Showing posts with label iPod. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iPod. Show all posts
iLearn program launching next year

iLearn program launching next year

Friday, April 24, 2009

KILGORE � Some high school students might have more than textbooks to lug to class next year.

School officials in the district of 3,700 students are launching iLearn, a new program aimed at incorporating iPods with daily educational instruction.

Director of Technology Mark Lane said Thursday that teachers will upload curriculum, lectures, study plans and homework assignments to computers at the high school. Students will then download the lessons onto an iPod Touch, where it can be completed at home or on the go.

"We plan to start out with 60 iPods and introduce the program to our math and science classes at the high school. Later in the year, we will introduce it to our English and social studies classes," Lane said.

"By the start of the 2010-11 school year, we hope to have the program started at the middle school and phase it into our other campuses each new school year. The goal is to provide every single student in Kilgore ISD with an iPod." he said.

Lane said the school district estimates it will cost $135,000 to operate the program. He said about $95,000 will come from the school district, while the newly chartered education foundation has pledged funds for the remainder of the project to upgrade and integrate software at the high school, to purchase iPods and to send teachers to training for the project.

Lane said the goal of the program is to give students another resource to grasp educational concepts that some find difficult learning during traditional school instruction. He said school officials hope the new program will raise test scores and overall student achievement.

Kilgore won't be the first East Texas district to use the handheld electronic devices in school.

Hallsville High School students participate in a similar program using iPod Nanos and iPod Touches.

Toni Erickson, assistant technology director for Hallsville schools, said the program has been successful.

"We have added 450 new iPod Touches this year at the high school for math and science classes to continue the program," Erickson said. "So far, so good for us."

Lane is hoping Kilgore schools will experience the same success.

"The community has been so supportive of this project," Lane said. "I think our residents and businesses realize that our economy is changing, and we must prepare our students for it."






Forget the laptop?  Use your iPod/iTouch/iPhone to view slideshows on TVs.

Forget the laptop? Use your iPod/iTouch/iPhone to view slideshows on TVs.

Some iPod models allow you to play a slideshow with music and transitions, either on its own display or on a television. Models that can display to a television currently include:

  • Fifth Generation iPod (iPod with video)
  • iPod with color display (also known as iPod photo)
  • iPod Touch
  • iPhone

If you're not sure what iPod model you have, see "Identifying different iPod models."
To access slideshow settings, select Photos > Slideshow Settings. Although iPod nano has a color display, it won't output a slideshow to a TV.

Choosing the display

  • To display slideshows on the iPod display, set TV Out to Ask or Off.

  • To display slideshows on a television, set TV Out to Ask or On.

If you set TV Out to Ask, iPod will give you a choice of display every time you start a slideshow. The first time you use a TV, you'll probably need the Tips for TV viewing and Connecting to a TV sections below.

Slideshow settings

  • To set how long each slide is displayed, select Next Slide and choose a time.

  • To set the music that plays during slideshows, select Music and choose a playlist.

    Tip: If you're using iPhoto, you can choose From iPhoto to copy the iPhoto music setting.

  • To set slides to repeat, set Repeat to On.


  • To set slides to display in random order, set Shuffle Photos to On.

  • To set slides to display with wipe transitions, set Transitions to On.

Playing a slideshow

  • Select any photo or album and press Play, or select any full-screen photo and press the select button.

  • Play/Pause will pause the music and slideshow.


  • To skip to the next or last photo, press the Next/Fast-forward or Previous/Rewind button.

Connecting to a TV

iPod models that support displaying video on an external video source can do so in two different ways.

Method 1 (Composite video)

Using the AV cable connected directly to the top of the iPod or to the line out port on the Universal Dock.

Method 2 (S-video)

Using S-video when the iPod is in the Universal Dock.


Method 1 setup (Composite video)

This method can be used when the iPod is either in or out of the dock. Additionally, you would need a television or other video device that has RCA inputs.


  1. Connect the AV cable into the iPod (where the earbuds would normally connect) or to the line out port on the Universal Dock.

  2. Connect the red RCA connection into the right audio input of the television.

  3. Connect the white RCA connection into the left audio input of the television.


  4. Connect the yellow RCA connection into the video input of the television.

Tip: The RCA input connectors on a television are usually color coded to match the colors on the AV cable.

Method 2 setup (S-video)

This method provides slightly better image quality and should be used if possible. This method requires a television or other video device with S video inputs. Additionally, S-video can only be used when the iPod is in the Universal Dock.


  1. Place iPod in the Universal Dock.

  2. Connect a S-video cable to the S-video out port on the Universal Dock. This connection provides the video signal.

  3. Connect the other end of the S-video cable to the S-video input on the television.

  4. Connect the AV cable to the line out port on the Universal Dock. This connection provides the audio signal.

  5. Connect the red RCA connection into the right audio input of the television.

  6. Connect the white RCA connection into the left audio input of the television.

Some televisions may need to be set to channel 3 or 4 or "video" to receive input. Check with the documentation for your television if you're not sure.

Important: You should only use the included cable. Other RCA video cables won't work. Though other cables may look similar, only the Apple iPod AV Cable works with the iPod Headphones and AV port.

