1. technology and computing
2. hardware
3. computer

Using iPads® to Transform Teaching and Learning
This guide introduces you to the classroom use of iPads®. First released by Apple Inc. in 2010, iPads
are now found in schools throughout the United States and across the world. In some classrooms,
teachers present information to students via iPads or use iPads as assessment tools. In other
classrooms, students use their own iPads to access web content and develop learning products. Some
schools have even developed one-to-one iPad environments, in which every student is issued their own
iPad. By intelligently incorporating iPads into instruction, you can begin transforming instruction in
your school and begin developing 21st Century Skills in your students. Learn more at www.p21.org.
I like using iPads in the classroom because they “just work”. Unlike desktop computers that take time
to boot and login, iPads are instantly available for academic use. Even better, the apps “ecosystem”
developed by Apple ensures that students won’t be able to accidentally disable their device. All
software is screened by Apple and approved for use, meaning you don’t need to worry about viruses
or incompatible settings that crash your device. Yes, many of the 250,000 apps available via the App
Store are distractions, but numerous app developers have seen the educational potential of iPads and
have begun developing apps (many of which are free) that permit students to interact with teachers
and peers in new ways. When used effectively, iPads permit students to access information quickly,
and with the right apps, create their own information. iPads are changing the way teachers teach,
but more importantly, they’re changing the way students learn. In this guide, I’ll provide tips on using
iPads in a classroom setting, and I’ll give my recommendations for apps you should consider installing.
iPad® is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries
Guide Author:
Steve Schreiner, Technology and Learning Coordinator
NorthEast Washington Educational Service District 101
email: [email protected]
phone: 509.323.2734
web: www.esd101.net/technology
Using a single, teacher-based iPad in the classroom:
Most teachers start out by getting a personal iPad, whether it’s one they’ve brought from home or one that’s
been provided by a school district. Before you begin using an iPad in the classroom, it’s important that you be
aware of some important settings and basic setup options. I’ll detail them below.
1.
Your first step is to sign up for an Apple ID. Your iPad likely prompted you to do so when you first
configured it, but you can check that you’ve set one up by clicking the App Store icon. At the bottom
of the “Featured” section, you’ll see a box on the left side that lists your Apple ID. If it reads “Sign In”,
then your Apple ID, if you have one, isn’t associated with the iPad you’re using. Click the “Sign In”
button and choose the option that applies to you: “Use Existing Apple ID” (if you have one) or “Create
Apple ID” (if you don’t). Without an Apple ID, you’re unable to download any apps, and your iPad will
be of limited use in the classroom.
2. Any purchases you make with an Apple ID become permanently associated with that ID. Plan your
iPad app purchases in advance. If your iPad is school district property, there may be restrictions in
place on how you purchase apps. Check with your tech department or principal. If you’re using a
personally-owned iPad for school use only, you might consider creating an Apple ID for all your school
purchases. If you’re using a personal iPad both at home and at school, perhaps you’ll want to use a
personal Apple ID for everything. Just remember that purchases made with a particular Apple ID will
require you to sign in with that ID to access the app, so if you purchase an app with a personal Apple ID
and later want to use it on a school-owned iPad, you’ll have to sign in with your personal ID to run the
app. Not all school tech policies will allow that, so consider early how you’ll make purchases.
3. I recommend that you disable in-app purchases, or at least require a password for every purchase.
Many iPad users, especially those with children, have received large bills for purchases made within
games. Some kids have racked up thousands of dollars in purchases playing Smurfs or other games.
To avoid this completely, you can disable in-app purchases by tapping the Settings icon (it looks like a
gear). Tap on the “General” option, and on the right side of the screen, tap on “Restrictions” near the
bottom of the screen. Choose a passcode that you’ll remember, but that others in your household
won’t know. At the top of the menu that appears, tap “Enable Restrictions” and scroll down to the “InApp Purchases” option. Turn it off. If you’d prefer to not lock down in-app purchases completely
(after all, there are some valuable things you can purchase within apps), at least change your Require
Password settings so that your Apple ID password must be entered prior to every purchase. Tap on
“Require Password” and select the “Immediately” option. From now on, whether downloading an app
or purchasing something within an app, nothing will be approved without entering your correct Apple
ID password. I recommend not sharing your password with children, and certainly not with students.
