The best Masters in Education degree programs are the ones that train teachers to use cutting edge technology in their day to day work. Whether you’re just getting started as a teacher or a seasoned veteran looking to freshen up your workflow with a few new apps, take a look at this list for some iPad apps that are sure to make your life better.

Top 10 Technology Related Tools  for Teachers

1. Dropbox

For sheer all-around usefulness and excellence of design, Dropbox should get a spot on your must-have list. It essentially works as a shared folder you can put onto any computer or device you want to. Whether you’re transferring files too big for e-mail, collaborating with coworkers or–here’s the big one–looking for a reliable way to distribute a file to all of your students at once, Dropbox is the answer.

2. TED

TED has become famous for its “riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world.” This app makes it easy to find, navigate and watch mind-expanding TED talks that will broaden your horizons or inspire your students. Best of all, you can also save them for later offline viewing.

3. PaperDesk Lite for iPad

PaperDesk Lite is one of the best free sketchbook apps out there. Combine typing, drawing, audio and embedded image files to create everything from doodles and brainstorms to polished lesson plans. The free version is limited to three pages per notebook, so plan to pay for the full version if you’ll need more space.

4. Google Earth for iPad

Googe Earth on the iPad is just plain fun to use. Whether you’re flying over continents or zooming in to find your favorite landmarks, the multi-touch interface just makes sense. Google Earth can be incredibly soothing, and the vast amounts of data Google has compiled and brought together makes it fascinating at the same time. Oh, yeah, and it’s also a great tool for your students.

5. Dragon Dictation

Dragon’s sophisticated voice-recognition software is now available for free on this rather startlingly good app. Just speak into your iPad and it will turn your words into editable text. The app learns and gets better the more you use it. Especially useful for capturing lesson ideas and plans if you think better when you’re talking than typing.

6. Flipboard

Flipboard turns all of your favorite web content into a colorful magazine for your iPad. You can use it to integrate your Facebook newsfeed, Instagram photos from friends, Google Reader content and more according to specifications you can configure as desired. Beyond keeping you updated on all the inputs that interest you, Flipboard is great for aggregating lesson-related content into one engaging medium.

7. iTunes U

This app gives you access to a wide range of free, complete college courses, including courses from some of the best universities in the world. It’s a great way to stay at the top of your game or to keep your mind fresh with new ideas.

8. Instapaper for iPad

Instapaper lets you grab practically any digital reading material from most devices and then make it available to all the rest of your devices so that you can read it on demand. With great support for computers, tablets and e-readers and integration with a staggering number of content providers, Instapaper lets you read what you want, when you want. Needless to say, for a busy teacher with lots to do and lots to read, it’s a lifesaver. At just a few bucks, the universal iPad/iPhone app is well worth the prices.

9. pCalc Lite

This one’s a free calculator for the iPad. It includes RPN (reverse Polish notation) support, a scientific calculator and a unit conversion tool, among other features. You can also pay to add on more functions as needed.

10. Pocket

If you want the functionality of Instapaper but can’t afford to pay for it, Pocket (formerly Read It Later) offers a similar app that is free for the iPad. While it is not integrated with quite as many services as Instapaper, its minimalist design and intuitive interface do provide a pleasant reading experience. And you just can’t argue with free.