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The fourth in our six-part series on collaboration takes on iPads. They were created as devices for individual consumers, so teachers have their work cut out for them in using tablets for student collaboration. We highlight apps that help educators turn iPads into wePads.

"Developing and maintaining a productive workflow while using iPad is not an easy thing to do. It does not only take knowing and installing all the necessary apps, students need to build a momentum , working on their apps and using them judiciously. Building such a momentum is a process of habituation that calls for repeated actions. It does take some time for students to get used to develop these skills but once they do their use of iPad becomes fluently productive."

"The author of iPad in Education for Dummies offers solid advice for unlocking the possibilities of iPads in a classroom."

I was introduced to this app at Learning 2.012 conference. In the video in this post it appears that it is being used for 'test' situations. I wonder if this is much different from just using a paper and pen. Teachers create the content that is used - so there is a potential here for it to be used for tasks that require deeper thinking skills (if the app allows). Something to investigate at least.

Schools today are investing more time and resources into tablet computers -- and their ability to help improve teaching and learning. In this blog post, Justin Reich, a fellow at Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society and co-Founder of EdTechTeacher, and Beth Holland, a senior associate with EdTechTeacher, write about the ability of the tablet to foster classroom collaboration and meaningful connections for students and teachers.

Touch-screen tablets for young students have become all the rage. Some districts are even buying iPads for every kindergartener, a move sparking both celebration and consternation. Do we really want to give $500 devices to kids who can't even tie their shoes?

'We are now entering the mobile age, where phones are carried everywhere...cars are becoming travelling offices, airplane seats are entertainment centres, computer games are handheld ... We now have the opportunity to design learning differently: to create extended learning communities, to link people in real and virtual worlds, to provide expertise on demand, and to support a lifetime of learning' (Sharples, p.2 ). New technologies are enabling change, socially and economically, and education is cautiously embracing these tools for 21st century education. A paper presented at the recent 26th Australian Computers in Education Conference, titled Developing Early Learners' Creativity and Collaboration Using iPads, reports on a case study designed to investigate pedagogies using iPads that develop creative and collaborative skills in young learners. 'How can teachers use iPads to facilitate the development of creativity and collaboration in early learning?' (p. 3) is the focus of this research. The study was conducted in a Year 2 class where one of the authors was the teacher. Six iPads were available in a class of 25 students. Ten learning activities were developed and students in small groups used iPads to complete the assigned tasks. For some activities students worked in pairs. A reflective journal, guided by questions that focussed on creativity and collaboration was maintained by one of the authors. The paper responds to the forces of 21st century education: the surge of mobile computing devices and what have been termed the 21st century skills (critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration). The authors focus discussion on creativity and collaboration from various perspectives including those outlined in the Australian Curriculum documents (ACARA). It is through the review of these sources that the authors adapted and developed checklists to measure creativity and collaboration in their study. Three vignettes are shared by the aut

"(student) engagement always goes up when technology is used... to say that iPads result in increased engagement is to say nothing". Are iPads just a craze? Is there a danger that we are using new technology to implement old pedagogy? 

Enterprises deploy technology slowly because they tend to plan methodically and for the long term. In most situations, the IT departments and managers are the ones calling the shots. They think they know what's best when it comes to incorporating tech and they want control over how that tech works. But the iPad is different for some reason. Many organizations are seeing employees rebel and bring iPads into the fold without IT approval. It's often a situation of "it's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission."

Jenneth Orantia reviews the top apps for keeping preschoolers entertained."

"National social media and technology reporter PETRA STARKE lists the top 50 learning apps for children and teens."

iPads are designed to be customized for personal use and can be difficult to share between users

The rocky launch of an iPad initiative in a California school district has led some to question whether the benefits of the devices are worth the cost. At issue is the decision to pay $4.3 million for 6,300 iPads for seventh-grade students, plus the cost of iPad covers and related software. While teachers and other supporters say they are enthusiastic about the potential benefits of iPads in the classroom, the district is not tracking whether students' grades have risen since the technology was introduced.

Some Los Angeles schoolteachers who use iPads in classroom lessons say it's necessary for teachers to give up some control to make the technology initiative successful. The teachers say they suggested students read but placed no limits on what students read, and asked them to use applications but did not say which ones. The teachers also found that the iPad enhances classroom lessons, but it is not a replacement for good teaching.

Three school districts in Illinois, Iowa and South Carolina will distribute approximately 27,000 Google Chromebook laptops to students as part of new technology initiatives, the company announced Thursday. While some have criticized the browser-based devices for slow performance, others say quick startup times and long battery life make them a good fit for schools and students

They are mostly apps for kids with learning needs

" iTunes has 6 categories under education, but nothing for social and emotional learning."

This report presents the findings from a project that used tablet technology with young children (aged 2 to 6 years of age) in three different early childhood settings. The project was designed to explore the possibilities for learning in each setting to determine if the use of tablets is appropriate for this age group.

An interactive of classroom ideas for learning with the iPad