4. You’ll want to ensure that iCloud is enabled on your iPad, because you need to turn on the Find My
iPad option. This program allows you to track your iPad if it’s ever lost or stolen. You’ll be able to log
in to the iCloud website and see where your iPad is located (using GPS signals and/or Wi-Fi location
technology). You can force your iPad to play a loud noise so that you can find it if it’s hidden in your
house, car, or classroom. You can tell your iPad to show a message with your contact number or offer
a cash reward for its safe return. You can even wipe all personal data from your iPad if you’re afraid
it’s fallen into dangerous hands. To check your iCloud settings, tap the “Settings” icon and then tap
the “iCloud” option on the left side of the screen. Ensure that you’re signed in to iCloud and that the
“Find My iPad” option is on. I also recommend that you check your Storage & Backup settings to
ensure that your iPad is automatically backing up important data to Apple’s web servers. By using
iCloud Backup, you’ll be able to restore all the settings on your device if you ever lose it or have to
reformat it. Tap the “Storage & Backup” item near the bottom of the iCloud settings, and verify that
“iCloud Backup” is on. If this is your first time using iCloud backup, it’s worth your time to perform a
backup now. It might take some time (10-30 minutes), but you’re insuring against future disaster. Do
note that iCloud Backup will only work when the iPad is plugged in and connected to a Wi-Fi network
(consider leaving Wi-Fi on all the time, so that you won’t have to remember to turn it on to enable
backups; iPads are good about managing power and will not use much battery searching for Wi-Fi).
5. Since you’re using an iPad in a classroom setting, I strongly recommend that you disable Photo
Stream. This is especially important if you’re using an iPad that is connected to your personal iPhone
or other iDevice. With Photo Stream, images are synced across all your devices. What this means is
that if your spouse were to send you a school-inappropriate picture via text or email on your iPhone,
and it ended up in your Photo Stream, that image would automatically sync to your iPad. If students
were ever to use your iPad (whether owned by you or by the school district), they could easily access
this image. Don’t risk your career! Disable Photo Stream. You’ll find the option in the “iCloud”
settings you accessed in Step 4. Ensure that “Photo Stream” is set to off.
6. Along the same lines, I strongly recommend that you do not access personal email accounts via a
district-owned device. iPads make it easy to access multiple email accounts on one device. You
probably do want to set up your work email account on a school-issued iPad. The mail app is powerful
and easy to use. But, if you use a district-owned device to access personal email, you’re opening your
inbox to discovery by district officials. Even if using a personally-owned device in a classroom setting,
consider whether you’d be comfortable with your students seeing notifications of all the personal
emails you receive. Play it safe and avoid personal emails on classroom-based iPads. When using a
district-owned iPad, don’t access personal email at all.
7. To access your work email account on your iPad, tap the “Settings” icon and choose “Mail, Contacts,
Calendars” on the left side of the screen. Tap the “Add Account…” button in the right side. Most
school districts use Microsoft Exchange servers, so you can likely use that option. Enter your Email
address, Password, and Description (you can choose whatever you want for Description—whatever
you enter will be the title of your inbox for this account). The settings that come next will vary based
on your school district setup, but in general, if your district offers a web-based option for getting your
email (i.e. going to “http://mail.yourdistrict.org” and entering a username and password) you can use
the same settings on your iPad to access your email account. If you have problems or need support,
check with your school district’s technology leaders.
8. If you’ve set up your iPad to access work email (which I recommend and described how to configure in
step 7), then you need to set a passcode on your iPad. A passcode is 4-digit (or more) code that is
required in order to access your iPad. With work email available on your iPad, you need to take
security precautions to minimize the possibility of students sending unauthorized email from your
account, or accessing protected or confidential information about other students by reading your
inbox. To set a passcode, tap the “Settings” icon and choose the “General” option at the left side of
the screen. Tap the Passcode Lock option on the right of the screen. If you prefer to use a 4-digit
number as your passcode, keep the default “Simple Passcode” setting to “On”. If you prefer an
alphanumeric password of any length, turn the “Simple Passcode” setting to “Off”. In my experience, a
4-digit code is adequate, as long as you don’t let students watch you enter your code. When you’ve
made your choice, tap “Turn Passcode On” and enter your passcode twice. You can change settings in
the “Require Passcode” section to specify how long the iPad needs to be inactive before requiring a
passcode. Shorter times are more secure, but also more of a hassle. I use “5 minutes” on my device,
so that could be a good starting place for you, but you’ll need to identify your own preference. You
can always change your settings later.
9. There are other whiz-bang features on iPads, like iMessage and Facetime, that you can access via the
“Settings” icon. You might want to set these up, but they aren’t really essential for classroom use.
Consider also tapping on “iTunes & App Stores” and turning on Automatic Downloads of Music, Apps,
and Books. These settings will automatically sync apps across your devices (including your computer),
which is neat, but not really necessary for classroom use.
