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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Mobile Learning Group visits the Apple Store in Palo Alto

This is a long overdue post and mostly serves the purpose of archival recording of our groups experience. In early December the Apple Store on University Ave in Palo Alto hosted 8 members of our mobile learning group for a little tips, tricks, Q, and A on the iPad.Two of the store's creative staff lead this 45 minute session. A huge thank you to the Apple Store team for hosting and facilitating this learning opportunity!




Thursday, January 20, 2011

I couldn't create this with photoshop...

Inspired by Angelica's recent work on her iPad with brushes, I painted this picture of my water bottle last night on my iPad. As I finished I thought to myself, "There is no way I could do this with photoshop." And its true...photoshop, for me, offers far too much complexity when it comes to digital painting and drawing. I'm not saying brushes is a photoshop replacement by any means, but for me it is a superior and far easier painting and drawing program.

I contributed this photo to the Brushes iPad Art photo pool over on flickr. I'm absolutely blown away by the work by this flickr group.

A slideshow of the paintings that flickr community members have been sharing in this group is embedded below.









Wednesday, January 19, 2011

More artwork from Angelica

Another nice painting by Angelica using her iPad. She used the brushes app to create this painting, which is the same app she used for the teddy bear.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Painting and Drawing on the iPad


Yet another drawing created by Angelica on her iPad. This time she used the Brushes Software program. I'm convinced that the iPad is a fantastic platform not only for content consumption, but creation as well.

Here is a little brainstorm of the advantages to painting and drawing on an iPad compared to painting and drawing with paints, brushes, paper, etc. Please note that I am not suggesting that the iPad replace the traditional media, but I do believe there are some real benefits to consider.

Advantages of painting and drawing on an iPad:

1. Some apps, like brushes, record the painting and drawing process in the form of a movie. This can be super useful in helping us remember the process...and when we remember the process, we can more easily reflect and achieve new understanding and learning. Click here to see a video recording and reflection of a drawing that I created on the iPad last fall.

2. Artists have access to a nearly unlimited set of painting and drawing tools within a drawing program like Brushes. It probably would be quite expensive to purchase all of these traditional tools for use at home, but at $7.99 in the iTunes store, Brushes gives artists access to a powerful toolset.

3. Artists have the ability to paint and draw anywhere and anytime with their iPad and they don't have to worry about toting bulky, expensive supplies and equipment with them. I could easily see some artists taking iPads into the backcountry for nature paintings and sketches-this is something not easily done with an easel, paint brushes, and a pallet.

4. With an iPad, you spend more time painting and drawing and less time involved in set up and clean up. The best way to actually learn and improve your skills is by actual engagement in the process, and the iPad allows users more time on task.

Again, I'm not saying that the iPad with apps like Brushes can fully replace traditional artistic media, but I do believe it can be a fantastic way to amplify and extend their creative interests and abilities.

Monday, January 10, 2011

e-book lending

An interesting service that aims to capitalize on the new lending feature of the Kindle (announced 12/30/10):

http://www.ebookexchange.com/index.php

According to their website, they hope to change the culture surrounding ebooks. Profits from the exchange can go toward youth literacy programs, though it looks like they are also interested in the possibility of the owner earning some money from lending out the books.

--Rebecca

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Math that Moves: Schools Embrace the iPad

http://nyti.ms/dVJ8dX

-avery