yet another 25 benefits of using ipads in the classroom

YET ANOTHER 25 BENEFITS OF

USING IPADS IN THE CLASSROOM

F R O M A P P E D I A

POPULAR CHARACTERS

• A lot of apps are designed to include popular children’s TV characters.

• Apps such as CBeeBies Playtime are extremely popular because they appeal to younger children because the activities are narrated by characters such as The Octonauts. This can help children become more engaged in the activity they’re working on.

PASSWORD PROTECT

• You can add a password to the iPad so that children can’t access the settings.

• This allows you to control the volume and prevent them from accessing the App Store among other things.

LOCKING THE APP

• Aside from adding a password, a lot of apps give you the option to lock children into the activity.

• This means they can’t exit the app and secretly go onto another activity without permission and ensures they remain on task throughout the lesson.

PODCASTS

• An aspect of technology which is seriously overlooked is the inclusion of podcasts into lessons.

• Using an iPad, you can let children listen to podcasts by expert speakers to enhance their knowledge or even let them create their own podcasts discussing the topic they’ve been learning about.

MEMORY CAPABILITIES

• Whilst not as large as a laptop or computer, an iPad still has a large enough memory that you can download a lot of apps and store a lot of photographs and videos on the device without running out of space.

YOU CAN PRINT

• This may not be an advantage over laptops or computers, but it’s just relevant to point out that you can connect an iPad to a print and print directly from it.

MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH

• Most apps will require children to use a multi-sensory approach when completing an activity.

• They’re often very visual, have an educational audio or narrator and require the children to use their hands to complete them thus benefiting auditory, visual and kinaesthetic learners.

DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES WITH APPS• Whereas a textbook will give children a page of questions and a diagram

showing a solution and/or method, an iPad app will often have various activities built into it.

• This is beneficial because it enables children to find an approach they’re comfortable with when learning i.e. one activity might be a timed quiz testing times tables whilst another may be identifying the missing number in a times table sum.

• Two approaches that teach children the same times table within one app.

EASIER THAN TYPING

• Having taught the Computing curriculum to Years 1 and 2, I can tell you honestly that they find using an iPad a lot easier than using a keyboard and mouse.

INTERACTIVE

• Whilst a computer may allow children to upload a photograph of themselves and then edit it by drawing over it or adding layers, apps such as Aging Booth are far more interactive.

• Children can upload a photograph of themselves and then watch as the app ages them, adding wrinkles and morphing their face to show them an elderly version of themselves.

THEY’RE A REVISION PACK

• Whenever it’s exam period, we give the children countless booklets to take home and revise.

• However, you can achieve the same result with a few iPad apps and, on top of that, the apps will have more activities than a revision pack can hold.

MULTIPLAYER APPS

• Apps such as Monster Math have multiplayer compatibility so children can still develop their cooperation and team working skills whilst using the iPad.

• Multiplayer can also help to foster a competitive spirit between the children and encourage them to constantly improve.

INSTANT FEEDBACK

• Normally, children won’t discover whether their work was correct or incorrect until the next lesson but with iPad apps their feedback is instant as the app will let them know their results straight away.

HANDWRITING

• Many apps, especially phonics based apps, require children to trace letters using their finger.

• This can help them to understand how to form letters correctly and improve their handwriting.

SPICES UP GUIDED READING

• Many children see guided reading as a boring task wherein they sit and read a book to an adult.

• However, most e-books are interactive with sound effects and animated characters, helping the children to feel more enthused about their reading session.

TEACHING PHONICS

• Phonics is a key subject for EYFS and KS1 children.

• There are many exceptional phonics apps which can help them to read, write and speak different phonemes and words.

EASY TO CUSTOMISE SETTINGS• Whereas altering the settings on a computer can be a time-

consuming task and often requires an administration password, the settings tab on an iPad makes altering them quick and easy.

A WORLD OF IMAGERY

• Access to the internet means children can find imagery on Google Images quickly.

• This can help inspire them during English and art lessons.

INTERACTIVE BOOKS

• As indicated above, most e-books are interactive and have quizzes and comprehension based questions built-in.

• This ensures your children are constantly developing their comprehension skills even if they’re not working with an adult.

MAJOR TEXTBOOKS ARE BECOMING DIGITAL

• Schools generally buy their textbooks from the same companies every year and those companies are all embracing the technological revolution and offering digital services as well.

BENEFITS THE SCHOOL

• Technology is becoming more and more important in education but some schools are still reluctant to embrace this evolution.

• Adopting iPads across different year groups and subjects will ensure your school remains up-to-date and impress visiting schools and Ofsted.

EASY TO MOVE AROUND/POSITION• If you decide you want to move children around the room or

split up a pair of chatty children, they can carry the iPad to another seat with minimum effort.

QUICK IOS UPDATES

• Laptops and computers take a long time to update but the iPad updates quickly and quite often, meaning you always have the best service possible.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

• As they don’t need to be charged as often as laptops or plugged in like computers, iPads are more energy efficient to have in school.

NO NEED TO REPLACE TEXTBOOKS• When textbooks are ruined or simply out-of-date the school has

to order a replacement set.

• However, if you’re using iPad apps that constantly update and offer a wide range of activities anyway, then you won’t have to worry about replacing them.

• Plus, whenever you do need to replace an app, it’s quick and easy to find another one on the App Store.