iPad as a Creation Device

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    I love the iPad for schools. Is it challenging? Yes, but no tool gives you a better creative experience. It has tons of software through the app store, and the built-in camera gives you options you just don’t have on other devices. If creation is a key for you, there is not much you won’t like.
​     The first thing that stands out to me with the IPad is the camera. Video is such an easy way for students to create and tell a story. They also really need a camera that is easy to shoot in the first person. Other devices have cameras but too often have to keep them in a laptop format to shoot with the camera or have some cumbersome flipping motion. I would much rather have something natural like an iPad. It also doesn’t hurt that the iPad camera quality tends to be better.
      Video is also the first thing I think of when I think of the App Store. I do t think you can find a better device with more varied tools to edit video than an iPad. You can do all different types of video, and there is an editing tool for every level that of skill. My favorite for years has been TouchCast Studio, and they just happen to only create for iPad because that’s where they will get the most bang for their buck. There are other developers in that same boat that makes some of the best creative tools exclusive to the Apple App Store. We can’t ignore that.
       It’s not just video, though. The App Store provides experiences that you just can’t get anywhere else. It had all here office suites, and Keynote is my favorite presentation maker. The only other place you can get that is on Mac. You can create with whiteboards, you can start with VR, and you can code (with Tynker). The only way to get that other places is just not cost-efficient. 
        It’s not to say there isn’t value in other devices, though. IPads can still be tough to manage, and doing things like essay writing on them isn’t perfect. The main rub, though, is that not every teacher is ready for a completely creative environment. Until we are in that boat, I get purchasing other devices but starting inching your teachers to create with iPad carts. With a bit of training and PD, you won’t regret it. It’s what is best for students.