My previous post about iPads mentioned the power the iPad has for dramatically changing the way that teachers teach and students learn.  I also casually mentioned that the success of the iPad will depend greatly on the apps that will be developed for the iPad.  There are apps out there for the iPod Touch and the iPhone that may be similar to what I will describe below, but my intention is not to copy what others have already created.  Instead, my intention is to provide the conceptual framework for three apps the iPad will definitely need in order to succeed as a game changer in schools.  The three concepts relate to note taking, studying and reviewing, and individualizing curriculum.  In my previous post I outlined how the iPad can impact these areas.  Below is a description of the function of the apps necessary to make this work.

After reading this post, read another post where I discuss 15 more app concepts for the iPad.

Note Taking

Any note taking app will need two key features:  hand writing recognition and the ability to share.

The hand writing recognition will need the option of being turned on or off for different things.  For example, the student may be drawing a diagram of a plant cell, which would not need to be converted into text.  However, once labeling the various parts of the cell it might be wise for the option for the writing to be converted into text.  Any school teacher can tell you that some students have horrendous hand writing, therefore this is very important.  I can’t tell you how many times my students claim they can’t even read their own hand writing.  It might even be possible for the app to automatically detect the difference between writing and a sketch.  A spell checker would also need to be integrated into the program since it seems most students have difficulties spelling correctly.

The ability to share notes will also need to be a key feature.  Students often are absent for various reasons and have missed important notes.  They generally borrow notes from a friend and copy those notes which is a tremendous waste of time.  This seems to be why many teachers have began putting all of the notes into PowerPoint presentations so a copy can be downloaded or printed out as needed.  However, being able to share notes will be an important option.  There are various ways this could be done, including through email or directly through Bluetooth transfers.

This same note taking app could then be used as a classroom resource for teachers to do spontaneous quizzes or to have students pass in other short assignments.

I am sure many of you are thinking about the chance of students cheating using this app.  I am not an app developer, but I am sure there is some sort of encrypting/encryption that can make sure this does not happen.  There could be a unique ID attached to any note that cannot be altered.  In this manner, you’d be able to see quickly if an assignment was directly copied or an original work.  However, if education becomes truly individualized based on the needs of each student (see Individualized Curriculum below), then even this issue could be completely averted.

Studying and Reviewing

The studying and review app will need the following features:  integration with the note taking app, a flash card “game”, and an automatic study scheduler.

Many students lack appropriate study skills.  The students who choose to study often try to study too many things, which often include things they already know.  The students who choose not to study often say they forgot to study or that they do not know what to study.  If notes are converted into text, the studying and review app could easily look for keywords and headings to know which topics are most important.  These could be converted into flash cards that can be reviewed.  If the student gets the review card right, it shows up less often than the ones the student misses.

In order for the studying and review app to be truly valuable, it would need to have an automatic study scheduler.  Once the test date and topic is scheduled, the corresponding notes would be made into the flash cards that can be set to pop up every few minutes.  So if the study is playing a game, the flash card will randomly pop up for the review.  Actual study sessions could also be set so the student cannot do anything else until they study for a certain amount of time.  Instead of reviewing flash cards, they could actually review their notes in their entirety during this session.  Notes can then be annotated as well to help the student during the review sessions.

Individualized Curriculum

Similar to the studying and review app, the individualized curriculum app will have activities customized for the student based on how the student is progressing through the content.  Unlike the above mentioned apps, this app would be a different take on the textbook apps that are being created for the iPad.  This app basically would be the self-guided approach to the textbook.  The teacher would no longer be the source of all information.  The teacher would be there as a guide, coach, and mentor instead.  The students would progress through the curriculum at their own pace and level of understanding.

For example, let’s take the example of the Social Studies unit over the Civil War.  There are frameworks and guidelines for this unit provided at the national, state, and district levels.  The app would be aligned to these frameworks and guidelines.  The teacher could decide that the students will spend three weeks on the topic.  The unit would begin with a pre-test over the content of the Civil War to determine the starting point for that student.  The guided curriculum would be vary for each student depending on how well the student performed on the pre-test.  If the student lacks any knowledge, the curriculum will be guided towards understanding the basic concepts and the main ideas that the frameworks and guidelines, but is achievable within the three weeks.  The advanced student would get more in depth knowledge and application level guided learning to provide them with the things that will stimulate them.  This would be the ultimate individualized curriculum and it can be created with a properly designed app.

Of the three apps, this will be the most difficult to make because of the amount of development required to get the content level just right for individual students.  Given enough time, focus, and energy this app or series of apps would be the most powerful tool for improving education.  Imagine the ability for students to have review built-in and automatically keeping track of student progress through the curriculum.  Imagine each student learning the content at their level.  Imagine the teacher being there as a guide to help explain and encourage students individually and on their level.  No longer would the teacher have to teach to the middle and then supplement the lower and higher achievers.  This could truly be the most powerful change to education.

Final Thoughts

Even if these apps get created, it will take some time for them to get accepted and used widespread.  It will require entire classrooms being equipped with iPads.  It will not work if only a few iPads are available per class.  Each student needs their own.  The iPad would be their notebook and textbook.  It require teachers being retrained on how to utilize the equipment and apps, but it would truly have a huge impact on education.

Any app developers out there want to tackle any of these apps?  As a teacher, I can tell you I would LOVE to have these apps for my students.

Update

I have written another article that describes 15 additional iPad App Concepts here.  Feel free to read and comment on that post as well.

Related posts:

1. Six Ways the iPad will Transform Education
2. iPad as an Education Tool
3. 15 iPad App Concepts for Education
4. 10 iPad Educational Game Concepts
5. Is the iPad the Future for Schools?
6. Educational iPad Apps Available at Launch
7. More Educational iPad Apps Available at Launch
8. Common Concerns about the iPad’s Use in Education
9. iPad App Development…for Education
10. My First Impressions of the iPad