More Than “Words with Friends” Applications for iPad Integration into the Classroom

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In today’s classroom the use of technology is vital in engaging students and presenting material in a fun and interactive manner. With all the technology available and with many students possessing smart phones and tablets, it’s no wonder they would rather play “Words with Friends” or “Flappy Bird” instead of sitting through yet another PowerPoint presentation on plant identification or the reproductive cycle of a ewe. Instead of “banning” these technological devices in the classrooms, educators need to take advantage of the applications tailored to education and even agricultural education.Let’s take a look at some of the applications (for everyday classroom use as well as those that focus on agricultural education topics) that are available for use on the iPad and iPhone.Google Drive (https://www. google.com/drive/) is an application available for download on a computer as well as applications available for portable and mobile devices. This program allows for creation of documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and forms etc. Google Drive then allows for sharing of files, increasing the opportunity for student collaboration. This platform is excellent for implementing group projects, since it allows for multiple editors to work on the same document simultaneously. Another useful feature is that Google Drive provides cloud-like storage and can be accessed from anywhere with Internet access, ultimately removing the age old excuse of “I leftmy homework at home.” Encouraging students to complete and submit assignments electronically allows for students to have constant access to their work and promotes organizational skills.Evernote (https://evernote. com/) is another excellent educational resource to encourage organizational skills. Evernote, much like Google Drive, is available for download for computer desktops as well as tablets and mobile devices. This software allows for notes and documents to be uploaded and then organized via “notebooks” and/or tags. The synchronization function within Evernote allows for any and all devices with Evernote enabled to maintain the same content, essentially another version of “cloud storage.” Evernote allows for sharing of information, allowing students to send information to one another. The search function within Evernote also allows for notes to be found in a quick and efficient manner.Quizlet ) serves as an excellent high tech study aid for students. No more making vocabulary flashcards on plain white index cards, when students can make them electronically and access them anytime on their phone or tablet. Students can create a free Quizlet account and have access to a huge database of flashcards regarding subject matter in Horticulture, Animal Science and a wide variety of agricultural topics. Quizlet contains over 35 million study sets that have already been created and can easily be accessed. Students also have the option to create their own set of flashcards pertaining to specific classroom content. The Quizlet application can be downloaded for mobile/tablet devices and provides students with unlimited access to their flashcard sets.Let’s now consider some applications that can be implemented specifically in an Agriculture Education Classroom.CEV- Floral and Wildlife ID apps- These applications are great for re-enforcing plant and wildlife identifications. The Floral ID application can be used to assist in preparation for the National Floriculture CDE. This application contains the entire 124 floriculture plant list and is geared toward assisting students with plant identification. The app contains plant images, audio pronunciation of the common and botanical plant names, as well as a practice quiz (so students can test their knowledge). The Wildlife ID app is set up along the same lines as the Floral ID app. The Wildlife ID app is aimed at student preparation for the National Environmental and Natural Resrources CDE.