Ginkgo Walkway

Free Rice

I love this game on so many levels.  First off it is a great way to build vocabulary.  It gives you a word and you must choose from the four words below which one defines the word.  There is even a button that sounds the word out to  you so if it's something you are stuck on it will help.  So the coolest feature on this site is that every time you get a word right they will donate 10 grains of rice to the World Food Programme.  That is so awesome because not only is this site helping your students with vocabulary but in the process of learning your students are helping those that are hungry.  This site is just so amazing I cannot recommend it enough.  I know this is for language arts but you can do other subjects as well.  What a great motivator for your students to learn so they can feed the hungry.  This would be a great activity to do in your spare time between lessons or classes.  

Furious Frogs

Another great game to really hammer in those skills you are learning in class.  This would be either a great hook or, like the last game, a time filler in your room.  Here the students play as frogs and try to eat the most flies.  In order to do that, however, the student has to correctly identify the right fly based on the word in the center.  They must find the synonym, antonym or homonym of the word in the center.  This is a fun multiplayer game that will get students competitive side to drive them in to the right direction of learning. 

These two games are great for teaching students new words or allowing them work on the words that trouble them.  It is fun and if the teacher turns it into a competition then it drives the students to do better not only because its a game but now they have to beat their friends.  Free rice is my favorite of my favorites.  I love that it promotes and helps a great cause and with the help of your students then you can really make a difference which will impact their lives, and the lives of hungry familys for years to come.  

Hazelnut Passage

The two games that I liked were The Great Flu and Stop Disasters.

The Great Flu

I have played games similar to this one except I was the flu trying to wipe out the population of the Earth so it was nice to be on the other side for a change.  This game is so realistic in how you play.  I tried my hardest to stop the flu but in the end everyone got it and the world was doomed.  This game is very strategic and a great problem solver exercise for students.  Not only do you have to stop the flu but you have a budget to work with as well.  This makes it not only a science lesson, one in communicable diseases and hygiene, but in math, economics and politics as well.  This would be a great hook activity into a lesson on the spread of diseases.

Stop Disasters

I learned that nature will always win in the end.  Stop disasters allows you to simulate what it is like to prepare for natural disasters in different areas.  The one I played was trying to help a village survive a hurricane, and well I didn't succeed.  Just like the first game this one has a budget as well and you must meet certain requirements in order to pass the level.  I forgot to meet one and didn't pass.  This game would be great to introduce a unit on meteorology and the different effects that storms have on communities.  This may also lead into a community project to make sure that their town has the proper procedures and shelters in place in case a natural disaster occurred.


I can see myself using both of these games in my classroom.  They are not only fun but informative.  Games like these may also inspire some students to explore possible careers, which is a wonderful thing in of itself.  This opens up the lesson beyond this is a disease or this is a tornado.  It allows students to safely experience these things in their own classroom.  I love these games and like I said previously, I will you them and games like them, in my classroom.

Almond Walkway

I love this speaker.  She has so many great ideas and insights into what life skills games can teach us, which I have had this feeling, or excuse for playing more, for years but have never been able to convey it this way.  She makes so many great points in this video and I want to talk about a few, more or less, of my favorites.

First off when we play games we are focused, some times too much to the point of total escapism, speaking from experience.  I can't tell you how many times I have started a game and somewhere around 3 hours later reality smacks me in the face, usually with a pain in my bladder from the Dr. Pepper I had. I am still learning but harnessing this type of focus in the real world can be powerful. And it is possible, McGonigal believes this,  we just need to use games to tap into it.

I have become a better problem solver because of games.  I bold statement but true.  In the Legend of Zelda, famous for their dungeon puzzles,  I have found myself solving problems using deduction and reasoning.  These skills have translated well into the real world and McGonigal would definitely credit that to my gaming, even if family or teachers choose to believe otherwise.   I, like her, believe that if you teach problem solving in this manner and show students how to use these skills in real life then they will do so much better for themselves.

