iPod, iPhone, iPad and all things i-related
iPads in classroom?
Time reports about a recent study: iPad 2 helped score better tests results.
Any comment needed?
A new study shows that students who use iPads in the classroom score better in literacy tests than those who don’t. As previously reported, educators in Auburn, Maine began instructing 266 kindergarteners using the iPad 2 this fall, and those who used the tablet scored higher on literacy tests and were more enthused about learning, according to Apple blog TUAW.
We strongly advice you to read this too: Apple’s Textbooks: Undeniably Cool, But Will They Help Students?.
Education is such a hot topic that we needn’t be fooled by cool gadgets (like the iPad), but we must foresee and exploit its full potential as an incredibile educational and knowledge tool, just like those textbooks created using iBooks Author.
It’ll be interesting to see if Apple’s effort to jump into the educational market ultimately proves successful (and creates yet another generation of Apple users). In 10 years, tablets in the classroom may be the norm, not the exception.
Our pick is that iPad may have still a novelty halo that makes it so appealing, but newer educational tools are under development and will change the game, and perception, of how people can learn.
[Via Time]
Just shortly after we reviewed Life on Earth, we found some pretty outspoken article on The Guardian by Matt Britland, head of ICT at Kingston Grammar School.
Following the introduction of iBooks 2 and Apple’s interest into textbooks and iBooks Author, many observers are now arguing how much these tools will help/impact school education.
Matt’s pick?
Is this really the digital revolution that Apple would lead us to believe? Or is simply an update of CD-ROM textbooks on an expensive mobile device? Is this something students will buy into or am I looking at it from the perspective of someone who grew up without mobile proliferation and Google?
We think it is, Life on Earth is just the beginning!
[Via The Guardian]
There’s nothing like the real thing but… if you’re so unlucky you’ve never owned – or even played – with the original, you’ve got a second chance with this app for iPad.
What are we talking about?
The old, venerable Intellivision video game console back from the 80s and the golden age of videogaming!
This console, introduced in 1980 was the arch-rival and main competitor to the (as venerable) Atari 2600 console and scored 3 million unit sold and some 125 games developed during its 12 years (!) lifespan!
Besides retrogaming passion, some games are still playable these days so, you may think that three bucks are worth this game app that includes six Intellivision classics: Astrosmash, Chip Shop Golf, Night Stalker, Thin Ice, Thunder Castle and Skiing.
Give yourself a chance to get back in time and feel some original 80’s-fun – you’re just missing the original gamepads!
Intellivision for iPad is available on iTunes for $2.99.
Provided this is just a preview of the upcoming biology digital textbook, you’ll get a sample chapter “Introduction to Ecology” and a glimpse of (maybe) the best iBook around.
Sponsored by the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation and Professor Wilson himself, this iBook is so well done you’ll want to learn everything about Biology!
Anyway, besides the topic and content, this 51-pages iBook is one of the very best examples of what can be done with iBooks as an educational tool.
It’s so full of widgets, not just high-quality video, but plenty of javascript widgets as well which will finally defy any complaints that iBooks 2 is limited!
We think it’s so inspiring for iBooks Authors fan like us!
Life on Earth is available for free on iTunes (iBooks 2 app needed, of course).
EasySign, is a cool iPad/iPhone app that lets you sign documents using your mobile phone/touch device.
The app saves you a lot of time and money by solving the problem of dealing with hassles and frustrations of printing, scanning or faxing while signing documents.
Users download the App from the AppStore for free and import a document from an e-mail attachment, Dropbox or other cloud based file storage services.
Once the document is imported, you can sign and fill it right on your smartphone or tablet and then send the final document directly (to whoever you wish to).
Key Features of the EasySign App
EsaySign is available on iTunes for free (and is available to Android users too)!
[Via easysignmobile.com]
