My name is Michael Kaufman. I am one of the four founding principals of a small innovation consulting firm called InnovationLabs. Since I was in 11th grade I have been interested in the power (and opportunity) ‘education and learning‘ has to transform people and improve the quality of life for everyone.
Over the last 20+ years I’ve worked with individual schools, school districts and state departments of education as a consultant in improvement and change processes. I marvel at the number of conflicting forces that make real, substantive change in schools extremely challenging.
At the same time I have a keen interest in how technology has been changing the social landscape and influencing every aspect of life. The trend to ‘digitize’ everything is one of the most significant forces influencing life in every sphere – political, business, and mission driven work.
The world has changed drastically and schools haven’t kept up with those changes. When Apple announced the iPad I was inspired to develop this web site as a resource for people exploring the use of the iPad in schools but also as a way for me to keep up with what I believe is a potentially ‘disruptive’ innovation for learning. It’s possible that the gap between what happens in schools and what happens in the rest of life can be closed some by using this tool.
Honestly, I didn’t have a plan or a really clear picture of what I wanted the site to be. It started as a way to profile and highlight the use of Apple’s iPad in schools. I imagined writing reviews of applications, showing the iPad in use by teachers and students, and writing about unique and innovative educational experiences using the iPad. The site has NOT been set up as a money making venture. That said, I’ve also included some advertisements on the site. If anyone clicks on the ads and makes a purchase I will receive a small ‘commission.’ I appreciate and am grateful for any support that comes through this means.
So far the site is more of a journal – chronicling the ever expanding take up and use of the iPad in schools and attempting to reflect back some of the learning that implementers are experiencing. It has generated some interest but as of yet a ‘community’ hasn’t formed around it. We’ll see where it all leads…
I’m quite interested in your comments and feedback.
Thanks!
Michael
Who are the creators of this web site?
Hi Marianna. My name is Michael Kaufman and I am the creator of this web site. As someone that works in a school do you use iPads? What’s your experience?
Hi Mr. Kaufman,
Congratulation on an excellent site. This is a great resource for educators and parents seeking pedagogical apps. I wanted to let you know about my company’s “Statistics 1″ app for high school level intro stats. The app includes concise lessons, quizzes with feedback, flashcards, calculators, decisions-trees, and glossaries of formulas and terms. The app has been used for extensive research in collaboration with Abilene Christian University’s mobile learning program. I’m happy to send you an iPhone/iPad promo code for Statistics 1.
We announced this morning 16 new apps in the iTunes App stores. The apps are available as both glossaries and flashcards with high school level topics including General Psychology, Public Relations 101, Moby Dick, Survey Research, and General Statistics. Please let me know if you’d like promo codes for those apps.
We are always looking for research partners such as K-12 schools. Great work with the site!
Thanks,
Dr. Michael Mayrath
Thanks Michael! I appreciate the feedback – and the offer of promo codes for your apps. I would be interested in receiving them – Thanks!!
Great edu iPad/tablet resource but why not a brief presentation of the creator of the site in the ‘About’ section?
Hi Michael,
I wanted to introduce you to our company, Oceanhouse Media. We make apps that uplift, educate and inspire and seem very in line with the intention of your wonderful site. Many of our apps are being used in schools, including our Dr. Seuss, Berenstain Bears, Little Critter, etc. omBooks. Please let me know if you are ever interested in checking any of our over 150 apps out and I’ll send you some promo codes. For a list, go to: http://www.prweb.com//releases/oceanhouse/media/prweb8080911.htm
Thanks and I look forward to working with you in the future.
Best,
Karen
PS. Wow, funny…just after I posted on your site I was sent this article on iPads used in schools. Our Dr. Seuss apps are mentioned throughout.
http://www.nasatalk.com/component/resource/article/bylines/38-debbie-piecka/1302-i.html
Hi Michel,
This is Nicola from Emantras. We develop educational iPhone/iPad apps for kids. Our Frog Dissection app for the iPad is being used in various schools as an alternative to live dissections. We also have a Rat Dissection app in the store now. Please let me know if you are interested in checking out our apps and i will send you promo codes.
Hope to hear from you.