10. Your last basic setup step is connecting to a computer. This isn’t technically required if you’ve
performed an iCloud backup (since you can perform a complete restore of a device via Wi-Fi from an
iCloud backup, no computer needed), but many teachers will want their iPad to sync with their
computer in order to transfer music, iBooks, videos, and other content. To connect to a computer,
first you need to download iTunes. It’s available free of charge from www.iTunes.com, and even if you
already have it installed on your computer, it’s always a good idea to update iTunes to the latest
version. Download and install the iTunes program, and when it’s finished installing, disconnect the
USB cord from your iPad power adapter, connect it to your iPad and plug the other end into your
computer’s USB port. Your computer should automatically open iTunes (if it’s not open already), and
iTunes should automatically connect with your iPad. Click on your iPad in the left-side menu of iTunes
and you’ll see lots of settings appear in the right-side window. These settings are mostly a matter of
personal preference, but you should regularly “Sync” your iPad to transfer app purchases onto your
computer and to transfer computer files to your iPad. I recommend verifying that your iPad is set to
Back up to iCloud in the “Backup” settings. You’ll also want to right-click on your iPad’s name (on the
left side of the screen) and choose the “Transfer Purchases” and “Back Up” options. Again, these are
not vital if you’ve done an iCloud backup, but if you ever need to restore your iPad and don’t have
access to Wi-Fi, it’s nice to have another option. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like cords,
you can choose to Sync with this iPad over Wi-Fi and your iPad and computer will automatically sync
whenever they’re on the same Wi-Fi network (note that you’ll need to leave iTunes running all the
time for this to work, though).
Using a multiple, student-based iPads in the classroom:
Once teachers are comfortable using an iPad themselves, many ask their districts for a classroom set. Whether
you have just a couple iPads for students to share, or you’re setting up a one-to-one classroom environment,
there are a few issues you’ll want to consider:
1. Effective management of iPads is essential for classroom success. Establishing rules and procedures
for their use is something you need to plan well in advance of roll-out to your students. Consider the
following questions:
a. Where will the iPads be stored?
b. How will the iPads be charged?
c. How will the iPads connect to the internet?
d. What will be the iPad check-out and check-in procedures?
e. How will students be trained on appropriate iPad use?
f.
Where will students save their iPad work?
g. How will you prevent physical damage to iPads?
A secondary teacher who has several sets of students throughout the school day will face different
issues than an elementary teacher who works with the same students all day. A teacher with one-toone iPads will need different classroom procedures than a teacher with just a few iPads to be shared
among classmates. Pre-planning iPad use, based on the specifics of your classroom, is key.
2. Your first management decision involves back-end settings. Apple has developed two options for bulkmanaging sets of iPads. If you work in a large school district with a dedicated technology department,
your classroom iPads will probably come to you preconfigured by your tech department. In a small
district setting, you might be responsible for setup. Individually managing a class set of iPads is a
stressor no teacher needs—imagine that every time you want to add a new app, you have to login to
20-30 iPads, purchase the software, and then install it. Multiply that by twenty apps per year. No
thanks. Investing extra money into iPad bulk-management is worthwhile. Let’s say you’re getting a
classroom set of 25 iPads. At roughly $500 each, that’s a $12,500 investment in hardware. Spend
another $500-1000 on a management tool that will make your life easier and improve your students’
iPad experiences.
a. Your current best option is to install the Casper Suite, produced by JAMF software, on a server.
This software is expensive (~$800, plus a yearly charge per device managed) but allows for
effective over-the-air management of iPads and qualifies for Apple’s Volume Purchase
Program, which can give up to a 50% discount on app purchases for 20 or more devices. This
option, though, is difficult to set up and requires technical skills few teachers have. If your
school district has a tech department, encourage them to set up this software.
