The iPad...What do I do with it?

I have always been fascinated by the iPad ever since it first made its debut in April 2010. I do not personally own one, but if I had an extra $500 lying around, you better believe I’d have one in a heartbeat! Even if you don’t own one, more than likely you’ve played with one at some point. But, for those if you who haven’t and are a bit…um, behind the times, the iPad was designed by Apple as a platform for audio-visual media, including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, web content, and much more. So, you may be asking yourself, “How can this be useful in my classroom or library?”

Well, for one, it’s perfect for student research. Here are some of the reasons why:

• You can set specific websites as apps on the desktop, meaning a research database can become a one-touch app.
• There are "brainstorming apps" (like Popplet Lite and Brainstorming by ideaWallets) that allow students to use the iPad to brainstorm topics and reorganize their ideas. 
• There are apps such as Evernote, Flipboard, and the Delicious app that allows students to collect and save pages, graphics, and links that relate to their research.
• There are also apps that can help students assemble a list of their sources such as iSource MLA.

Furthermore, its brilliant graphics make it function great as an eReader, and you can download magazine apps such as National Geographic, eliminating the need for messy, torn-up magazines in your library. Also, iPad 2 is designed for FaceTime video calling, featuring two cameras- one on the front and one on the back. This creates the possibility that students could communicate with students or even professionals in other parts of the country or world.

The only problem with the iPad is that they are quite expensive, so it's not the easiest for schools to obtain them in large quantities. However, this short article features a school that did away with their computer lab and opened an iPad lab. So, take a look at this article, and perhaps consider ways that your school could integrate the iPad into your 21st Century classroom or library.
iPad Lab

If you're still struggling with what to do with your iPad, check out this link. It gives the top 20 iPad apps for teachers- 10 to help with organization and time management, and 10 education apps.
Top 20 iPad Apps for Teachers