Qubits-Delightful & Engaging Construction Toy for the Classroom

Growing up one of my favorite toys to get for my birthday was an Erector set. Every year I would look forward to my parents purchasing for me a new kit. I can remember opening the kit looking at all the various parts and imagining everything that I could build with it. For many students who have grown up in the age of digital electronics many of them had not have the first-hand experience making things or creating things using blocks and toys that spark their imagination.

One of the latest movements that we have seen in the schools is the concept of Maker Spaces. It is within these environments the teachers are able to provide students with opportunities to work with a range of different materials to solve a unique engineering or design problems. It is in within the Maker Space environment that students learn about the Design Process and how it can lead to innovative solutions to their unique problem. Students not only learn how to solve problems but they also learn how to work together in a collaborative mode to reach the final solution. In this respect, having students learn about the design process is key for them to becoming innovative and lifelong problem solvers. For those of you who may not be familiar with the Design Process it includes the following steps: defining the problem, collecting information, brainstorming and analyzing ideas, developing solutions and building a prototype, getting feedback, and continual improvement of the design. It is within the Design Process methodology that teachers can begin to explore and give students various opportunities to work with different kinds of materials to solve problems. in this context I recently learned about a new construction toy called Qubits which I thought would be of interest to you and would be ideal when working on the design process with students.

Qubits Is it easy to use construction toy that is made of modular geometric shapes which are ideal for students of any age. Since there are no small parts this is an ideal tool for elementary aged students when there is concern about putting pieces in their mouth. Qubits was kind enough to send me the Qubits Rainbow Kit which comes with 84

colorful geometric shaped pieces.  The bulk of the 84 pieces pieces are 6.5 inch trapezoid shaped pieces, the remainder of the pieces are 4 inch rectangular pieces that can be used for connecting the Qubits geometric shaped parts. The basic kit cost $54.95. You will find using the Qubits that it's easy to make geometric shapes as well as bridges and towers but primarily it's up to your imagination. Each Qubit have two, three pronged connectors on each geometric shape that makes it easy to connect the various parts together. I found that it it did not take much force to connect the Qubit parts together which makes it ideal for young students. In the box you will find a handy QuickStart guide with the various ways that you can put the Qubits together. I found it helpful when learning how to connect the Qubits to make a couple of the patterns that were illustrated. Once you have played around with Qubits you will find it really easy to connect the various parts and begin to get creative and build your own designs.

Within 5 to 10 minutes you will become really comfortable using the Qubits to design your own models. It is within this context the teacher should find Qubits very easy to integrate into their Maker Spaces. Qubits would be an ideal tool in the classroom when working on the Design Process and giving students challenging problems to solve using these materials that are found in the Qubits kit. Working in groups I could see where teachers could give

Built Using Qubits

interesting problems and challenges to students. Using Qubits students can go ahead and solve those problems. I know that one of the common problems that is often entertained in classrooms are building bridges that can sustain a certain amount of weight. I know that using Qubits this could be easily accomplished in a fun and creative way. Giving students hands on activities is an ideal way to bring in the Design Process and allow students to work with a variety of materials. Having access to Qubits would go along way in the classroom to helping students better understand the Design Process and to give students the opportunity to problem solve using creative and imaginative methods and materials. Qubits Is a reasonably priced solution for the classroom that will engage students in the Design Process. For more information about Qubits click here.

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Lapworks Adds Two Great Tablet Accessories for the Teacher

Over the years I have reviewed several products from LapWorks, who has been manufacturing and selling fine accessories for laptops and tablets, but had not heard from them in years. But just last week, I received and email from them announcing some new products for iPads and tablets that I just had to take a look at. Lapworks has just recently released two products that really make a huge difference when you want to use an iPad or Tablet for instruction in the classroom. If you have ever tried to balance or

hold an iPad or tablet in your hand as you move about the classroom-then you know just how challenging it can be. In today's classroom being able to hold and move about the classroom using your iPad or tablet is important, but the risk of dropping it can be a real concern. This is where the Lapworks Gripzilla Omni Soft Neoprene Handle for 7" to 10.5" tablets comes into play. 