Regards,
Nicola
Hello Michael,
I found your web page to provide me with a wealth of information about iPads in schools. Bravo!!!
Currently, I am a doctoral student, who is very interested in researching the use of iPads (developing research-based apps) within the school environment, especially with academically challenged students as an individual mobile learning tool.
What suggestions might you have for me as I construct my proposal?
Thank you!
Loretta
Hey Michael,
Poking around the interwebs and found your site, I am an intern at a new IPad software development company. We are just getting started, and currently have four apps out for download and one more coming out soon. The are all education games, so far we have two games geared towards English/Chinese vocabulary building, and two for math. The games are designed teach kids by repetition, adding new challenges as you progress through the game.
Math Ninja: for kids 6-12. They can practice math-at the most basic using simple addition and subtraction, all the way up to more complex problem solving. The questions can be answered either by selecting correct answers or eliminating wrong ones. It can be used as a teaching tool or as review.
Kitty Work: for kids 2-12. This game can be used for a variety of purposes. It can be used as a vocabulary builder for English speakers–spelling, word recognition, vocabulary, or it can be used at as and ESL teaching tool or to begin learning Chinese, whichever the child needs. The player travels through an imaginary world and is challenged to use the appropriate words in each new scene.
The other part of our games that is unique to Kitty Pad is the Parent Dashboard, which is still under development and will be built into our games and can be accessed online via our website (kittypad.com). The Parent Dashboard allows parents to monitor how long their children are using IPad applications and which applications are being used (educational or otherwise).
The Lite versions of these applications are available for free download, otherwise you can contact me for a promotion code.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/math-ninja-lite/id432768464?mt=8
I would love to hear your thoughts!
Best,
Megan
i want to know your email plz i am trying to with other students talk our school into letting us bring laptops and i pads to school and i think that you could help me a lot with this i am in midle school and would really apprecite the help thx
Hello Mr. Kaufman,
This is a great source for students and educators to explore new and innovative sources of learning. Our iPad Music Education Application, Miso Music, is a great tool for students of all ages to learn Stringed Plectrum instruments. The app teaches users how to play songs on the guitar, bass, banjo, and ‘ukulele using Miso Media’s patented scrolling tablature system which not only shows users strumming and fingering, but also gives real time feedback with scrolling tablature as the correct notes are played. Think Guitar Hero with real notes, real instruments, and real learning. Miso Music has a real instrument mode for those who already own an instrument as well as a virtual instrument mode that turns the iPad into the instrument of your choice.
We believe this is something that all students could use to advance their music education. Plus, the app is Free with public domains songs and scales immediately available. There are In-App Purchases of individual songs for $.99 each as well.
It will be available for iPhone very soon, and the Android version will be right behind that! We would be delighted if your website would feature our app for your students! If you have any questions or comments for us, please email me. Thank you very much!
-Miso Media Team
Hi,
Nice website! I too believe that the intuitive touch interface of iOS devices is going to have a significant impact on the way children learn. The apps we have developed are for the iPod/iPhone, but easily scale up to the iPad for sharing during instructional discussions, small group learning or even 1:1 discussions.
I can’t seem to find an email address for you, so I will post my request as a comment – I’ll certainly understand if you delete it, but please take a moment to check out our apps.
We are looking to make more people aware of our MathTappers apps and are looking for some help. I have pasted our recent summary below (you will find this and other presentation documents at http://www.MathTappers.com or contact Tim Pelton (tpelton@uvic.ca)
Any chance of an RSS feed for this helpful resource?
Thanks for your note. I set up the RSS feed to be accessible via email via this link – http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=IpadInSchools&loc=en_US
Will that work for you?
Michael,
Do you know of any schools in San Francisco that use iPads? Will be in San Francisco Oct.4-5 and wanted to spend some time at a school observing the use of iPads. Would also be interested in scheduling some time with you if possible.
Thanks Brian,
I don’t know of any schools in San Francisco but one of the schools I’ve written about is in Santa Cruz (about 45-60 minutes south) http://www.ipadinschools.com/23/will-ipad-replace-text-books/
I hope that helps…
Michael
Do you know where I might find any statistics about the number of ipads being used in schools? It seems like the ipad in education is exploding so quickly we aren’t able to keep up with such a count, but I thought I would ask.
