TECH - iPad Basics

I am very new to the iPad world and all the apps and devices that are contained in it. However, my first experience has been in my class, and so far I am learning so much through being submersed in the device twice a week. The device is so much easier to use than other tablets, and has so many possibilities for the classroom. I do have to say I am loving using a touch screen and not having to rely on a mouse. This aspect is one of the main reasons that I am loving using certain apps on the tablet as opposed to the regular computer.

I played around on an app called Keynote for a while, which is like the Apple version of Powerpoint. While I have recently posted that I liked Powerpoint better than Google slides, I have to say this will not be the case for Powerpoint vs Keynote. I'm not sure if it was because I was using the tablet and could easily move the slides where I wanted them, or if it was the sheer "newness" of it for me that captured my attention. Either way, I highly enjoyed my time using keynote.

Keynote is basically like Powerpoint. When compared to Powerpoint, there are many similarities. Keynote and Powerpoint both have an array of choices, whereas this is the area that Google Slides fell short. Keynote had many different background options, just like Powerpoint. It also had a number of layouts. Some of which were better than the ones on Powerpoint.

One of the main differences that made me like using Keynote more than Powerpoint, came from the fact that I was using the app on a touchscreen device. I found that switching the order of the slides was incredibly easy. Almost too easy at times, because I accidentally moved some all over the place while I was trying to play around with different options. But I like that I could grab a slide and move it around and move everything back and forth. This will make it a lot easier if I change my train of thought multiple times throughout the course of making the slideshow, which I usually do.

Another new app that has been introduced to me is the iThought app. This app is for mind mapping, and honestly, this does not even sound the slightest bit appealing to me. I have never been the type of learner that needed to start with a map to "get my thoughts together" and I HATED when I was made to do this in school. In high school, I would actually write out most of my paper if I had to then map out what I had already written. Maybe I could never get the hang of it because I never gave myself enough room to write out what I needed to and I always ended up rewriting everything 100 times. I suppose this is where iThought comes in. It is editable and you can move around each of the bubbles as you come up with more things to say. I think this would be a great way to get students in to mind mapping, so they can see what they are wanting to say, so they won't end up rambling on like I usually do. I think students would enjoy getting to move information around and really focusing on the information they are putting on the page, as opposed to the amount of space they have left.

My last app I discovered this week is Rover. When I first saw it on my iPad I thought it was a game that was going to start blaring music at me when I clicked on it, so I always refused to click on it while in class. Now I know it is actually another browser that is available. The little time I had on the app I realized that it was an education based browser. I did some research on the app and found out that it can block content. This is great for kids and students, so they can be working on what they need to, and not be playing around and getting in to other sites that are not age appropriate. The only thing about this app, is that it is limited to Apple products because of Flash and other techy issues, but it would really be great to see on other devices, so parents can have this on their phones as well, even if they don't have an Apple.