Benefits of iPads in the classroom
Brittany Brooks
iPads in Education?
What are the advantages of iPads in the classroom?
There are many advantages of using iPads in the classroom! As a teacher, you can use an iPad to get more organized, to manage students voice levels, differentiate for students, and more! Students can further their learning in whole group or centers by playing games, making collages, and more! The possibilities are endless with iPads in the classroom! I have attached a video below of helpful classroom rules for iPads!
Classroom iPad Rules
What can you do with an iPad?
iPads have the ability to completely transform a classroom! The applications on iPads in the classroom can give students opportunities to apply and expand their knowledge while expressing themselves. There are a variety of educational applications that are available for students! These include applications and games that can help them with reading, math, and so much more! There are also applications that can benefit students with special needs by reading the text for the student or giving the student a social story to prepare them for a new, unfamiliar situation! I have listed five applications that can benefit teachers and five of my favorite applications for students, as well!
Random name selector (lite)
This application is great for all teachers! You can download the lite version onto your iPad for free, and it will randomize the order of students that are called on. It allows you to add multiple classes, and you can temporarily turn a student's name off if they are absent that day!
Remind 101
This is an application that allows the teacher to communicate with students or their parents by sending out messages. The teacher can make class announcements or send reminders very easily! Messages can be sent to a group of students or everyone in the class!
Voice Meter (lite)
The voice meter application allows students to see the level of volume visually on a meter. The teacher can put his or her iPad in the front of the room, and the iPad will monitor noise in the classroom. If the noise level gets too loud, the voice meter application will notify the class by making a noise of its own!
bContext
This application would be great for math! Teachers can write or work out anything on the iPad while recording it. Therefore, they could play it back to their class while talking through the problem and focusing on the steps.
Google Classroom
This application allows teachers to communicate with students by uploading files, assignments, and messages for students to see on their own device. Each teacher will have a code for class, and students type in that code to gain access to their google classroom!
My Top 5 iPad Apps for Teachers!
Why are schools jumping on the iPad bandwagon?
I believe that schools are jumping on the iPad bandwagon, because the students are more eager to learn! It is easier for teachers to differentiate for each student, and the children are showing academic improvement because of it!
Educreations
This application can be used for any subject! Students can take pictures of anything that they are working on and add learnings, questions, or comments around the picture!
Pic Collage
This application would be wonderful for presentations! Students are able to select pictures off of the internet or take pictures on the iPad and arrange them in any way they want on the iPad.
BrainPOP
BrainPOP is an application that has a variety of short, interesting videos on every subject. They also have different quizzes at the end of each video, so students have the opportunity to self-check!
ABCMouse
ABCMouse is an application that would be great for differentiation in pre-school and kindergarten! Students can work at their own pace while learning the alphabet and practicing phonics skills!
The Magic Schoolbus
This iPad application would be an awesome thing to incorporate into different science lessons. It has facts, pictures, games, and videos!
Why does it engage kids?
I believe that iPads have the ability to engage our students, because they are fun! It gives the children an opportunity to learn while creating a collage or watching an interesting video. I have noticed that students are much more eager to do research on their iPads and flip the classroom to teach their peers what they have learned!