iPad Basics: Transition to iPad

Making the transition to 1:1 iPad to engage and make learning accessible for all. Our school transitioned to a 1:1 iPad program for K-12 this school year. This resource will provide best practices to help teachers use iPad for teaching and learning featuring the iPad Camera, Accessibility, Google Suite and Translation, which will help teachers navigate and effectively utilize the iPad.

Using iPads with Google Suite:

When using Google Suite on iPads, it's important to note that Google Apps, such as Google Docs, sheets and slides have limited functionality compared to their web versions. The full capabilities of Google Suite can be accessed through the Safari browser. I recommend saving Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides to your home screen on your iPad for quick and easy access via Safari.

Ready to explore beyond Google Apps? 

• Pages for iPad
• Keynote for iPad
• Numbers for iPad

These apps can be used offline and are excellent resources for creating books, learning journals, modeling and explaining concepts.

Camera:

The iPad camera is a powerful tool that empowers students by allowing them to:

• Take videos to share their thoughts.
• Record and practice new information.
• Take pictures of their work and use markup to annotate.

Going Beyond with Camera: 

Use the camera to translate text. The translation tool can lift text from a book, worksheet or wall and translate the text to their native language.

Translation:

Translation helps multi-language leaners communicate with their teachers and peers. It is a powerful app that allows you to have a conversation with students that translates in real time on the screen. Use this tool with students to create an inclusive environment for all.

Accessibility:

The built-in accessibility features of the iPad are transformative. For instance, using speech-to-text can encourage students who struggle with writing to express their ideas verbally and convert their ideas to text.

By leveraging these tools on iPad, teachers can enhance learning experiences, making them more engaging and accessible for all students.