More Schools Embracing iPad as Learning Tool

I actually like the idea in theory, but iPads? Seriously?

What advantage does an iPad have over a Ebook Reader FOR EDUCATION that justifies the 3x price tag? Is it the massively worse battery life? The eye-straining LCD screen? Maybe it's the extra weight? :p
 
travbrad said:
I actually like the idea in theory, but iPads? Seriously?

What advantage does an iPad have over a Ebook Reader FOR EDUCATION that justifies the 3x price tag? Is it the massively worse battery life? The eye-straining LCD screen? Maybe it's the extra weight? :p
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Probably dumbass IT guys who works for the district and loves Apple?

I can imagine this in my head
Principal: "Okay guys, the school district has mandated that we need to upgrade some of our technology to help assist our kids like tablets. We need to be cost effective about this so what do you guys suggest?"
Dumbass: "The iPad!"
Principal: "Is it that good?"
Dumbass: "It's so awesome that anything else is a bag of hurt!"
 
travbrad said:
I actually like the idea in theory, but iPads? Seriously?

What advantage does an iPad have over a Ebook Reader FOR EDUCATION that justifies the 3x price tag? Is it the massively worse battery life? The eye-straining LCD screen? Maybe it's the extra weight? :p
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Actually eInk displays strain my eyes more than a good LCD screen. And as much as I don't think the iPad is the right device it's far more then a eReader.
 
heatlesssun said:
Actually eInk displays strain my eyes more than a good LCD screen. And as much as I don't think the iPad is the right device it's far more then a eReader.
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Which of the iPad's extra features (over an ereader) are actually useful for an educational environment though? Talking about the iPad as a general consumer product, and as an educational tool are two very different things.

As for the eye-strain, you seem to be in the minority on that one. I don't get much eye-strain from either personally, but I do get more from an LCD.


Apart from all that, I have to wonder how many kids are going to be playing games and watching videos during class. Even at the college I attended, many people spent all class doing that stuff on their "notetaking" laptops. College students are supposedly mature adults though, who can decide for themselves (to spend thousands a year to play flash games :p).
 
As an IT guy working for a k12 district I can say that while I don't personally agree with iPads in the classroom, I do see the reasons some teachers would want them.

There are several apps that science, music, math, writing, history, elementary and especially special education teachers have brought to us that would engage students in a more interesting way than lecture or "normal" computer use.

So quite frankly everyone needs to get off their high horse about how they CANNOT be used in an educational setting.

Now that said they aren't cost effective in the slightest. We don't want the schools to invest in these when we can't even replace 6 year old computers for students to use as is. If our district had gobs of tech money I could see piloting them at schools like what these districts are doing.
 
renixinq said:
So quite frankly everyone needs to get off their high horse about how they CANNOT be used in an educational setting.
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I don't think anyone is saying they CAN'T be used for educational purposes, just that they SHOULDN'T be because it's a waste of money. So basically, yeah we agree with you. :cool:


P.S. There are some cool apps i'll admit, but most of them are basically just Edu-games similar to what's been around forever (at least back to DOS). Adding "touch" to it doesn't automatically make it revolutionary.
 
travbrad said:
I don't think anyone is saying they CAN'T be used for educational purposes, just that they SHOULDN'T be because it's a waste of money. So basically, yeah we agree with you. :cool:

P.S. There are some cool apps i'll admit, but most of them are basically just Edu-games similar to what's been around forever (at least back to DOS). Adding "touch" to it doesn't automatically make it revolutionary.
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LOL, ipads are damn cheap compared to most school hardware.
 
I would be curious to see how they would use these in an elementary school setting where I can't trust my son to come home without holes in his pants because he was dragging his knees or something but won't find a way to break a 500 dollar tech device.

I'm not one to pooh-pooh the idea of using computers extensively in the classroom, my son is in the 2nd grade and his kicking butt using the online reading programs. It's also very useful as a motivational tool, since the teacher can limit his computer time if he decides to act a fool.
 
I personally think it's a waste of money. I think in general giving students, especially that much "power" that easily is begging for trouble. If the mindset is right, and the implementation is right, sure it works, and it gives students an opportunity. But I haven't seen that happen in most of the deployments I've witnessed, they end up being pr0n boxes, instant messaging machines and youtube portals. It's really quite sad. With the ebook reader, at least you could start small and attempt to eliminate text books. Maybe with the iPads you could eliminate text books and some paper work... But the time spent on the back end with repairs, network infrastructure, and hand-holding it just doesn't work... yet.
 
obs said:
Yea, except the software available is much, much more limiting.
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Except it uses android so you can do quite well with it designing how you want it to function and restrict down to what you want the students to focus on. The same can be done with the iPad but my suggestion is only cheaper and more cost effective.
 