She said in this video that in games it is impossible to feel like you can achieve your goal/mission.  I have never really thought about it that way but she is right.  When I go on a quest in game, I have guides telling me where to go, and games are set up to go along with how you play and your level of experience.  Sure you may have to grind, set in one spot to level up, but it isnt impossible.  Life feels impossible sometimes and we just need those moments where we feel like we can do it.  Utilizing this part of gaming in education would be amazing and we would see so much progress.

In life when I get bored, I play a video game.  Why?  Like McGonigal points out there is always something to do. In games like World of Warcraft there will always be something to do, and if there isn't currently, you should probably stop playing for one, and secondly they are working on more to add to the game.

In games once you level a skill up you get instant feed back.  McGonigal uses the example that she doesn't get +1 speech skills after she is done doing a presentation.  It is satisfying to know that what you did has not only purpose but something it give you in return.  Students may receive an A but that may not mean anything to them until later or at all.  We need to show them that there work is worth something and that all this practice isn't for nothing at all.

Gaming helps us evolve in McGonigals point of view.  I can see this to be true, though I would use the word adapt rather than evolve.  We play these game cooperatively in order to solve in game problems.  This can then be translated into the real world.  I know that once I have work with someone online and it turned out well then I am more likely to work well outside of the digital realm.

I love that she says games make people more optimistic, because I too believe that this is true.  She calls this Urgent Optimism and it gives you that drive to tackle an obstacle because you have the belief that you will be successful.  I have had this personally in my gaming and real life experience.  If I have done something in a game that seems difficult or if I beat a difficult game, I feel fantastic.  That comes out in my personal life as well, even though it's two different realities.  I feel that since I accomplished something of that magnitude in the gaming world then this problem in life can be conquered as well.

Most people would view gamers as shut ins, which might be the case in some instances but games build up social interactions.  If I play a game with you then I trust you, and McGonigal points this out, and I will most likely have more to do with you.  My deepest friendships, now that I think about it, have all started because of video games and have been strengthened further because of video games.  Games build up trust because you expect for the person to play by the rules and once they do you can trust them further.

Her biggest point near then end is great. McGonigal says that yes gamers are extremely optimistic but only when it comes to virtual reality.  She believes that if we harness this ability to game and transfer it into everyday life then we can change the real world.  I believe that this could work but the way to harness it isn't really here.  I would say that we may be seeing a lot more games in the classroom very soon and an increase in student work.  Her ideas are great and I am definitely going to try her approach in teaching with games.

Apple Orchard

Increase our optimism

When we play games, especially if we are good at them, the we tend to transfer that positive feeling into our own lives.  We tend to feel better about ourselves when we do well and that can makes us want to do better in other areas.  For example when I do really well on Call of Duty I feel better in real life and that positivity can be infectious to others around me.  Also it makes us realize that we can do things that are challenging and make us realize that even in real life we can do the harder things.

Social relationships

My favorite games tend to be multiplayer.  In games you have to communicate in order to reach your goals.  You must play on strengths and weaknesses in order to go further.  The same goes for life and these skills in game translate well.  When I talk to my team mates and get past that initial awkwardness then I do better and the more interactions I have online the better I become away from the screen in real life.

awe and wonder

I love fantasy and video games completely immerse me into that realm.  At times life can see too bland, and you want to see something else or experience the impossible.  Video games allows just that to happen.  Most will have you think that there aren't many benefits but one of the greatest comes from the inspiration aspect of gaming.  I have been inspired to write many things, including lessons based on what I have see or done in games.

Productivity

I feel productive when I complete a mission and that feeling inspires me to do more.  When I accomplish things on a game I get that sense of what it really feels like to do something worth while.  Then I take that into the real world and motivate myself to get done.  One of the biggest examples is after I have played a game for and hour I feel like I need to do work around the house and it works as well as gets things done.

Experiences

This is a point that I have found in games that she didn't mention but I believe she would agree with.  I may never go to China, or Africa but I can experience the area and culture through games.  It also allows me to explore worlds that don't even exist.  Games bridge gaps in culture that other forms of entertainment may not, or at least not in this interactive way.

