Essential iPad Accessories for Educators

Take sharing and collaboration to a new level with an Apple TV. Attach it to your classroom projector and it allows anyone in the room to mirror their iPad display to the projector for everyone to see. Students can share their work, videos, websites and more. As a teacher, you can display your iPad screen on the projector wirelessly while you walk around the room and interact with students.

It only takes a slip of the finger to drop your iPad and shatter the screen. Protect your iPad from breakages due to drops, dirt, sand, rain, shock, vibration and a host of other factors. A good iPad case will protect the edges of the iPad (they tend to be the vulnerable points that cause the most damage on impact) while allowing easy access to important switches, cameras, speaker and microphone. Try the Otterbox Defender, Griffin Military Case, or the Fintie Casebot.

Protect your iPad screen with a super light, ultra-thin cover that includes an embedded keyboard for easy typing whenever you need it. Magnetic joints will snap the cover into place and grooves in the base offer different tilting angles when propping up your iPad. The cover also automatically wakes/sleeps the iPad when you open or close it.

Use an iPad stand to turn your iPad into an interactive, mobile presentation tool. An adjustable platform holds your device securely while you position the camera to focus on a page, document, or other object and connect a projector, TV, or monitor to display your live feed on the big screen. Use it as a document camera while you read or annotate text. Hold the camera steady as you take a series of still images to create animations. Use the iPad's camera to zoom in and present detailed views of a 3D object. And if you purchase a mobile stand such as the Belkin Portable Stage, you can fold it up and just drop it into your bag.

Small enough to fit into your pocket yet powerful enough to fill the room with crisp sound. A bluetooth speaker connects wirelessly with your iPad, turning your home or classroom into a theater where you can play your audio clearly for all to hear. Try the more economical Mini Jambox by Jawbone or go for even higher quality with the Bose SoundLink Mini.

Whether you're recording music, narrating a story or conducting an interview, there are times you'll want your device to record higher quality audio. Try connecting an external microphone. The Apogee MiC provides excellent quality for a premium price. A more reasonably priced microphone might be the Blue Yeti USB microphone. It ships with a USB cord so make sure to purchase a USB to iPad connector to plug it into your device. Lastly, the Simple LAV Mobile is a neat solution if you prefer a lapel mic. Keep in mind however that it it is wired and the cable is 4 feet long so you'll want to keep your device closeby.

A good quality, capacitive stylus is an invaluable accessory if you have the need to hand write notes or sketch on your iPad. There are numerous options available and the all-purpose Bamboo Stylus by Wacom is a sound, reasonably priced product. Alternatively, the Pencil Digital Stylus is a wonderful solution for sketching on your iPad. Use it in conjunction with the companion Paper app and you can smudge colors with your fingers as you sketch or turn the stylus around and use it as an eraser.

Interested in flipping your classroom or uploading lessons for others to view at their leisure? Record any lesson or presentation with the Swivl Robotic Camera. Place your device in the Swivl robot and hold the Swivl remote while you present. The robot automatically rotates your device so that it follows you, capturing your presentation on video as you move around the room. The Swivl app records your video and the remote contains a wireless microphone to enhance the audio quality. When you're done, upload your lesson to the Swivl hosting service where you can share it with others.

You'll want your own personal set of earphones for those times when you need uninterrupted listening. I'd recommend ensuring that each student has their own set as well. And I know it's tempting to save on the cheap knockoffs you can buy on eBay and elsewhere but you're better off paying a few extra dollars and getting a good set that will wear comfortably and last a long time.

You're sharing iPads among students and you'd like them to watch some videos - how do you keep the noise level down? Try using a headphone splitter. Plug it into the iPad and have each student plug their earphones into one of the ports on the splitter. Now they can all listen at the same time ... and you can put that box of headache pills away. One thing to keep in mind here is that the splitter doesn't boost the audio output - it splits the existing output between all the headphones that are plugged into it. Be wary of splitting weak audio to the point that it becomes difficult for everyone to hear.