Ebooks...What's your opinion?

We would like your feedback on using ebooks at school.  If you or your students have used any ebooks for your class, please comment below and let us know what  your experience has been.  We would like to know which ebooks you have tried, what app you are using to access the books, the pros and cons of ebooks, and anything else you think we should know about your experience with ebooks.

iPad=Tool

"Tools are important and necessary, but they come and go as better tools come along. Obsess instead about ideas."

For your first assignment of this school year, we would like for you to read an article entitled The Secret To Successfully Using iPads in Education.  In the article, the writer states that iPads should be used "as a tool that can help students solve specific problems, overcome certain obstacles and create content to demonstrate their understanding." After reading the article, think about a way that you can use the iPad(s) in your classroom to do each of these things. Test out your ideas in your classroom and write about what you did in the comments section. Your comment to this post should be in three parts:
1.  I used my iPad(s) in my classroom to have students solve the problem of...
2.  I used my iPad(s) in my classroom to help students overcome the obstacle of...
3.  I used my iPad(s) in my classroom to have students create...

This assignment is due Monday, October 8th.

Summer Assignment #3: Planning ahead

For this assignment, we would like you to plan a project for the upcoming school year that incorporates iPads.  Assume that you would be using the seven checkout iPads during this project.  Describe the activities you would do during this project.  Don't forget to include any app names.

Summer Assignment #2: iPads in the News

iPads in education is a hot topic making headlines everywhere.  Please tell us about any article, research, or website that you came across this summer that had interesting information about iPads in eduction.  If possible, include information on how to find the original source that you are summarizing.

If you need a place to start looking for resources, don't forget about Paidiea's own Tech Daily or Diigo page.

Summer Assignment #1: App Awards

Please comment below with an app that would win your award for each of the following categories:

• Most useful app 
• Best notetaking app
• Best app to use in my area/department/grade level
• Best app to use if I was in a different area/department/grade level
• Most entertaining app
• Best app to keep me organized

Summer Open Thread

If you have any "aha" moments this summer or have questions for the other iPad participants, please use this summer open thread.  Feel free to comment with anything iPad-related!

Teaching with your iPad

For this assignment, we would like you to use your iPad during one of your classes with your students.  Once you have done so, comment to this post and write about what you did, as well as your reflection on the experience.
Some ideas for how to use your iPad in a lesson are:

• project an app for your class to experience together
• make a movie (or have a group of students make a movie) to share with the class
• assign a class scribe or researcher
• make a video tutorial on Screenchomp or Educreations to email to your students

If you can't think of anything, consult with your mentor or read back through this blog (there are dozens of uses listed throughout!).  This assignment is due Monday, May 21st.