Ash Forest

Team Work

This aspect is very important in gaming as well as real life.  I know I feel like I have to go at my quest alone because it is my responsibility.  That's not true, we are to be responsible but that doesn't mean being alone.  McGonigal talks about how team work takes coordination and strategy in games.  This is also true for life.  You must choose those you are around carefully in order to get things done.  She also mentions that in games you have to have the right combination of roles, mages, clerics, warriors, hunters, in order to complete the quest.  In real life everyone is good at something and using everyones talent to there fullest potential is key to succeed in life.

Endgame

When you are working you want to know what is in it for you.  What do I get that makes this job worth it?  In video games it may be in game content or the bragging rights that you are the most powerful of your friends or in the world even.  But what about in our lives/jobs?  My endgame as a teacher is to know that I made a difference in at least one student's life.  That I helped someone become a better "them" then they thought they could be.  I want to let people know they can do more and be more than they ever imagined.  As a Christian it is to lead people to Christ and love my neighbors and my God with all my heart.  These "endgames" seem closer in games, that's why people love them so much.  Though in our own lives we should realize that in the bigger picture of things that our endgame is much closer than we know.

Leveling up

In a game when you level up the perks are instantly noticeable.  "Once I reach level 3 I will be able to cast a fireball spell!".  McGonigal says that in World of Warcraft you have to put in a lot of time and effort to reach the max level and that's only when the real fun starts.  I can see this in life as well.  Our level up process is much different on the surface level, but as in a game it has the same results.  No that I have completed my studies in college I can get a job in the field that I want.  Now that I completed this part of my work I can finally do the project I have been waiting for.  These examples we see all the time.  So just keep leveling up and get to that place you want to be.

A clear goal

Sometimes in life you might get lost, confused as to where you should go next.  McGonigal points out that in WoW there is never a question as to where you are and what you are suppose to do.  Boy, that would be helpful in life.  This is what I find appealing about games.  If I get lost there are always places to go to find out where you need to be, or people, or an annoying fairy, to tell you where to go.  I think this draws people into gaming.  Life isn't that simple,  it gets confusing.  As a Christian we have a guide to follow, but as humans we tend to want it all spelled out when it gets the slightest bit hard.

Actionable steps-

Along with a clear goal, video games also give you step by step instructions on how to do things.  Unless you are at IKEA there aren't many places to find that kind of help in real life, and even then you are running the risk of messing up.  Also each step you take towards your goal you usually get a reward that leads to the grand prize.  Life, not so much.  Some times in life your reward is a hard place that you struggle to get through.

Motivation

I struggle so very hard with this part in real life.  In video games though there seems to be plenty to motivate you, and McGonigal would agree.  She says that results you can see are satisfying and that leads to motivation.  If I can see now what will happen when I complete something then I am more likely to do it.  Also if we can prove it to others then it is going to push us to do something.  She points out that in the gaming world you get impressive items that you can equip to show that you have accomplished something great.  There aren't that many things like that in real life, besides degrees, which are impressive feats in themselves.  It just seems more prevalent in games.

Collective Improvement

Not only are you working on your own personal character but in a micro community within this massive world.  McGonigal points out that you can join guilds and do quests that gets your guild higher rankings than the rest.  In this situation you are not just looking out for yourself but your guild as a collective whole and the goal for that guild.  This is a good way to look at teaching.  As teachers our goal should not be to get the grades from our students that are the best but to develop a group of students that are life time learners.  As teachers we form a guild and our goal for this guild is better learners.

Phasing

What around us is effected by our actions/work?  In life it may be hard to really tell unless you are an architect.  It certainly doesn't show too well as teachers.  We sit and ask ourselves "What results am I seeing?"  We don't always get results.  In game McGonigal points out this feature of phasing that once you progress in the game the place starts to change. Enemies disappear, buildings are built,  things begin to progress and we see that.  I know as a teacher I have taught lessons and been like ok you guys get it right?  And they just stare at me. I thought I had messed up but I waited and eventually I saw the results, just not when I expected them.

Feeling Productive

When I play a game I feel productive, even if it takes me 12 hours to complete the quest.  In life it it takes me too long then I am most likely to give up.  I have seen, however, that if I changed my perspective and did it like "quests" then I see progress.  In games we are rewarded, just like I mentioned before, but in life if I do the laundry all I get is clean laundry, which is good, but in a game you may get gold and new armor, which is way more appealing.

