Have you seen a kid around an iPad? They just pick it up and start using it. No manuals, no instructions; no keyboard or mouse needed. My friend’s young daughter picked up his digital camera and couldn’t figure out why nothing happened when she ‘pinched’ the LCD screen on the back – and I’m sure we’ve all heard similar stories.

Seeing as Apple’s touch-screen devices have only been with us for about 4 years, that’s pretty impressive. The steady evolution of Apple’s iOS devices has made touch interaction the standard for how we all are interacting with technology now – not so much an anecdotal fact when you consider how many other manufacturers are rushing to compete with Apple in the same consumer space.  Another educator friend got in touch asking about iPad resources in schools, and then wowed me with the knowledge that she’s fortunate to be smack dab in the middle of a school with tremendous focus on ICT – including netbooks, iMacs and iPads.

Because the iPad is so new, documentation about usage cases is thin on the ground, but steadily growing. Pilot programmes are kicking off all over the world, some in partnership with Apple, some going it independently (like our school will be shortly). Educators see students engaging with it, and know they’re on to something powerful that can and will transform the way that children are educated.

I’ve tried to round up the most detailed resources on iPads currently being used in the classroom. Please add any more resources in the comments.

• Fraser Spiers – a lot of philosophy and strategy in how iPads can and are being used.
• Brad Johnston’s Music Tech for Teachers
• iPad Educators Ning – A collaborative site for anyone wishing to communicate with other iPad educators
• Sam Gliksman’s Blog – related to the above Ning, notes and thoughts about usage
• Tony Vincent’s ‘Learning in Hand’ Article on iOS device issues in schools
• Apple (UK) Education Apps
• Apple Education – Mac, iPod, iPad and iPhone for learning
• App Store Apps’ Top 50 Free Education Apps
• I Education Apps Review – A Community effort to grade “educational apps”
• Victorian Government Schools (Australia) – iPads for Learning Trial – most impressive so far, includes lesson plan ideas

Related:

• ThoughtAudio – free audio books
• BioCourseware – educational webapps (webapps are programmed and distributed without the means of the App Store)
• Apps for (Special) Education – Or Learning Support, Special Needs, etc
• Educational Apps with video out - useful for using on a projector
• 10 Excellent iPad Apps for the Lifelong Learner