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I've been having lots of conversations both professionally and personally with people about how the iPad is more than simply a media consumption tool. People like Sam Gliksman, whom I've had the pleasure to meet, are trying to make sense of what else the iPad does and how it will evolve beyond a media consumption device.
That evolution has already begun. But, if we are to consider how we use this device for creativity, we also need to think about how we use it both in the classroom and at home to support children's learning and development. What do I mean by this? Well, increasingly in iPad trials being run by the world's education sectors they are providing an iPad to every child. It is being regarded as the new textbook, the new math sheet, the new television - and by looking at a revolutionary device in such an unrevolutionary way diminishes its capacity for creativity. We don't need one iPad for each child, we need each child to have access to an iPad — maybe one or four per classroom — but that's it. In his work exploring children's capacity to learning independently and to collaboration and build the skills to learn as a team,Sugata Mitra provided one computer for every four students. We need to recognize that creativity is not fostered by technology, but technology is one tool through which creativity can be expressed.
With that said, how are children creating on the iPad?
There are a range of apps that support drawing and so I won't spend much time recommending those apps you will find good recommendations elsewhere. But, I am still amazed that the creative task of drawing means that even with new devices, our children are continuing an artform that has been with us since we drew on cave walls.
Another ancient form of creativity and connection is storytelling. And, increasingly this is where creative apps can be found.
Fotobabble is one simple app that allows you to record a story or a comment and attach it to a photo. As with most apps this can then be shared in a range of ways. Similar tools are being used for children with a disability to help support their social and cognitive development with the Stories2Learn application that promotes the development of digital social stories.
MyStorytime, while being slightly limited due to the Christmas theme, explores the idea of moving words around a page to create a new story for a particular scene (it would be great to see this expanded upon). Strip Designer from Vivid Apps gives you the freedom to take your own photos and use them to create a comic strip. These are both applications that take their lead from web-based apps, but by using the touch interface these creative programs take on a whole new life. The intuative nature of the interface supports younger children to use tools like this and get much excitement and pride from their creativity.
Of course, there are also great stop motion animation apps like Animation HD and Animation Desk that allow you to create your own stop animations on the iPad.
There are more apps coming in 2011 that will take this intuitive interface and storytelling to a new level. Keep an eye on Launchpad Toys and others who are building apps that will allow children (and adults) to create and share their own cartoons — complete with musical backing and multiple scenes. Simpler apps like Puppet Pals HD have begun to explore this terrain.
The next steps will be when tools like AppCobra, that allow you design your own apps without any programming language required, become apps themselves. I know — apps that create apps sounds a little like some self replicating cyborg that may take over the planet, but just consider what children would develop if they were able to have tools that allowed them to develop apps no matter what their stage of development. We've all read the articles of exceptional children of different ages creating their own apps — why not all children?
Beyond that? Well, with a new iPad due out and an increasing number of digital tools able to engage with the device soon children and school students will be creating their own movies on the iPad, complete with special effects. They will design and shape the world they want using hand held devices that are wireless and connecting them to worlds, both virtual and physical and we need to make sure we continue to support them to think laterally and creatively and make the most of the tools available to them.
