Guest Post: How Teachers Are Incorporating iPads Into The Classroom

Erin Palmer on the ways Apple’s iPad is used by educators!

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The Ipad has officially hit the classroom and has made an impression. It is becoming a popular
tool within the education sector as a new technology that can assist teachers and their students
with their careers. Teachers in every different subject area from music education, math,
chemistry, journalism and etc. can benefit from the new technology an Ipad offers.

Overview of the Impact of Ipad in the classroom:

Many professors and teachers are beginning to use the Ipad in various ways. Some are teaching
full classes from the Ipad alone and others are using it for some demonstrations during parts of
their classes. There are many reasons why teachers like the Ipad; here are a few highlights.

It has become an all in one device. A professor can have his textbooks, class notes, lecture,
and slides for presentation in one place. This makes traveling lighter with just a keyboard adapter to hold the device upright if one wishes. Therefore, a professor can create his four-hour lecture in one place and easily transport it to the classroom for interaction.

There has been support from teachers who like that it is similar to paper. It sits flatly on a
desktop as opposed to a laptop. A laptop opens and hinders the line of sight from student to
teacher. With an Ipad on the desktop this does not happen. It is also designed with a screen
size very close to US letter paper size. This makes it easily recognizable and comfortable to
view.

Unlike a laptop, the Ipad only shows the application that is currently in use on the entire
screen. This means fewer disturbances from other distractions on a student’s screen like e-mail
or social website. This is a win-win situation for a teacher.

It is an interactive device. Apple has powered the Ipad with sensors that make applications
such as pouring a chemical in chemistry class happen virtually or playing a guitar in music class possible.

Examples of teaching uses and applications:

A writing teacher can use the Ipad in the classroom through various approaches. With so many education apps available it is easy for this teacher to help her students brainstorm, write outlines, and begin writing all on one device. She
can use blackboard as an interface with her classroom. Using the VGA connector she can
project web content via an app onto a screen, preload pages and easily switch between them
during class. In her journalism class she can feel confident that she is teaching her students the
most up to date technology and how new media professionals are preparing content for such
devices as an Ipad.

Type of teachers using iPad:

Many of the examples listed above were of college professors using the Ipad. However, teachers
from all over are using them; elementary, secondary, high school and specialty teachers. There
is a use for an Ipad in almost any classroom. For example, the Mac website showcases a
ninth-grade classroom in a science academy based school that uses Ipad on a daily basis.
These students become capable of using software to learn via podcasts created from teachers,
collaborate with other students on chat and present information via Keynote. It is incorporated on
every level of learning at this school.

Conclusion:

An Ipad is a dynamic interface between teacher and student. It can aid them both in staying
abreast of current technology to be better prepared in their education and career.

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Guest post provided by U.S. News University Directory, a leading online education resource for
teachers interested in curriculum and instruction strategy courses and instructional technology masters degree programs from top colleges and universities.