b. Your next best option is to use Apple’s Profile Manager which is a part of its OS X Server
software. To run this software, you’ll need to have access to a Mac computer, whether an
iMac, a MacBook Air, a MacBook Pro, or a Mac mini. Your most cost-effective option is the
Mac mini, which starts at $599 (but does not include a monitor, keyboard, or mouse, so you’ll
need to have access to extras). You’ll also need to purchase the OS X Server software, which
costs $19.99. So you’re looking at a one-time cost of $620, but you’ll be able to manage iPad
settings and deploy apps over-the air. What this means is that you can tell the server to install
an app on all managed iPads, and the next time those iPads connect to the server’s Wi-Fi
network, the app will automatically transfer to all the iPads, wirelessly. You could even restrict
iPads to just one app by clicking a button—until you re-enable the devices, students will be
able to use only the app you’ve selected, and even the hardware buttons on the iPad will
become disabled. That’s handy when you’re a teacher. The OS X Server software isn’t as userfriendly as most Apple software, but most technologically-literate teachers will be able to
figure it out. Again, if your school district has a tech department, see if they could set this up
for you. One downside is that Profile Manager isn’t currently compatible with Apple’s Volume
Purchase Program, meaning that you won’t qualify for discounts on bulk purchases of apps
that you intend to deploy wirelessly (though you can still install Volume Purchased apps
manually on devices). This makes the Casper Suite a better choice, but not if you don’t have a
tech department to install it.
c. Your least attractive bulk-management option is to use Apple Configurator, which is a free
download on any Mac computer. As before, if you don’t already have a Mac, your cheapest
option would be to purchase a Mac mini, starting at $599. With Apple Configurator, though,
you don’t have access to over-the-air management of apps and settings. Instead, you would
choose the settings and apps you want on all your classroom iPads, but you would need to
plug each iPad into your Mac individually in order to transfer the necessary information. This
can be a lot of work, especially if you intend to install new apps throughout the school year.
Apple Configurator is technically compatible with Apple’s Volume Purchase Program, meaning
that you wouldn’t have to individually install Volume Purchased apps on each iPad, though I
have heard from school district technicians that the spreadsheet used for these apps is
challenging to manage. The Profile Manager in OS X Server is a better choice, even if you have
to self-install apps purchased with the Volume Purchasing Program.
d. Your last, non-recommended option is to manually manage iPads. This is labor-intensive and
prone to errors. You would need to individually set up each iPad with the settings and apps
you want. What happens if you forget to enable “Find My iPad” on one of the devices and a
student takes it out of the classroom? What happens if you forget to enable Restrictions on a
device and a student uses your Apple ID (or worse, the district’s Apple ID) to purchase tons of
Smurfberries? In my opinion, self-management of iPads is not a viable option. Spend the
money you would have spent on one iPad and get a Mac mini instead—it will drastically
improve your life as an iPad-enabled teacher.
3. With back-end settings in place, you need to consider how you’ll introduce iPads to students and how
you’ll establish daily routines for their use. One of the best strategies I’ve seen for introducing
elementary-age students to a classroom set was described by a Chicago teacher on her iPad blog:
http://ipadsatburley.blogspot.com/2011/10/ipad-organization.html. Essentially, she started by
showing her students how to “table-top” carry their iPads and how to use a “butterfly touch” to
interact with the screen. Even better, she had students personalize their iPad with a number and
student photo by teaching students how to use an app called “Whiteboard”. With this free app
(there’s also a better-equipped paid version for $1.99), students have access to a virtual whiteboard.
They can draw anything they want, and can even collaborate in real-time on a drawing with other
students. This teacher had taken photos of each of her students holding a number, and synced these
photos to the devices’ Photo Streams (note: I recommended disabling Photo Stream on a teacher iPad,
but I recommend the opposite on student iPads, as Photo Stream can be a great collaboration tool).
Each student used Whiteboard to decorate their personal photo, and when they were done, the
teacher set that photo as the lock screen and home screen wallpaper on the student’s iPad. From that
point on, each iPad showed its user, as well as its number, all the time! I love this idea! If you’re an
elementary teacher, imagine how much easier classroom management of iPads will be for you if you
know exactly who each iPad belongs to!
4. If you’re a secondary teacher, or a teacher working with just a few student iPads in your classroom,
you’ll need a slightly different strategy, as each iPad will be used by multiple students throughout the
school day. I recommend setting a unique number as the lock screen and home screen wallpaper so
that you can instantly identify iPads. But, in this case, you’ll most likely be checking iPads out to
individual students for limited time periods, so a student-specific image won’t work. If you have a
lockable cart in which iPads are stored and charged, I recommend a check-out procedure in which
students trade a personally-identifiable item for an iPad. Student ID cards work well for this purpose,
but driver’s licenses and credit/debit cards would work, too. Basically, the student gives you
something important, with their name preprinted on it, in trade for the iPad. You place this item
where the iPad is usually stored, and lock the cart when all iPads are distributed. At the end of the
session, students return their iPad to you in exchange for their item. If an iPad doesn’t come back, you
know exactly who to look for. And, since iPads are so easy to inspect for damage (if the screen is okay,
the iPad is okay), you can check the condition of each iPad as it comes back to the cart.
