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"It's that time where schools are deciding what apps students should have on their devices. While many schools stick with just free apps, others know that paid apps have a lot to offer. Paid apps are usually 50% off when purchased through Apple's Volume Purchase Program for Education, so outfitting an entire class with a paid app might not break the bank. I thought I'd share my top paid app picks for students' iPads. These apps are all open-ended and empower students to create something with their learning."

"One question I seem to get a lot about the iPad is what apps do I recommend that are free. I am hearing from a lot of teachers that they have no way to add paid apps and thus are stuck trying to find free apps. My experience is that many free apps stink. They have many adds, require in app purchases to be useful, or are just junk. I tend to stay away from most free apps. So what are you to do if the district controls adding paid apps? My suggestion is to build relationships with the decision makers. Don't just ask for a bunch of apps, instead provide documentation and purpose for a few apps you would like to have. I know this process takes time and effort but if you can show the purpose and learning you have a much better chance. If you need lesson ideas I suggest checking out my Pinterest page, and three of my favorite Pinterest pages: iPadsammy, TechChef4u, and Sue Gorman. Look for apps and lesson ideas there and modify them to fit your standards and kids. If I was starting from scratch this is the $10 iPad app setup I would push for in my kindergarten classroom. (I will be posting a $20 setup later)"

" Apple has long touted its device's assistive technology as a powerful tool for the educational development of physically and mentally disabled children. The iPad's touch screen makes it easier to manipulate than more traditional educational tools. For children with autism, "the iPad is not a toy, but a tool that works best when there is a 'team effort' between parents and therapists encouraging its proper use," said Marc Reisner, co-founder of Reach for the APPs. "Our goal is to provide schools with iPads so they can reach every child on the autistic spectrum." Reach for the APPs built their site with an initial donation from Managed Digital. Now, they're seeking out donations of money and/or iPads from both individuals and corporations to propel the program forward. According to reports from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 1-in-88 children have some form of autism, up 78 percent from just a decade ago. The demand for augmentative communications devices is growing. But the schools can't meet the demand, so the children are losing valuable time during critical developmental years. Lois Brady, a speech language pathologist and assistive technology specialist, said apps can help develop fine-motor skills, which will in turn make functions like writing and manipulating small objects easier for the students. "I have spent years working with the most challenging students that are considered profoundly disabled," she said. "And I have seen some small miracles when I introduce the iPad into our therapy, as the children have made huge gains in attention, focus, communication, language and literacy skills." Some experts also say that the iPad can lessen symptoms of autistic disorders, helping children deal with life's sensory overload. Brady will be contributing content to the Reach for the APPs website to inform therapists about the latest-and-greatest apps for children all over the autistim spectrum. Apps must be tailor

"iPad Educators is a great website with the tagline "Redefining Teaching, From Dubia to the World." The website is run by four educators and is non-commercial, which is great because their app reviews are not paid for by the app developers (as I have discovered, many app review sites get paid to write their reviews). iPad Educators also has featured articles and interviews with iPad educators."

"Infographic: Google Facts - Organic and Paid Search"

"Today is about Google Maps, though. The company has spent the past seven years refining its offering, making its internal systems run quickly to keep up with as many detours, traffic conditions and new apartment complexes that it can. All of that hard work paid off with this app. It's absolutely gorgeous, runs as smooth as a videogame and is a complete user experience overhaul from any Google Maps experience you've ever had."

"Studio Pango produces a bunch of iPad apps that children (pre-K through grade 2) are sure to love. Some of the apps are free and some of the apps require purchase. To get a sense of what the paid apps offer, try the free apps first. This morning I tried two of the free apps. I tried Pango Book 1 and Pango Playground for Kids."

"BRISTOL, England-Any child in England who has turned 3 by Sept. 1 is guaranteed 15 hours a week of free childcare or preschool for 38 weeks a year, or 570 hours total, paid for by the national government. "We don't think of it as socialism at all," said the Oxford University professor Edward Melhuish, who studies child development and was instrumental in conducting the research that largely led to England's current policies. "We think of it as common sense.""

