Apps to create content on the iPad

One of the major criticisms of the iPad is that it is purely a "consumption device," meaning that it's great for reading and surfing the web, but not for actively creating digital products.

Many teachers take issue with this view of iPads, and are excited by the ways that the iPad combines consumption with creation!

Below are some of the best apps that can be used to create content on the iPads. Some of these apps are iPod apps that can easily be used on an iPad as well as an iPhone or iPod Touch.

Apps for Writing

Desktop Apps

These apps allow you to work on normal desktop publishing documents on the iPad. While there is no Word app for the iPad, you can use Pages, or Office2 HD to edit your docs. You can also use Google Docs on the iPad, or consider using one of the Mac-specific editing apps: Pages, Keynote or Numbers.

• Pages
• Keynote
• Numbers
• Office2 HD
• Google Docs (via Safari with limited functionality)

Notetaking/Writing

These apps allow you to take notes or write non-Word documents on your iPad. Some of these apps allow you to easily work on blogs (Blogsy), take notes that can be easily shared online through other services (Evernote), or feature stripped down features to enhance focus (iA Writer).

• Dragon Dictation
• Penultimate
• Evernote
• Blogsy
• iAWriter

Apps for Creating Multimedia

Editing Images/Making Art

There are a variety of apps that work with the iPad's built-in camera and images. There are also multiple apps that allow you to make art on the iPad

• Sketchbook Pro
• Brushes
• Photoshop Express
• Instagram

Creating Multimedia Stories


These are examples of apps that allow students to create stories using multimedia. Some apps allow students to pull information from their social networks to create real-time "stories" (Storify) and others allow students to create stories from pre-populated libraries of images and multimedia.

• Storify
• Storykit
• Storyrobe
• Strip Designer

Whiteboard/Video capture

These apps allow teachers to use their iPads as virtual whiteboards or video capture devices. These services allow users to control their computer with an iPad as they walk around the room, or make video-captures using their iPads.

• educreations
• Screenchomp
• Show Me Interactive Whiteboard
• Doceri Interactive Whiteboard
• Mobile Mouse
• Splashtop

Making Video

With these apps, students can use the iPad 2's built in camera to record and then edit video footage together into a movie (iMovie, Reel Director). Other apps allow students to create video using pre-populated libraries of images and multimedia (Toontastic).

• Toontastic
• iMovie
• Reel Director

Audio/Music

With these apps, students can record and edit audio directly on their iPad.

• Audioboo
• Sonoma’s StudioTrack
• GrooveMaker
• Garageband

Sources for this Post

iCreate vs. iConsumption
December 28, 2011
Scott Meech
iEAR.org

School Spreadsheet of Apps from iEAR
See what other schools are using for their iPad programs by checking out these detailed spreadsheets of apps organized by subject.  Many of the apps highlighted here were found through these spreadsheets of apps.