Thanks
Great question Beth – and I don’t know (but would love to). If you find anything please let me know as that’s just the kind of information I hope to post on this blog.
Michael
Where do you think we might be able to go to figure this out?
That’s something that either one of the educational services agencies or the Dept of Education might track. I believe every state has an educational services agency – and there are regional services agencies that are supposed to be doing educational research. The National Center for Education Research – http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/
I hope that helps. Michael
Hey there Beth. This doesn’t completely answer your question but I was listening to Apple’s new CEO Tim Cook at the announcement of the new iPhone and here’s what he said about the iPad in Schools:
“We believe iPads can change the way teachers teach and students learn. Every state in the US has an ipad pilot or deployment going. About 1000 schools have 1to1 programs with iPads. About 1000 universities in the US – stanford, notre dame – all have iPad programs.
Over 80% of the top hospitals are testing or piloting iPads. From the board room to the back roads iPad is showing up.
At this point – 92% of the Fortune 500 companies are testing or deploying iPads. This is in less than 18 months.
With the momentum in consumer, retail, education, healthcare and everywhere else – iPad is the top selling tablet in the world.
3 out of 4 tablets sold in the US are iPads.
Consumers don’t want tablets – they want iPads.”
Hi Michael!
I would just like to add that we are the first college in the Philippines to provide all 4-year enrolled undergraduates with their very own iPad. We finalized our plan and developed the online curricula back in April 2011, and issued the iPads by the start of the semester in June 2011. From the full scholars that come from very humble backgrounds, to the very affluent students, all receive a free iPad. We are using the open-source education platform, Moodle, and have also customized it to meet our needs. Students are using the iPad to access their lessons, listen to lectures, join online class sessions, submit homework and take exams, all from this wonderful device!
Although still early, preliminary results show that the students have seamlessly made the transition and are excited to go to school. Of course they do spend time on non-educational apps and websites, however these are only allowed outside of the classroom.
During class sessions, students make heavy use of the bundled iPad notebook to take their notes, and are allowed to look up subjects or words that they are unfamiliar with. For art classes, we provide them with digital drawing and graphics apps. They are even using the iPad for student film projects.
We really do feel that we are contributing to the modernization of education in the country and hope that others follow suit. If you’d like to know a little bit more about our school, you can check out http://www.mintcollege.com, or facebook.com/mintschool.
Just let me know if you have any questions or comments, thanks!
Hendrik
That’s exciting Hendrik. Thank you for letting us know about what you are doing – and please continue to update us and share some of what you are learning and any insights you get along the way. Michael
Hi Michael,
Your site is a great resource for educators. I’d like to introduce you to our app Dexteria – Fine Motor Skill Development. It is great for elementary school children as they learn to write and meet the new demands of the school.
Dexteria is becoming a favorite among parents and Occupational Therapists. Please check it out at http://www.Dexteria.net
Let me know if you’d like a promo code!
Best,
Frank
My name is Paul Hamilton and I have been a teacher for 15 Years and am currently an ICT Coordinator at an Independent School in Queensland, Australia. I’m passionate about ICT’s and working with 21st Century Learners. I would appreciate you having a look at my app as I know you’re also passionate about ICT innovation.
I have just created an app (Formative Feedback for Learning) that I am very excited about that I believe will transform how students receive feedback in a learning context in schools. It is now available on The APP store.
Schools are using it in many contexts, as it is an App that focuses on learning process not content, therefore can be used in all curriculum areas.
Here is the link if you would like to find out more.
http://formativefeedbackapp.blogspot.com/
Thanks for your time Tim – I really appreciate it.
Have a wonderful week.
Paul
Hello all, my name is Rene and I am part of a team that has created a math puzzle game called beanNcounters. The game is new and currently free, we are looking for people to try the game and give us some feedback. We truly believe the game is entertaining while being educational. We have difficulty levels from grade 1 to phd. If you have a moment please try us out!
