Ipads in Primary Schools

[Cooners]

Hi

 

I've just been told that next week I have to set up Ipad mini's in a bunch of primary schools and there bound to want to know what they can do with them. The other school I deal with already has them and has had them for quite some time, so thinking that I could work out what they do with them and then tell the other schools I asked one of the TA's who's quite into them, I can't say I was surprised to find they haven't really got much use for them as the few web based programs they use are all flash based.

I was wondering if anyone on here could recommend some apps/non flash based web apps that I could recommend to all five schools so they get some good use out of these things, I'd hate to see them just end up gathering dust.

 

Many Thanks

[rush_tech]

Then I'm sure the question has to be raised 'Why are they buying them if they don't have a intended use?'

[Cooners]

I'm sure they have something in mind however what they think they can do with them and what they actually can do with them are two different things, for example the other school thought there web apps would work not knowing about the flash issue , I just thought it would be nice to have some software to show them so they can get the most out of them.

[kaphc]

Flash can work on iPads, but it's a case of downloading an alternative browser to Safari I think - have a look around and see what's on iTunes.

 

I'd suggest you get the ICT co-ordinators in the schools to read Mr Parkinson's blog which gives loads of really good ideas about how to link the use of iPads in the curriculum.

 

Apps we use in the primary curriculum include things like The very Hungry Caterpillar counting, Squeebles Times Tables, Sketch Me! and Pocket Phonics which are paid apps and then loads of free apps like Puppet Pals HD, Matches! Bubbleball, Collins Big Cat books, Sock Puppets, Bee-Bot etc.

 

If you're on Twitter, search #ipaded and #edapp and you'll get loads of results with suggestions too.

[Cooners]

Thanks thats just the sort of thing I'm after

[Andie]

Thanks from me too! iPads arrived today. But I'd warned them in advance about the flash issue...several hundred times....!

[kaphc]

Glad the suggestions are useful - I ought to add that I'm nothing to do with the blog I linked to, but I found it via twitter and think it's got some cracking ideas in it.

 

Some other points that occur to me:

 

- Are the iPads going to be 1 or 2 per class, or as a bank to use all at the same time? This will be a big factor in deciding what apps are useful for them.

- Look at the apps out there for working with the EYFS profile, such as 2BuildAProfile, which use the iPad to quickly record and upload evidence towards the EYFS goals. I haven't used this myself yet, but am looking at it as something for September.

- Another blog I find really helpful is Simon Haughton's Again, I have no personal connection with this but it's full of practical ideas and tips

[eean]

I've just had a look at puffin browser in the App Store. It seems to run flash remarkably well (via cloud servers) with a pop up touchpad overlay. Not sure eyfs children will be able to use it but certainly, with a little tuition, year one and up should manage it. I tried it on the interactive-resources maths games (spin to win etc...) and it worked fine. It's a £1.99 app but there is a 50% discount through the education volume purchase programme.

Check out your old flash favourite software houses e.g. Interactive resources and q and d multimedia. They are releasing ipad versions of their games. When the Internet became popular there was a lot of amazing content out there, and also a lot of dross. It's the same with the ipad and needs time invested to sort what's hot and not. It doesn't make the solution wrong, it just makes it different.

[edutech4schools]

If any of your other primary schools are looking to get i-pads I would highly recommend pointing them towards LearnPad - The Tablet Computer Designed for Education . Although they are Android and not I-Pad based you have full network drives linking on to the server, all the software and themes are all curriculum based and you set them up and configure them from a website or with bar codes. Amazing bit of software.

 

NB. No Flash issues

[synaesthesia]

If you're worried about Flash then send them right back. It's not worth the hassle using 3rd party unsupported products just to run certain flash sites. This is one of many reasons that schools absolutely need to buy a product for a purpose, not finding a purpose for a product they know nothing about (as has been said already).

 

On top of the curriculum side of things, also check out Meraki for managing them.

[DavidScott]

If you're worried about Flash then send them right back. It's not worth the hassle using 3rd party unsupported products just to run certain flash sites. This is one of many reasons that schools absolutely need to buy a product for a purpose, not finding a purpose for a product they know nothing about (as has been said already).

 

On top of the curriculum side of things, also check out Meraki for managing them.

 

 

Oh and wait until one of the kids drops one of them....

[synaesthesia]

Don't - it was me that broke the screen on mine first That was over a month ago and my hands are still full of Gorilla Glass.

[Cooners]

Cheers for the advice, the learning pads do look great but alias the head of the whole group very much likes apple kit (The main school is pretty much all Mac's) and the plans pretty much revolve around Mac's, Ipads and soon Apple TV's.