10 of the best apps for education

As iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches become more integrated in the classrooms, educators and students are seeking ways to apply them to the learning process. Applications on all of these devices can assist in current classroom processes or present innovative ways to learn.

eSchool News' Jenna Zwang has assembled a list of education “apps” for Apple devices that are noteworthy. Five are free, and the other five range in price from 99 cents to $9.99. Enjoy!

Name: Word Lens
Best for: Language Classes
Cost: Free
Features: Instantly translates signage from one language to another through the camera application
How to Use: Language teachers can use this program for scavenger hunts





Name: Molecules
Best for: Science Classes
Cost: Free
Features: Allows users to view and manipulate three-dimensional models of different molecules
How to Use: Visual learners can see how protein molecules are composed and can download new molecules from the RCSB

Name: Blackboard Mobile Learn
Best for: Students and teachers whose campuses already use Blackboard
Cost: Free
Features: Course listings, organizations users are involved in as well as access to any readings
How to Use:Users can enroll in any classes or organizations that they have registered for and download any assignments their instructors have posted



Name: Today in History
Best for: History Classes
Cost: Free
Features: Lists notable events in history as well as important figures who were born or died on a specific date
How to Use:Use for trivia quizzes or facts of the day



Name: Math Ref Free
Best for: Math Classes
Cost: Free
Features: A free version of Math Ref, this app offers 600 out of over 1,300 formulas, figures, tips, and examples
How to Use: Use as a formula study guide or to view graphs of different equations


Name: PI83 Graphing Calculator
Best for: Math Classes
Cost: $0.99
Features: With over 100 math functions, the graphing calculator is a clone of the TI-83 without the $70 price tag
How to Use: Use in place of any calculator to input data, make graphs or matrices


Name: Star Walk
Best for: Astronomy Classes
Cost: $2.99
Features: An astral telescope; Star Walk adapts its view to wherever the user holds it up to, highlighting constellations and planets
How to Use: Use for guided tours of the night sky or to find the location of any specific astral objects



Name: Cram
Best for: Anyone in need of test prep
Cost: $3.99
Features: Both teachers and students can create flashcards and tests and import and share them with others
How to Use: Use to study for standardized tests or exams, or create study materials for students


Name: Essay Grader
Best for: Teachers pressed for time
Cost: $5.99
Features: Providing instant results, eClicker charts the class responses, showing which areas are understood and which need more work
How to Use: Students select a response to a question composed by the instructor and are then able to participate without fear of being wrong, since only the teacher views the results

Name: eClicker
Best for: Teachers looking for classroom feedback
Cost: $9.99
Features: Essay grader comes with a bank of pre-written comments and helps teachers cut down on grading time without writing the same comments over and over again by hand
How to Use: After assigning a grade, teachers can then eMail the grade sheet directly to the student or export it to the computer for editing and printing

Source: Jenna Zwang, eSchool News

Merry Christmas from around the Pacific!

~Felis Pasgua (Chamorro)
~Maligayan Pasko (Tagalog)
~Peren en Krismas (Pohnpeian)
~Monono ilo raaneoan Nejin (Marshallese)
~Falang e Baynag (Yapese)
~Tok Tapeng (Kosraean)
~Ungil Kurismas (Palauan)
~Pwapwan Kirisimas (Chuukese)
~Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian)
~Ameseighil ubwutiiwel Layi Luugh me raagh fee (Carolinian)

The University of Guam graduated 221 students during the Fall 2011 commencement ceremony held December 18, 2011. The number of graduates is an 11-percent increase compared to the number of students a year ago. BIBA UOG!

