There's an App for That!

On August 31, I held an interactive poster presentation at the 12 Annual Teaching and Learning Conference held at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The title of the presentation was, "There's an App for That- Using iPads in Education." Matt Ebert (photo-right) and Kevin Mont from Apple Corporation collaborated with me on the session. Approximately 200 faculty members attended and interest was extremely high for this new mobile appliance. I showcased some free and very intriguing apps and also demonstrated how to project selected applications to an external monitor or video projector. Videos and web pages can display fairly well, but most other applications cannot be projected at this time. I am certain this situation will quickly change as more apps are added daily. There is also interest in how Flash video could play on the iPad but this is still under development. We shall see how this unfolds.

Some of the most interesting apps discussed include:

Planets- see what constellations and planets can be seen at specific times and locations
AppsMosaic- get a random search of free and paid apps with a mosaic interface- it's fast!
Shakespeare- download the best of the playwright for free
Bombardier- a game that helps you to understand gravitational forces- very addictive
Action Buggy- a game that improves your hand (finger) and eye coordination
Epic Citadel- demonstration of high quality graphics, navigation, and sound- highly recommended!
VGA Expedition- display some apps on an external monitor or projector
X Invasion 2- free game for flying a fighter jet or Corsair aircraft- get a sense of flying and navigation
Dinosaurs- Tour the American Museum of Natural History for free
Gravity HD- game of logic and physics- highly interactive game, and allows for custom design
Crystal Portal HD- interactive mystery with high quality graphics, music, requiring problem solving skills
Louvre- tour artwork, learn about the masters, and take it on your own tour at the Louvre for free