iPad Apps
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Listen as educators from the French American International School share how they successfully piloted a one to one iPad implementation in the 7th grade, then expanded the program throughout their middle school and are now rolling it into high school. You’ll also hear how educators at the Greater Atlanta Christian School use MacBook Air to innovate their middle school curriculum and unleash the creative potential of their students. <p style="text-align:right;color:#A8A8A8"></p>The iPad is inherently an individualized device – ‘Our Pad’ makes it easier to work around that. A growing number of faculty and staff members at The College of Westchester have been using iPads and we’re always learning more about their functionality and potential uses. One idea that comes up from time to time is the possibility of using them in multi-user situations. Perhaps we could have iPads available to loan for use within the Library, or maybe a few people in a department or work group might want to share the use of one? A significant challenge with this would appear to be the individualized nature of the devices – the “i” in iPad could easily stand for “individual” since the device is highly personalized.
One approach to setting up the iPad for shared use among multiple users
Dark Side of the iPad ~ Collecting student projects is difficult!
Since its release the iPad has garnered arguments regarding whether it is primarily a device for consumption or creation. I have always believed that it is a device capable of creation. One simply needs to consider apps such as Avid Studio , DemiBooks Composer , Pages , Keynote , Minecraft Pocket Edition , Art Rage , SketchBook Pro , Comic Life and many others. These and many other apps all allow the user to tap into their talents and produce output of which they can be proud. Of course the iPad is also a worthy consumption device. Think of FlipBoard , Reeder , Safari , Guardian Eyewitness , The Elements , Solar Walk , and any other app that allows anyone to easily explore information, imagery and data on the web or embedded within the app.
Did you know the split iPad keyboard in iOS 5 includes six hidden ‘phantom’ keys that make typing even easier? The hidden keys are Y, H, B, T, G, and V, and technically they’re just duplicates of the keys directly across from each other while the touch keyboard is split in two. This makes some of our quirkier and habitual typing gestures still work despite the fact that the user is technically typing onto nothing. Try it out yourself.
iPad Split Keyboard Has 6 Hidden Keys to Make Typing Even Easier
Only 1 iPad in the Classroom?
[for additional ELA/Reading specific apps and ideas see Reading on the iPad ] Is only one iPad in a classroom worth it? This question keeps reappearing on the EC Ning and in other blog spaces.
top picks
From initial charges that ‘it;s just an overgrown iPhone’ the iPad is now part of many teachers’ and schools’ essential kit. But it’s fair to say that while Apple has created a beautiful, robust and powerful piece of kit finding the best apps on the App Store can be a challenging experience. So I asked everyone on Twitter for some advice on what th best apps were out there, and @narthernlad came back with so many suggestions I’m going to split them over a couple of posts!
20 Great iPad Apps for Primary Literacy
My work involves frequent research on the web, and I am doing more of that on the iPad than ever before. This is mainly due to two apps that make capturing information as easy as tapping on the screen. The two apps, Evernote and Skitch , work well together since both of them are now produced by the Evernote Corp.
Web research on the iPad using Evernote and Skitch (how-to)
As a designer and general lover of software and technology, I am always looking for new ways to make my life easier. When it comes to design and blogging, its no different. Lately, I have noticed that all these great programs can be resource hogs. They take up so much space and some of them I may only use three or four times a year. With that in mind, I am always on the look out for web applications that will do the same thing or better than what desktop apps can do. Over the last year, I have found many great web apps and I use some of them everyday or whenever I can.
The Best Web Apps for Web Designers and Developers of 2011
11 Social Skills & Life Skills Apps in iPad App Store
This post is part Four of the Special Needs iPad & App Series . In only one year the Apple iPad has revolutionized the tech industry. 15 Million iPads have been sold and estimates are that within the next 3 years over 115 million tablets will be shipped. Dozens if not hundreds of applications have been created that enhance the quality of life for individuals with all types of disabilities. This has lead Apple to create a special education section in the App Store. To try and make sense of all of this we have put together a nine part series on the iPad and useful applications.
Education Week Teacher Professional Development Sourcebook: Assistive Technology: Write Answers
Published Online: October 12, 2011 Published in Print: October 13, 2011, as Assistive Technology: Write Answers By Francesca Duffy Assistive technology is designed to make hard or even seemingly impossible tasks doable—and for students with disabilities, writing can be one of the hardest school tasks of all.Summary: While digital media gives us nearly unlimited access to info, organizing that info is critical–and that’s where these five resources can come in handy. These days, computers are an absolute necessity for students, and now even tablets are becoming required tools for their learning environments. Digital technology helps us take notes, write papers, do research, correspond and even take classes altogether. Hundreds of apps are out on the mobile markets to help students in their learning endeavors.
Top 5 Apps for Organizing School Work
Look to the navigation sidebar to the left for the categories. Remember that I often teach Year 3/4 in Nelson so I like apps that particularly appeal to that age group but will work with other age groups as well, especially the creative apps. The costs of the apps are in kiwi dollars at the time of writing. I strongly urge you to join the iPad User Group on the VLN so that you can support and learn from others who are learning with iPads and to share your new finds.
Initial iPad Setup
One question that comes into my inbox or on Twitter a lot lately is one dealing with iPads. Many schools and classrooms all over are investing in these devices and educators want to know how to use them effectively, apps to consider and more. In keeping with the "My Favorite Resources" theme ( last week I listed my favorite resources for talking about Twitter ) here are my go-to resources when people ask me about iPads in the Classroom. ISTE iPad In Education Webinar Resources A while back ISTE ran a great webinar with some fabulous educators on using iPads in the classroom. This site has loads of information, a collection of articles, lists of apps and information on Apple's Volume Purchasing Program.
Quick List: iPad Resources For The Classroom
Change the way the default apps and the operating system behave, to make them suit your particular needs. You’ll also discover ways to squeeze more functionality out of the default apps. The guys over at tcgeeks.com have put together another great article on the iPad. Where many articles before have focused on the settings and technical aspects of getting the most from your iPad, this article is really about customising your ipad. The iPad is an incredibly versatile device that can enhance your life in many different ways but all iPads behave identically when you first get them out of the box. That’s no reason for us to use our gadgets in the same way as everyone else.
100 Essential iPad Tips and Tricks
I teach in a high school and we have always made it a policy at our school to give students access to all the tools on their iDevices. This was originally meet by concern from a couple of staff and some parents but the reality was that once the students were given complete access they no longer saw the need to hack into their machines to get it. Many of the students lost interest in the tools we were most afraid of them having. The reality of our situation was that without the control of their own devices we would not have achieved the creativity or sense of ownership that many of our students have now developed with their own learning.