CHRISTMAS CAROLING AT ST. DOMINIC'S

CHRISTMAS CAROLING AT THE KIDNEY CENTER

The Ginen i Hila' I Maga'taotao Siha Association shared the Christmas spirit this weekend, as the following members showed up for Christmas caroling yesterday, Saturday, December 17, 2011 at St. Dominic's at Barrigada Heights and the Kidney Center in Harmon, across Micronesia Mall:

1. Anthony Lloyd Calvo
2. Dr. Arlene Salas Diaz
3. Peter Jon "Makåhna" Duenas
4. Benita Mesngon Lizama
5. Mike O'Brien
6. Peter R. Onedera
7. Annie Margarita Babauta Pineda
8. Patricia Ann Quichocho
9. Elizabeth S. N. Reyes
10. Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera
11. Emily Guerrero Sablan
12. Antonia Masga Salas
13. Julia Henderson Shore

Marcial Sablan Elementary School Christmas Party Memorable!

I enjoyed my first Christmas party with the MASE Familia held December 10, 2011 at the Guam Reef Hotel. I look forward to the future events throughout the years. God bless and Happy Holidays!

Pictured above: The MASE Familia take a pose during their Christmas celebration.

IRA Community Book Fair a Success!

The annual IRA Community Book Fair held December 10, 2011 at the Agana Shopping Center was filled with family literacy, children's books, entertainment, giveaways, and more! Enjoy the following snapshots taken at this special event!

Ginen I Hila pays tribute to the Guam Insular Guard Forces

Pictured above is the Guam Insular Guard Forces artifact that was unveiled during a special ceremony held December 10, 2011.

MORE GUAM INSULAR GUARD FORCES CEREMONY SNAPSHOTS...

The Stirs of Echoes went off beautifully this morning, December 10, 2011, at the Plaza De Espåña, according to Ginen I Hila President-Elect Peter Onedera. Great job to President Felix C. Benavente and committee members.

Ginen I Hila paid tribute to the Guam Insular Guard Forces who defended the governor's palace in Hagåtña which then became noted as the start of the dark days of World War II. The group paid tribute at 4am at the statue of the praying hands that is right next to the pope statue across the Skinner’s Plaza. As was done in the past two years, a short narration took place by one of our members giving the details of how the Insular forces defended the governor's palace in the wee hours of 4am just as the Japanese soldiers were entering Hagåtña. There were lives lost at that encounter but it is now relegated into our history books and this Saturday marks the 70th year which is also simultaneously being observed by the Guam Museum, the War in the Pacific National Historical Park, the Guam Preservation Trust and the Guam Legislature. Ginen I Hila members verbally called out the names of the over one hundred thirty members of the Guam Insular Guard Forces accompanied by a single drum beat. At the end, a car horn was heard signaling what also was done on December 10, 1941.

Those in attendance were the following:

Acfalle, Beverly Ann
Aguon, Charissa Lynn
Benavente, Felix Crisostomo
Benavente, Lourdes Aguon
Calvo, Anthony Lloyd
Duenas, Peter Jon "Makåhna
Lizama, Benita Mesngon
Lizama, John Mesngon
Onedera, Peter R.
Onedersa-Salas, Selina Maria
Peredo, Juanita Toves "Juanit"
Quichocho, Patricia Ann
Ramirez, Anthony J. "Malia"
Salas, Antonia Masga
Salas, Vincent John "Vinnie"
Santos, Steven "Sashaleigh"
Shore, Julia H.
Tuquero, Victor

Prospective Members:

Diaz, Dr. Arlene Salas
Rivera, Dr. Matilda Naputi

Guests:

Mr. O'Brien
Tony Garcia
Annie Cruz
Annette Donner
Sen. Tony Ada
Sen. Frank F. Blas, Jr.
Sen. Ben Pangelinan
Attorney Therese Terlaje

Guam Council IRA December 2011 Newsletter

Click here to view the December 2011 Newsletter.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! Enjoy this special holiday with your loved ones, and be sure to thank those who have touched your life and made a difference. May God bestow upon you abundant blessings on this day and always.

REMINDER - UOG-SOE New Year's Eve Bash!

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION NO. 96-31 (COR), OCTOBER 2011:

Pictured above is the 31st Guam Legislative Resolution given on October 27, 2011 for my role as an ESL teacher, particularly regarding the achievement and success of LBJ Elementary School and its SAT10 performance. Although I'm not an ESL Teacher/Coordinator at LBJ anymore, as I've transferred to Marcial A. Sablan Elementary (MASE) School to serve the same role, I served the LBJ children for 15 years. I will always cherish the years I've spent there, and likewise this same sentiment will follow at MASE.

