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I sat down to write a post about storage solutions and my recent decision to purchase a Nimble Storage Array however I wanted to properly address why I was looking for new storage to begin with and didn’t want a simple post to turn into an 8,000 word greek tragedy. So let me set the stage with…
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Today was day one of the California League of Schools (CLS) K-12 Common Core, English Learners & Technology Conference in Monterey, CA. This is my second year (maybe third, it’s late ok?) attending as a presenter and unlike other EdTech conferences, the focus here is not as “tech heavy” as others. Today’s Keynote by Dr. Kate…
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I don’t think the iPad mini likes me very much. This is an update regarding the picture quality of the iPad mini when used as a doc cam. Upon further research, it turns out the rear camera on the mini should be just as good as the iPad (3rd & 4th Gens) so I have…
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Apparently to some Android fanboys on Google+ I came off sounding like an Apple fan in my last post about the Nexus 7 and the iPad mini. Well, I have been running iOS devices since the iPhone 3 days so yes, I’m a bit entrenched in the iOS ecosystem. (And yes, I shouldn’t let a…
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I’ve been alternating between the iPad mini and Nexus 7 tablet for over a month now and a clear winner has emerged. But first, a note about these two devices as applied to schools. That was the original genesis of my interest in both. Unfortunately, neither device meets the minimum requirements for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) testing. This…
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A few Sundays ago I just happened to be within a stones throw of an Apple Store. Long story short, I walked in, hailed down a blue shirt and bought a black 64GB Wifi iPad Mini. On opening weekend, it was all that was left. I paid $529 for it. I immediately took it home,…
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As I watch my friends and colleagues share out their Google Teacher Academy application submissions, I’m reminded of my first and second applications to the GTA. Both times I didn’t put much effort into my Video and both times I didn’t make the cut. On the third try I focused almost entirely on my video and by…
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This time lat year, I traded in my iPhone 4 for the 4S and I remember the difference being significant enough to have been totally worth it. Primarily the improved camera speed and not having to use a case to make a phone call were the big wins for me. Forgetting for a moment that…
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I read this article today and what jumped out at me immediately was this passage: However, the percentage of eighth-grade students rated as proficient declined significantly. In 2007, the last time the writing test was administered, 35 percent of eighth-graders scored proficient or above, compared with 27 percent in 2011. However, the proportion of 12th-graders proficient and…
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I’ve been recommending schools go Google since 2007. Below is why, with some issues I’ve run into along the way. Pros: No more Outlook to Install. Ever. Web based, works with all browsers, even IE (not IE 6 though but you really should upgrades those. You know who you are) Real-time doc collaboration. You must…