Not a Toy, but a Tool: An Educator’s Guide for Understanding and Using iPads

iPads are powerful tools for engaging students, encouraging creativity, stimulating critical thinking, and making significant strides in learning. This book is part of a two book set that will allow educators to realize the full potential of the iPad. Over 200 highly rated apps are covered with specific ideas for classroom activities and teaching strategies. Descriptions include ideas for using iPads in classrooms where each student owns an iPad, as well as where there is just a small number of iPads or even just a single device. The first chapter of this book supports the effectiveness of iPads, focusing on what the iPad is, why is should be used and how it can be used. Then two chapters are dedicated to apps that are valuable for all subject areas. The last three chapters focus on apps appropriate for use in the humanities classrooms. In consideration of education budgets, all the apps are free or low cost. The information in this book is appropriate for K12 teachers, university professors, media specialists, K12 administrators, parents and students.

Table of Contents:
Contents Preface Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1 - Turning a Toy into a Tool Introduction What Exactly is an iPad? Why Should Educators Want to Use iPads? How Can an iPad be Used in the Classroom? 1-to-1 Initiatives Classroom Set of iPads Small Number of iPads The iPad as a single device in the classroom Reflections on Chapter 1 Chapter 2 – Apps & Techniques for All Subject Areas Introduction Built-in Camera apps Built-in Camera app Photos Apps Text of Photo Presentation apps Educreations Prezi Note taking Evernote File sharing DropBox Social Learning platforms Edmodo Schoology Reflections on Chapter 2 Chapter 3 – Apps & Techniques for All Subject Areas, Part 2 Introduction Quiz maker & Game apps Socrative Quizzam! Enhance Learning with Audio Audio Memo Dragon Dictation Video Conferencing Skype Annotating Shapes, Images & Videos Skitch Presentation Assisting apps iPrompt Pro BrainPop Teacher Tools Teacher Kit Free Professional Development Khan Academy iTunes U TED Final Two – One for Fun and One Not Qrafter Common Core Reflections on Chapter 3 Chapter 4 – Teaching Language Arts with the iPad Introduction Apps and Lessons for Elementary Students (K-4) Word Wall HD Abby – Animals Phonics Island Adventure Abby Pal Tracer – ABC Cursive HD Spelling with Cimo – Lite Booksy: Learn to Read Platform for K-2 Apps and Lessons for Middle School Students (5-8) Dictionary.com Dictionary & Thesaurus for iPad Free Books – 23,469 classics to go My Grammar Lab Intermediate Maxjournal Subtext Apps and Lessons for High School Students (9-12) English Grammar Vocabulary for GRE, SAT, ACT, GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL, ESL, English, Language, Education, Words, Word Power, Exercise SwipeSpeare – Modern Shakespeare Constitution and Federalist Papers iDeas for Writing Reflections on Chapter 4 Chapter 5 – Teaching Social Studies with the iPad Introduction Apps and Lessons for Elementary Students (K-4) Geomaster Plus US Stack the States Early Jamestown ABE APP Tiny Countries Apps and Lessons for Middle School Students (5-8) World Book – This Day in History Lewis & Clark TapQuiz Maps The Revolution: Interactive Guide History 3D: Civil War Apps and Lessons for High School Students (9-12) Timeline - U.S. History National Archives DocsTeach Google Earth Flow of History 1st Ed Manual for the United States of America Apps appropriate for the History class, but described elsewhere Additional Highly Rated History Apps Reflections on Chapter 5 Chapter 6 – Teaching Foreign Languages with the iPad Introduction Apps for Teaching & Learning Spanish Learn Spanish – MindSnack ConjuVerb Free Spanish English Dictionary TeleSUR Apps for Teaching & Learning French Learn French with busuu! French FREE 24/7 Language Learning Additional Highly Rated Apps for Teaching French Apps for Teaching & Learning German Learn German – Wie Geht’s Die Der Das German Nouns Lite Additional Highly Rated Apps for Teaching German Apps for Teaching & Learning Latin Latin + Latin Additional Highly Rated Apps for Teaching Latin Apps for Teaching & Learning Chinese Fun Chinese – Mandarin Chinese language learning for kids Easy Chinese Writing - yi er san… I write Additional Highly Rated Apps for Teaching Chinese Apps for Teaching & Learning American Sign Language Learn American Sign Language Baby Sign and Learn Additional Highly Rated Apps for Teaching ASL Selection of Apps for other Languages Apps appropriate For Foreign Language classroom, but described elsewhere Reflections on Chapter 6 Index