5. A protective case is an important add-on to any student iPad. You’re handing a student, often of
young age and limited dexterity, a device with a cost of at least $329. Invest in a $10 plastic case that
will prevent the screen from cracking during falls. No case can prevent all damage, and you don’t want
a case that permanently covers the screen, as that will limit usage, but generally having a case with
raised edges along the corners of the screen will be enough to keep the screen from coming in direct
contact with the ground. If you’ll be sharing iPads among students or other classrooms, consider
getting sets of cases in different colors. Each case color can indicate the primary usage of that iPad:
for example, green cases for the iPads with the science apps installed, while red cases for the iPads
with language arts apps installed. That way, you don’t have to pay for thirty copies of an app when
you only need it on five iPads at a time.
6. Consider the following device management tips, developed by the Chicago teacher described in
Section 3, and available at http://ipadsatburley.blogspot.com/2011/04/device-management-tips.html:
a. Have a clear route for students to take when they take iPads from the cart. Designate a
"waiting spot" or "on deck circle" to prevent crowding and collisions in front of the cart.
b. Have kids push in their chairs before picking up iPads. This takes lots of practice and
reinforcement, but it's the best way to keep two secure hands on those devices.
c. Keep a basket of microfiber cleaning cloths on each table or on top of the cart, and have
students manage smudges as they go. You can also have a Clean Screen Team that cleans all
the iPads as a Friday job.
d. Make sure there is a clear process for leaving the iPad ready for the next user. That includes
exiting your own project (document, drawing, etc.) so it's not left over for the next kid, and
returning the iPad to the home screen.
e. Have a landing pad for devices on top of the cart, and keep it clear of clutter. We put a
colorful placemat on top of the cart. The mat is wide enough to accommodate 2 small stacks
of iPads. Student tech teams need a safe place to put their stack of 2-3 devices down while
they carefully slide them into the cart one at a time. They also need a place to set them while
they are closing and locking the cart; trying to do so while holding iPads doesn’t work so well.
f.
Predictable scheduling of shared equipment increases usage. While flexibility is a nice idea,
sometimes wondering whether the iPad cart will be available can make it too difficult for
teachers to plan. Last year, we had a fixed rotation in the morning but a flexible sign-out in the
afternoons. Result? The iPads were mostly used in the mornings. I think the sign-out method
means technology gets used for stand-alone projects, rather than integrated into students'
classroom lives. This year, our shared cart will follow a fixed regular schedule, with an option
for teachers to swap when needed. This way, teachers know they have the cart 3 mornings
and 2 afternoons a week, for example, and can plan integration accordingly.
g. If your iPad devices are shared between classrooms, consider creating an electronic sign-out.
We use a spreadsheet created at drive.google.com. We set the sharing permissions so that
anyone could edit the spreadsheet, and then iPad teachers bookmarked the spreadsheet for
easy access. (Only the iPad teachers can edit, because they're the only ones who have the
link.)
h. Keep headphones in small crates or baskets on top of the cart, and keep a fixed number of
headphones in each basket. Because each class uses 6 iPads at a time during literacy centers,
we keep 6 in a basket. When kids come to grab the iPads, a "headphone helper" grabs a crate.
We use the small and easy to store Califone 3060AV headphones. The cords are a bit too long,
but we like the individual volume control.
i.
Appoint someone--a staff member, parent volunteer, or older student--to check the cart at
the end of each day, ensure the devices are plugged in, and lock the cart. It's a lot of extra
responsibility to ask the teacher who hosts the cart to take care of this, especially when he or
she is already putting up with the added foot traffic of student iPad teams.
j.
Keep syncing simple. Have a dedicated user account on your computer for syncing. Anything
that gets dropped in iTunes and iPhoto automatically syncs (be sure to check the "sync
everything" boxes for photos, movies, etc). Anything you're finished with (content, photos,
videos) can be left in tidy folders elsewhere so it will be ready next year. Also, figure out ways
to transmit content without syncing. Syncing can be a buggy process at times, and it's good to
have another way for kids to grab or submit files in case a before-school sync goes awry.
k. Mobile device access transforms how young students see themselves as technology users. Our
pre/post survey data shows a significant increase in student confidence in a range of
technology uses. About twice as many students now say they can use technology to find
information and teach other people something they know. View a summary of our survey data
here.
l.
