Using Apps in the Classroom, iTunes U Courses
The Using Apps in the Classroom collection on iTunes U is a series of courses available for educational purposes. They are for teachers to gain ideas about handy apps that can be used to broaden the horizons of student learning. The collection spans a variety of apps, making it useful for all educators. With 18 different courses to choose from, I couldn’t help but notice titles like Explain Everything Lesson Ideas, Hopscotch Lesson Ideas, and Aurasma Lesson Ideas.
To find the collection on your iPad:
1) Get the free iTunes U app
2) Under the Featured tab, scroll down to find the link that says For Educators
3) Scroll through page for collection titled “Using Apps in the Classroom”
The Skitch Lesson Ideas course book opens wide the door for teachers looking to incorporate the app into their daily curriculum. The book comes with a good introduction to the app, along with a video about how to use it. The app can be used for the education of students aged 5-18, with the targeted subjects (there are a variety of them) changing with the age of the student. Ideas for activities using the app are outlined for each subject/age group, along with examples and sample rubrics that teachers can use to assess the projects. Overall, the course book showed me that technology is great about teaching you how to use it with other technology! I loved the design of the book, and the organization makes it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for. The entire collection should be checked out by any tech-savvy teacher that frequently uses iPad apps for learning.