About the Author :
Dr. Carrie Thornthwaite has served as a College of Education professor for 16 years at Lipscomb University, in Nashville, TN. Previously, she worked for 13 years as a high school physics and mathematics teacher in both private and public schools. Her passion has always been to use activities that promote discovery, engagement, understanding, and creativity in ways that enhance the learning experience of all students.

Review :
Dr. Carrie Thornthwaite has given an excellent introduction to the use of iPads. She approaches this process with the mindset of both a K-12 educator, which she was, as well as an education professor. All of the apps reviewed are very affordable and excellent resources for making education interesting and interactive. Dr. Thornthwaite has provided educators with an excellent set of recommendations. Busy classroom teachers have so many demands on them today! Keeping up with technology gets pushed down on the list of to-dos. This book provides valuable information for all levels of technology expertise. The apps reviewed in Chapter 2 and 3 are outstanding! Creating quizzes for the iPad meets so many needs: quick assessments, student feedback, student understanding after a discussion! Language arts teachers can find several apps in Chapter 4 to meet the needs of their students in writing, vocabulary, and analysis. I recognize several adaptations in the apps of activities I assigned to students on a daily basis. This author provides a needed tool teachers can use today. Many schools do not have a technology coach or facilitator on staff to recommend appropriate apps. This book meets that need. My goodness! What a JOY it was reading this book! It opened me up to lots of new ideas! As a foreign language teacher, I particularly liked Chapter 6, which bears relevance, not only to the everyday foreign language classroom teacher, but also to anyone interested in learning more about language. The author provides an in-depth glance into what each of the (reviewed) apps specifically offers the user. The collection of ideas provided by the author provides the catalyst of a great book! This book provides educators with a wide variety of available resources to enhance their classroom instruction when using iPads. The author has broken the book into sections that helps teachers easily access apps that are appropriate and specific to their instructional needs. As a reading specialist, I am always looking for high-quality apps that can be used to help students reach their highest reading potential. The organization of the book allows me to easily find the apps that I need for my students. The research that has already been done by the author will help me manage my time when using iPads in the classroom. I’ve been using iPads for a couple years, but now, with this information, I can integrate iPads more effectively into my classroom instruction. As a high school history teacher, I find this an extremely valuable book! As a Geography/History teacher, I particularly liked the apps in Chapter 5. Some of the apps provide primary sources, which is important in implementing Common Core. The other apps have given me innumerable ideas for lessons that I can use in my classes. I highly recommend this book for use by any classroom teacher. Talk about iPads, this book itself is a learning tool that can be accessed by students, parents, and teachers alike! Students can be encouraged to reinforce their classroom learning simply by using the apps that are discussed here. Teachers will be released from hours of searching for appropriate learning tools to enrich or remediate their lessons. Parents will be able to choose apps that correlate with their child's academic curriculum. Students will gladly reinforce their studies because using the iPad does not seem like work. As a former teacher and a current mentor of novice and pre-service teachers, I applaud Dr. Thornthwaite's research! The author is obviously very educated and knowledgeable about iPads. As a kindergarten teacher, I found many of the apps in the elementary sections to be very helpful. I downloaded some and my kids love them! I have been using iPads in my classroom daily to assist me with enforcing and mastering skills that we are learning every day. It is great to have this book as a resource for broadening the activities that I’ve been using. The apps allow me to adapt my instruction to the many different learning needs of my students. With the help of this book, I have been able to teach and reach students that otherwise were having difficulty grasping and understanding new skills. With many of the apps, I’ve been able to break the skills down in a fun game type way of learning.