Tips for TV viewing

NTSC or PAL?

Compatible iPod models can deliver video out in either NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) or PAL (Phase Alternation Line) video formats. You will have to set the TV Signal setting to either NTSC or PAL when viewing on a television. These are two different broadcast standards, and your TV will only work with one of them. If you don't know which your TV is, simply try both settings to find the one that matches.

NTSC is the standard broadcast signal received by televisions in the United States. PAL is the standard broadcast signal received by televisions in many European countries.

The main difference between NTSC and PAL is that NTSC delivers 525 lines of resolution at 60 half-frames per second, whereas PAL delivers 625 lines at 50 half-frames per second.

iPod will attempt to guess the appropriate video format to use based on the geographical region that it was sold in. If the incorrect video format is used, the image displayed on the television will be poor or garbled. Additionally, if the incorrect video format is selected, it can be changed in the following menu location:

Photos > Slideshow Settings > TV Signal

Video input on TV

You may then need to select the correct video input on your television. If you're not already familiar with the input features of your TV, you'll need to read the manual that came with your TV. If the TV is not set correctly, the slideshow will not appear.

Don't forget the sound

The video cable does not carry sound, so you'll need to use the regular audio connections regardless of which display you choose. Run an audio cable from the Line Out port on your Universal Dock to an input on your TV or receiver, for example.


(...next, loading a PowerPoint on your iPod...)





iTunes 7.7 Warning

iTunes 7.7 Warning


Just a note to everyone. Do not download the iTunes 7.7 upgrade. Wait for the 7.8 patch. There is a major problem with 7.7 where it will not recognize your iPod or iPhone when you plug it in, and that will freeze up iTunes. The solution is to back up your entire library, move your library xml, and have iTunes recreate your library. You will lose all your playlists and spend hours trying to build everything back. This problem is multiplied if you have multiple computers, multiple iPods and iPhones, and an AppleTV. Everyone on Apple's support forums are suggesting waiting for the 7.8 patch before you upgrade.

I just want to know, did Apple hire some Microsoft engineers? (just kidding)


My iPod and its Voice Recorder in My Classroom (From TechnoLOTE.com)

My iPod and its Voice Recorder in My Classroom (From TechnoLOTE.com)

TechnoLOTE.com has great post along with videos of using iPods in the classroom.


My iPod and its Voice Recorder in My Classroom



Here are two short videos that I made yesterday (recorded with a digital camera) that show how I use my iPod with its voice recorder in my class as a tool for recording students spoken work. Well, I really should say how my students use my iPod with its recorder, because even though I changed the display language to Chinese, they still want to get their hands all over it.


The voice recorder I bought to go with the iPod is an XtremeMac Micromemo for around $60.


Read the rest and watch the videos at technoLOTE.com.








Death of the PDA

Death of the PDA


By Jonathan Nalder, www.mlearnxyz.net :

A now finished Palm special deal giving away a z22 handheld with every TX handheld sold (see HERE) has been called the beginning of the end for PDA�s. Conducted in February, just shortly after Palm had closed its retail stores, it seems obvious that this special was nothing more than a chance for Palm to clear out unsold stock of the PDA�s it still (obviously) has.

Seeing as only one company has even released new model PDA�s at any time IN THE LAST THREE YEARS!, (HP) it seems pretty obvious that the PDA as a standalone device has long been on its way out.

This is made even more obvious as company that made its name making PDA�s (remember when �a Palm� was as synonomous with handheld computers as �a Hoover� is with vacuum cleaners still ...) starts clearing out stock in this way. Speculation is that they have already stopped production of their TX, z22 and E2.

Perhaps this has been inevitable since the time when smartphone sales picked up. Indeed, my recent pick as my school�s next handheld was a Palm smartphone. What�s sad for Palm is that they are potentially killing off the TX, a large-screened, wi-fi mini-tablet, just as the iPod Touch is showing that there is life for non-smartphone devices that focus on being MID�s (mobile internet devices) rather than just PDA�s.

Oh well. The PDA is dead. Long live the PDA (in other guises).

Let me add however, that for schools, this may all be good news as cheap units start appearing!







When is an ipod not an mLearning device?

When is an ipod not an mLearning device?


There has been a debate over this for a while, but today�s new ipods seems to have started debate again! Especially because the new Touch model (here via engadget) will sport a browser allowing access to all kinds of extra functionality like the web and online document creation (such as google docs).

Not everyone is happy though - see this post by fellow Australian mLearn blogger Leonard Low AND the comments that follow. Why not get into the debate here or there as well (also features Tony Vincent from the excellent �Learning in Hand�) ?

My take (commented as jnxyz) is that �no one ever said the ipod was built as a ed device. I�m only aware of one portable digital device that ever truly has been (OLPC). All the rest we�re just adapting and working with it. We should never be dazzled Leonard, but why not take whatever advantage we can of the tools that are common. Until all schools get OLPC�s or similar, that�s our educator�s lot I�m afraid� Or is there another alternative device out there?�

What�s yours?

See also these previous articles here about ipod�s and education:

- Let�s get the ipod�s in schools debate started!
- Schools ditching technology