Amy Estes was invited as a guest blogger over at Appolicious Advisor. The article is a quick overview of how apps can be used in the classroom. It is really a good look at how easy incorporating some of these apps can be. It is not necessarily about making the whole lesson iPad based but rather using apps when they can concrete a particular concept or re-inforce an idea you are teaching to your students. Sometimes it might just be the research component or a warm up activity, it is about the authenticity of the use and the power of the interactive manipulation that makes the learning more powerful for the students.
Amy Estes is a high school English teacher residing in Sacramento, CA. When she's not teaching, she loves cheering on the San Francisco Giants, playing with her iPhone and iPad, and writing her blog, Just A Titch.
I have been teaching English to middle and high school students for over four years now, and I can personally attest to the fact that iPads in the classroom are a game-changer. Today’s students are modern and computer-savvy and desperately seeking something that will hold their attention. At home, they’re surrounded by the latest technology, but schools have not caught up to these trends. We wonder why students are bored, but if you examine all of the technology they get to play with, and compare it to the books and tools used in our classrooms, it’s no surprise that they prefer to spend hours on YouTube and playing with their iPods. Schools need to catch up, and use of iPads in the classroom is one inspiring way to do so.
Schools all over the United States are putting iPads in the hands of their students because of the enormous benefits of using electronic devices. Students can use apps to help stay organized, utilize cloud computing in order to collaborate with both peers and teachers, and make use of amazing iPad apps across all disciplines.
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