In class this week I used the Lapworks Gripzilla Omni Soft Neoprene Handle with my Surface 3 and it worked like a charm. The extensible bracket is spring loaded and held the Surface 3 securely. What I really liked about the accessory was just how quick I could position it into the bracket and be up and running. The soft neoprene strap felt good against my hand and allowed me to securely hold the Surface 3, as I walked across the room. The Lapworks Gripzilla Omni Soft Neoprene Handle allows for up to 360 degree rotation of your tablet which makes it easy to hold, in portrait or landscape mode. The Lapworks Gripzilla Omni Soft Neoprene Handle is lightweight and easy to carry in your knapsack or brief case. If you are a teacher then you need to take a look at the Lapworks Gripzilla Omni Soft Neoprene Handle-it will give you the freedom and confidence to walk around your classroom and use your tablet in the best possible way to teach your students. If you have a larger tablet, then you should take a look at the Lapworks Gripzilla Max for 9.5" to 10.5" tablets Soft Neoprene Handle with the same great design as its smaller brother. You can't go wrong with either one, and I for one will keep the Lapworks Gripzilla Omni Soft Neoprene Handle in my bag so that I can use it in my classroom.

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Incipio Delivers on Sleeves and Cases for Surface 3

As students start heading back to school many will return with Microsoft Surface 3 devices which is a great choice. Having a light weight tablet to take to classes with Office 365 is a perfect combination. With the release of Windows 10 the Surface 3 is transformed to a powerful mobile device allowing students the opportunity to take it wherever they are. The Surface 3 really shines when using the digital pen and OneNote for taking notes which can easily be shared.

For students on the go-who want to travel in style take a look at the Roosevelt Folio from Incipio which wraps a slim folio around the Surface 3 and Type Cover. The Roosevelt Folio has a micro suede lining along with a magnetic closure that gives you a much more stable feel in your hands when you are carrying the

Surface 3. The Roosevelt Folio from Incipio also has an attached Surface Pen holder which is a convenient way to store your pen. More about the pen loop a little later. The Roosevelt Folio has a very secure hinge which locks in your Type Cover keyboard to assure you that it will not detach from the Surface 3. It is easy to use the Type Cover in the angled as well as with the keyboard flat on the suede lining. I preferred to use the Type Cover in the angled fashion but it will accommodate those who want to type with the keyboard in the flat position. The magnetic closure works well and the Roosevelt Folio looks good in your hands as well as providing your device with a little bit more protection. The Roosevelt Folio from Incipio comes in a variety of colors (Navy, Black, Cyan, Purple and Red) and sells for $34.99 at the Microsoft Stores. 

For students who are looking for more protection then take a look at the Ord Sleeve from Incipio which provides padded protection for your Surface 3. The interior of the sleeve is a padded fleece material which gives your Surface 3 extra protection from damage. The Ord Sleeve has a large pocket on the exterior of the sleeve which is ideal for storing accessories like my Surface Wedge Mouse or power supply. The Ord Sleeve comes in a variety of colors (Grey, Black, Navy, Purple, and Red) and retails for $34.99. The Ord Sleeve also includes a loop to store your Surface pen which I thought would be a really great feature- didn't turn out that way. After using the Ord Sleeve for a couple

of weeks I carried my Surface 3 to a meeting and took some notes in OneNote with the Surface pen. When the meeting was over I slid the pen into the loop, put the sleeve under my arm and went back to my office. When I returned to my office and took out my Surface 3, I noticed the Surface pen was not in the loop. During the weeks I had been using the Ord Sleeve the loop must have loosened and the Surface pen slid out- undetected. To say the least I was not a happy camper- so "caveat emptor" don't use the loop on the side- over time it too will loosen and I can guarantee you to will lose your expensive Surface 3 pen. I have now begun to store the pen in the exterior pocket which can be zipped up-a much more secure arrangement.

Deciding which Incipio product to use with my Surface 3 is a difficult one. I would garner to say, that if I was attending a professional conference I would probably select the Roosevelt Folio for my Surface 3 that I could stick in my bag. The Roosevelt Folio looks good and gives me a more secure feeling when it is in my hands. On a day to day basis, I have been using the Ord Sleeve to give my device that added protection when I am storing it in my bag and traveling from school to school. For more information about these fine products you can go to Incipio.