We Want Apps is a free iPad and iPhone app for discovering new apps for kids. I discovered We Want Apps on David Kapuler's blog and immediately gave it a try on my iPad. With We Want Apps installed on your iPad you can search for apps according to the age of your students, the platform (iPhone or iPad), and price (free or paid). After choosing your search criteria you will be given a list of apps. Click on an app in the search results list to read a detailed description of that app.

"While many schools may already have an Apple VPP program already in place, we know that a number of teachers will also be purchasing apps themselves. In this webinar, Greg and Beth will elaborate on the App Backpack blog post and explore free as well as paid-for apps to meet essential learning objectives. This event will be held LIVE at 4:00 pm EST in our Blackboard Collaborate Room."

"iOS: More apps go on sale or get discounted on a given day than anyone can really keep track of, but Apps Gone Free for the iPhone and iPad does a great job of keeping you up to date on which apps go on sale on what day and which apps go from paid to free-all right on your phone. "

"The commonality between all of these apps is that they were designed with teachers in mind. They have a great educational value and can help educators perform a variety of tasks from tracking students behavior to creating to-do-lists. Also some of these apps are free and some are paid ."

Below is a 7 minute video outlining the basics of using this great app. There is a FREE version (Popplet Lite) as well as a paid version ($4.99.) I discuss the difference between the versions in the video.

"A long-tested curriculum for middle schoolers that blends algebra and geometry concepts with the programming of games is getting a new boost. Bootstrap, which has been around for about six years, is teaming up with Code.org and the New York City Foundation for Computer Science Education (CSNYC) to help educators learn how to teach students algebraic and geometric concepts with computer programming. The middle school curriculum, developed by Bootstrap, is free and aligns with the Common Core math standards. The organization also offers paid professional development workshops at locations around the country."

"Like many districts serving low-income populations, it was fairly easy for Piedmont City School District officials in Alabama to find funds for devices. District officials wanted to leverage technology to open up opportunities for the 1,240 students in this rural community, so they started sending devices home with kids in grades 4-12 in 2009 through a program they call mPower Piedmont. However, lack of access to the Internet after school and in kids' homes became a major obstacle to learning with those devices."

"Are you looking for the best apps for toddlers? We have found some of the best toddler apps - all tested on my very own toddlers! I don't advocate letting your toddler spend a lot of time playing apps on tablets and phones, but as an educator and parent, I can definitely see the value in supervised play with some of the fantastic educational apps that are available. The biggest problem is finding the best apps for toddlers among the thousands, if not millions of toddler apps out there. After being overwhelmed with the options available (a large percentage of which were low quality, filled with ads or had very little educational value), I recently asked for YOUR favorite toddler apps. You can read the responses to that thread here . There were several apps that were recommended many times, along with some great new suggestions. After having a closer look at your recommendations I have compiled a list of Apps your toddler will love! You will notice that the list contains a mix of free and paid apps. While I could have focused on only the free apps, I feel that there are some excellent toddler apps that are worth paying a few dollars for (especially if it means no adds and excellent content)."

"I always felt trapped in school, with teachers telling me what to do and feeding me information that did not make sense. Honestly, I hated school and rarely paid attention or did homework. Obviously, I was mad when my mother forced me to go to my middle school's Summer Maker Camp. It sounded extremely boring. More school in the summer? I think not. Within the first hour of camp, the teachers presented us with a challenge: Create a project related to something you love, incorporate some type of technology, and possibly start a business around it. I never did anything like this in school before. It was open-ended, and I could do it my own way, instead of sitting at a desk and being told to open to page 84. This excited me. I could work on a project that I chose!"

"On the second floor of Morgan State University's engineering building, Jacob Walker, 12, is putting the finishing touches on a ruler he's just created. Not yet an actual ruler. One he's designing on the computer. He just needs to add his initials - then it's time to produce it on a 3-D printer. Jacob starts seventh grade in the fall and has big dreams. Building this ruler is all part of the plan. "When I was a child," he says, "I loved to play with Legos, and it inspired me to be an engineer when I get older." Jacob is one of some 50 boys in this free, four-week camp at Morgan State. It's called the Minority Male Makers Program - paid for by Verizon."