers out there could find some very creative uses for this app as well.  One other thing, this app is FREE!  warning though there are some editing features that you can unlock with an in-app purchase. The purchase 99 cents. I think it is worth the money, but read the description, and decide for yourself.  Finally, on a side note, generic versions of the Post it Note do work with this app. So if you are providing your students with the Post it Notes you may want to move to a cheaper alternative.  In my use of the App I find that most square cut pieces of paper work well during the capture process.  

What you get:
           Post it Plus is a free app.  It is also an app that is simple to use and effective in the classroom.  The processing and editing of Post it Notes within the app is quick and intuitive.  Finally, export options are very good.  Users can export the board as a Post it Plus file, PDF, Excel, Power Point or as images in a zipped format.  This is one of those applications that is limited only by the imagination the teacher using it.

Link to the app: https://appsto.re/us/6Ja22.i

Remind 

“How can I bring technology into my classroom?”, This is the question I am asked most often at the beginning of each school year.  My answer is always the same,  Remind.  Now some of you reading this may have encountered this tool before, when it was named, Remind 101.  This tool lost 101 in its title and has developed into a substantially more versatile tool for the classroom teacher.

The Basics: 
     At its most basic Remind is a simple tool that allows teachers to communicate with their students via text message or email.  The service does not give either party access to the other parties phone numbers or email address.  Messages are limited to 140 characters.  The tool is web based and has supporting apps for Android and Apple devices.  Remind also allows the (teacher) user to schedule when messages will be send.  It is very easy to duplicate a message and send a reminder message at a later time. I use it as a weekend homework reminder, or test reminder.  Remind also allows the user to attach documents such as Pages, Word, or PDF files to a message.  When the message arrives at a student’s phone or computer the document can be viewed on the device this is a great step toward eliminating paper handouts from the classroom.  Remind also allows the user to send out brief voice reminders with the text or email alert.  While I haven't found this particularly useful, I am sure some teachers can find a use for it in their classrooms. It seems like a great tool for quick supportive messages before a test or project is due.

     Finally, Remind allows the user to “stamp” a message.  “stamps” are essentially interactive messages that a teacher can use to pose a question to a class and get instant feedback from the students in the class.  This is also useful for communicating with a group of parents, think RSVP to a field trip.  In my opinion, this is the feature took the 101 out of Remind and made it a tool that is useful inside and outside the classroom.  As a teacher in a mixed platform school Remind allows me to efficiently communicate with my students regardless of their preferred mobile platform.  I am also able to communicate directly with parent and not worry about giving away my personal phone number or email address.  Remind’s integration of Android and Apple applications also simplifies communication regardless of the device preference of the students and parents allowing a teacher to overcome one of the major obstacles teachers in BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) school encounter everyday. 

Classroom Use:

Remind is a wonderful tool for the classroom.   One of the most important, and difficult tasks that a classroom teacher faces is effective and timely communication between the classroom and students/parents.  Remind simplifies this communication process.  I have always found that clear communication prevents most conflicts between a teacher and a student/parent.  I am also a fan of anything that saves me time, Remind is simple and I can send a message or file from any of my devices.  

     As an interactive communication device remind allows me to replace those old out of date Senteo clickers with much more efficient devices called cell phones.  No more hassle involved with signing out the one set that your school owns.  The cost saving is also astronomical, currently a set of Senteo clickers (32 clickers, one receiver, caring bag, and software) costs $1,299.00 on Amazon.  The shipping is only $4.99 by the way.  Of course you could just use remind and it would cost you nothing. 

What you get:

     To put it simply, you get it all, and it is all free. Remind provides the users with a safe communication system that keeps a record of when you communicated with your students.  A delivery system for documents, and a replacement of Senteo clickers that you never have to sign out or wait to access.   What have you got to lose here?  Your students all have smart phones.  You can always call the students’ phones Mobile Learning Devices if your school currently has a ban on cell phones.  Why not use these smart phone them as a learning tool instead of letting them turn into a classroom distraction. 

 

Video production and hosting for the classroom


What you will need:
One iPad (an iPad 2 or better)
The TouchCast App available on The App Store - free 


        One of the best things about the iPad is that it can be used it for so many things in the classroom   From an interactive whiteboard to a grade book, and now it has another great use, it is a movie production studio for the “flipped classroom”.  TouchCast is the best all in one video production application for the iPad that is currently available.  In one app, the user can shoot and edit videos, and then add interactive interactive components to those videos.  These video apps, or “vApps” allow the video creator the take his/her video to a new level of interactivity.  As an added bonus, TouchCast also hosts videos by other video creators, in essence creating a great database of videos that cover a huge variety of topics.  Finally, it is free!  That price is music to an educators ears.

