iPad and Smartboard

Last week in class we explored how students could use iPad technology to do an assignment for the class. We designed a lesson where the students had to use a presentation app to create a slideshow presentation about one of the continents of the world. This is a very useful app for the classroom because it is very similar to Microsoft PowerPoint but is easier to use because it is on the iPad and you can take the iPad with you wherever you go, unlike a big bulky computer. I think this could be useful in a classroom but only if iPads were available for all the students. Seeing as it is very unlikely that a school that I will work in will have the resources and money to allow each student in my classroom to have an iPad, I don't feel like this is very real world applicable.

We also explored how to use SmartBoards and all of the different ways we could use them during class. I thought it was really cool how a student could use the SmartBoard pens to write on the board, then there is the option to right click on the writing and it can be automatically changed into a typewritten word. This seems like it would be very useful if students have bad handwriting and it is hard for other students to discern what is on the board. I also liked the different games and test/quiz templates that were available in the SmartBoard program. It would be a great way to review the day before a test to have a jeopardy type game for the students to play. I think SmartBoards are very useful but once again budget plays a huge role in their classroom application. Because they are very expensive it is not always the case that each classroom will have access to SmartBoards.