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Nearly a year ago I posted Reading Self Assessment Workflows. I continued to have my pupils record themselves reading, self-assess and send to me. I think it is a valuable activity.

I’ve simplified the workflow slightly when Apple started including Voice Memos on iPads. It is not as interesting app as BossJock jr, but that is an advantage. It does one thing well. I think I prefer apps that do that and can connect to others as opposed to more complex apps.

This is the workflow for pupils:

  1. Record reading in Voice Memos. Change the title from the location to what is read and pupil’s name.
  2. Share to Notes, voice memo is embedded in a note.
  3. Listen to recording, write self assessment in Note. (I have prompt cards to help). I ask the pupils to name and date the note.
  4. Airdrop note to teacher iPad, choosing Classroom rather than user. This is auto accepted and waits in the Classroom app for me to pick up.
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Replied to Laura McEachran on Twitter (Twitter)
“Anyone else love Christmas as much as me?😍🎅🏼 Especially Christmas movies! 🎥 I created these bookmarks using Keynote which have a QR code linking to the clip. They also feature some Film Literacy questions which focus on the 3 C’s and 3 S’s! 🌲🎅🏼 #DigiLearnScot #appleeduchat”

Thanks, a really clever idea. Going to try and fit this in before the break. Great examples of questions to adapt to other seasons, topics.

Until recently I’ve never been a fan of QR codes, preferring to AirDrop Notes with links. But I now appreciate that they do generate a wee bit of extra interest. (I like I can auto create them too, for example).

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A bit of rainy day prep today. Planning using micro:bits for simple Christmas decorations.

Last session we did a time consuming, but worthwhile, microbit guitar project. We’ve use them for decorations before and I thought this might be a simple intro for the new pupils in the class and a simple refresher for last years pupils.

Since I only use microbits now and then I need a wee practise too. I noticed a couple  of things using the iOS app and the MakeCode for micro:bit editor.

The app seems to have improved even since June. At that point we started finding it easy to create code and flash the microbits form our iPads. Today I tried the app on my phone and was surprised as to how easy it was to code (simply) a microbit on my phone.

The other is you can now embed makecode, the code or the emulator. This one is a dice and number picker, we made ones like this for maths games last session. Try the buttons and ‘shake’.

Maybe you could always embed code I didn’t notice it before. I am impressed by how the editor has improved over the last few years. The first few times I used micro:bits in class we switched away from our iPads and used PCs, I can see no good reason for doing so now.