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Vernier Go Wireless Link: Creating New Opportunities for Mobile Data Collection

It certainly is exciting times to be involved in the field of educational technology and if your are a science teacher there is even more opportunities with your existing classroom technology to take advantage of using science probeware in your classroom. If you have been following my blog, you know how passionate I am about teachers using probeware in the classroom to give students the capability of collecting data in real time. This is an especially important tool if you are supporting students with special needs-in that these tools provide students with a way to see data represented in many different types of ways. Students can view the incoming data in a graph format, table and as a meter. 

In July, Vernier Software released the Vernier Go Wireless Link which opens up all kinds of opportunities for students collecting real time data with mobile devices. The Vernier Go Wireless Link is a very small data collection interface that allows you to plug in over 35

different Vernier sensors and begin to collect data wirelessly to your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Later this summer, Vernier will also support Android devices and the LabQuest 2. The diminutive size of the  Vernier Go Wireless Link  makes it an ideal tool for collecting data in the classroom as well as when you are in the field. The  Vernier Go Wireless Link  uses Bluetooth LE and once turned on it will automatically connect to you device without the need to do any configuration. Simply charge the  Vernier Go Wireless Link with the USB cable provided and then you are ready to begin collecting data. 

Using the  Vernier Go Wireless Link, to collect real time data is a breeze. Simply turn on the Go Wirelss Link, connect a compatible sensor,

Right Hand Strength

launch Graphical Analysis, tap create experiment, choose Wireless Sensor, choose Go Wireless Link and begin your data collection. I have to say that using the  Vernier Go Wireless Link was very straight forward and easy to use. I connected the  Vernier Go Wireless Link  to a Hand Dynamometer and clicked on the Connect button to start my data collection. Within seconds the data was being graphed on the screen as I squeezed the sensor with my right hand. 

Using the  Vernier Go Wireless Link  gives students the opportunity to collect data quickly and accurately and because of the size of the interface they can easily use it in the field away from the iPad. The  Vernier Go Wireless Link  has a range of 30 m which would enable teachers and students to keep the device away from water or other hazards when collecting the data. 

So if you have existing compatible Vernier sensors and are looking for a great way to connect them to your IOS or Android devices look no further, the  Vernier Go Wireless Link  is the perfect interface for getting your students collecting data with mobile devices! 

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Reflector 2 Now Adds Screen Recording

While I was attending the ISTE 2015 conference I had a chance to visit the AirSquirrels Booth and find out what was new. As a long time user of Reflector, I was excited to find out that Reflector 2, now included the ability to record audio and video.

This was one feature which I have been hoping for - for some time now. In the past I would generally use a screen capturing software to record the audio and video which at times produced less then a high quality recording. When I got back from ISTE 2015 Conference I downloaded Reflector 2 to my Surface 3 and gave it a try. I used my iPhone 6 and decided to record a short video about the recent release of Inspiration Maps for the iPhone. Through trial and error I found that using the Yeti Microphone with Reflector 2 produced great audio during the recording. The Surface 3 and Reflector 2 ran smoothly and the screen capture was smooth. The final video which is saved in a mp 4 format came out great which I then uploaded to YouTube. You can see the final output here of the screen recording. 

If you need to create videos using your iPad or iPad then take a look at Reflector 2- a great utility to add to your toolkit!

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Equil Smartmarker: Capturing and Streaming Notes from a Whiteboard Just Got a Whole Lot Easier!

Ok, so you already know if you have been reading my blog just how much I love gadgets. Especially, gadgets that are easy to use and can extend the learning that is taking place in my classroom. When I read about the Equil Smartmarker from Luidia a couple of months ago, I was enthralled with the possibilities. As an Assistive Technology Consultant I am often supporting students with disabilities who may require that classroom notes be provided to them.  So when I came across the Equil Smartmarker, I had to get my hands on one to review. Luidia was kind enough to send me an Equil Smartmarker to test in the classroom. The Equil Smartmarker is available from Luidia at a suggested list price of $700 USD.

When you first take it out of the case you know from the start that this is a high quality product. The packaging of the Equil Smartmarker is exquisite and

Equil Smartmarker from Luidia

functional and provides a great case for carrying the device. Plugging the micro USB cable into the base of the storage unit of the Equil Smartmarker quickly charged the device. The design of the storage housing and the indicator lights on the Equil Smartmarker and Stylus are great touches to let the user know that the device is fully charged. For those of you who may not be familiar with the Equil Smartmarker it is a lightweight oval shaped device that when placed on any whiteboard surface can capture what is written with a standard whiteboard marker which is in a special housing. If you carried the Equil Smartmarker in your bag you would be hard pressed to notice that it was there, which is the real beauty of the device. Because of the size and weight you are more prone to use it whenever you are white boarding.  Unboxing and charging the Equil Smartmarker was a great experience and now it was time to test it out in the wild, my classroom.

