When we think about using the iPad in the classroom, itʻs not about the iPad or the apps, but what we want our students to be able to do.  With that in mind, there are some great resources available that categorize apps based on what they can do and also include an ease of use rating.

EdTechTeacherʻs iPad As…resource is excellent.  It includes a table with skills teachers would like their students to be able to do and when you click on the skill, it takes you to a page with a list of apps that can accomplish the task with the cost, description, usefulness rating, and ease of use rating.

Another fabulous resource is edshelf, reviews and recommendations of tools for education.  Edshelf allows you to browse tools by category and also by subject age and platform.  When you click on a tool, you get a description of the tool, reviews by educators,  pricing, and collections of tools that teachers have put together that are either similar or include the tool reviewed.  But thatʻs not all!  The tool is also rated based on Learning curve, pedagogical effectiveness, and student engagement.

Appolearning is a resource I just learned about from one of my colleagues, Lynne Horiuchi.  At this site, there are experts who rate apps and give them scores based on educational content, kid appeal, assessment, feature & design, value, and safety & privacy.  Apps are categorized by grade level, as well as content area.