Casual or High Stakes

In video games there are two types of players, casual or high stakes.  Casual players only go for the fun of the game and may not get as far or as many perks.  High stakes players go hard at the game, they put in so much time and get the best items in the game.  You can see this in real life as well.  Those who just go through life and those who push hard and get further.  You can see extremes of both in games and life.  Too casual and you are bad, too serious and it makes things unfun for everyone involved.

Gap Steal?

To put it simply, Gap messed up.  I looked into this a bit more because the article didn't give out enough specifics to go either way.  The photographer did publish this picture on Flickr, but he did so with some rights reserved.  He published the work on the sites  Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) license.  This means that the user of the photo has to give credit to the photographer, which they didn't, can not sell the image in anyway, which they did, and can not alter the image, which they also did.  If you look at the image on the shirt compared to the original photo anyone can see that they are identical, minus the alterations done by Gap.  The only thing that could through this case out is the fact that you can tell that this is the man's picture and be 99% sure, but there is still that 1% that could ruin it.  A watermark on the photo could have prevented this and made for a iron clad case against Gap, even though I kind of think its already pretty solid.  In the classroom you just have to pay attention.  On sites like Flickr it gives the specifics on what can be done.  In the class you could use this picture with correct attribution and I understand that for education purposes you can transform the image but since the publisher specifically published it without this available then you have to keep it the same.

Controversial Billboard

Wow this case is pretty crazy.  I understand why the mom is so furious.  The billboard didn't seem like it was promoting anything just slamming an entire race of people.  However, looking at this in terms of copyright, the company wasn't in violation.  When the mom had her daughter's pictures taken with the modeling agent she said that she understood that these images could be used as stock photos.  This was the risk she ran in doing so and it is awful that the picture was used for such an offensive campaign.  Again the company was not in violation due to the nature of the material used.  It was a stock photo and now the company owns the photo regardless of the mom trying to do something.  It is a very unfortunate case but none the less it happens.  It can also happen in the classroom as well.  This is why whenever a teacher takes pictures they need the permission and to post it in a way that it can only be used for the educational or professional use of that specific class.  Posting on a social media site is not an option so it is just something that needs to be well thought out so something like this cannot happen in the future.  I think if this image was used in the class it would have been more welcomed, especially if it was transformed.

A Family Christmas Card

This was an interesting case, how someone in Prague could take a family from St. Louis' picture.  In the article it says the man found the picture from Flickr, a photo sharing website.  I can see how the man thought that he could use the picture.  On Flickr you just type in a keyword and find the picture that you want.  The man probably did just that.  However, on Flickr the pictures are grouped based on the ways you can use them.  I am not sure how this family's picture was publish but if it was in the wrong spot they the man would have been allowed to use it, even if it wasn't the intent of the family in the beginning.  However, if it was grouped up in the part of Flickr that makes it copyright infringement then he is in violation.  No permission was given to use the picture so I believe that he is in violation.  Though when confronted with his mistake he was very nice about it and agreed to take the picture down so I do not think that any more action should be taken against him.  In the classroom if this were to happen I think doing exactly what the man did would be necessary and teaching my student about the different sections of Flickr and only taking from the places we are allowed to would be necessary.  In classroom use if permission was asked and used for educational purposes then this would be an okay use of this picture.

Disciplines in Education

Apps for the Disciplines Review

Middle School


Epic Citadel-

This app is amazing and as a literature major my mind was flooded with ideas on how to use this.  Creative writing is often an area that most people choose to avoid but from my personal experience this is an area that needs to be covered which will teach so many different skills.  Using this app you step into a medieval world filled with castles, shops, stables, fairs and so many other things.  This world is so detailed with the use of Unreal Engine.  You could have the students explore the world come up with characters, and place them into the roles of society in that time.  This would be a great tool to integrate basically all the subjects into one thing.  For creative writing purposes it may inspire stories from this time period.  We can show our students pictures till their eyes fall out but this interaction with an actually medieval world is amazing.

