Thanks for the iPads, but what do we do with them? Integrating iPads into the teaching and learning of primary mathematics

Although it was not originally intended for use within educational settings, the iPad has fast become the 'must have' item in today's classrooms. However, when it comes to using iPads for teaching and learning, teachers have had little to guide them, in terms of either academic research or targeted professional development. So what do teachers do when they are given a set of iPads and told to use them in classrooms? Since July 2011, I have been involved in two research projects investigating the use of iPads for the teaching and learning of mathematics in the primary years. The first study involved a year 3 class group in a Western Sydney public school that was participating in an iPad trial that provided a set of 30 iPads for a six-month period. The second study included four teachers and their class groups from a Western Sydney Catholic school. Each class group had access to six iPads. The current article does not attempt to describe the projects in any detail, but highlights some experiences from the work that might be of interest to other educators planning to introduce iPads into their lessons.