1. If we share a class set across a school, how do we deal with charging and syncing the I-Touches? When you sync to a new computer, the other computers stuff is erased? Will this be a problem for a school?

When you sync, you sync the device with the computer you’re attaching to. I *think* you can tell it to only move the things you want to move but I’m not sure.

If I were going to set this up to be a school based effort, I’d designate a single computer — perhaps in the library — to be the “filling station” and have everybody sync there. While there’s a limit as to how many computers a single device can authorize, I don’t know if there’s a limit on the number of devices that can be authorized on single computer. More, if you’re looking to have students get content that’s specific to class, then making that content available in a central place so they can go there, grab it and go, makes a certain amount of sense.

2. I understand, I think, that I-Pods can sync to five computers or is it the I-tunes account? What happens after that?

It’s by computer. If you try to add another one, it gives you an error. I’m not sure if you can contact Apple to de-authorize a computer or not.

3. What is it called when I add my C.D.s to my I-Tunes account? I think I have been saying that I have been “posting” my songs, but I am only placing them on my computer, not on the I-Tunes store.

The term is “load” (or “add to”) when you put tracks into your iTunes music library. You “load iTunes” (or “add to my library in iTunes”).

As we covered in other places “post to iTunes” means taking an RSS feed and submitting it to the iTunes Music Store for inclusion in their podcast section.

4. When I want to get a new computer, can I take my enture I-Tunes library with me? I am afraid that I am investing money in songs that will stay on my old computer when I am ready for a new one.

This is a toughie. I *think* if you have your music collection on your iTouch, you can then download it when you sync the device to the next computer, but don’t quote me on this.

1. If we share a class set across a school, how do we deal with charging and syncing the I-Touches? When you sync to a new computer, the other computers stuff is erased? Will this be a problem for a school?

2. I understand, I think, that I-Pods can sync to five computers or is it the I-tunes account? What happens after that?

3. What is it called when I add my C.D.s to my I-Tunes account? I think I have been saying that I have been “posting” my songs, but I am only placing them on my computer, not on the I-Tunes store.

4. When I want to get a new computer, can I take my enture I-Tunes library with me? I am afraid that I am investing money in songs that will stay on my old computer when I am ready for a new one.

Okay, I feel kind of dumb asking these things, but the new computer thing has been bothering me.

As for educators needing to use the appropriate terminology, I can see how that can be a problem. I think that one problem is that a lot of schools are not trying out new things until a teacher in their district shares their new tool with others. If that teacher discovered it, he or she may not have studied it enough to truely understand the terminology. I recived an I-Pod for my birthday last year. The only reason I know how to use it is because I played around with it. I would have called said that I was posting a C.D. to my account just like this teacher. I really think that she wanted it on her I-Pods without adding it to the I-Tunes Store where anyone could download it for free. I think that her intentions were innocent.

I think that teachers need to learn the appropriate terminology that goes with various forms of technology, but this may keep some of them from trying new things. It is difficult to keep up with the demands of teaching in a public school and to grasp all of the new lingo that is thrown around in PD meetings. Now we are adding more terms to learn that seem to be growing by the day. I cannot keep up with all of the new forms of technology, let alone the appropriate terms for everything. I am not trying to make an excuse for educators, but if I am mixing up terms or cannot explain what it means to add music to my I-Pod, but not the store, how are my collegues who do not even own an I-Pod going to fare?

This post is really unorganized. Sorry. Basically, I would want to have my terms right when talking to a company, but sometimes I think that I am right when I am so off base. I wish textbooks companies cared more about who they are selling to than the money that they will make. Last year we adopted new social studies books during the summer. We didn’t recieve the books until we were over a month into the school year. We didn’t recieve the teachers’ editions until may. This helps me relate to the three month wait for a reply.

I think that educators are going to be tip-toeing around copyright laws or outright breaking them for years to come. Solution anyone?

http://www.learnoutloud.com/Free-Audio-Video/Literature/Short-Stories/Lit2Go-Audio-Files-for-Kindergarteners/23891

Now, that being said, I think that the teacher using the i-pods to reenforce reading skills is a great idea! And the lack of consideration of the company is appalling! They needed to step up and create a podcast of their resources or give the teacher a workable alternative–better than one CD for 20 some students. These companies need to support us, not make it more difficult for us to engage and support our students’ learning.

Her solution is fantastic, however, now she has to wait for her stories to be ready–meaning her students have to wait to have this activity.

I work in a Geometry class where the students only use their textbooks as a reference tool for larger projects and such. Day to day lessons are created by the teacher, and she uses Accelerated Math to generate individual assignments for each of her students. So I definitely agree with your comment.