The Weather Channel-

I reviewed this app because I love meteorology.  This would be an awesome tool to show students how we get our weather and to introduce them to the types of weather across the globe.  This shows the students radar, and the different features a weather person uses to bring us the weather.  You could assign students different places on earth, or have them choose, and report on the weather there for the week.  Another feature worth noting is the videos.  This allows you too see videos of the different weather that they normally wouldn't encounter.  This app is really great and I will be using it in my future science classes.  

Doodle Buddy

Drawing is not my thing but with this app I truly feel like an artist, in the most basic sense of the word.  It has so many different features to allow you to create your own master piece.  Like I said before I was never really good a drawing or creating images when it came to art, but with this app I felt inspired.  This would be a create way for teachers to allow students to express their creative side in a easy, and nonmessy way.  Now the first thought that comes to mind is "Why pay more when we can just use paper and pencil?"  This app saves your work digitally so if you want to use it on almost anything online you can.  Also it allows you to share your work through many different programs, such as email and even share it on Facebook.  This would be a good way for students to explore their creative side and might even find out that they like art and they are good at it.  I definitely recommend this app.

Beatwave

This app is perfect for anyone, musically incline or not.  It is easy to pick up and fun to play with.  You just simply line up dots as the line goes over them and it plays the notes.  This would be a fun activity to do with the entire class.  Have each student or group of students have a certain sound and have the class to work together to create a song together.  This app teaches student timing, cooperation, and how to have fun, which is a very important lesson for people to learn at any age.  I feel like this would be something I could easily incorporate into my class for almost any subject.

History Tools

I am not a fan of social studies or history, but this app is really cool.   Say that you want to know what happened in history on your birthday, you can find out.  This app allows you to click on almost any date and find out what happened on that day throughout history.  This includes important events, holidays, deaths and birthdays.  It is interesting to see other things that we normally wouldn't learn in history.  The appeal to students would be to see what happened on their birthday throughout the years.  After that they would be free to roam on the app looking up other days.  This would be a great hook into different sections of history or a fun fact of the day.

Literacy for Education

Grammar Express

This was the first app that I looked at.  I did not have access to the full version but did get to play around with three of the lessons available.  My initial thoughts were "Wow, wish I had this in elementary school.  I would have done much better in English class."  This app first teaches the lesson to you with notes.  The notes are written in a way as to not make you feel overwhelmed with information.  Then you have an easy to do quiz after you study up.  Over all I liked this app and can see me using it in class more for reinforcement of these skills, which can easily be lost.  

Merriam-Webster

I, of course, chose to use this app because this is the Dictionary I grew up with and have found it to always be reliable.  The same is true, if not truer, for the app.  I was only expecting to find, well a dictionary but was pleasantly surprised to see so many different features.  One of the ones that I just love is the word of the day.  It will give you a random word of the day which is a great way to build your vocabulary at a easy pace.  Not only does this feature give you the word along with the definition but it gives you some history behind it as well.  Such as examples of the word and where this word shows up in history.  So not only is this a great feature to help with grammar but it integrates a little bit of history in there as well.  Some other note worthy features are things like the app can say the word for you.  This would be perfect for students of all ages, even a student like me that is in Grad school that still has trouble pronouncing words.  The app also tells you what part of speech the word is, it's language of origin and the year it first appeared.  Over all I love this app and can find many ways this would be more than useful in the classroom.

Book Creator

Of course being a literature major I would choose to do a review on Book Creator.  I will admit I had some trouble with a similar app on the desk top but found the app on Ipad to be a lot easier to manipulate and use.  This would be a great tool in a creative writing lesson or a way to do projects in another subject besides just writing an essay.  And because this is a multimedia way of presenting you are not limited to just text.  You can add photos, either ones you found on the internet or ones you take with the camera. You can also add sound to spice up things for your presentation.  This app is really cool and I can see myself using it in my classroom.

Puppet Pals

This is such a fun app to use in class and can be applied to all subject areas.  With this app you create stories using the "puppets" that are provided.  You also record the story using the devices microphone.  It is very easy to use, even with the little bit of a learning curve. They have character's provided that cover a wide variety of genres, even political.  I can see students using this in a flipped class environment in order to teach the lessons they learn in history, science, math, literature and grammar.  This definitely would motivate students to do their final projects because it isn't just your standard essay or test.

