Introduction

The problem:

According to Apple's own education department there are currently over 10 million iPads in classrooms, and this does not include the estimated 170 million iPads that Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook revealed Apple has sold since its creation. Apple also revealed in 2013, that over 1 million applications (apps) exist in their iTunes store for sale for these devices. In addition, Apple’s CEO said, that to date, users had downloaded 75 billion applications, and users visit the App Store 300 million times per week.

With the abundant availability of mobile applications and devices in schools and homes, how can one educator navigate the numerous options available in these spaces to find useful tools to aid their instruction and curriculum objectives without being lost in the "muck"?

About this blog:

This blog aims to assist instructors and educators in connecting their curriculum objectives to existing mobile applications by providing a dedicated space where current and future educators have identified resources available on the iPad and throughout iOS interfaces for use in classrooms and curriculum development. Utilizing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as our researched-based framework, ten educators identified twenty applications that represented the 9 indicators of the UDL guidelines supported by CAST.org. Our goal was to create a space where an educator could find appropriate apps to use in their classrooms, that could be recommended for students to use at home, or that could enhance the effectiveness of their daily curriculum objectives.

Why UDL?

We chose to use the lens of UDL, because UDL provides ways to develop curriculum that gives all individuals equal opportunities to learn, and removes any stigmas associated with educational accommodations.

According to CAST, UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone--not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs. (http://www.CAST.org)

By providing multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement in its 9 main indicators, UDL incorporates theories of Multiple Intelligence, and Assistive Instruction, while also creating additional frameworks that provide best practices for students and educators that go beyond the classroom and curriculum that can be incorporated in their everyday lives.

How to navigate, what are the tags?

This blog is simple to navigate. There are tags for each indicator as selected by the blog contributor. Also, there are tags to assist educators that are looking for apps that address educational objectives in Science, Reading, Math, Social Sciences and Writing. Some post have real-world examples of how they were used by instructors or students in classrooms, but all apps link to their iTunes purchase pages that have reviews and additional screenshot examples that can provide guidance for those interested in incorporating it in their curriculum.

For those familiar with UDL and its frameworks, you can navigate the blog by clicking on the tag associated with the desired tenant you are looking for, or peruse the apps by title, speciality area, or contributor for more information on how to incorporate these apps into your curriculum development or classroom.

For those unfamiliar with UDL, we would encourage you to click on the hyperlinks in this introduction to learn more about its creation and application opportunities in your classrooms. However, you can also review each app description to find out how the app meets the requirements of the selected indicator, according to the blog contributor.