Grants for iPads in Schools

Posted on by mkaufman

using grants to get ipads for school

It looks like there are a number of schools using (or getting) grants that enable them to use iPads in their school. The following are a few of the articles I’ve found recently that mention how schools are using grants to get iPads.

Big grant will help West St. Paul school go ‘paperless’

Updated: 9/30/2010 11:07:05 AM
West St. Paul, Minn. — From the curb of Butler Avenue, Heritage Middle School looks like any other school. But step inside and you’ll quickly learn science and technology is king. Now, a federally funded grant for magnet schools will give the king a kick start.

Every kid at the 690 student school will get an iPad or iPod touch. It means a lot to a magnet school that focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math.

KARE Channel 11

Grant secures iPads for Attalla schools

Published: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 9:14 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 9:16 p.m.
The school system recently used grant funds to purchase 10 iPads to be used by administrators, teachers and students.

“We’re trying to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs,” said Wesley Gulledge, assistant principal of Etowah Middle School and site director of the school’s 21st Century Community Learning Center. “Tomorrow’s jobs are going to want them to have technology skills. It’s our job to make sure students have access to that technology and know what they’re supposed to do with it.”

The Gadsden Times

Grant lets school add iPods as learning tools
Written by Deb EgenbergerThursday, 23 September 2010 21:23

A grant written by technology coordinator Robbi McKenney and awarded from the John R. Applegate Fund through Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation has allowed the district to purchase 10 new iPod Touch units, two iHome speaker systems and extra headphones.

These are in addition to 10 iPod Classics, 20 iPod Touches and an iPad the school already has available for K-12 students.

The iPod Touch and iPad units have been loaded with educational applications that can integrate into a variety of subject areas including Spanish, science, history, art and math.

Last spring, the advanced computer class completed a project with second and sixth graders using the iPod Touch to learn Spanish, improve spelling, do research online and study geography.

The Gothenburgtimes

IPad hits N.S. classrooms
$10,000 worth of Apple tablets for teachers and students

Last Updated: Friday, September 24, 2010 | 5:25 PM AT
A Nova Scotia elementary school has added the iPad to its list of classroom teaching tools.

Mount Carmel Elementary School in New Waterford, Cape Breton, bought 10 of the high-tech tablet computers this year to share among its students as a complement to textbooks and chalkboards.

Principal Lowell Cormier said the $10,000 cost was covered by a combination of fundraising, community partnerships and school board contributions. He said the school expects a good return in the form of improved learning.

CBC News

Freshmen in Naselle get iPads, thanks to grant
NASELLE, Wash. — School officials in the small Southwest Washington town of Naselle are hoping some new technology will boost performance among high school freshmen.

The school district last week provided its 29 freshmen with iPads outfitted with educational software such as graphing calculators. The high school has 150 students.

Apple’s latest portable computer typically retails for $499. The Daily News of Longview reports the district purchased the iPads with a $20,000 grant from a private foundation and invested $25,000 of its own money in training for teachers.

The Daily News

Pearson Testing Social Studies Text on iPad

Posted on by mkaufman

As predicted getting students to use iPads to access text books is on the horizon. Here’s an article about a one the major text book publishers testing a social studies curriculum being offered on the iPad.

Virginia Schools Launch iPad Study Program
September 30th, 2010 at 8:26 AM – News by Jeff Gamet

Schools in Virginia have teamed up with the educational book publisher Pearson to launch an iPad-based social studies program that relies on Apple’s iPad instead of traditional textbooks. The 12-week test program will include seventh and ninth grade students in two counties, and is the first educational program of its kind.

The test program includes four iPad apps designed by Pearson just for the school’s U.S. and world history curriculum. Students will be able to use the apps to create their own customized textbooks from course materials, play interactive games designed to reinforce class lessons, and take tests.

iPads go to school in Virginia

The idea behind the US$120,000 test program is to draw in students that are more comfortable with digital content than traditional printed media. “The knowledge gained will help policy makers, educators and our private sector partners better understand the potential instructional uses of interactive digital media and wireless technology,” commented Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright.

Pearson and the Virgina school system are working with Radford University to evaluate the results of the program. Virginia’s iPad learning program is set to launch on November 1.

Does the iPad Improve Science Comprehension?

Posted on by mkaufman

iPad in Elementary School

A school district in Northern Kentucky is experimenting with iPads to see if they will improve science comprehension. My prediction is that it will – if the teacher is any good and doesn’t just do the same thing they’ve always done. I imagine the novelty of getting to use iPads will create some enthusiasm and excitement in the young people and as a natural course they will pay more attention and be intrinsically motivated to participate. The idea of a pre-test and a post-test could be a good idea however that should be done with care. We’ll look forward to seeing what happens.

By Associated Press
10:15 AM EDT, October 1, 2010

INDEPENDENCE, Ky. (AP) — One northern Kentucky elementary class has become a testing ground to see whether technology can improve students’ comprehension of science.

Fourth-graders at Summit View Elementary School received $30,000-worth of iPads in late September from the Duke Energy Corporation. The Kentucky Enquirer says the devices are part of a pilot project between Duke, a Cincinnati firm called STEM Innovations and the Kenton County School District.

Students were tested in science and completed surveys about their attitudes toward science a week before the 27 iPads arrived.

They will be tested and fill out surveys again in the spring.

The students are using them now for in-class math and science assignments.

Information from: The Kentucky Enquirer, http://www.nky.com

Scientists Using iPad at Archeological Site

Posted on by mkaufman

Entering data about an excavated basin rim into FMTouch. Its lack of moving parts makes iPad preferable to laptops in the trenches, where dirt finds its way into keyboards, ports, and screen hinges.

As more and more iPads find their way into work environments – both in the office and out – it is likely their use will highlight some of the value teachers and school officials may find in adopting the iPad for school settings.

Apple has a number of great examples on their web site of iPad changing the way people do business. In this one example – Discovering Ancient Pompeii with iPad – they highlight how the iPad is revolutionizing how scientists work in the field. Rather than recording notes and sketches on paper, researchers at the site use iPad and apps to capture invaluable historical data faster, more easily, and with far better accuracy.

Imagine how this kind of application can be applied in school settings. Not only does this change the dynamic in the classroom but it also untethers the learning from inside the classroom and allows students and teachers the option of taking the learning outside – into the community. Doesn’t that make sense? Isn’t that the kind of learning we would imagine for our children?

I’m excited about this kind of possibility!

The applications mentioned in this article are:

iOS 4.2 for iPad includes AirPrint

Posted on by mkaufman

One of the complaints that people have had with the iPad is the inability to print. A couple of weeks ago Apple released the first Developer Beta for iOS 4.2, allowing developers to get an idea of what iOS 4 is like on an iPad. Click here for a video preview of the release. Obviously the ability to multi-task will be welcomed by many iPad users however the update’s headline feature is wireless printing, which Apple has called “AirPrint”.

I imagine schools will find the ability to print just one more reason to use iPads in School (or one more reason to be happy they are already using the iPad in School).

Here is a quote from the Press Release that accompanied the announcement of AirPrint: AirPrint wireless printing for iPad™, iPhone® and iPod touch® to members of Apple’s iOS developer program today, and that AirPrint will be included in the free iOS 4.2 software update in November. AirPrint automatically finds printers on local networks and can print text, photos and graphics to them wirelessly over Wi-Fi without the need to install drivers or download software.

The 4.2 update will bring the iPad into line with iPhone and iPod Touch which have been running iOS 4 since July.