A is for App: Surveying Teachers About the Use of iPads/Tablets in the Classroom

iPads and tablets are now in classrooms for the children to use ranging from educational activities to leisure activities. Current research findings are mixed as to whether they are helping or hindering children’s learning. For the purpose of this study, a 14-item survey was administered to elementary school teachers working in Southern Minnesota area school districts. The focus of this survey was to gain a better understanding of how teachers are using iPads and tablets in the classroom and which apps are most commonly used. Information on which apps are most common in different classroom subjects as well as the most common types of apps were also collected. It was hypothesized that the apps in the classroom were serving as instructional aids and curriculum supplements in order to improve the students’ learning experience. Implications of the findings will be discussed as they may help teachers choose the most useful apps for their classroom