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Many educators have asked - "Is the iPad the correct tool to aid learning in education?" Having read several articles and well as witnessing first hand the implementation of iPad programs in several K12 educational establishments. I still don't have a definitive answer, but I suppose it depends on the goals of your educational establishment and the age group of learners and what they need to achieve by using the iPad.

"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."

"More and more schools are jumping on the digital bandwagon and adopting iPads for daily use in the classroom. Apple's education-related announcements yesterday will no doubt bolster the trend, making faculty tools and student textbooks more engaging and accessible."

100 Apps for Tech-Savvy Teachers Teachers have one of the most difficult jobs out there. As an educator, you have to manage a classroom of boisterous students, organize heaps of data, stay up-to-date with current events and plan lessons day in and day out. In today's technologically linked world, the ability to use web applications is at your advantage as an educator, and we are here to tell you the best tools to use. Here is a collection of 100 web and iPhone applications that make the grade for tech-savvy teachers:

"A new educational app from global education leader Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), HMH Fuse™: Algebra 1, was studied by research firm Empirical Education Inc. and found to be a platform that successfully "encourages the use of personalized lesson plans by combining direct instruction, ongoing support, assessment and intervention in one easy-to-use suite of tools.""

"During its education event in January, Apple unveiled its plans to revolutionize the K-12 classroom with the iPad, electronic textbooks, a revamped version of iTunes U that supports content for K-12 schools as well as higher education, and tools for educators to create their own digital content using iBooks Author and iTunes U."

Wixie is the award winning online authoring tool students can use to construct knowledge and communicate ideas. Today's learners need a tool that is accessible whenever and wherever they are ready to learn! Students can use Wixie's paint tools, text options, clip art, and voice recording to develop online storybooks, curriculum projects, and so much more.

""The outcomes at Longfield clearly demonstrate the value of the iPad as an educational tool and the role that it can play in learning and teaching." (P4, NAACE, 2012)"

"What do hammers have to do with iPads? iPads are exactly like hammers, they are simply a tool. While the screen may shine and the intuitive nature of the device impress even the most cynical user, they are little more than tools in the classroom. "

"If Apple does announce AirPlay Direct, a new version of AirPlay that doesn't require a Wi-Fi network, the company will have made the lives of business travelers, trainers, and educators even easier. It will probably also make network administrators in both business and education a bit happier as well."

"When the gift-giving season for 2011 came around, the dreaded word 'iPad' appeared on the wishlist of nearly half the children in America. Parents across the country feared that the expensive handheld would become just another video game console tossed in the toybox. Now, while the flashy graphics and wide array of entertainment apps can paint that sort of picture, many app designers are actually tending toward interactive learning tools for their younger users. Was this portable PC really designed with education in mind?"

"One of the things I like the most about iPad is its ability to support all the major e-reader platforms. Its interactivity and audio capabilities have even added a new dimension to read alouds and bedtime stories, making it an ideal device for digital storytelling. And since Educational Technology and Mobile Learning has already featured a List of The Best Digital Storytelling Tools ( web and desktop version ) then we deem it equally important to provide another list of such tools but this time for the iPad."

"Bloom's Taxonomy is by no means the best or only way to categorize websites, apps or other educational tools. However, I often find that for my purposes, it is a really nice way to organize tools so that I can find them later. It also keeps me (and my students) thinking about the learning process and keeps us all from getting stuck in a one-type-of-learning rut."

"Just getting started with your new iPad and wondering what to download? Here are 20 popular apps to get you going in the areas of News, Reference & Education, e-Book Readers, Productivity Tools, and Social Tools."

"Augmented reality (AR) is a tool educators should consider using as it provides discovery and experiential experiences creating more opportunities for students to make deeper connections and understandings. Additionally the 2010 and 2011 Horizon Reports, predict that the use of augmented reality in education will be widespread within two to three years. "

"utting aside for a moment the IP ownership questions regarding content exported from Apple's iBooks Author tool, the company's strategy to increase its presence in education and learning is significant."

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?

"I have blogged previously about the power of apps that tell stories as an educational activity. It stimulates higher order thinking skills, it provides opportunities for reflection and it enriches the learning experience for our students. So here I have listed apps that allow your students to create animations. I love the simplicity with which animations allow difficult concepts to be easily explained. These apps provide you with another set of tools to enhance your students learning."

"Voted 2010 Best Educational Math Apps for the iPad by I Education Apps Review (IEAR.org) "