iPad+Apps+for+Early+childhood

Keslie's Topic I became interested in this topic after watching a two year old effectively use and interact with apps on an iPad. The child was able to turn on the ipad, scroll through the pages, find her personal folder, and choose a game to play. I was amazed by this process and was very impressed with how she was able to independently use the iPad. As I watched her interact with the apps, I realized how educational the apps are in helping with cognitive, linguistic, and motor skills development. These apps require children to count, talk, write, manipulate items on a screen, color, read, sound out words, and so much more! I decided that I wanted to explore the variety of iPad apps and create a page that displays research, effective iPad resources, and ways of implementing iPad apps into the classroom for young children, as well as children with special needs. Children are now being born into a world that is inundated with technology. I find it interesting to be able to explore the world they are being born into by looking specifically at iPad apps and their effective application. iPad apps can be a valuable resource to engage children and increase their development.
 * __Watching and Wondering: How Did I Choose This Topic? __**

media type="youtube" key="MGMsT4qNA-c?version=3" height="225" width="432" align="center"

__**During the process of my research I asked the following questions: **__
 * ‍ ****How are iPad apps being used to help with cognitive development of children with special needs? **
 * How can adults use ipad apps with toddlers for effective developmental purposes? **
 * ‍ ****How do iPad apps relate to Piaget? **
 * ‍ ****What are some iPad apps that target language development, literacy development, and fine motor skills development in toddlers? **
 * ‍ ****Are iPad apps being used in the classroom? If so, how are teachers using them to impact learning? **
 * ‍ ****What do teachers need to know in order to utilize iPads for effective teaching? **

__**Webbing Process: Resources **__

[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This article, "Toddlers and Technology: Teaching the Techniques" by Lisa Luna DeCurtis and Dawn Ferrer outlines how speech therapists and parents can use iPad apps to help children with their language and social skills development. The authors stress the importance of parents not allowing the iPad to become the form of communication, but instead how they can implement its use to help their child gain communication skills. The article introduces the idea of how Jean Piaget’s developmental levels relate to how a child uses iPad apps. Strategies and effective usage information are discussed in this article for parents to refer to when using the iPad with their child.

<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This mother has created a blog that includes an entry about her top ten picks for iPad apps to use with toddlers. What is great about this is that she has watched her child interact with each of these iPad apps; therefore she can provide the reader with personal feedback. She includes a picture and a synopsis of each app. I like that in each synopsis, she provides the reader with helpful information about what the app targets developmentally, what she liked about the app, and which apps toddlers can do individually and which ones require assistance. She has iPad apps for development in the following areas: language, math skills, reading, auditory, colors, imagination/creativity, and much more.

<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This article, “Using iPad and iPhone Apps to Promote Speech and Language Development” by Tonya A. Lotzof is an amazing article with great resources. The reader will discover resources broken into the following developmental categories: vocabulary, articulation, pragmatics, and language. I love that the author broke the resources into specific developmental areas and created easy to read charts that list the name of the app along with a description and the benefits of a child using the designated app, as well as the appropriate age level. This makes it simple for a parent or educator to reference when looking for useful and effective apps.

