This year, students at my college have been loaned an iPad for the duration of their time with us. The intention is that they use them for note taking, organization, access to resources (that no longer need to be printed) and engaging learning approaches. In order to fully take advantage of this classroom resource, in my new role as an ‘iPad Champion’ I have spent the year trying out different websites and apps. Now I am no expert in iPads, or technology in general, but I love teaching and learning and believe me when I say there are so many amazing teaching resources out there to reduce your teaching workload, create interactive and engaging lessons (without students needing to access technology) and learning aids that can be used in the classroom (computers, iPads, phone) or at home. Here are a few of the best ones I have come across this year:

1. Diffit (https://web.diffit.me/): Will create new teaching resources including reading, quizzes, PowerPoint slides on a given topic/ keyword.
2. Suno (https://suno.com/): Enter a theme and it will write you a song.
3. Hello History (https://www.hellohistory.ai/): Life like conversation with historical figures (Text message style).
4. Summarize.tech (https://www.summarize.tech/): Summaries long YouTube videos into timed chunks – game changer!!
5. Autodraw (https://www.autodraw.com/): You do a quick sketch or drawing and AI will improve through giving options to match what you tried to draw.
6. Craiyon (https://www.craiyon.com/): AI Image Generator. Quick search ideas to be generated into art, drawings or photos.
7. Classroom Screen (https://classroomscreen.com/): Add a timer, poll, randomiser, noise controller onto the classroom board.
8. Bouncy Ball (https://bouncyballs.org/): Fun way to monitor noise (this could be used to detect both high noise level or if you want students to speak up or discuss ideas it can visually show low noise level)
9. Future Tools (https://www.futuretools.io/): Organises all available AI apps into searchable themes e.g drawing, feedback, equations.
10. Literal App (https://www.literalapp.com/edu): range of books – class commentary, set assignments, asks Q. presented like a text conversation. Can highlight words for dictionary.

See previous blog Old Dog New T&L Tricks for more website and app ideas including best quizzes.

Please get in touch (via ‘contact me‘) if you would like a copy of the full document, if you have any other app/website recommendations or if you would like teaching ideas to accompany the different methods above.