The Basics:
        I am always looking for Apps that are easy to use.  The more complex the promised outcome, the more complex the App inevitably turns out to be, luckily that is not the case with TouchCast.  This  App is surprisingly easy to use.  The user is offered two choices upon opening the App either “Touch” which allows the user to view videos that have been created by other TouchCast users and are stored on the TouchCast server. The other choice is “Cast” which allows the user to create a interactive videos.

"Touch"  
        Lets start with “Touch”, this side of the App allows the user to access videos created by other users.  Users will find a wide variety of useful videos, please note these are not all educational videos.  I searched a few common 11th grade English titles and found videos of varying qualities on all of the title I entered into the search bar. (In case your interested: The Hobbit, The Great Gatsby, Slaughterhouse-Five, Romeo and Juliet etc.)  All of the videos I watched shared one thing, creativity.  There are some really great resources that could easily be used in the classroom.  More useful to me, there were videos produced by students. These videos  were created to complete assignments in other classrooms. These videos are a great source of new ideas.  If a user were do do nothing but watch these videos it is worth downloading the App.  TouchCast is a treasure trove of ideas and inspirations.

 "Cast"
       The “Cast” side of the App offers the user several simple video themes to use as creative templates. Depending on the theme of your video titles, colors and “vApps” will be set up automatically. You can customize each of these themes to suite your needs. From here you can record your video. Videos are limited to five minutes, which is perfect, because anything over five minutes will cause your audience to lose focus. There are a number of really incredible options within the TouchCast recording screen such as the ability to turn the screen into a recordable white board, use an included green screen option for effects, or add more “vApps”. .  The TouchCast App also includes an integrated teleprompter that works very well. 

         I know this sounds complicated, but throughout the video creation process there is a question mark in the bottom left corner of the screen that will lead the user to a comprehensive set of tutorial videos. These videos are great, and if you find yourself confused just click the question mark.  At this point, I won’t go into a detailed explanation of every production option available to a user because these tutorial videos do a much better job than I can do here.  
        Up to this point, everything that I have mentioned is available in other Apps, of course not in this type of neat integrated package, but they are available.  What makes TouchCast different from the other editing software is the “vApps”. These “vApps” are interactive applications that a user can embed in his/her video.  There are twenty-five different types of “vApps” as of this writing.  Users can embed supplementary videos, webpages, or documents within the video.  The student viewer never has to leave the TouchCast App. This is great in a one to one iPad environment for maintaining classroom focus.  Users can also embed interactive polls and questions.  TouchCast also includes the obligatory “vApps” for social media such as Facebook and Twitter.  Again, there is so much to talk about here that I cannot do it justice.  Please take some time and explore.  
        Once your video is complete you are given the option to broadcast it to your students.  You can email, tweet, or just post the provided link to your website.  The students can consume the content on PC or Mac. The TouchCast videos play on Safari, Internet Explorer, and Chrome with no issues.  I have also run the videos on a variety of mobile browsers and they work quite well depending upon the limitation of the device being used.  


Classroom Uses:
TouchCast does it all.  I use this App to create simple and complex videos for my “flipped classroom”.  I can embed documents that I want my students to read and even get real time feedback from the embedded questions and polls.  I also use a “FlipGrid” question link embedded via a “vApp” to monitor in real time how many of my students are watching the videos and get feedback from the students on the content I have created. (Check out my previous blog post for my review of “FlipGrid”.)  Outside the classroom, TouchCast offers a simple way to create professional development videos.  Regardless of how TouchCast is used, the interactive aspect of the “vApps” changes the relationship the viewer has with the video.  Instead of passively watching a video, your students are called upon to interact with the content.  This is a nice upgrade to the “flipped classroom” model. One safety note, if your school uses software to block objectionable content it will also filter access to certain “vApps”.  For example in my school district Facebook is a restricted site.  That means that the TouchCast “vApp” for Facebook is also blocked.  This is a nice feature because it prevents the students from trying the circumvent the safeguards that are in place on a school’s computer network.


What you get:
The App is free.  Let me say that again, this comprehensive video creation tool and hosting service is free.  As of this writing the App is only available for the iPad.  It works best on the iPad Air, but it also works on every iPad back to the iPad 2.  There are some limitations with the older iPads due to the hardware limitations of those machines.  Currently,  TouchCast is running a beta on PCs,  but not Mac.  Which I just don’t understand.  I am keeping my fingers crossed for a Mac release in the near future.  If you are looking to incorporate video into your classroom ,  this is a simple and inexpensive way of doing it.  The ability for students to view this video content on virtually any device makes TouchCast an obvious choice for teachers in mixed platform schools.  TouchCast is a great way of starting to reach your students outside the classroom.  Oh yeah, in case I forgot to mention it this is all FREE!