<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">As a future educator, I was so excited to find this website. It provides teachers with numerous resources and ways for using iPad apps in the classroom. The creator of this website provides tutorials for using the iPad along with links to iPad resources. There are iPad apps to use with students, along with iPad apps for teachers to use for more effective teaching instruction. This website makes looking at resources very easy and provides a special section for how to use iPad apps for students with special needs.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This website is an online binder with multiple tabs of incredible information related to iPads. The neat aspect of this website is that the author provides information from real teachers and how they are using iPads in their own classroom, in regards to how to introduce iPads to your students, effective lessons that incorporate iPads, and how iPads have helped in reshaping the way teachers collect assessment. The author has also provided the reader with several news articles related to iPads being used in the classroom.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[] media type="custom" key="11109066" width="190" height="190" <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This website discusses how twenty schools in Chicago had the opportunity of implementing the iPad into their classroom. The reader must watch the video at the beginning of the article that showcases several teachers effectively using iPads to engage and expand students in the learning process. Teachers discuss how the iPad has changed their teaching because they can see that students are truly engaged in the lessons taught and the teachers can collect assessment instantly. This article is proof that if teachers use technology appropriately and have the desire to implement it into their teaching that it can transform the learning process for their students.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">How would you feel if you were told your kindergarten student would be using an iPad during the school year? Some parents might be excited, while others might voice some reservations. This is exactly what is happening in a school district in Maine who hopes to purchase iPads for each of the kindergarten students in the school. The University of Maine is in the process of conducting the study of the effects of using iPads for primary education. Although the school district and the University of Maine discuss the positive engagement and communication students will have while using the iPad, there are many parents and educators who do not believe an iPad should be given to such a young study body. Many are concerned with the idea that the iPad will cut off all communication and social skills, as well as replace teaching at a very expensive cost. Researchers and the district are working hard to explain to those concerned that the iPad will not replace teaching, but instead will be implemented into instruction. The article discusses that those researching and pushing for the iPads want to use them as a tool for expanding learning and engaging students, but in order to do this they are aware that educators must have a focus for how they will use iPads in the classroom for learning instead of just a piece of technology.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Cost is one of the major concerns when introducing the idea of purchasing new and upcoming technology for educational purposes. This article, “Paying for Technology Hinders Move to 21st Century Classrooms” Jennifer Feals discusses how a school district in Portsmouth, New Hampshire would like to implement new technology like iPads into the classroom, but it is very expensive. This article also makes explicit the importance of teachers using the technology wisely by incorporating technology along with traditional forms of teaching. The school district is aware that technology is moving education forward and they want to use it is their classroom to engage students. They also make a very important point about how every student has different learning styles and technology can help meet the needs of a diverse student body. This article is a perfect example of how a school district is not letting the cost stop them from helping to expand their students’ education through the use of technology, but instead they are displaying the effective use of reaching out to grant programs to help them achieve this goal.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This is a great blog/website created by an elementary teacher who wants to encourage and help teachers to incorporate technology into their teaching. He has provided teachers with incredible apps for all content areas in elementary education with an accompanying synopsis for each one. The reader will find great links to other websites for ideas and strategies for effectively using the iPad in the classroom. The best part of the website is watching the videos that show teachers and students interacting with iPads. The videos also interview teachers and students about the effectiveness of the iPad. It is amazing to see how engaged these students are and listen to their explanations of how to use the iPad and what they enjoy most about using the iPad for learning. Although my focus is on the iPad, this teacher also includes many other technology resources to use in the classroom.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This is a great website that discusses different iPad apps and their use with special needs students. The author has categorized the apps into specific areas of special needs students, such as vision impaired, reading skills, language development, fine motor skills, and more. The author explains how parents and educators can effectively use each app.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">SNApps4Kids is the ideal example of how teachers, parents, people in the medical field, as well as the community can come together to help children with special needs succeed and move beyond what others thought capable. This website provides great insight into demonstrating when used effectively how iPad apps are being used to help with cognitive development, oral language skills, and fine motor skills for children with special needs. The website provides numerous apps that have been reviewed and found appropriate for the developmental skills of special needs students. The website also provides details that explains the focus of each app.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">How would you react if you walked into your local Houston public library and saw toddlers using iPads? Well, do not be surprised if in the near future you witness this very incident. According to this article from HoustonChronicle.com, Houston public libraries are working to implement the use of iPads to help expand the learning of young children. The library is exploring the use of iPads for ages 2-6 in order to expose children to beginning literacy. It is believed that the iPads will provide various support for developmental needs and it will be easier for young children to interact with compared to computers.

__[]__ and [] These websites provide wonderful apps for infants through second grade. Parents and teachers will find iPad apps that teach math, reading, phonics, language, science, and life skills for children. There are some apps that include the Montessori view of learning. There are great apps that allow children to practice writing letters, which helps to develop their fine motor skills, as well as reading and writing skills. My personal favorite from this website is an app that teaches children vocabulary and numbers with flashcards in a variety of languages. These are only a couple of websites out of the thousands out there that provide educators and parents with great app resources.

[]

This is a great blog that provides iPad apps that can be adapted for kindergarten through eigth grade. This blogger did a lot of research to compile a great list of helpful iPad apps to use in the classroom. Below I have included a couple of my favorites from the blog:

__**[|ShowMe]**__: There are so any school districts that have interactive whiteboards, but these can be expensive. ShowMe is an interactivew whiteboard app to use on the iPad.



