Splashtop vs. AirServer

The #1 rule of AirServer - don't give out your passwords to your students. This seems obvious, except that the major pitfall of mirroring an iPad is that it will show each character of a password before turning it to a black dot. This issue does not apply to Splashtop because Windows automatically hides characters in a password.

There are a couple of ways around this when you need to log in to a web site or app:

- disconnect from AirServer

- mute your projector - in the projector world, mute means to turn off light

- freeze your projector

On with the comparison...

Splashtop - $4.99 iPad App, free Splashtop Streamer software for Wndows, Mac or Linux

This is a slick option for turning your iPad into a remote control for a computer connected to a SmartBoard or other projector. It puts your Windows/Mac/Linux environment full screen on your iPad.

* iPad is not as smudgy as it appears

Pros:

- Freedom move around the room to interact with your projector.

- Easily interact with PowerPoint, Smart Notebook, other Windows applications on your iPad.

Cons:
- Even with a stylus, it is tough to write or draw in Windows applications like SmartNotebook.
- Splashtop 2 is a little quirky with its sign-in feature. You can use it in a closed network without  being logged in, but if you do use an account you need to be logged in on both the tablet and on the computer or they won't be able to see each other.

Airserver - $3.99/machine Commercial/Education license. Uses AirPlay service on the iPad 2+.

This allows you to mirror your iPad on your projector connected computer. You can also stream audio without video mirroring.

* SmartBoards don't photograph particularly well, but the first window that takes up the majority of the screen is a mirror of the iPad sitting in front of it.

Pros:

- Quick, easy connections.

- Multiple simultaneous connections.

- Ability to show iPad apps on the big screen without being tethered to the front.

- Interactions like writing and drawing are much easier since they are done in the iPad app.

Cons:

- Easy to inadvertently show passwords to students.

- Windows deployment is a little clunky with Direct X and Bonjour Print Services as prerequisites.

- Sometimes loses audio when you reconnect. It is easy to shutdown AirServer and re-open to get it working again, but could become annoying if the problem persists.

Here is a screencast to show how to connect to AirServer:
http://youtu.be/13tfGsQ93vg

7 Signs (ASL, that is) To Streamline Classroom Managment

During Science Fair work days, we utilize a "Question Queue" where students can sign up to get questions answered and go back to work instead of waiting. Occasionally, a student will patiently wait their turn for 10 or 20 minutes only to ask, "Can I go to the bathroom?" To streamline this process - and avoid children suffering in silence - we implemented a simple ASL "toilet" sign so kids could communicate their need without disrupting the conversation.

It became a habit that stuck and now students will raise their hand like this:

I can give them a yes (or no if the situation warrants) and they are off without any interruption to the flow of the lesson.

Here is the printable packet of 7 signs that we are using:
http://goo.gl/1daR7
Images come from mykidentity.com