Kaitian said:
Except it uses android so you can do quite well with it designing how you want it to function and restrict down to what you want the students to focus on. The same can be done with the iPad but my suggestion is only cheaper and more cost effective.
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How does this address my post at all? There are virtually zero tablet apps on android. You would save half the cost in exchange for buying a worthless device.
 
obs said:
How does this address my post at all? There are virtually zero tablet apps on android. You would save half the cost in exchange for buying a worthless device.
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Zero tablet apps? Android Marketplace has thousands of apps available for the platform which the Nook bases itself off of. I've used the NookColor (co-worker owns it) and there is lots of choices to use. My point is the iPad isn't it's own "tablet" but bases itself on iOS4.
 
Kaitian said:
Zero tablet apps? Android Marketplace has thousands of apps available for the platform which the Nook bases itself off of. I've used the NookColor (co-worker owns it) and there is lots of choices to use. My point is the iPad isn't it's own "tablet" but bases itself on iOS4.
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The nook doesn't even have the android marketplace unless you go through a length procedure to hack it which then voice all warranty. But hey, the device is only going to be used by a bunch of kids, who needs a warranty.

And even then, there's no software made for tablets out there.

You're right, the iPad is based on iOS. It also has a build in app store which has an entire section of apps actually made for the device.
 
obs said:
The nook doesn't even have the android marketplace unless you go through a length procedure to hack it which then voice all warranty. But hey, the device is only going to be used by a bunch of kids, who needs a warranty.

And even then, there's no software made for tablets out there.

You're right, the iPad is based on iOS. It also has a build in app store which has an entire section of apps actually made for the device.
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yay, typos - voids the warranty
 
Not sure why a lot of you guys are acting all surprised. Apple's been leading in supplying schools with hardware since most of you were still in diapers. It's almost natural for educators and the school boards to look at Apple products without batting an eye.
 
travbrad said:
I actually like the idea in theory, but iPads? Seriously?

What advantage does an iPad have over a Ebook Reader FOR EDUCATION that justifies the 3x price tag? Is it the massively worse battery life? The eye-straining LCD screen? Maybe it's the extra weight? :p
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document and report writers, spreadsheets, calendar, email, calculators, note-takers and many other tools that eReaders don't have comes to mind.
 
Azhar said:
document and report writers, spreadsheets, calendar, email, calculators, note-takers and many other tools that eReaders don't have comes to mind.
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Exactly and for an educational tool, a slate without a pen is crap. Try doing calculus with only a finger driven touchscreen interface. There are Android devices coming with digitial pens that are FAR better suite for educational tasks and Windows' current pen capabilites won't be touched for years.

A device like the HP Slate becomes everything and you get to doddle right on the eBook and search the notes. The educational and learning value of this type of platform is of the damn charts. I've been keeping notes on OneNote for eight years and all of the shit is searchable. No educational tool comes close to what OneNote can provide a student.
 
obs said:
The nook doesn't even have the android marketplace unless you go through a length procedure to hack it which then voice all warranty. But hey, the device is only going to be used by a bunch of kids, who needs a warranty.

And even then, there's no software made for tablets out there.

You're right, the iPad is based on iOS. It also has a build in app store which has an entire section of apps actually made for the device.
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Remember that if you're buying in any great number, manufacturers will often accommodate the buyer's needs. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if schools could work a deal with B&N on the nook color to get whatever apps they needed on them for academic purposes, such as the obvious book reading and office reading software, calculators, graphing tools, photo and PDF viewing tools, etc. They may want the devices fairly locked up anyways so as to keep kids more focused. Obviously that won't stop the more geeky ones from rooting and sideloading whatever they want, but it can please the school board.

The color nook is $250.

TWO FIFTY! It has a color IPS multitouch screen, is lighter weight and more handy in the bag than even the iPad. And the Android market is growing. I remember when the iPad was first released, a lot of apps wouldn't work on it at all. The iPad compatible apps list is growing very rapidly. With more and more android tablets hitting shelves, the tablet compatible android apps list is going to quickly grow as well.

And we will see parallel development of an extremely wide variety of excellent apps (and sadly crap apps) for android tablets, pocket media devices, AND smartphones, very similar to Apple's formula for app success.

I want a color nook. On of my best friends has one, and it runs Angry Birds GREAT!! :D
 
I think we should spend this money to either A: Pay teachers more or B: Recruit qualified teachers that know the curriculum there teaching. Or use money to fix some of the schools that are in major need of repair.
 
Krenum said:
I think we should spend this money to either A: Pay teachers more or B: Recruit qualified teachers that know the curriculum there teaching. Or use money to fix some of the schools that are in major need of repair.
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Solution A doesn't work. The teacher's unions already got their bribe from the Congress last summer and they still won't do their job. Recruiting qualified teachers won't work either because they'll be folded into the unions or fired for not cooperating with the unions. As for schools in major need of repair, it depends on what area you're talking about. Schools where I live are fine which in fact all of them were pretty much renovated or new buildings went up.
 
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