<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">As I read through my resources for iPads, I began to discover and recognize some commonalities in the information. Many people agree that iPads can be a useful tool in the classroom, as well as with young children for cognitive, language, and motor skills development. The reason for this is because the iPad and apps allow for the child to interact and manipulate the material, as well as target the growth of developmental skills.
 * [|Keynote]**: This is a great collaborative presentation tool for students to use in the classroom. Students can create wonderful slideshow presentations that include graphics, animation, videos, and charts.
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Wiggling and Weaving: __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Many people are now recognizing the benefits of iPads for children with special needs. Many parents who have children who are unable to speak are using apps on the iPad to help their children communicate develop oral communication skills. Also, the iPad provides effective apps that help children with special needs develop their fine motor skills. Simple tasks that we accomplish everyday and take for granted, special needs chidren can develop and become successful at through specific iPad apps. The apps can also help with cognitive development by providing challenging games that exercise the child's mind and keep it strengthened. Therefore, the iPad is an effective and engaging tool. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Many teachers in the articles and blogs I read discussed how iPads are revolutionizing their teaching and students’ learning. Teachers can see that iPads are engaging their students in the material being taught. Children are now born into a digital world. Therefore, I think sometimes adults underestimate the ability of children to use technology.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Teachers do not have to dismiss how they traditionally taught, but instead can determine how to appropriately implement the iPad into their teaching. As all of the articles and websites I read, the key to accomplishing this is by having a balance and knowing how to appropriately integrate the iPad so that it serves the purpose of learning. Teachers also explained how because of the use of the iPad their collection of assessment is instant, which in return has improved their teaching and students’ learning because of their ability to provide quicker feedback.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">One more very common theme I saw was the lack of support by parents and other educators in providing students with iPads. Many do not believe that the iPad is an effective tool and are concerned that teachers will use it in ways that inhibit children from actually learning. Another concern they voice is the cost. People wonder if tax dollars should be spent on providing a child with such an expensive tool. Unfortunately, iPads are so new that there is lack of research to support the effectiveness of their use in regards to learning. Therefore, those who want to purchase iPads for their school district must wait for more studies to be conducted, such as pilot programs, which will gather data that can be shown to those who would like more proof.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">__Wrapping and Waving__: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">I do not think that everyone will every agree with the use of iPads, but the videos I have provided in my Wiki are proof of how engaging, empowering, and effective the iPad is for teaching and student learning. Simply watching a toddler, elementary, middle school, or high school student manipulate and use the features of an iPad is incredible. Technology is never going to stop. Teachers know the power of technology and are working hard to gain access to the iPad for their classrooms in order to reinvent the wheel of learning. The bottom line is that the only way technology will work is if it has educators who believe it its use and want to use appropriately and effectively in the classroom.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">A few aspects of the iPad that cannot be ignored is the idea of giving a child such an expensive tool to use and wondering if it is even beneficial for their learning. Many schools who have written grants to take part in iPad trials or who have raised money for a set of iPads have taken careful consideration into how they will effectively use iPads in their classrooms, as well as providing tutorials to their students about the use of iPads and how to take care of them. I believe that on top of educating students, we must educate other teachers as well. A key component that I read about in a pilot program for another school was the concept of providing workshops every other month for teachers on new ways to implement the iPad into the classroom. Teachers must also educate each other and provide feedback about successful ways of using iPads. There are still people who will question the use of iPads for such young children, but like many articles pointed out, students are taking on this role of responsibility and understand that they have something very important to care for.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Funding is another key issue that needs to be discussed when planning on purchasing iPads. Many schools may not realize the importance and effectiveness of writing a grant. There are programs who are allowing districts to write proposals for how they plan to use iPads in their instruction. Districts must plan out specifically how they plan to use iPads and the benefits they believe the iPad will have for their teaching and students. If teachers can prove that they truly want to use the iPad as an effective tool, they could possibly be chosen for a year long pilot program in their school district. Schools must also prepare proper accomodations for the use of iPads, such as setting up a Wifi connection, as well as having appropriate training to educate teachers and other staff members. An established system must also be set in place in case an iPad is broken by a student. For example, will there be money set aside in a technology fund or will the student be responsible for paying for the repairs.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">More research needs to be conducted in order to prove the effectiveness of the iPad. There are several parents, educators, as well as others who believe that the iPad will not be used effectively, is a waste of money, as well as time. As educators we must work hard to collect as much research and data as possible to show the positive outcomes of using an iPad for teaching and learning. We are advocates for our students and if iPads will help meet the different needs of our students and transform our instruction then it is important that we continue informing those around us and gaining support.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">As a future educator I think the only way we can help people to see the benefits of the iPad is to keep educating and informing them through research and studies. Children are optimistic about everything and can see potential in the smallest things, my hope is that I can help people view the world of technology in this same way. I want to encourage people to not turn away the minute they see the price of an iPad, but instead convince them to continue researching the different opportunities there are for gaining access to a set of iPads for their school. I do not believe that iPads are going away anytime soon, but instead are here to stay and prove themselves to the world of education!

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">__**Wishing**__:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Now that I have learned so much about iPads, I hope to continue to inform educators, parents and others about the benefits of using iPads with children of all ages. I hope to help people feel more comfortable around technology and to see it as a beneficial tool in and out of the classroom. As a soon to be teacher, I want to demonstrate at some point in my career how to use an iPad effectively so that it has positive outcomes in building children’s developmental, cognitive, and motor skills.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">My ultimate goal is to erase any negativity towards the field of technology and see it used effectively to encourage learning with children. I plan to write a grant for iPads for my future school or district. I would love to take part in a study that provides iPads to districts that they believe will use iPads effectively and collect data that reveals how iPads are increasing and encouraging learning among students. I would love to demonstrate to genearal education teachers, as well as special education teachers how developmentally effective the iPad can be for students with special needs. If my school district were to receive iPads, I would like to set up a program that I read about in one of my articles, which provides a district tutorial every other month to update teachers about new ideas for implementing iPads into lesson plans.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">I really want to transform people’s thinking and negative attitude towards purchasing such an expensive tool for students. Most of all, I want to do what is best for students. I will be teaching a generation of students who were born into a life of technology and I want to be able to implement this into my classroom as another means of learning. I hope that through this research I have done for iPads, I can generate positive opinions and feedback for the iPad in the world of education.