apptastic

Free apps used in another district

Leadership for Mobile Learning "Resources for exploring the hottest topic in educational technology via CoSN's Leadership for Mobile Learning Initiative" Created and curated by Lucy Gray

Last week we started looking at rollouts of iPads in schools by searching out, reading, and summarizing findings in articles discussing these types of programs. This week we continue our examination of this topic by sharing take-aways from this excellent article in the March/April 2011 Educause Review.

Throwing new technology equipment at teachers and hoping that it sticks is an ineffective approach to integrating IT into the classroom. That's why Southfield Christian School in Southfield, MI, is putting professional development first on its to-do list for a fall 2011 iPad rollout.

Finding free iPod Touch apps and games to use in Math classes can be a frustrating and time consuming venture. Many have limited functionality or are littered with ads for the paid versions. However, not all apps are like that. The following are my pick for the top 10 iPod Touch apps. All of them are free, and all have legitimate uses for Math teachers and their students.

They are aimed at kids between 5 and 12 years old, but grown ups can have just as much fun testing their brains with one of these innovative games. Links for each app are below their picture.

This pilot will provide participants with an iPad and ongoing professional development, to enable teachers to explore, discover and develop ways in which mobile devices (iPads, iPods, iPhones, etc.) can be used to engage learners and maximize student achievement.

The combination of rich graphics, an intuitive touch screen, and lightning-fast processing speed is bringing educational technology to new levels of student engagement, she told a packed session titled The iPad Revolution: Innovative Learning in the Classroom at this year's International Society for Technology in Education conference in Philadelphia.

sites useful for digital storytelling. Most are Web 2.0 sites but there are links to other useful blogs. Good resource for digital storytelling

"The Virginia Department of Education is phasing in the second wave of a pilot program that uses Apple's iPad tablet computers as the centerpiece of a social studies curriculum that blends online and face-to-face learning."

"Everywhere I turn schools seem to be buying iPads. Critics, even in this forum, question whether investment in a relatively new and untested technology can be justified, especially given the current economic climate. To some degree, I think their scepticism has merit."

Gr 5-7-Eight short graphic chapters chronicle some of the personal struggles and challenges facing adolescents today. Based on the Annie Fox's blended fiction/nonfiction book by the same name title in Free Spirit's "Middle School Confidential" series, the app doesn't include much of the non-comic narrative, quotes, and quizzes found in the book, but it adds edgy music, sound effects, and simple interaction.

"South Korea is investing $2 billion to develop digital textbooks for all schools by 2015. "

About this webmix : Most of the sites from the 60 in 60 session at ISTE 11. These are educational sites to try and integrate into your classroom.

apps good for project based learning

"So, we have collected the best non-fiction offerings right here for you. Whether you love history, science, music, art, space travel or just love the digitally-enhanced written word, there's a book-app just for you. We're compiled the best of the best for you here."

App site with review, lists, guides, charts

From a session I was in at ISTE11. Great app mentions. Slingnote looks promising