One of the biggest questions I get when talking to teachers about iPads is about getting student created content off of the device.  We are not a 1to1 iPad district, in most schools. Kids share devices, and teachers want to use the iPads to create, not just practice.  I had made it my mission to find something that was easy to use, so students could move their creations off the device.  I found several things that worked, but nothing that I would call easy.  I have a 6 year old son, so I decided that he needed to be able to make this work, or it was not a viable option.

Well, one day I stumbled on something called OwnCloud.  

It is a free piece of software that can be loaded on a server that is running Mac OS, Linux or Windows.   There is a .99 client that gets loaded on the iPad/iPod/iPhone/Android.  There is also a free client that can be downloaded to your computer, and the service is also web based.

We quickly built an old Mac Mini into a test server, and loaded the software up.  We had this working in under an hour, and plan to build a bigger server for use district wide.  OwnCloud works exactly as advertised.  You create accounts, log in, and you can move things to the server.  I have created some shared classroom accounts for teachers, and they can have kids log in to the account and hand in their work. The service works better than Dropbox, and I own the server, which is important when dealing with students who do not have the ability to agree to the terms of service from online entities.  Because we own the server, we are able to provide this to our students without a problem.

Check out the OwnCloud web site here - http://owncloud.org

I have been looking at several of the iPad apps that turn the device into enhanced marker board.My current favorite is Doodle Buddy. It is a free app, and can be used at almost any grade level.  With over 44,000 colors to choose from, this app will never get boring.  The app also includes backgrounds, text and stamps to include with your work.  Doodle Buddy is great for creating artwork, practicing math problems, spelling words, and much more.
I have given some suggestions below, but this app really lends itself to fit in almost anywhere.


Practice spelling words, forming letters, writing sight words, and even sentences.
Do math problems - long division, multi-number multiplication, algebra and geometry.
Tell a picture story using backgrounds, stamps and drawings.
Draw a picture and write a complete sentence describing what is happening in the story.
Practice the parts of speech.
Play Pictionary with a friend or group.

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