In preparation to use Equil Smartmarker, I downloaded the Equil Note HD app to my iPad Air from the Apple App Store. Wanting my students to get engaged with the Equil Smartmarker, I had them download the Equil Note app to their smartphones. Once in my classroom I placed the Equil Smartmarker, which has a magnetic base directly on the whiteboard. So far so good! I next pressed the power button and fired up the device. Next I pressed the IOS button and paired the Equil Smartmarker using Bluetooth with my iPad Air which was rather seamless. Once the Equil Smartmarker was paired I got audio confirmation that it was connected. I then launched the Equil Note HD app on my iPad and took the cap off the marker and started to write on the whiteboard. With amazement everything I was writing on the whiteboard was being captured to my iPad. If I needed to erase something on the whiteboard I was able to do so with the

supplied digital erasure which worked really well. When I was ready to capture my next whiteboard, I simply pressed on the New Page button on the Equil Smartmarker and erased the contents with the regular whiteboard eraser. Since my iPad Air was connected to the projector, my students could see in real time just how fast and seamless it was to capture my written notes. I next asked myself what would the experience be like if I streamed the white boarding session to my students’ iPhone’s and Android smartphones? Using the Equil Note HD app from my iPad Air, I started a streaming session which brought up a dialog with a nine digit number that my students could enter into their Equil Note app on their smartphone. Within seconds they could see my whiteboard, and as I wrote, they instantaneously saw what I was entering on the board. Most of my students were really impressed with the speed in which the whiteboard and written notes appeared on their smartphone. 

The Equil Smartmarker can capture quite a large area (16ft x 5ft) and has some really great uses for the classroom. For teachers that need to capture notes for students this is an ideal device. Its diminutive size makes it ideal to throw in your bag and take from room to room. The Equil Smartmarker can be used by itself without the need to pair it with computer or tablet and will store over 1000 screens which can then be downloaded to your device once you are setup. For students with visual impairments I could see a scenario whereby the student can have a large tablet or computer at their desk and have the contents of what the teacher is writing up at the whiteboard streamed to their monitor in real time. Using the zoom in feature of the iPhone my students could zoom into the notes and they were sharp as a tack. Similarly, my students noted that the Equil Smartmarker would be an ideal tool for students who may be on homebound instruction and wanted to follow along with the class. Using Equil Smartmarker a teacher could invite the student to a “Notestream” to join the whiteboard session. Within seconds the student could see in real time what the teacher is writing on the whiteboard and be an active participant in the lesson. As far as I know the Equil Smartmarker is the only tool that will allow teachers to do the “notestreaming” so that students can better understand the process. Teachers can also save the white boarding session and send it to the student via email for future reference. Using Skype or an audio conferencing tool paired with Equil Smartmarker could be a great way for students who are on homebound instruction to participate in a class. For faculty who are entertaining the idea of distance learning and rely on white boarding the Equil Smartmarker is a great solution.

In the short time that I have been using the Equil Smartmarker and the accompanying software I found it to be quite intuitive and easy to use. I was really excited once I captured the notes to be able to utilize the handwriting recognition feature which worked really well- even on my handwriting! The handwriting worked really well and I could reorganize some of my notes to make it more readable. The Equil Note HD software gives you lots of options to share your notes once they are captured which is great. You can share your captured notes to the iCloud, Evernote, Dropbox, and OneNote which gives you some great options. 

While it is easy to get mesmerized by company marketing materials and online videos, I have to say the Equil Smartmarker lived up to its potential and performed flawlessly when I used it in the classroom. From basic whiteboard capturing to streaming the Equil Smartmarker was a pleasure to use and faded into the background so that I could use it to do my teaching. If you are in a public school, college or corporate environment then you will definitely want to have an Equil Smartmarker on hand to brainstorm and capture your white boarding sessions-and watch your creativity blossom and soar! For more information about Equil Smartmarker click here.

