ShowMe

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes


Turn your iPad into your personal interactive whiteboard!
ShowMe allows you to record voice-over whiteboard tutorials and share them online. It’s a radically intuitive app that anyone will find extremely easy to use, regardless of age or background.

RH: This app is fantastic for recording whiteboard tutorials on any subject. I have recorded and placed them on my web page for student review, played them during class, and had a sub play one that I pre-recorded for a review. This app works much like Khan's flipping the classroom model. You can pause the recording and make corrections, erase clutter, or even bring in new images. Of course, you can draw your own.

Yellow Pages

Format: iPad, iPhone, Computer, Droid
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Google Play, Internet


Yellow Pages app.

Dictionary.com

Format: iPad, iPhone, Droid, Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Google Play, Internet

Dictionary reference app.

Google Search

Format: iPad, Droid
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Google Play


Basic Google search app redesigned for the iPad.


RH: This search app has been redesigned for the iPad and has some cool features. To name just two, it has a "voice" search and a "goggles" search. The voice is obvious but the goggles allows you to take a picture and the app searches for like images from its world wide data bank. Pretty cool.

Socrative Student

Format: iPad, Droid, Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Internet, Google Play

Student version to go with Socrative Teacher "Clicker" app. Students may down load this version or may go to the Web and log on and enter your teacher room number. 


RH: This is the student side of Socrative and it seems to work very well. They may run it from the app or the Web.

Mr. Braunsdorf's 7th grade science

BYOD (bring your own device)

Show the results on the screen

Socrative Teacher

Format: iPad, Droid, Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Internet


An Internet based program that works from your computer or from your iPad or Droid. This is the teacher version which when connected to student devices works like a "clicker" service with which you may conduct a written or oral quiz. Students may download the "student" version or go to the web page and log in.


RH: I have only experimented a few times with this app. So far I feel that it has great potential. Students may use their personal devices to give you feedback or you can set up individual tablets on the back shelf and have students participate in that fashion. You can choose to ask one question at a time or set it to run at student pace.

CLASS DOJO

Format: iPad (Home Screen), Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: Internet


Class room management program that is Internet based and can help you arrange seating and track class behavior.


RH: I have only used this a few times. It has great capabilities to track and record student behavior. That I know of, it does not give you the ability to import pictures at this time. This Web based program does not have an app at this time. You may select "Add to Home Screen" to make an "app-like" icon on your iPad.

TeacherPal

Format: iPad, iPhone
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes

Personal organizer for the teacher. Allows you to take notes, import pictures, set seating arrangements and more. 


RH: This is a pretty good organization app. It does the things mentioned above but the main reason I like it is that you can set seating arrangements with pictures and then print it out for your subs. That is about all I have used it for. One major issue is that I had to take pictures of each student to import. A very quick and easy task with the iPad. Who can wait until pictures come back anyway?

A+ Signature

Format: iPad, iPhone
Price: 1.99  (Lite Free)
Vendor: iTunes


This app gives you the power to annotate over any photo. You can simply make notes on them or even sign your name to forms.


RH: Everyone has favorites and for annotating over photos, this is mine. There is a "lite" version which is good but the fee version gives you the opportunity to write as many individual notes as you want. The writing is very smooth which is what I look for in a writing app. I can take a form from the office and import the image here and sign away as well as fill in boxes. Then, I can simply email it back to the office without leaving my desk. What I really like is that it makes my poor penmanship look pretty good.

Here are a couple of samples of photos annotated using A+ Signature. Wish I really visited Hawaii. 

You may import any photo such as a form, sign, and send it. (Using your iPad, snap a screen shot of the form, save it to your photos, then import it to A+ Signature.)

Twitter

Format: iPad, iPhone, Droid, Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Internet, Google Play

iPad app for the social media connection to Twitter.

RH: I have used a couple of different apps for Twitter and seem to always come back to the original.

Pandora

Format: iPad, iPhone, Droid, Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Internet

This highly rated iPad app works as a personalized radio station. You can tailor the music the way you want by artist, genre, etc.

RH: This is the same personalized radio app as the computer version. The free version has occasional adds and some restrictions on skips, etc. 

TurboCollage Pro

Format: iPad
Price: 2.99
Vendor: iTunes


As the name implies, this app is for making photo collages and the like. 




RH: This is the fee version of the entry level and "lite" versions. Unless you do a lot of work with any app, the free version will probably do fine. After you see what the free version limits are, you may want to upgrade. I have used this to make collages of my students and their work. It works very well for documentation and it is quick and easy. 

Pages

Format: iPad, iPhone, iPod
Price: 9.99
Vendor: iTunes

Nice word processing app which allows you to export in Pages, Word, or PDF format. You may import videos and run them as well. Pages works with iCloud so all your iOS devises will be up to date and will allow you to continue your work on the go.

RH: Pages is one the heavy hitters within the Apple lineup to compete with Microsoft word processing programs. This app can be compared to the word processing that is available on Mac machines. Reviews are not stellar for this app but it is probably one of the better word processing apps available for the iPad. I use a number of note pad type of apps including Pages. It is the most versatile and saves to iCloud.

RedLaser

Format: iPad, iPhone, Android
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Google Play


Bar code and QR code scanner app. This app reads codes and interprets them giving you an option to continue to the URL connected to a voice message or webpage.


