iPods (video) and educational usage

Hi, our school in Australia has just purchased video iPods (30gb in size). I am really interested in what other schools might be using them for. We also have a problem in that although we can download digital videos onto the iPod, we cannot get them to play on the iPod screen. They will playback through the computer though. One of our whizzes has tried to convert them with online mp4 converter software but still to no avail. Any help or discussion would be much appreciated

Tags: digital_movies, iPods

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Permalink Reply by Mathew Needleman on August 29, 2007 at 7:17pm

Make sure TV playback is set to off. This is in the settings.

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Permalink Reply by Mathew Needleman on August 29, 2007 at 10:03pm

From itunes you can't transfer movie files to the iPod that the iPod won't play so I don't believe the problem is the format of the movies.

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Permalink Reply by Marian Thacher on August 29, 2007 at 10:21pm

Anne, what are your plans for using the video iPods with students? In California there was a project with adult English as a Second Language students. They downloaded the English for All videos (www.myefa.org) and watched them on the iPods as part of their practice. I haven't heard the actual results of this project yet. I look forward to hearing about yours.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Mirtschin on August 30, 2007 at 12:41am

Thanks Matthew. That was the problem. The TV playback was set to on. So thanks a heap for this. We have just purchased 4 digital video iPods. I am working with a grant to develop podcasts and enhanced podcasts for the Penshurst Volcano Discovery Centre. This centre is run by volunteers and they are elderly and have little computer experience. Our region has applied for geopark status and we will help develop some of the educational materials for them re Mt Rouse, Mt Eccles, Mt Napier (all dormant or extinct volcanoes), the centre itself, walks around the Mounts etc. We want to store photos, video footage and test our podcasts on the iPods once we complete them. But we are on a steep learning curve. Would like to know what other schools use them for.

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Permalink Reply by Aaron Ball on December 17, 2008 at 3:20pm

I know that this is a little late in the post but our school is using them to assist independent reading stations. We are also having students use the built in Windows sound recorder (records .wav formats) to have our higher level students record stories for others to listen along with. This will cut down on the cost of buying audio books and we won't have to work hard to match them up with our library books.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on December 17, 2008 at 7:03pm

We have a set of mics that hook up to the iPods and we went to a senior center near our school and interviewed the elders. The students played different songs from their generation and from the seniors' generation. We shot some video footage and the students mixed the video and still photos with their recording in a short movie. The students just finished today, so I haven't got it posted yet, but if you check out my classroom blog - it will be up soon.

I've also had kids generate tones using Audacity, put them on the iPods and give each other hearing tests. It's a fun way to study wave energy and there is always a kid or two who thinks he can hear 50,000 Hz (a dog whistle).

Hope that is helpful.

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Permalink Reply by Anne on December 17, 2008 at 7:51pm

You may be interested in the Education Podcast Network which was started in May 2005. There is a growing directory of educators who are doing personal podcasts and links to suggested classroom uses broken down both by grade level and subject.

Another suggestion is "sound-seeing tours" from visiting local museums, field trips, etc.

My students have done read -a-louds, digital storytelling, and auto biographical maps.

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Permalink Reply by Sue Palmer on December 18, 2008 at 12:38pm

Anne-- We sue the iPods to listen to screencasts created by teachers on review topics. I think you are familiar with my work on www.masterymaze.com.

There are also SAT review games which you can get from the iTunes store, as well as a game called iQuiz which allows teachers to create their own tests which play on the iPod. You can use it as a really big flash drive if you want to transfer files. The device can hold pictures, be used for recording podcasts if you have the add on for it. It is a nifty little device and I use it many ways with my students. The district is also looking into recording tests to be read to special ed students.

I know it has been awhile since you posted this. How have you used them?

Sue

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Dick on December 18, 2008 at 2:13pm

I have loaded video podcasts (most from itunes) for a variety of purposes such as: introduction to unit, review, homelearning,"Find the Facts" etc. Of course, we also make our own. I try to have a video podcast for each unit (not just the podcast unit). The students have really found some of the "how to" podcasts helpful when working on projects.