Classroom technology has come a long way from computer rooms filled with clunky, oversized desktops.
Today’s technology is flexible, portable, and designed to make teaching and learning more accessible. Many classrooms, especially in lower grades, use educational apps on iPads to help students access online learning tools.
If you need help finding the best apps that align with your teaching goals and engage students in appropriate learning activities, here are 10 resources designed to transform the learning experience and empower teachers and students.
1. PDF Expert: Edit, Read, and More with this iPad App
What is it?
PDF Expert is a PDF editor and annotation tool for iPads, iPhones, and Mac computers. This is an ideal app for older students in middle or high school.
Why do teachers love this iPad app?
In the past, editing PDFs has required some creative workarounds. This app lets users highlight, comment, write, draw, and insert voice notes on a PDF.
Integrations with Google Drive (including Google Docs), Dropbox, and OneDrive allow teachers to access documents anywhere. Document organization settings help teachers easily keep track of student work.
What’s the cost?
PDF Expert offers a free and Premium option. The Premium plan has two billing options: a single lifetime payment of $139.99 or a yearly payment of $79.99 for the first year and $6.67 monthly thereafter.
2. iDoceo: Affordable iPad App Gradebook and Planner
What is it?
iDoceo is an all-in-one planner, gradebook, and classroom management app.
Why do teachers love this app?
This app is a single source of information for individual student data, including grades, teaching plans, and seating charts. iDoceo integrates with Google Classroom, Quizizz, Moodle, and other learning platforms.
According to reviews, some of the most popular features include creating rubrics, personalizing seating charts with photos, and adding notes to almost any field.
What’s the cost?
iDoceo is a one-time purchase for $19.99.
3. Explain Everything: Create Videos and Collaborate with this App
What is it?
The advanced whiteboard tool Explain Everything allows users to create interactive lessons, record video tutorials, and collaborate with students in real time.
Why do teachers love it?
Teachers can add drawings, text, images, screen recordings, and videos to each slide for a completely interactive and personalized learning experience. Presentations can be uploaded to your online classroom for individual learning or group instruction.
What’s the cost?
Explain Everything offers a free option with limited features and an Advanced plan at $69 a year. Custom pricing is available for school-wide licenses.
4. Classroomscreen: Free Digital Whiteboard iPad App
What is it?
This online whiteboard tool is a good app for using various classroom management tools in a single app.
Why do teachers love it?
A host of tools keep students engaged:
visual timers
noise meters
random name pickers
polls
text and drawing tools
The background can be customized with images, colors, and widgets to personalize your Classroomscreen.
What’s the cost?
Classroomscreen’s basic plan is free and allows access to all widgets and the template library. For $29/year, the Pro plan includes saving and sharing screens, organizing screens, and accessing all backgrounds.
5. Planboard: A Free Lesson Planner iPad App
What is it?
Planboard is a lesson planning and scheduling app.
Why do teachers love it?
Curriculum integrations allow users to select from state and national standards as they write their lessons. The drag-and-drop scheduling tool adjusts lessons in seconds.
Once entered into the app, plans are saved forever, allowing teachers to roll them over from year to year. Cloud syncing makes plans accessible from any device with the app.
What’s the cost?
The app is free for teachers.
6. Showbie: An iPad App that Brings Your Classroom Together
What is it?
Showbie encourages paperless classrooms by providing a central location for direct instruction, independent practice, feedback, and assessment. It is available on the web or in the app store for iPhone or Android.
Why do teachers love it?
Moving most aspects of instruction onto the Showbie app reduces excess paper and eliminates long lines at the copier.
Some of the most popular features include:
annotation and feedback tools for immediate feedback via text, voice, and drawings
color-coded folders
student portfolios for each student’s work and assignments
What’s the cost?
Schools and districts must request a quote from Showbie for pricing.
7. TinyTap for iPad
What is it?
Designed for children ages two to eight, TinyTap offers more than 200,000 educational games covering math, literacy, science, and social skills.
Why do teachers love this app?
Teachers can use the app to create interactive puzzles, flashcards, e-books, lessons, quizzes, and games for their young students without coding knowledge. The app allows offline access.
What’s the cost of this app?
The cost varies depending on how you use the app. Monthly and annual plans are available with a subscription, or you can purchase courses to target specific skills.
8. Mentimeter: An iPad-friendly Formative Assessment Tool
What is it?
Mentimeter is used to create interactive presentations that engage students through live polls, quizzes, word clouds, and Q&A sessions.
Why do teachers love it?
Teachers can use the activities available on Mentimeter to gather instant data about student understanding. Student responses are shown anonymously so introverted students can comfortably engage with the assessment.
Students do not need to download an app to participate. They use a code to access the classwide Mentimeter presentation. This feature is invaluable if your iPads are already low on storage.
What’s the cost?
Three plans are available: Free, Basic ($11.99/month), and Pro ($24.99/month). Schools and districts may opt for an enterprise plan, which makes the app available to all teachers.
9. ABCmouse Free iPad App
What is it?
ABCmouse is an education platform for early learners. It offers a structured, interactive curriculum covering literacy, math, science, social studies, and health for preschool to second-grade students.
Why do teachers love it?
A step-by-step learning path creates an adaptive learning environment that meets students at their level with more than 10,000 stories, games, puzzles, and songs.
Progress on ABCmouse syncs across iPads, smartphones, and computers so students can use the app at school and home. Printable worksheets are also available for teachers who want to take learning offline.
What’s the cost?
ABCmouse is free in public schools, private schools, and Head Start programs. If families want to access their child’s account outside school, it costs $0 for the first 30 days and then $14.99/month.
10. Lingokids: A Playlearning App Designed for iPad
What is it?
Lingokids uses play-based learning to teach academic and social skills to children between two and eight.
Why do teachers love it?
Over 1,200 activities introduce or review math, science, literacy, art, music, STEM, and physical activity skills. The app also offers social and emotional learning, environmental education, and citizenship lessons.
An ad-free environment means students never see unwanted or inappropriate advertisements.
What’s the cost?
With the free plan, users can access limited daily activities. Lingokids Plus is $14.99/month or $89.99/year, unlocking unlimited games, offline access, and tracking tools.
With these 10 essential iPad apps for your classroom, you're sure to capture your students' attention and keep them engaged all school year long!