We must also remember that we can't work alone to empower our students. The achievement and success of our children are the result of collaborative efforts from all stakeholders! KUDOS TO ALL WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Happy Veterans Day to all who have served our nation to protect the freedom that we have today. Thank you for your bravery, courage, and dedication. We hand salute you, and may God bless you always.

Pacific Educator Fall 2011

The 24th Annual Regional Language Arts Conference Chairs smile for the camera!
Pictured L-R: Lucy Lauron, Chair; Dr. Catherine Stoicovy, Chair; Mye Flores, MLI; Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, Chair; and Debbie Respicio, Administrative Coordinator.


Pictured above is the certificate I received for participating as one of the LAC Chairs of the 24th Annual Regional Language Arts Conference.

PROMOTING AND SUSTAINING LITERACY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND THE CONTENT AREAS

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Guam Marriott Resort and Spa

Sponsored by:

University of Guam

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

School of Education

International Reading Association, Guam Council

Guam Marriott Resort and Spa

E-mail: drespicio@uguam.uog.edu

Download Presentation Form

Download Registration Form

Welcome to the 24th Annual Regional Language Arts Conference (LAC) website! The LAC is an annual event in which Western Pacific educators are provided with opportunities for professional growth and enrichment in literacy.

Pictured above: Dr. Margaruite Smith works closely with students.

Featured Keynote Speaker:

Dr. Margaruite Smith, McGraw Hill

Dr. Smith's speech will focus on content areas and the common core curriculum standards.

Dr. Smith is Director of Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), Hawaii and Pacific Sales and Service for McGraw-Hill Education. In that capacity, she is responsible for textbook and online learning sales and all aspects of teacher training and Professional Development services for McGraw-Hill School Education educational materials, including SRA, Macmilan, Glencoe and Wright Group products to the Department of Defense Schools and to Guam, Marshall Islands, Palau, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia, American Samoa, and Hawaii.

She has degrees from Texas Tech University, Texas Southern University, and the University of Denver in education and in educational administration. She has taught in every grade level 1-12, and has been an elementary administrator. She has teacher certification in reading, English as a Second Language, as well as general studies K-12.

Featured Guest Speaker:

Troy McVey, Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, University of Guam

Download the registration form by clicking on the link above. If you are interested in presenting or attending, it is important that you return the forms with your check/payment immediately. We have a limit of 300 participants. Last year, many were turned away because we reached capacity before the registration deadline. Don't let this weekend go without signing up. We look forward to seeing you there!

You can also earn two (2) ED894 graduate credits/CEUs. You must register for the conference before you register for the graduate credits at the Professional International Programs, 2nd floor, MARC/Computer Center/PIP Building, Room #217. For more information, call 735-2601 or fax 734-1233. You can also e-mail the Instructor, Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, at mnrivera1@yahoo.com or call 735-2440.

Contact LAC Committee Chairpersons:

Dr. Clarisa Quan: risaquan@yahoo.com

Dr. Catherine Stoicovy: stoicovy@guam.net

Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera: mnrivera1@yahoo.com

Dr. Sharleen Santos-Bamba: santosbamba@yahoo.com

Dr. Hyun Jong Hahm: hahm0929@gmail.com

Administrative Coordinator:

Debbie Respicio: drespicio@uguam.uog.edu

SIMON SANCHEZ HIGH SCHOOL RECOGNITION CERTIFICATE:

Pictured above is the recognition certificate I received on October 21, 2011 after presenting at Simon A. Sanchez High School's 1st Quarter Professional Development Day. My presentation was titled, Differentiating Instruction for Pacific Island Students.

It is important that we, as educators, continue to share the resources and knowledge that we have, so that we may empower our students. KUDOS TO ALL EDUCATORS WHO EMPOWER THEIR STUDENTS AND COLLEAGUES!

TEACHERS' APPRECIATION WEEK CERTIFICATE:

Pictured above is the appreciation certificate I received on October 17, 2011 in celebration of Teachers' Appreciation Week.

