Group items tagged

"After having become familiar with various apps, I've decided that it is time to put my bulky laptop aside and use the iPad almost exclusively in my history lessons. I have resolved not to go out of my way to accommodate the iPad, but to teach in a way that I would normally. If I am to discover new ways of doing things in lessons along the way, so be it."

"This year, the iPad is still going strong and schools are continuing to innovate new ways to use the tablets in class and around campus. Here we share just a few of the coolest ways iPads are making waves in higher ed this year, from helping teams play better to ensuring students never forget their notes."

"At GeekDad we are big fans of apps that actually use mobile devices in innovative ways to support children's learning. Motion Math Games are one of those developers who have led the way in thinking about how they can design digital learning environments that provide ways for children to learn math with their hands and minds. Their first fraction/decimals app called Motion Math has become one of the benchmarks against which others should be comparing themselves."

"Last month Fring released an iPad optimized version of their app that can do 4-way video calling. Now you can talk to 4 people at once and because the screen is cut in 4 you can see everyone. You can make the video calls over 3G as well as WiFi and as an added bonus, Fring is a multi platform app. You can use it to talk and video chat with your friends even if they have an Android device. I can't help but think about ways to use this in education. "

"Since November I've had the privledge of teaching with an iPad in my grade one class. Along the way I have discovered a lot of great ways to use it to help my students have their individual learning needs met.  Having just one iPad did bring about its own set of challenges but we were very lucky to have access to some additional iPads in the final term of school.  Next year we will have  iPads again thanks in part to my participation in my school's successful innovative learning grant application and another special project I'm involved with at the school district level.  Needless to say my head has been spinning all summer with ways I can integrate this technology into my classroom with out loosing sight of the important non technology based teaching and learning my students need too."

"If you saw our Air Display review you'll know it's a pretty awesome app that lets you turn an iPad into an external display for a Mac or PC ($10 on the App Store). If you bought it and haven't figured out what to do with it yet, here are eight of our favorite ways to use Air Display as an auxiliary screen."

"Inspired by the magnificent edu-tweeter @ShellTerrell, I wanted to share a few of the great ways she and her fellow tweeps plan on using the new iPad in the classroom. I love crowdsourcing this kind of information. I've taken the liberty of using some of the many tweets and enhancing them to give a better idea about the actual way to use the iPad in the classroom."

"Just got an iPad for the holidays? You lucky sod! You scored the crown jewel, the Big Tamale - the most marvelous gadget Apple has ever made. Yes, go ahead, pick up its slim aluminum frame and dive right in - Steve knew that's what you wanted to do, and he designed the iPad so you could do just that. We want to make sure you get everything right though, and we know there are a few key setup tricks along the way that new (and even some not-so-new) iPad users miss. So take a look at the short list of steps we've lined up here. They won't take long, and they'll make sure you get the best out of your iPad 2. Ready? Here we go."

"Lots of people have been asking about using the iPad as a way of teaching young students to write. I personally would not advocate this as the primary way of teaching youngsters the intricacies of handwriting and letter recognition but as fun supplementary activity it might provide some motivation. Here are a couple of fun apps that reinforce some of the basic writing skills taught by parents and teachers. "

"The first charge-and-sync solution suite designed for the way iPads are really used. First, we made first security cart for Apple's iPad™. Then, the first sync-and-charge solutions. Now, the most complete range of iPad deployment tools. With the release of the new iPad (and all previous generations), schools and other organizations have been looking at tablets and e-Readers in new and innovative ways. Datamation Systems introduced the first of a series of secure, compact, efficient and affordable storage solutions for these new devices: the DS-NETVAULT-IP. Now, even more compact charge-and-sync or just charging solutions are available."

"The first purpose-built solutions for charging, syncing, storing and protecting iPads and tablets. With the release of Apple's new iPad, schools, libraries and other organizations are looking at e-Readers and tablets in new and innovative ways. DATAMATION SYSTEMS, the nation's leading provider of netbook and notebook security carts and cabinets, introduced the first of a series of secure, compact, efficient and affordable solutions for Apple iPad sync and charge applications. Now, those carts and cabinets are part of an extensive ecosystem that allows you to create the right environment for your specific deployment. If you are deploying iPads, you have to figure out how to recharge, store, protect and sync the devices so they can be used properly. Datamation Systems carts, cabinets, cases and accessories do just that . . . all in a compact, secure and affordable way. "

"Screenshots are useful in many situations, but iOS doesn't offer a native way to mark up screenshots or photos that may require a bit more explanation. If only there was a simple way to circle a face in a picture, draw an arrow to an important map point, or add a caption to a funny photo. Fortunately there's Skitch, a free iPad application from Evernote that makes annotating photos and screenshots painless. "

"Every week the editors at iMore carefully select some of our favorite, most useful, most extraordinary apps, accessories, gadgets, and websites. This week's selections include a unique photography app, a solution for reading sheet music on the iPad, an alternative to iBooks, an awesome flying game, a web app alternative for a popular native iPhone application, a new way to view your Instagram feed, and the best way to get comic books onto your iPad."

"Here are 10 QR readers for your iPad - all bar one for Free. QR Code scanners can be lots of fun in the classroom. We have used them to generate discussion around types of data, presented classroom information as well as presenting clues to treasure hunts. The treasure hunt idea is always a popular way to finish a unit of work. We normally use QR codes to give hints to the next clue or to the location of the clues. The students have to use the information from the unit of work to solve the clues along the way. Lots of fun, lots of laughs and lots of learning. "

"Taking notes on the iPad is a great way to save on the amount of physical paper you have floating around and a much easier way to stay organized. There's so many note taking apps in the App Store that choosing one can be a bigger task than anything. Syncing notes across all your devices and organizing them has never been easier when you use Evernote for iPad. If you prefer typing out your notes instead of using a handwritten notes app, Evernote is the best choice."

"Creating a journal in iPhoto is like crafting a scrapbook page that you can post live on the web for anyone to see, for free. Not only is it fun to design a journal, but it's a super-fast way to show off vacation pics, or to show distant relatives how much the kids have grown. In addition to creating a journal on an iPad, you can also make one on an iPhone in the same way. The feature is currently missing from the Mac version of iPhoto, however."

"It goes by many names, but the syndrome is the same. Whether it's dubbed "summer learning loss," "summer vacation slide," or good-old-fashioned "summer brain drain," studies show that students usually have to relearn four to six weeks of classwork at the beginning of every school year. On the brink of the lazy days of summer, what's a parent to do? Here are nine ways to use your Mac and iOS devices to keep your kids sharp during the summer. Add your own advice to the comments at the end of this article. "

"Storytelling is just as fantastic for students. Storytelling apps allow students a voice, a way of telling complex narratives and a way of illustrating their ability to weave multiple ideas into a single and coherent storyline. Here are a couple of apps that students and teachers of all ages will love. People never seen to tire of Stop-motion movies."

"I've found a number of quality applications to help out along the way as I work to improve my home. I have a few folders on my iPad dedicated to apps related to home improvement in some way. I've got apps to help find inspiration, choose paint colors, furnish my apartment and even DIY dedicated applications. There are a huge variety of home improvement apps out there - stick with me after the jump to read up on some of my favorite apps."

"Seriously, I know my way around an iPad and have a passion for finding great apps that promote deeper learning but I'm afraid of how this iPad deployment is going to pan out stateside & worldwide. What about all the wonderful teachers that just aren't there yet, as far as mobile technology is concerned? What about others that are scared of change… any kind of change?! If I'm scared, what are they feeling? How will it be for brand new teachers, entering the field in this wake of change?"