Basics for Education

Word and Pages.  

Similarities

  Word & Pages

• The features between these two are very similar.  On both you can format the pages to meet your specific needs, fonts and sizes are available to design your work however you want it, and images can be added in order to spice things up a bit to not overwhelm your readers with a giant block of text.  The editing feature on both is quite similar so you can organize works on both in the same way.  
• Both are great for taking notes in class and since you may have one system and not the other you can depend on either to take notes in your class.    

Differences

   Word

•    More user friendly that pages.  On word you can find all the tools and features you need up front instead of filtering through a bunch of options in order to find one thing.  The layout of word "feels" better than pages because it's all right there in the open.  
• The tools on word work easier than on pages.  An example of this would be if you wanted to type something that had a list with bullets or roman numerals.  On word it is easy to make subsection in each main section, where as on pages you have to do a bit more in order to get it just right.  
• Word has awesome features that would allow you to do math work on the document.  This was not present in pages.  
• Office apps do not transition well between PCs to Macs.  It messes up formatting and can cause you to put more time, that you may not have, into a piece that was, at one point, completed.  
• Windows Office is expensive.

   Pages

•    On pages you can place pictures in the word document.  This feature is available on Word but on pages you can freely manipulate the image to the size you need were as on Word it is awkward and frustrating for the most part.  
• Work you have on pages can easily move from an Ipad to a MacBook to the desktop without much, if any, hassle.  This would make sharing work in the classroom a very simple process compared to how we normally share.  
• Pages in already include in most models that you would buy now.  Even if it isn't included on your device it is very inexpensive compared to Windows.  

Box.net

This site was very interesting.  I wasn't sure as to what it was at first but once I figured out that it was online storage it was all cleared up.  After looking at it a bit more I sort of felt like it was very similar to iCloud or other storage systems I have seen.  Though the one thing I did really enjoy was how simple it seemed to be to set up and store things onto the site.  I have hardly messed with iCloud but from what I have done Box.net seems to be a better solution, for me personally.  

iThoughts 

I had never heard of iThoughts, until today.  When I first opened the app I knew immediately that this would be an amazing tool to use in the classroom.  The organizational values that come with this app are astounding and as stated before, can be used across the board in education.  I can see in Reading using this app to do story planning before a creative writing project or mapping out key elements in a story that we have read.  In math you can use this to map the process of solving equations and since Common Core adds a written element this would be so much better for students than just paragraphs.  In science you can map out the scientific method and your findings within each step.  Social studies is full of timelines and this would be a great tool to create those.  One of the biggest applications of this would be in Metacognition.   You can have to students literally map out their thought process as they work through a difficult subject in order to have them see where they need to improve or change things.  

Rover vs. Safari

   Rover

• Costs $10 for the app
• Cannot multitask, use multiple tabs
• Perfect for kids, younger preferably, because if filters material.
• Is flash compatable

   Safari

• Free
• Not filtered so caution is advised 
• Can use multiple tabs without losing work. 

Like iThoughts I had also never heard of Rover until today.  I can see where Rover can be a great tool in the classroom for teachers to find and use educational material on the web, but this is conditional.  I would only use Rover in my class if I was teaching 4th grade or lower.  The sites that it recommends or do not have blocked may seem "kidish" to older students which will prompt them to not want to work.  I would use Safari in my class but not before teaching digital citizenship to my students.  Safari is not filtered, like Rover, so the students can find themselves in a bad place pretty quickly.  In order to prevent this I would monitor closely and teach them how to use the browser properly.  Over all I do see great potential in Rover, but only in the lower grades.  As for my specific teaching I will be sticking with Safari.  