There's no doubt that teaching is a noble profession. I salute all teachers who share the passion to make a difference. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO!

FAMILY CONFERENCE CERTIFICATE:

Pictured above is the certificate I received on October 8, 2011 for participating in the Guam Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC) Family Conference at the Guam Marriott Resort & Spa.

During the conference, it was sadly announced that PIRC will be closing, but hopefully funding will be located to revive it. Despite this, we will push forward. As we know, parental involvement is essential as part of the learning process. I applaud the parents who are actively involved in their child's education. We truly appreciate the parents who take the time to work closely with their child to ensure that he/she succeeds! THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE! YOUR CHILD'S SUCCESS BEGINS WITH YOU!

J.P. TORRES ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL APPRECIATION CERTIFICATE:

Pictured above is the appreciation certificate I received from J.P. Torres Alternative School in recognition of support and contribution of my August 19, 2011 presentation titled, Differentiating Instruction for Pacific Island Students.

It is important that we, as educators, continue to support and share our knowledge, so that we may empower our students. KUDOS TO ALL EDUCATORS WHO EMPOWER THEIR STUDENTS AND COLLEAGUES!

RESOURCEFUL ESL SITES:

everythingESL.net

everythingESL.net contains ESL activities, teaching tips, and lesson plans for teachers in grades K-12.

http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/crosscultural.php

ESL Teacher as Cultural Broker

by Judie Haynes

Simple awareness on the part of mainstream staff members will help them deal more effectively with cross-cultural dissension. As ESL/bilingual professionals we need to teach strategies which help our colleagues understand the role culture plays in the behavior and reactions of second language learners and their parents.

Marc Tyler Nobleman

Events

Saturday, October 22

10:00 - 11:00 AM

Story Hour

Guam Public Library

All ages welcome

12:00 Noon - 2:00 PM

Teen Writing Workshop

IP Coffee Co Café

University Drive, Mangilao

For grades 3-12

Tuesday, October 25

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Teacher Workshop

Agana Heights Elementary

Open for all educators and parents

Click here to view the October 2011 Newsletter.

October 5 — World Teachers' Day

If you can read this, thank a teacher! Begun in 1994 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Teachers' Day celebrates the role of teachers in providing quality education at all levels. It also commemorates the ILO/UNESCO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers, which was adopted at a conference in Paris on Oct. 5, 1966. World Teachers' Day is currently sponsored by UNESCO and Education International. The theme for this year's celebration is "Teachers for gender equality." For more information, including downloads and a list of activities, go to the World Teachers' Day website. And if you're a teacher, THANK YOU for all that you do!

Sources: TESOL.org, 5oct.org

The HEOA: Addressing Music and Movie Piracy on Campus

FREE WEBINAR! REGISTER NOW!






Date: Thursday, November 3, 2011

Time: 2:00pm ET/11:00am PT

Mitigating and managing the illegal use of P2P file sharing on university and college campuses in compliance with Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) can be complex and challenging.

On November 3rd, join us for a free webinar that will discuss HEOA and its requirements for all colleges and universities to implement solutions to address unauthorized distribution of copyrighted content. You will also hear best practices from a real-world campus that has been able to automate the process and lower costs as they comply with HEOA provisions.

You will learn:
*The Law and how it applies to your campus
*Challenges – Residential, wireless and for students and staff
*Critical factors to consider when beginning an evaluation process
*Available technologies
*Best practices and solutions for complying with HEOA provisions
*Gaining buy-in

This webinar has limited capacity and will fill up quickly, so register early to ensure your spot.

GREAT GUAM SHAKEOUT

BE PREPARED GUAM AND JOIN THE GREAT GUAM SHAKEOUT ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20th AT 10:20 A.M. JOIN GUAM HOMELAND SECURITY AND OFFICE OF CIVIL DEFENSE IN AN EFFORT TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE...DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON. REGISTER ONLINE AT http://www.shakeout.org/guam or call 475-9600.

MICRONESIA ISLAND FAIR