The iPad dramatically increases the number of options available for young learners to share
what they discover and create. Not only can kids now create new kinds of work, but the iPad
is the perfect venue for sharing that work back with the class. When our students created
books that appeared on every classmate's iBooks shelf, it was a powerful experience. With
most worthwhile student work, the sharing is as important as the content. Having that sense
of audience gives kids pride in their work, motivation to teach others, and a sense of meaning
and satisfaction in their learning.
m. It's okay--even necessary--for different teachers to use different approaches. Tailor
professional development, content, and expectations to meet individual teachers' styles and
strength --just like we do for the students!
Recommended Apps for Education:
If you never were to install an app on a student iPad, the device would be of limited classroom use. Your
students would be able to access the internet, take photos, and write notes, but that’s about it. The App Store
unlocks a world of potential for your classroom: it has apps for literacy and numeracy, apps that teach science
concepts and apps that present primary-source documents. Many apps are free, lots cost less than $2, some
cost more, and a few cost hundreds of dollars. However, some specialized (and expensive) apps are
transforming special education—schools can purchase an iPad and a $190 assistive communication app for a
student, rather than pay $4,000 for a specialized communication device, and achieve the same results. New
apps are added to the App Store daily, and this list will be out-of-date as soon as I write it, but the apps listed
below should give you a starting place as you plan classroom activities:
1. Must-Have Apps--these are apps that I recommend installing right away, regardless of how you plan to
use your iPad:
a. Dropbox (free) – Allows syncing of documents and files from an iPad to the web and to other
devices. Many apps allow users to save their work to Dropbox, and since iPad doesn’t have
storage cards or USB ports, this is one of the only ways to save work on your device. If devices
are shared between students, then students will need to log in and out of Dropbox during each
session (assuming they need to access or save their work), but if working in a one-to-one
environment, students can stay logged in indefinitely. By saving to Dropbox, students are able
to access their work from anywhere with an internet connection.
b. Google Drive (free) – Like Dropbox, allows syncing of documents and files from an iPad to the
web and to other devices. Has the extra advantage of allowing for online editing of text
documents, spreadsheets, and presentations from anywhere with a web connection (i.e. your
students don’t need Microsoft Office anymore). Students can access their files at
drive.google.com and will need to convert Microsoft-format documents to Google Docs format
before they can edit online. Google Drive is tremendous because it allows real-time
collaboration on documents, even from iPads. Students can invite peers or teachers to
collaborate, and document changes will show up instantaneously on collaborators’ screens.
c. iBooks (free) – Provides access to numerous free books. Web-enhanced textbooks are
available from major publishers. Imagine your secondary students being able to carry their
math, English, science, history, art, and technology textbooks with them on their iPad. It’s
coming, and soon! Even better, students can create their own iBooks and share them with
other students. It’s pretty cool for a student to have an iBook library filled with work created
by their classmates.
d. iTunes U (free) – Gives users access to courses from universities and other schools around the
world. Most of the content is high-level, so this is a good fit for motivated secondary students,
but there’s some content that’s appropriate for younger students.
e. Ted (free) – A wonderful collection of intelligent, fast-paced videos by remarkable people. You
and your students will get smarter with each viewing.
f.
Podcasts (free) – Access to hundreds of thousands of free audio and video presentations.
Doesn’t allow users to make podcasts, but does allow for playing podcasts made by students.
g. AppStart (free) – This app is more of a recommendation engine for your iPad than a tool for
accomplishing tasks. It explains how to use the different features of your device, and it
provides suggestions for apps you should consider downloading, depending on what you want
to do with your device.
2. Clicker Apps:
a. eClicker Presenter ($14.99) – You only need to install this on the teacher iPad; the audience
version below is available free of charge. When running the Presenter app, you can set up
questions, polls, and quizzes for your students, each of whom can tap a response to appear on
your host device. Instant feedback for you, and a positive assessment experience for your
students.
b. eClicker Audience (free) – This is the eClicker version your students will need to have installed
in order for responses to appear via the eClicker Presenter app above.
c. Teacher Clicker – Socrative (free) – not as feature-rich as eClicker, but free. Install this version
on the teacher iPad, and install the student version below on student iPads.
d. Student Clicker – Socrative (free) – This is the Socrative app your students will need to have
installed in order for responses to appear via the Teacher Clicker app above.
3. Creativity Apps:
a. Book Creator for iPad ($4.99) – Allows creation of beautiful iBooks, right on the iPad. Read
them in the iBooks app, send them to friends, or submit them to the iBookstore. Import video
and music, and record speech within the app.
b. Sonic Pics ($2.99) – Digital storytelling in which students take pictures (or assemble precollected pictures), add text, and record narration. Students can develop presentations on
various concepts and topics, create digital portfolios of their work by photographing work
samples and narrating their thinking, or develop stories that document their school
experiences.
c. Educreations Interactive Whiteboard (free) – Turns your iPad into a recordable whiteboard.