Michael,
I thought you might be interested in knowing about some new iBooks that have just hit the educational market. The books are fun to use on iPads and even iPods. They are a good price for schools. Some of these books have been picked by the Apple Store for New and Noteworthy and What’s Hot in Education.
Here are the US links: You can type in Janie Lancaster in iTunes and the books will come up or use the links below. Lesson plans for the middle grades are available for the Julie book. Please download free samples for review.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/edwina-beenas-polka-dot-day/id455377931?mt=11
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/edwina-bina-y-el-dia-de-las/id455387301?mt=11
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/julie-the-lost-fairy-teachers/id455381171?mt=11 Teacher’s Edition includes 25 pages of lesson plans.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/when-silence-reigns/id464099423?mt=11
I would be happy to discuss bulk pricing with School Districts.
Sincerely,
Janie Lancaster
Hi There,
My name is Madhavi. We just released a Unique drawing application for iPad called ‘iLuv Drawing Animals’. This reasonably priced application offers a great value by teaching kids how to draw 40 popular animals. The animals are broken into simple “traceable” templates coupled with voice instructions. The user learns to draw by tracing on easy to remember. This very user friendly app with awesome graphics and easy interface makes learning to draw a fun exercise. The kids will be experts within days.
It is educational AND entertaining.
Find out more at http://tinyurl.com/ildanimals-demo
Dear Michael,
Congratulation for this great piece of information that you have published. I must say you have put up a great resource for eager parents and teachers. I represent MapXL Inc. and we are into the mapping business for the past 13 years. Lately we have started our iOS apps division and released our high quality maps for the iPad. This comes an app called “World Atlas and Maps -HD”. Although other applications are available in the market with the same features and a doing considerably good, i would like to point out some differentiating factors in our solution. Apart from the highest resolution maps that are available on the device itself, our app gives the freedom of printing and emailing your favorite maps too. Students and teachers can use these in the class for geography lessons.
Apart from this, each country has detailed information including, year of freedom, currency, population, religion and other useful text. This can also be mailed or printed as required.
In addition we have included utilties such as World Atlas, Compare countries, currency converter, world weather and many more.
Would be happy to send across Promo Codes for your reference.
Best,
Nivesh Sharma
Good morning Michael, Your site seems to have proven to be an excellent resource to many different disciplines in both the tech and educational fields. As many of the items being highlighted and discussed on your blog seem to be ‘App-Centric’, I wanted to point you in the direction of a simple, low-tech solution to getting the iPad into younger-age classrooms, as well as special needs education environments. As a consultant, I have been working with a client to improve AAC and Speech devices from a more complex / all-inclusive software & usability standpoint, but this particular effort is on the opposite end of that spectrum. Here is a link to the product, which is currently in ‘funding’ mode on Kickstarter.com. If this would be of any interest / benefit to your community of bloggers, please have a look: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/694368997/fomation-ipad2-case
Thanks & Best regards, -Jesse
I am working with special education preschoolers ages 3-5. Have you tried classroom application for early childhood ? I am wondering about the socialization needs of our youngest students and if there is any benefit at this young age. Although I can see that this technology may work in one on one learning environments, it appears as if it may not be easily adapted for use in whole group instruction. Children at this age are just beginning to socialize and communicate effectively and this technology could be a hindrance to the interactive learning with peers andinstructors. Are you aware of any research that has been done addressing which age group may be the best start for group instruction ?
I’m trying to motivate parents to fund implementation of an iPad Leanring Lab this Saturday night at a school fundraiser. Can you share any presentations and/or videos that help sell it or tell the story?
I imagine what motivates parents is to see their children engaged and excited about learning. I think having a little fun is pretty good too!
I don’t have any presentations that specifically do what you are wanting. There was a recent study done by a text book publisher about the value of digital text books –
http://www.pearsonfoundation.org/education-leadership/research/Survey-Students-and-Tablets.html
You can consider any of these to show:
http://www.ipadinschools.com/199/ipad-in-schools-videos/
OR, one video I like is this one:
http://www.ipadinschools.com/18/the-ipad-meets-toddler/
You can also consider this:
http://www.ipadinschools.com/246/tech-trends-for-schools/
I hope that’s helpful.