Video as an assessment tool


What you will need:

Flipgrid App - Free
One year subscription for K-12 $65 per year
Website: Flipgrid.com

     A few weeks ago, I mentioned an App and associated service called Flipgrid.  The App and service are simple to use for both students and teachers, and gives teachers a new tool for accurate real time assessment.  Flipgrid has also allowed me to assess my students’ use of my “flipped classroom” in real time which I will explain later in this post. 

The Basics: 
      Flipgrid allows you to present a video via a private group known as a “grid”.  Think of each “grid” as one class or student group.  Once the question is posed, the students answer the question with a ninety second video response.  The students can collaborate together in a group   or work individually to create a ninety second response.  Flipgrid allows the students to view their video prior to posting, and then allows the teacher to moderate the video before it becomes live on the group “grid”.  This allows the teacher total control over what video content is posted to your “grid”.  Once the video has been submitted the instructor can email responses back to the student seamlessly from within the App.  Students can then view other students video within the App and comment and critic.  This commenting and critiquing can be turned off if you’re not comfortable with the feature.  The teacher can also turn off access to the web link attached to the videos so there is no need to worry that a student video will be linked through Twitter, Facebook, or Youtube.  


Classroom uses:
      Truth be told, I love this service.  I use this service as a quick assessment tool for all of my classes.  My students receive the private “grid” link, read my question and answer the question with a short video.  Some teachers may think this type of short format assessment is too easy for the students.  I assure you it is not.  My students have to carefully plan their responses in order to fit in the ninety second time limit.  This process teaches the students the importance of planning their answer, as well as outlining, and the value of clear concise communication.  
      The service is also incredibly simple to use.  The student receives a web link,  clicks the record button, and he or she is  given a three second count down and then a ninety second window in which to answer the question.  The student can then review his or her video prior to submission, and even reshoot the video if desired.  Many of my students do reshoot their videos. It is not often that I see student volunteering to self edit and redo an assignment without some type of prompting.  Flipgrid seems to promote this type of self assessment automatically.  
     Flipgrid has also allowed me to introduce my students to their first experience with true peer review.  As the students post their video, I encourage each student to watch his/her peers’ videos for ideas and inspiration. In one class, a group of twenty students, have viewed each others videos over two hundred times.  This is based on three assignments. Wow!  I could easily have my students write short papers and share them in class, but this is exceptionally time consuming. Class time constraints also limit how many papers each student can read per class period.  Through the use of Flipgrid the students are completing their assessment, and reviewing the work of their peers at home. Critiquing each other constructively and driving each other to perform in a more effective manner. While leaving classroom instructional time intact.
     Flipgrid is the “flipped classroom’s” missing piece.  I no longer wonder if my students have watched the video assignment for homework.  Now I embed the “grid”  into my instructional video and my students respond to a question based on that video.  I know that night which of my students have watched the video and how well they were able to comprehend the material.  Most important, I have this information before I begin my teaching day.  I can then adjust my daily plans to best deal with the needs of my students.  Flipgrid helps complete the “flipped classroom” model of instruction, and gives an assessment option that will allow  teachers to adjust and adapt effectively to the needs of their students in real time.   


What you get:
     The App is free on the App Store.  The service is sixty five dollars per calendar  year.  For that fee you get 10 “grids”.  Again, a “grid” is just a fancy name for a class.  Within each “grid” you can pose an unlimited number of questions.  Students can also respond with an unlimited amount of video responses. The service is web based and therefore universal.  Any student using any computer can access the class “grid”.  The only requirement is a web cam. Teachers administer their “grids” via a web based interface as well so Mac or Windows users are welcome.  This is especially useful for anyone working in a mixed platform school.   As of this writing the App is only for the iPad, but apps for the iPhone and Android platforms are on the way this year. I cannot wait until these ultra portable Apps are available. ( Imagine how field trips can be revolutionized by setting up questions for the students to answer on-site. But that is for another post.)   As per the web site larger pricing models are available for larger institutions. Flipgrid offers a free three week trial so you can try out the service before you buy.  As our educational environment changes so must our assessment, and introducing new forms of assessment can only help teachers be more effective in the classroom.  Flipgrid is a service that is not to be missed. 

