Best 1-to-1 iPad Apps for Learning

Book-and-game builder empowers creativity, boasts vast content library

Bottom Line: With some patience and planning, this game maker can be a classroom game changer.

Assign, assist, and assess with real-time, interactive classroom

Bottom Line: It's a great option for teachers who want to go paperless, provide specific feedback, and encourage collaboration among students in virtual or 1-to-1 classrooms.

Versatile digital portfolio appeals to teachers, students, and parents

Bottom Line: A powerful multimedia learning and communication tool that demonstrates student progress over time.

Engage and assess students with media, videos, and interactive slides

Bottom Line: This is a great tool with a vast content library, and the teacher- or student-paced learning can unlock the potential of 1-to-1 environments.

Easy-to-use iPad app aimed at recording whiteboard instruction

Bottom Line: While many other whiteboard tools offer endless -- and often overwhelming -- options, this app is usefully refined and could be that "just right" experience for many.

Flexible desktop, mobile assignment tool works best with pro features

Bottom Line: A flexible way to collect student assignments and offer written and verbal feedback, especially with the premium features.

Flexible note-taking tool empowers learners of all abilities

Bottom Line: An excellent tool that lets students make their notes thorough and useful in the way that best suits their learning styles and abilities.

Online art museum empowers students to exhibit, explain their work

Bottom Line: A time-tested digital art museum where students can share work, reflect on their artistic process, and help teachers assess artistic concept comprehension.

Drag-and-drop programming is an effective intro for budding coders

Bottom Line: With a little adult help, this is a rich platform for getting kids into programming and digital creation.

Flexible tool hands kids the reins for creative animated storytelling

Bottom Line: Despite some lack of variety and simple drawing tools, Toontastic 3D remains a terrific, versatile storytelling tool.

From cardboarding to cooking, this app helps kids find the fun in DIY

Bottom Line: Fabulous way for kids to get skills and share their projects digitally.

Magically easy way to create and publish digital books and multimedia

Bottom Line: This is a top-quality creation tool that lets students of many ages and abilities publish their own digital books.

Easy-to-use iPad app aimed at recording whiteboard instruction

Bottom Line: While many other whiteboard tools offer endless -- and often overwhelming -- options, this app is usefully refined and could be that "just right" experience for many.

Beautifully designed digital sketchbook for any age

Bottom Line: The simplicity and effectiveness of the app make this a powerful sketch and note-taking tool for the iPad.

Amazingly powerful audio workstation unleashes creativity

Bottom Line: There's exceptional functionality in this solid, all-inclusive audio workstation that's fantastic for high-quality, anytime, and anywhere audio recording and sharing.

Create snazzy designs in seconds with flexible, cloud-based tool

Bottom Line: With stable internet access and enough time to get started, this is a flexible, accessible way to create beautiful designs in your classroom.

Basic movie editor makes for skill-focused, student-centered learning

Bottom Line: Despite some limitations with editing, it's the perfect tool to get teachers and students started with digital video production.

Top-notch photo editor helps perfect pics for creative projects

Bottom Line: This is a powerful, free creation tool from the industry leader in photo editing.

Slick video slideshow tool lets kids tell stories and share them

Bottom Line: Anything that happens during school can be turned into an engaging video slideshow.

Creative, smart mix of activities for pre-K to 2 is a breath of fresh air

Bottom Line: This early-learning standout offers scaffolded, creative learning of foundational skills.

Explore the concept of numbers through puzzles and fun gameplay

Bottom Line: Though there are a few kinks, kids experience fun gameplay while internalizing fundamental number concepts.

High-quality animated videos engage young kids in a variety of topics

Bottom Line: Great videos, though kids' learning should be enhanced with interactive elements to encourage deeper, more active learning.

Kids can "go anywhere, be anything" with vast book and video library

Bottom Line: Wonderful and practical way to get kids excited about learning and reading -- the greatness of the classic TV series, updated for the 21st century.

Free, expansive digital library unlocks treasure trove of books

Bottom Line: This large collection of books and videos on a wide variety of topics is an easy -- and free -- enhancement to any classroom library.

Dazzling globe-trotting tool has endless classroom applications

Bottom Line: This tool defines engagement and offers a completely open-ended experience perfect for use across the educational spectrum.

Powerful, flexible reading tool measures meaningful literacy gains

Bottom Line: A powerful literacy platform for developing and empowering readers, with useful customization features for both teachers and students.

Daily news stories and supplements keep elementary schoolers current

Bottom Line: This highly useful current events platform can be a daily fixture of elementary school classrooms.

Animated parts-of-speech app enlivens grammar lessons

Bottom Line: It's a cute concept that makes sense out of sometimes hard-to-understand grammar concepts.

Visually super NASA-backed treasure trove may overwhelm

Bottom Line: A visually stunning way to get kids interested in science and space exploration.

Vast word reference features tons of content and word games

Bottom Line: Powerful tool crammed full of games, classic reference information, and flexible controls.

Writing and publishing tool is an increasingly satisfying option

Bottom Line: With useful new book creation features, Pages is a much-improved publishing tool for Apple-oriented classrooms.

Mesmerizing step-by-step puzzler sets the foundation for algebra

Bottom Line: This innovative game-changer teaches algebra, changes the way kids learn it, and even changes how they feel about it.

Social approach to problem-solving promotes deep math learning

Bottom Line: An innovative, community-based platform that helps students plan, strategize, and collaborate.

Bring physics to life using lab sensors built right into your smartphone

Bottom Line: Use your smartphone to gather data and study speed, gravity, waves, and other physics concepts.

Think like a scientist: Solve biology case studies

Bottom Line: Practice problem-solving skills and learn biology through interactive case studies.

Top-notch digital content takes students beyond the airwaves

Bottom Line: Provides an easy, fun, and effective way to engage students with radio.