We’re half-way through 2013. Like I’ve done in years past, this week I’ll be featuring some of the best new tech tools of 2013 as well as some of the most popular posts of the year.

This week I got the itch to go beyond anecdotal stories about iPads in
the classroom and look for some more substantial research and writing on
the topic. Below are some of the reports that I’ve been reading through
this week.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development for Victoria, Australia iPads for Learning – In Their Hands field trial
studied the use of iPads in nine schools. One of the observations to
note here is that greater success was reported at primary and special
schools than in secondary schools.

The iPad as a Tool for Education
is a study based on iPad use at Longfield Academy, Kent, England .
There is strong emphasis on interpreting the data generated by surveying
students and faculty. It’s interesting to note the differences in how
students perceived the impact of iPad use on their achievement and how
teachers perceived the impact of students use of iPads on student
achievement.

Reading With iPads – The Difference Makes a Difference
studied the impact on the reading comprehension, knowledge of content,
and analysis skills of boys aged 11 to 13 who read using iPads.

Promoting Student Engagement by Integrating New Technology into Tertiary Education: The Role of the iPad
studied the use of iPads by teachers and students in distance learning
and in-person learning environments. The report includes some quotes
from students who seem to have benefitted from the use of iPads. I would
like to see the rest of the survey data that was used in the formation
of this report.

The Impact of the iPad and iPhone on Education
was published in 2010 and is speculative in nature as the students
surveyed had not yet been given iPads. The study was gauging student and
instructor interest in iPads and potential uses. I would like to see
the follow up report if there is one available.