Tablets: Options, Uses and Education

  1. IOS (Apple)

Pros-

• Apple offers the most variety when it comes to applications which gives educators more options to find the right application to meet their needs.  Also on the subjects of their apps most are very user friendly and made specifically for educational purposes. Not only do they include apps specifically made for teachers but other apps that can be used in an educational setting that cover a wide variety of topics which makes differentiating and appealing to your students on an affective level very easy.  These apps are also very user friendly for both the students and the teachers using them.  They have made it to where integrating this technology in the classroom can be a painless as possible.  
• Apple's products have the most options when it comes to cellular connectivity.  This will allow you to use the services on the device even in those areas with unstable WiFi.  These services are available on all of the models of the Ipads which makes shopping for the right one more convenient because of this wide availability of the service.  This means that each Ipad will be that much more dependable when using the internet features in case something happens to the WiFi you have other options.  
• The size and technology available on the Ipad is ideal for the classroom environment.  It is small enough so that children don't feel overwhelmed by the size and can transport it from one place to the other with ease. They are easier to carry around than a laptop and have just as many, if not the same amount of, features.  Not to mention that their are other sizes to choose from, depending on what you need them for in the classroom.  

Cons-

• Apple products are fairly expensive which make them harder to obtain in lower income school districts.  This will prevent most schools from buying them simply because they cannot afford one for each student, which is the idea situation.  Even the most basic models of Ipads can come with a pretty hefty price making it seem out of reach or not worth the cost.  

 2. Android (Google)

• Android has the biggest selections of tablets on the market.  These selections come with a wide variety of features so it would be hard for you to not find what you were looking for when it comes to Android.  They have from the smallest sized tablets to some of the largest to fit any need you may have in the classroom.  
• With Android you have some of the best options when it comes to using the tablets for books.  Tablets like the Kindle and Nook are made specifically for downloading and reading books which would be really handy in the classroom in replacing all of those bulky textbooks that are really expensive.  
• Being with Google they have an "open" operating system which means that anyone who wants to use android can purchase it.  This opens the possibilities of many more tablets in the future to those who are developing some now.  It also means a wide variety of brands available in the present time.  This will give schools more options before they make the decision as to which tablet they should buy.  Also it allows for  a lot of different and unique tablets to be available.  

 Cons-

• The apps don't translate well between tablets.  What you can use on one tablet might not work on another.  This can limit the buying potential down to only a few tablets to choose from which can make the choice harder for the schools.  You want to be able to depend on the tablets to run what you need but sometimes android will not deliver in this area.  

 3. Windows (Microsoft)

• Has a lot more storage space than most other tablets.  The Ipad goes up to around 64g whereas the Surface can have up to 128g or memory.  With this kind of storage the teacher can save so much more of the students work, files or a plethora of other classroom related materials on this tablet and not worry about running out of space.  
• Has usb ports unlike other tablets.  This allows for external drives to be used with this tablet.  If a student has a flash drive that they are using to store their work on then they can plug it into the surface, just like they would a regular computer, and be able to access that information.  Going along with the physical features of the tablet, the Surface comes with a keyboard attached to it which makes typing on it so much easier.  All other tablets you would have to buy the keyboard separately.   
• The Surface comes with programs that we are all familiar with, such as Microsoft Office.  This would allow students to use something they are already familiar with and not go through the trouble of learning a new program once they have another already pretty much mastered.  

 Cons- 

• Variety is non existent when it comes to the Microsoft Surface, so if you do not like it then you are not buying anything that runs on Windows.  Because there isn't any choices when it comes to these tablets you are stuck with the prices they have set and they are not cheap at all.  Among tablets these are some of the most, if not the most, expensive ones you can buy. 

So, in conclusion,  from the articles I have read and the specs that I have looked at the over all winner in what tablet should be purchased for schools is the Ipad.  The creators of this seemed to have educators in mind.  It is so very user friendly that the students will have no problem picking it up and being able to use it without any real frustration.  Also the biggest thing with Apple is the amount and availability of their Apps.  There are so many out there in the App Store that are made specifically for educational purposes taking advantage of them would seem silly.  The Ipad also comes in enough of a variety that you can decide what the school needs and feel as if you had plenty to look at.  On the subject of the availability of cellular on the tablet, Ipad has that.  It will cost a bit more in order to use this feature but if there is money in the budget then it is a wise investment.   So overall Ipad definitely should be in the classroom and would help the students out tremendously.