1:1 Computing Links

Victoria Australia's iPad page

"While iPads have rocketed to popularity on many college campuses since Apple Inc. introduced the device in spring 2010, many public secondary schools this fall will move away from textbooks in favor of the lightweight tablet computers. Apple officials say they know of more than 600 districts that have launched what are called "one-to-one'' programs, in which at least one classroom of students is getting iPads for each student to use throughout the school day."

iPads as super ereaders for interactive textbooks.

"58 Interesting Ways to use an iPad in the Classroom"

"Apple announced that there are now more than 400K apps in its app store (and that more than 500K have been approved). The Android Marketplace has around 300K apps and is growing fast. The point is: There are a lot apps out there already, and more hit app stores every day. They're going like hotcakes. But finding and discovering new apps that you actually care about? Eh, not so easy. Of course, it's not for lack of trying. There are some awesome tools out there already trying to direct the fire hose and filter the noise. "

"While I am a strong advocate of using the tablet in the classroom, there should be some strategic deployment plans before putting it in the hands of students. Rather than sounding as the expert, I have decided to format the considerations through questions I would ask before purchasing. This list by no means fits everyone's model, but will hopefully serve as a guideline to planning out iPad/iPod/tablet/mobile device deployments."

These are thought provoking questions and an excellent checklist for both administrators and IT admins.

"How will I use new technology to change the fundamental practice of education?"

This is true of any technology initiative regardless of setting, e.g., commercial or academic. What is the goal? What do you want to accomplish with the tech?

This iPad rollout struck me as an exemplary case of doing this sort of thing right in the higher education setting. This is a very well thought out project, with robust executive support, and clear directives.

"From Randy MacLEAN comes this great article about the iPad 2 in Tower School, Marblehead, MA. This fall, third- to eigth-graders in Tower School will harnessing the power of tablet computers as the perfect companions for school projects and assignments."

Speirs discussing "thin slicing" or "chunking" iPad use in lieu of full deployment.

"As summer vacation ends and students prepare for the year ahead, we want to share stories from the first three schools to hit the ground running with Chromebooks for Education. Chromebooks decrease wait times in the classroom with a super-fast bootup, protect against viruses with enhanced security, and regular updates from Google mean that Chromebooks actually get better over time, saving thousands of dollars on maintenance and software upgrades. We asked these three schools to share their stories about how they plan to use Chromebooks this year to make the collaborative classroom a reality. "

Schools actively engaged in Chromebook deployment

"Chomp's proprietary algorithm learns the functions and topics of apps, so you can search based on what apps do, not just what they're called. Try searching for "puzzle games", "kids games", "expense trackers", "tip calculators" or "chat" and start finding great apps. Chomp for iPhone was launched January 2010. Chomp is a free download in the iTunes app store. Chomp for Android was launched in February 2011 and is a free download on the Android Market. "

"StickPick - An individualized learning app for the iPad and iPhone that leverages Bloom's Taxonomy"

"1-to-1 is about learning, not technology. Students needa curriculum that meets the demands of an increasingly globalised and interconnected world in the 21st century.

"If you are in the process of developing a proposal for the inclusion of iOS devices in schools than this is an excellent PDF document. You might even be in a position where you now need to justify the purchase of existing machines and how they have enhanced your student's learning. Here is some help, a good starting point at least. I know...I know - it was produced by Apple but it does spell out a reasoned and well presented argument for the use of iOS devices in education. "

"Today we are compiling a list of Top 100 Best Free iPad Apps in which you will find different categories from Entertainment , Lifestyle, Games, Sports, News, Utilities , Social Networking, Travel , Productivity etc .."

"Evernote Peek lets you make flashcards, of sorts, using your Evernote materials. Once you select what you want to study, you close the Smart Cover and peek under it to see a clue. Open the cover all the way to see the answer. Evernote Peek connects to your Evernote account, and you can select which notebooks you want to utilize (or create specific ones for this purpose.) The title of the note becomes the clue, and the body of the note itself, the answer. "

The video is very compelling. I wonder if there is a Google Evernote extension--bet there is.

"We at Apps in Education believe that the iPad has caused a major shift in education and in the publishing industry. From textbook publishers, to education software companies, everyone is taking notice of this benchmark in education technology. As an educator, I've seen this shift first hand as I visit classroom, and as I track the adoption of the mobile technology in education."

"A private school in Florida has begun tackling the challenges associated with its impending iPad rollout, one of the first in the state that will place the mobile devices in the hands of every high school student."

a continuing series--stay tuned...

"Stephen's Lighthouse features this post released by Trinity College in Melbourne, Australia, regarding their experiences following iPad integration among their students and administration. The full Google Doc report is available for viewing at the link below, and the highlights posted on Stephen Abrams' blog from Teleread are worth a look to see where ed tech is leading."