What you will need:
A Mac or Apple TV
Projector or SMART board

For the Mac:
VGA out dongle: 29.99
The program Reflector or Air server: 12.99 or 14.99 


For the Apple TV:
Apple TV: $99
HDMI to VGA dongle: 52.99

Recommended Apps:
Notes Plus: 9.99

The Basics:
       How many times have you been standing in front of your SMART board wishing that you could have your students interact with the material on the board in way that was more meaningful. Bringing students to the board can be disruptive and waste valuable instructional time.  How do you overcome the limitations of the Smart Board? Just use your iPad and Mac and or iPad and Apple TV.  If you have a stand alone projector or SMART board  you can begin moving out into your classroom and let your students use the board from their seats. I will be discussing several different options and will list links to the products needed at the end of this post
     The most cost effective and easiest way to create an interactive, and portable black board replacement in your classroom is through the iPad’s Air Play feature.  This feature allows your iPad screen to be projected onto a SMART board, whiteboard, or existing classroom screen in real time. To engage this feature take your iPad and swipe up from the bottom of the screen to the top. A small control panel will slide up from the bottom of the screen.  From here you have access to various settings, but right now we are only concerned with the Air Play controls.  This is clearly marked with an icon that looks like a rectangle balancing on a triangle and labeled Air Play.  Once you have a device that can receive an Air Play signal on the same network you can use this icon to connect to the Air Play receiver you will be able to create your black board replacement.

Airplay Receivers:

My favorite option: 
     The Apple TV is currently the cheapest stand alone AirPlay receiver.  This small black box connects to your projector via an HDMI cable.  If you using an older projector that only has a VGA input there are several HDMI to VGA converters that are reasonably priced. Such as the Kanex ATV Pro . This is the converter I use, but check Amazon and you will find a number of options.  These adaptors will allow you to bring new life to your old projector or SMART board by allowing you to attach your HDMI device to the older VGA standard.  Total cost with adaptor is about one hundred and fifty dollars: Apple TV ($99) and HDMI converter (49.99). I will provide links to both products at the end of this post.  Please note both the iPad and the Apple TV need access to the same wifi network for Air Play to work.  Once your iPad and Apple TV are connected to the same wireless network you can mirror your iPad using the following steps:


1) Take your iPad and slide on finger from the bottom of the screen toward the top of the screen.
2) Now tap the Air Play icon.
3) A list of eligible Air Play receivers will then pop up.
4) Select the desired receiver.
5) Once you have selected your receiver the word mirroring will appear under the name of the receiver        along with a toggle switch.
6) Slide the toggle from left to right (The switch will turn green).
7) Use your iPad as your classroom black board or SMART board replacement.

At this point you can walk around your classroom using the iPad in any way you want.  This moves you away from the board and toward your students. 

Another option:
     For those of us with a Mac Book (Pro or Air)  there is an even cheaper way of creating an interactive black board replacement for your classroom. Using the Apple VGA dongle (29.99) and one of two programs: either AirServer or Reflector your iPad can be wirelessly mirrored from anywhere in your classroom.  If you have a school wide network you can mirror your iPad from anywhere there is network coverage.  This includes classroom to classroom, or even building to building.  (Think class interactivity between a primary, middle, and high school on the same network within the same district.) Once your Mac and your iPad are on the same network launch either Air Server ($14.99)  or Reflector ($12.99). 

1) Wait about thirty seconds and complete the following steps:
2)  Swipe up from the bottom on your iPad and you will see available Airplay devices. 
3) Touch the name of the device you have connected to your projector. 
4) Follow the same sequence of steps.  


What you can use this for:
     Now that you are mirroring your iPad any application that you can see on your iPad screen will be visible to your class.  Using an App like Notes Plus or Notability will allow you to move around the room while writing on your board.  You can also pass the iPad to the students in the class.  Allowing them to share ideas and answer questions on the board in real time.  Without the wasted time of the students coming to the front of the room.  As an added bonus Notes plus also allows you to keep a running class notebook. From the first day of school to the last day of school.  You can also incorporate picture, video, and audio into the notebook.  Finally, the entire notebook is exportable as PDF. This is especially useful if you have students that need a copy of class notes. The notebook can be email directly to the student or posted on iTunes U or Edmodo.  

       Once you have successfully mirrored your iPad you're only limited by Apps you choose to incorporate into your classroom.  A mirrored iPad is really a smart solution for every classroom.  Now give it a try, and look into the mirror. 

Links:
Apple TV:  http://www.apple.com/appletv
Apple VGA dongle:  http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC552ZM/B/apple-vga-adapter
AirServer:  http://www.airserver.com
Kanex VGA to HDMI converter:  http://www.amazon.com/Kanex-ATVPRO-AirPlay-Mirroring-Projector/dp/B0082AFROO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396222475&sr=8-2&keywords=kanex
Reflector:  http://www.airsquirrels.com/reflector/