iPad for Education

"The iPad is a great tool for a classroom. It will soon be the case that any educator will feel as though the iPad is entirely necessary. One of the reasons for this is because it is a tool that quashes inequality in the classroom. Children with disabilities have been able to use iPads and work at the same speed as the other children. Another reason for the popularity of this machine is because it makes the educator's job easier. They can teach better than ever before, but only if they know how to use it properly. Here are some iPad tips:"

For a global view of the landscape - at least for iOS devices - start with this Google Docs spreadsheet curated by Scott McLeod. Updated regularly, the document breaks down the major online sources of reviews and of the apps themselves, with a few comments to help you browse.

"A solid digital workflow system addresses many questions."

"the tablets were intended to be used as video cameras, audio recorders, and multimedia notebooks of individual students' creations. The teachers cared most about how the devices could capture moments that told stories about their students' experiences in school. Instead of focusing on what was coming out of the iPad, they were focused on what was going into it."

"Smithsonian Channel for iPad is a fantastic free app for anyone that enjoys watching educational videos without having to go to YouTube. With the Smithsonian Channel iPad app installed you can browse and search for full-length educational videos as well as shorter clips produced by Smithsonian."

In this four-part series, we are using the Someday/Monday concept to explore four dimensions of using tablets, such as iPads, in educational settings. We will do this by examining how teachers can take students on a journey from the consumption of media to curation, creation, and connection. In the first part of this series, we used the Someday/Monday template to explore Consumption. During the second, we examined Curation and the evolving role of the teacher as a curator of learning objects. This week, we will address Creation, examining what is possible when we empower students and teachers as innovators with iPads and other mobile devices.

"They focused on multiple benefits of the 1:1 iPad initiative where high school seniors were issued iPads like textbooks at the beginning of the year. In a time where global communication, inquiry-based opportunities, and self-directed learning is how students manage the information revolution, it was refreshing to get to observe an iLearning Utopia."