Records voice, handwriting, and drawings. Can incorporate photos. Students can create their
own lessons and present to peers.
d. ShowMe Interactive Whiteboard (free) – Similar to the Educreations Interactive Whiteboard,
above, this app turns your iPad into a personal interactive whiteboard that can record voice.
Easy to share work online.
e. Screen Chomp (free) – Doodle on the interactive whiteboard, record narration, and share your
work with others. Similar to the other whiteboard apps listed above. Find the one you like
best.
f.
Whiteboard Lite: Collaborative Drawing (free) – This drawing app is unique because it allows
for real-time collaboration with other users over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth networks. This is the app
referenced in Part 3 of my “using multiple student-based iPads in the classroom” guide, above.
Note that this app is for drawing only, not voice recording. Paid version available for $1.99.
g. ReelDirector ($1.99) – Since the iPad has a video camera, why not have students record video?
This app allows students to create full-featured videos by editing clips, adding text overlays,
incorporating soundtracks, and more.
h. iMovie ($4.99) – Create HD movies right on your iPad. Similar to ReelDirector, above, but
developed by Apple, so you know it’s an easy-to-use, polished experience.
i.
Animoto Vidoes (free) – Uses high-tech video production servers to create snazzy, professional
slideshows. Final product always looks great. Complements the Animoto.com website.
Education users get free upgrade to more powerful version with registration. Developed for
iPhone but works on iPad (tap the “2x” button to make it fill the screen).
j.
GarageBand ($4.99) – Turns your iPad into a collection of Touch Instruments and a fullfeatured recording studio so you can make music wherever you go.
k. Prezi Viewer (free) – View and present your Prezis anywhere. This presentation style blows
PowerPoint slideshows out of the water. I love it because Prezi forces students to think
holistically about topics and identify connections within systems. Plus, Prezi presentations are
far more interesting to watch than standard slideshows.
l.
Keynote ($9.99) – Develop presentations. Apple’s alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint.
Similar functionality is available free via Google Drive, but the user experience is better in
Keynote.
m. Pages ($9.99) – High quality word processor. Apple’s alternative to Microsoft Word. Similar
functionality is available free via Google Drive, but the user experience is better in Pages.
n. Numbers ($9.99) – Create and edit spreadsheets. Apple’s alternative to Microsoft Excel.
Similar functionality is available free via Google Drive, but the user experience is better in
Numbers.
o. Quickvoice Recorder (free) – Allows for recording audio of whatever’s near the iPad. So easy
to use, kindergarteners would do well with this. Allows for emailing of recordings so that
students can use their recordings in other apps and programs.
p. ccMixter Free Music (free) – Access to library of legally free music available for use on any
student project. If your students are going to be producing their own multimedia products for
use beyond the classroom, they should not be using copyrighted music. ccMixter gives them
access to usable music. Developed for iPhone but works on iPad (tap the “2x” button to make
it fill the screen).
q. Doceri (free) – Better suited to teacher iPads than student iPads. Combines screencasting,
desktop control, and an interactive whiteboard. Great for developing lessons and recording
them for your students to access later. Used well, this program can totally transform
instruction within your classroom.
r.
Air Sketch ($9.99) – Turns your iPad into a wireless whiteboard. Works best for teacher iPads.
Present via your classroom projector anything that you’re sketching with Air Sketch.
s. Inspiration Maps Lite (free) – Create concept maps on the iPad. Good opportunity for students
to see how ideas are connected and present their maps to other. Paid version available for
$9.99
t.
SimpleMind+ (free) – Mind mapping tool that turns your iPad into a brainstorming, idea
collection, and thought structuring device. Alternative to Inspiration Maps, above.
u. Paper by FiftyThree (free) – Well-designed digital sketchbook perfect for mapping ideas or
planning projects.
v. SketchBookX (free) – A fun and intuitive sketchbook program. An alternative to Paper by
FiftyThree, above.
w. Let’s Learn How To Draw Lite (free) – A fun way to teach users how to draw. Paid version
available for $1.99. A good instructional tool if you plan to use drawing apps (like the ones
listed below) in your classroom.
x. Drawing Pad ($1.99) – A mobile art studio, with access to realistic crayons, markers, paint
brushes, colored pencils, stickers, and roller pens.
y. Doodoo Pad (free) – A drawing pad offering neon colors on a black background. Better for
young students.
z. Puppet Pals HD (free) – Pick actors and backdrops, drag them on to the stage, and tap record.
