Saturday, January 07, 2012

Learning Ideas with iBooks and iPad

Did you know...
If you have the most current version of iBooks and iOS, you can now highlight text in iBooks using several different colors. Think about highlighting a main idea in one color, and then highlighting supporting evidence to that idea in another. Or, consider doing this for character development. Then, when you tap on the "Table of Contents" .. you have a great set of study notes!!

Did you also know that it is now possible to select a passage of text and have the iPad read to you? This works on web pages, in iBooks, and anywhere you can select text!! To activate the Speak Text feature on your iPad, tap on Settings > General > ... scroll down to Accessibility, and turn on "Speak Selection." (If you don't have this option, be sure you have updated your iPad ... you will be prompted to update when you sync in iTunes).

Friday, January 06, 2012

What's "new" for you in the New Year?

The start of each new year provides us with an opportunity to begin anew: to start or to stop doing things that are good or bad for us or our families, our jobs, etc. This is the season for fresh starts, or perhaps resolving to change. And, as good as our intentions may be, it's not always easy to sustain that change, or "new" thing we have chosen to commit to.

This TED Talk video from Matt Cutts might help those of us who struggle with change, whether its major or minor. I believe that taking baby steps is a good way to embark on the journey. I also think that it's sometimes hard to take that first step, however small. So, if long-term lifestyle changes or resolutions don't seem achieveable in your immediate future, perhaps just taking a 30-day challenge would provide the kick-start you need. As Matt says, "30 days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit -- like watching the news -- from your life."

I think I can.... I think I can .... do you?