RH: There are a lot of code readers out there but this is the one with which I've had the most success. The measure of success for code readers is how quickly the reader locks in the code and gives the message. I have placed QR codes on my web page for students to scan for hidden messages or statements. Codes are lots of fun and guarantee student engagement.

Flipboard

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes


Amazing news gathering app loaded with search able articles and pictures. This app can be tailored to your likes.


RH: This news app is a great class resource for images from all over the world.

Google Earth

Format: iPad, Web
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Internet

 This geography and travel app is great for showing "real time" views of the world to your class as well as for planning travel with mileage and times provided.


RH: Great for social studies as I can show a "fly in" to any location in the world and especially good for physical features such as mountain ranges, volcanoes, and the like. Street view takes you personally to any location that has been photographed, including most buildings of interest.

Bobsled

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Internet


This nifty app by T-Mobile will turn your iPad into an internet phone for free. All you need is the app and an internet connection through wifi and you can make free calls to your contacts.


RH: Cool app that I use "just because I can." Since I have an iPhone I really have no need for this but it is just cool to call from your iPad. This works a bit like iPad's Face Time accept it is audio only and works across all devices no matter the make.

iTunes U

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes


Watch lectures, and many other college and k-12 educational presentations. Watch a lecture from Stanford as if you were in the class room.


RH: More and more content is being added to this app every day. Watch your favorite university lecture on just about any subject that interests you. The iTunes U app integrates with iBooks, iCloud, and other apps to make it easy to access what ever subject you want. There are pod casts and text copy as well.

Apps Gone Free

Format: iPhone
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes


A must have for a daily notification of temporary free apps. Every so often fee-based apps go on sale and are randomly free. This app collects about 8 to 12 apps and notifies you each day of the free ones. This is an iPhone app so it will show up on your iPad smaller but will work just fine.


RH: Awesome way to get in on free apps. The apps are usually not too expensive and are usually games and trivial ones. Sometimes, there are "keepers." You can try them, keep them, or toss them.

SCOtutor for iPad

Format: iPad
Price: Free for a limited time
Vendor: iTunes, YouTube


This tutorial app from ScreenCastsonline gives a head to toe introduction of nearly ever aspect of the iPad. It has a very well organized chapter list for immediate search options. 


RH: This app is very well organized and valuable to locate any hard to understand location, application, or function of your new iPad. It is a bit long at over 2 hours but you can search any topic and go right to it. This will assist you in setup questions and "where is it?" questions.

Splashtop

Format: iPad, Droid
Price: 19.99 (catch it on sale)
Vendor: iTunes, Google Play

Allows full access to your desktop computer and all functions. Anything you have on your machine will show up on your iPad screen and will be accessible via the network. You are completely untethered and therefor, wireless. Note: you need to download the free Splashtop Streamer from the Internet to your desktop to make the connection.

RH: This app is a must have for the classroom. It will free you from your desk to run videos, internet searches, and too many more!. The only negative factor is that you cannot run anything that originates from your iPad. Everything must be running on your desktop.

Dropbox

Format: iPad, iPhone, Droid, PC, Mac
Price: Free up to 2GB storage
Vendor: Itunes, Google Play

This handy app is universal and it allows you to take your photos, docs, and videos anywhere. You set it up with like email addresses on every machine and it serves as a go between all devices. It uses cloud technology which makes it available for internet and wireless networks alike. You can move files or documents easily from machine to machine. You must make an account at Dropbox.com before being able to use this app.

RH:There are a number of free services similar to dropbox and they do more or less the same thing.

Penultimate

Format: iPad
Price: $0.99
Vendor: iTunes

Pretty good handwriting app for note taking or doodling. Handwriting is very smooth and there is a clipboard tool available for moving various words or diagrams around or to other pages. This app has line, grid, and blank pages available.


RH: There are a lot of free handwriting apps out there and you will use the one that becomes familiar to you. This was a few dollars but because of the smoothing out effect on handwriting is a good deal.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy
Format: iPad, iPhone
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes

Can be used by both staff and students.  Project using VGA adapter. Hundreds of videos. Teacher toolkit available.

Evernote

Evernote
Format: iPad, Android
Price: Free
Vendor: Itunes, Google Play

Clip articles, pictures, and videos. Evernote will organize them for you and you can access them later.

KB: You can also take notes and they have a Google Chrome extension.

Reading Apps

 

Kindle, Nook 
Format: iPad, iPhone, Android
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes, Google Play

Now you can read on your iPad or Droid! If you have a Kindle or Nook e-reader, download the app and sign in!

KB: I use both. I don't own a Nook but I use their Free Book Friday promotion to load the app. I have Kindles and only use the app when I don't have either with me.

Pearltrees

Format: iPad, Droid, PC, Mac
Price: Free
Vender: iTunes, pearltrees.com

Web page aggregator and organizer – able to share with the web or individual email accounts. Able to search for related interests, borrow from anyone on the web, and share with anyone on the web. Internet-based with iPad app.


RH: This organization tool is one of many for iPad. The beauty is that you can use it on your iPad and it automatically pushes an update to your desktop and vise-versa.  You can also send an entire pearl tree or just one web site to anyone via email.