Your movements and audio will be recorded in real time for playback later. A digital version of
a puppet show.
aa. Sock Puppets (free) – Create your own lip-synced videos and share them. Records your voice
and narration. Similar to Puppet Palls HD, above.
bb. Bill Atkinson PhotoCard – Postcards (free) – Students can create digital postcards from a library
of included photos, or even better, photos they’ve taken themselves. Stickers and stamps are
fun for kids to use, but I like the audible greeting aspect the best. Students can email their
digital postcard to you or anyone else. I like Sonic Pics better, but this alternative is free.
cc. Storyrobe (free) – A digital storytelling application that allows users to add photographs or
video, record their story, and upload to YouTube or email to friends. I like Sonic Pics better,
but this alternative is free. Developed for iPhone but works on iPad (tap the “2x” button to
make it fill the screen).
dd. SuperVision ($4.99) – Data collection tool that allows students and teachers to conduct
surveys, observe experiments, and collect data. Developed for iPhone but works on iPad (tap
the “2x” button to make it fill the screen).
ee. Balloon Stickies (free) – Attach speech balloons to your photos. Paid version available for
$1.99. The final images themselves are educationally powerful , but they can be used in other
apps to make compelling presentations.
4. Other Apps Worth Considering:
ADMINISTRATION
Common Core Standards
ART
Art Collections
How to Draw: Easy
How to Make Origami
Monster Coloring Book
EARLY LEARNING
All-in-One Big Trace Combo
Feel Electric!
Giraffe’s Matching Zoo
Intro to Letters
Intro to Math
Sprout’s Doodle Dots
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Google Translate
Human Japanese
Learn Spanish French
Spanish Baby Flash Cards
LANGUAGE ARTS
Bluster!
Chicktionary
Grammar Up
Hangman
Shakespeare in Bits
StoryKit
Super Why!
VocabWiz
MATH
AP Exam Prep
Easy Chart HD
Fish School HD
Free Graphing Calculator
Math Bingo
Math Bubble
Math Ref Free
Mathboard
Multiplication+
Quick Graph
Sketchpad Explorer
Tic Tac Math
Wolfram Algebra
MEDIA & NEWS
ABC News
ABC Player
BBC News
CBS News
Discovery Channel
Flipboard
Hulu Plus
NBC
NBC Nightly News
Netflix
NPR
PBS
Smithsonian Channel
Zite
MULTILEARNING
BrainPOP
Inkling
Khan Academy
Kindle
SAS Flash Cards
Wikihood
Wikipanion
Wolfram Alpha
Zinio
MUSIC
Awesome Xylophone
Drums!
Guitar Tuner
iBeat – the Metronome
Miso Music: Plectrum
NPR Music
Pandora Radio
Shazam
Tambourine – Shake It!
TuneIn Radio
Virtuoso Piano
NATURE
iBird Lite
Leafsnap
Project Noah
NOTETAKING
Bamboo Paper
Evernote
GoodNotes
Notebook+
Notes Plus
PDF-Notes
Penultimate
ONLINE LEARNING
Blackboard Mobile Learn
Diigo
Edmodo
ORGANIZATION
GoodReader
inClass
iStudiez Lite
LiveBinders
PHYS ED / COACHING
Calorie Counter
Coach’s Eye
QR CODES
Easy QR
Scan
REMOTE TOOLS
Conference Pad
GoToMeeting
ooVoo Video Chat
Remote Desktop Lite
Skype
VMware View
SAFETY
Chuggington : Be Safe!
Kids Media
Prof. Garfield Cyberbullying
Prof. Garfield Online Safety
SCIENCE
Cell and Cell Structure
Dinosaur Zoo
EarthObserver
Google Earth
Molecules
Monster Anatomy
National Parks by Nat.Geo.
Netter’s Anatomy Atlas
NOVA Elements
Powers of Minus Ten
Science 360
Science Glossary
Solar System
Solar Walk
Star Chart
Star Walk
The Elementals
The Elements
TideTrac
SOCIAL STUDIES
GeoMaster Plus
History: Maps of the World
Infinity of Nations
Nat’l Archives DocsTeach
To The Brink
Today’s Document
Video Time Machine
SPEECH THERAPY
Answers: Yes/No HD
ArtikPix
Click n’ Talk
Dragon Dictation
My First AAC
Pictello
Proloquo2Go
Something to Say
Sono Flex
Talk Tablet Neo
Talking Tom Cat 2
TapToTalk
Verbal Victor