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"Why the Emotional Criticism of iBooks Author Is Wrong"

"Educators are beginning to see the potential of using mobile devices and apps for ongoing professional development as well as to improve literacy and cognitive development for learners. Apps are equipped with several features that motivate learners to create stories, presentations, and projects that are hands-on and use their creativity as well as their critical thinking skills. Once an app is downloaded, many features can be accessed without an Internet connection. Educators can also use various apps at conferences to connect with other educators or capture a presentation. Below are the various apps nominated by teachers for an Edublog Award so they must be worth checking out. Each has a link and a description. Make sure to check out the Edublog Awards for blogs, wikis, and web tools that teachers worldwide have recommended."

"n iOS 6, Apple decided it was time to remove the podcasts function of the Music app and replace it with a standalone app, available for free in the App Store. Properly titled Podcasts, this app released in June of this year, but has been under much criticism for its half-baked design, lag and lack of functionality. Since then, there have been three updates to the app, the last of which arriving the day of iOS 6's release. All the same, is this app even worth the trouble Apple has gone to thus far?"

"At Burlington High School in Burlington, MA, we are entering our eighth month of a 1:1 iPad initiative that began in September 2011. Don't get me wrong, we think the iPad is a great device for learning and gives each of our students a dynamic learning tool that can be used across the content areas and to accomplish a variety of tasks. Many of the critics claim that we are backing our students into a corner by giving them one brand and one skill set to learn exclusively on one device. This is not the case at Burlington. Furthermore, I have support. "

A showcase of assignments used with iPads in a 1:1 program.

"To make things more difficult for the new iPad owner (grin) or perhaps you have a class set and are wondering what to load, I offer Doug's Dozen. Taken from the experience of a guy who has nothing better to do that search for the best in class in any application, I took a look at the top applications that I use regularly and offer them below for your thoughts, criticisms, and one-up-ed-ness."

"An iPad is a toolbox that gets filled with tools such as apps, is a portal to communication and collaboration with others, and when guided by teachers who have been appropriately trained, students become truly engaged and motivated critical thinkers. Working with Tony Vincent and our Technology Team, our teachers will receive the professional development and support to successfully carry out our goals."

Like earlier iPad models, the iPad 3rd Generation (Wi-Fi/Cellular* - AT&T/A-GPS, A1430) -- which some may choose to refer to as the "iPad 3," even though Apple does not -- is a tablet computer for the web, e-mail, photos, video, music, gaming and more. Unlike earlier iPad models, however, the iPad 3rd Gen line is significantly more powerful and the focus has shifted more substantially from consuming content to creating it. All iPad 3rd Gen models most notably feature a "resolutionary" 9.7-inch 2048x1536 (264 ppi) multitouch glossy LED-backlit "retina" display, but also pack a dual-core 1 GHz Apple A5X "system on a chip" with quad core graphics, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB of flash memory storage, a rear-mounted 5 megapixel "iSight" camera capable of shooting stills and 1080p video and a front-mounted VGA-quality "FaceTime" camera, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and more. This specific iPad 3rd Gen model also supports 4G LTE connectivity (700, 2100 MHz), intended for use on AT&T's network in the US and Bell, Rogers and Telus in Canada, as well as A-GPS. Battery life is reportedly 10 hours "surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music" and 9 hours surfing the web using cellular data. Compared to the iPad 2 models, major differences for the iPad 3rd Gen line include a higher-resolution display, faster processor, better camera, and improved connectivity. *In response to criticism from consumer groups and government agencies, Apple formally changed the advertising of this model from "Wi-Fi + 4G" to "Wi-Fi + Cellular" starting around May 12, 2012.

Here are some links about our upcoming AppCamp; an idea that was spun out of the last Dust or Magic meeting in anticipation of the flood of touch/motion related hardware. Feel free to call or email me directly if you have any questions or ideas; I'm still forming the agenda. About: It is time to explore the iPad's potential for children. The Inaugural Dust or Magic Children's App Design Institute is a three-day review of the best (magic) and worst (dust) children's media for handheld devices. We'll critique the state of the art, brainstorm possibilities and test a lot of hardware and apps. Speakers: The list is growing as the event develops (this is a first). The idea is to bring together a small ( (105 miles from San Francisco on the tip of the Monterey Peninsula. Cost: $1380 for one seat, $990 for 2-5, plus housing ($130/night). Group size is limited to 60. There will be a free, public AppFest on Sunday and a larger TED-like event in the Chapel. UPENN graduate credit is available; students are welcome to attend the Sunday lecture at no cost pending seating. To Register: 800-993-9499 (9-2:30 PM EST), online Please note that space is limited to 60. Seats remaining as of March 6: 39 I appreciate any help marketing this to the right people; and call me with your ideas. W -- Warren Buckleitner, Ph.D

I just updated the page with some new speakers.

I would give my eye teeth to attend this... cost is an issue right now. Sounds amazing! If you need ideas on where to spread the word, let me know. I'll send this out to the Apple Distinguished Educator list for sure.

addresses common criticisms abut using ipads in education

"In his book "Start with Why" and the accompanying TED talk, author Simon Sinek claims that we're all very clear about "what" we do. In fact, you often define yourself by what you do - "I'm a teacher" for example. You focus heavily on "how" you should do whatever it is you do and usually develop a routine to make it easier."

"One of the things we need to be doing as educators is to critically evaluate the resources and learning experiences that we provide for our students. This is even more important when we are spending vast sums of public money to implement new or innovative hardware devices into our schools. At the moment only short term studies have been released showing the benefits or not of using 1:1 tablet programs. There are few that are easily accessible to teachers or that outline specific strategies for implementing tablet programs. It would good to create a collection of these if people are aware of them. Send them through and I will add them to this article. These could even be cited when making the argument for implementing such programs. "

"I'll go ahead and say it - I think the discussion on the iPad and Pedagogy needs to go further. Too many posts (and I am guilty of this too) focus on, "check out this cool app", or "did you know the iPad can do this"; you've all seen them. I really feel we are past the time where we should be looking at the functionality of the iPad as a device and be looking at it in a way which ensures we are looking more at how learning can be redefined and modified through the use of the iPad."

The report also reveals a shift in thinking by parents and educators who are now beginning to accept the role of mobile devices as instructional tools, in part because they are active users of mobile devices in their own personal lives. In some cases, educators have embraced mobile devices as a catalyst for making learning a more student directed experience. At Jamestown Elementary School in Virginia, for example, students use mobile devices to

What do you guys think?