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Using Vernier Go Wireless Sensors in the Classroom

I have always enjoyed my science classes when I was in school, especially when we did hands on labs. Unfortunately, as I reflect on my education many years later, there just were not enough labs integrated into my science classrooms. In retrospect, with the equipment we had in the day, it just took too much time to set up and labs took an inordinate amount of time which were always thought to take away from the instruction at hand. Nothing could be further from the truth-but it was the best we could do at the time when I was in high school science classes in the early 1970s. Jump to 2015, and there is a vast array of technology that science teachers can use in their classrooms to help students to better understand key scientific concepts. 

Giving students the opportunity to experience firsthand how to collect data with science probes and sensors lets them quickly and efficiently collect real time data very much as a scientist would. While we often struggled to collect accurate data when I was in high school this factor is eliminated when using digital probes and sensors. Now students can spend their time analyzing and making sense of the data collected instead of expending all their energy in pursuit of recording the data. Using probes and sensors with the iPad has revolutionized the way students can collect data in real time and now with the advent of a family of probes with built-in wireless technologies from Vernier Software & Technology, students don’t need to be tethered to the device to collect data during an experiment. I recently started to use the Vernier Go Wireless Temp and the Vernier Go Wireless pH with my iPad Air and want to share my impressions.  

Plotting Temperature Data Using Vernier Go Wireless Temp Probe

The first thing you will need to do before using the Vernier Go Wireless Temp ($75) and the Vernier Go Wireless pH ($99) is download the Vernier Go Wireless app from the Apple App Store. To use the probe you simply hold down the power button to turn it on and then launch the Go Wireless app. Select the sensor that you are using, in this case we will start off with the Vernier Go Wireless Temp. Once you select the sensor you are ready to begin collecting your data. To switch between Centigrade and Fahrenheit simply tap on the oval with the current read out. To begin your data collection simply press on Collect which is at the top of the window. As soon as do this you will begin to see your data points graphed against time. For me, what is really exciting is how this technology allows students multiple representations of the data as it is being collected which is really important for the type of students I work with learning differences. It can provide a digital read out in a numeric format, and as visual bar chart and in a graphical format. Students can click anywhere on the graph and find out the temperature value at a specific time. If a student is using VoiceOver ton he iPad it will read aloud the data value on the screen. For students who would like to do further analysis they can always email the data set and open the file in Excel. 

Using the Vernier Go Wireless pH sensor it is just as easy, select the sensor from the Vernier Go Wireless app and place the probe in the liquid solution and press on the Keep button which will then allow you to record the pH for the sample. When you press the Keep button a small dialog box opens up that lets you enter a description and your observation along with the pH reading. Students have the opportunity to enter a note in the Observation field which would be a good place to record their observations. If you like students could also record their observations using the built-in speech recognition feature found in the iPad. Again, students are given a clean and simple interface to record the pH of the solutions that they are working with. The pH readout is clearly delineated on the top left of the screen along with a bar that runs along the left side of the screen that clearly marks the pH

Recording pH with Vernier Go Wireless pH Probe

range which goes from 0 to 14. A demarcation line makes it easy for students to clearly see the pH of the solution. Students can export the data table to Excel for further analysis. As you can see in the screenshot, I recorded the pH of tap water, vinegar, shower cleaner, and bottled water with my observations. Recording the pH of the solutions was very quick and straight forward. For advanced data analysis and graphing capabilities with the Go Wireless sensors on the iPad you can download the Vernier Graphical Analysis. Using the Vernier Graphical Analysis students can annotate their graphs and obtain statistical data on their data set.

From my perspective, Vernier has spent a lot of time making the experience of using the wireless sensors as full proof as possible so students can spend their energy collecting and analyzing the data. Setting up the Vernier Go Wireless sensors were a breeze and were immediately recognized on my iPad, without the need for me to manually pair them in any way. This point is important because it is these little details that can bring a lab down when you are using technology in the classroom. If you are not using sensors in your classroom you need to take a look at the Vernier Go Wireless sensors to get you started. Having access to tools like the Vernier Go Wireless sensors will empower your students and let them have hands-on experience collecting data as a scientist would do. So jump in and see how you can provide your students with experiences that can transform their understanding of scientific concepts with Vernier Go Wireless sensors for more information go to Vernier.com 

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