iPads in the classroom...can you see it?
Hello Community,
Best...
Well, I bought an iPad. I could not resist the temptation. After I walked out of the Apple store with my iPad, I knew I
wouldn't have buyers remorse. I seldom buy the first generation of anything!
However, I have a feeling that this device (the iPad) will be a game
changer in education, and I needed to understand why. Let me explain.
Every time I walk in the Apple store I see kids (young and old) crowding around a table of adults to experience this device. Now, I should not be surprised.
I saw kids around the iMacs when the Apple store was proudly displayed for the public, showcasing the latest education
software. I saw kids around the iPhone and iPod Touch. Prior to my iPad I
had to FIGHT with my own kids to use it. So the iPad should be no
different in the attraction factor. I am sure you have witnessed this.
What is so intriguing is the smiles and the grins that kids have as they play math games or read a book or learn how to
spell on the iPad. As parents are leaving the store the kids are begging
for one more minute on the iPad. Magical!
Ok my fellow educators, imagine that excitement in the classroom of today. Imagine the possibilities of this simple device
providing the connection to student achievement that we measure with
time on task.
If you heard any of my presentations, I usually do not jump on band wagons. I tend to be a realist when it
comes to implementing technology in education. I know the realities out
there. Too many obstacles (i.e. teacher, principals, and IT). However, I
see something guys. I see a shift. You may not believe that all schools
will have iPads for students. And I not suggesting that all schools
will. But what you see is a device that will change what our kids expect
from educators. Apple has started another revolution.
What do you think? Do you see a shift 5 to 10 years out? Are you thinking differently about this to? Or is it just hype?
Best...
Antwon
That’s my 2¢. Where’s my change?
Tags: ipads
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Stacy Kramer on
-
iPads in classroom should create a flutter and more excitement in learning.
I thought of quoting the reasons, but this post is just perfect: http://www.schooltechnology.org/2010/06/24/7-reasons-ipad-change-ed...
-
Permalink Reply by Donna Lasher on
-
I am part of a new school opening in August and we will have five IPADs per classroom, plus more avaiable for check-out. I'm still in awe of this, but very excited! We are going to expose the kids to both Apple and PC (kind of a digital dual language school). I am in the process of brainstorming the many ways I can use these at centers, in small groups, etc. and anxiously anticipating our training in July. I have taught nearly 30 years, and, for the last five or so, I've joked about passing out laptops instead of worksheets! Now, it will be IPADs. I see them being used in much the same way, except that the touch screen feature makes them so much faster and more versatile than our wireless laptops, even more portable, and, of course, the images are even crisper and more colorful. Just as when laptops became more accesible, there will be a lot of talk about how the IPAD is an additional tool for learning. I'm more concerned about distractions (games, etc.) than their expertise at using them, but that's nothing new. I'm looking to get my own, too!
-
Permalink Reply by Stacy Courtright on
-
Was Smartboard just a hype? I was privvy to have the first one in a district I was teaching in about 10 years ago. It was awesome, the kids were amazed, and teachers were afraid to share. Little by little, admins and teachers in our district were implementing them one to two classrooms at a time, then libraries, then science labs.
This example reminds me that students are the ones to want to jump into technological tools and the adults are the hesitation. Now, IWB perhaps have influenced the market with things such as the IPAD. I don't think it is a fad but a game changer- this medium allows the technology up close- and allows so many more opportunities for educators to get the content across.
It is an exciting tool and if you look around the educational content is small- just a world waiting to happen.
-
Permalink Reply by Jacqui Murray on
-
Aside from all the wizz bang techie stuff (I'm a tech teacher, so I can say that), I can see iPad's as a wonderful paper-saving device. Instead of all the print-outs my school uses, push them out to iPads, one at each desk, or shared. Instead of wondering how to fit 26 computers into a classroom, you can surely fit an iPad at each desk. Not much cheaper, but seems like a good idea to me.
Not that we have them at my school. I'm excited, planning...
-
Permalink Reply by Amy Holzman on
-
I saw my iPad changing learning this last spring. My students would actually read anything I handed them if it was on the iPad. Handouts, well you all know what kids usually do with handouts. If you don't, ask the custodians.
What I'm wondering, considering all the time children are spending in front of illuminated screens, are their brains somehow getting wired to process it differently than paper? What about the difference between the iPad and the Kindle or Nook? Which is better, illuminated or e-ink?
-
Permalink Reply by Tom Welch on
-
Still struggling with a current definition of "closed platform". Have you read Jobs' commentary on why they are not supporting Adobe Flash on the iPad? He speaks to the "closed platform" issue, and Apple's rejection of it.
When the iPod and iPhone first came out, they were, I agree, pretty closed. Today Apple gives out the code specs even before the device is on the market because they want other developers to feel free to develop programs and apps. Many apps for the App store have even been written by kids in school who can then turn their inventiveness into an entrepreneurial venture. Yes, it has to be sold through the App store, which filters what can be sold to some degree but it's hard for me to define that system as closed with the tens of thousands of apps being offered by thousands of developers. Filtered? Yes. Closed? Not so much.
I see the current course structure of schools with (often times) a single text as the ultimate in a closed system, and yet I hear no cries of the way in invades the individual student's academic freedom. Just ask a student in a regular "comprehensive high school" who wants to learn chemistry through the culinary arts, and you'll quickly see who has total control over his/her academic freedom with the ultimate monopoly. If we don't like monopolies in education, then we must all be working to free learning from the current control of "schooling".
-
-
Thanks for the post, Antwon. I thought I would like my iPad. I don't. I LOVE it! I was one of the geeks waiting for the UPS truck the day they were delivered. Game changer? You bet, as part of a spiraling trend that is gaining momentum with every turn.
IMHO, Smartboards represented a way to "improve" instruction via technology. Unfortunately in 90% of classrooms it has reinforced the notion of a teacher-led and a teacher-controlled learning process. iPads are not "improvement", they are a step of "innovation" which is totally different. iPads will accelerate the shift of control (and many of the responsibilities) of learning away from the teacher and onto the learner where it belongs.
I greatly respect the teachers who have commented thus far, but I would urge them to consider a couple of comments and the underlying assumptions. I contend that it is an irresponsible use of scarce funding to replace a paper worksheet with the same worksheet on an iPad! Even worse, while filling in an electronic worksheet, students are NOT using the iPad to do what it can do that a worksheet cannot. Were I still a high school principal, I would urge my teachers to pledge to NEVER "push" any school work to a student on an iPad. I would make sure they understood the thousands and thousands of ways that students can break out of the school culture of dependency and learn in ways that are individualized for their interest and ability.
I shudder to think of the Physics teacher who asks students to do a worksheet on an iPad. If you want students to learn Bernoulli's principle, or Newton's second law and one of them is interested in NASCAR and another in kite flying, have them Google what they are interested in. By the way, I just checked (using my iPad) and there were over 4,000 entries for B's principle and kite flying and over 1,000 for B's principle and NASCAR! Would you have ever guessed that?
While teachers may still retain some control over the learning process, tools like the iPad are destined to help shift that to guidance and mentoring of learning. Will an iPad for every student usher in The Golden Age of Teaching? No, of course not, but it is going to hasten its advent and I can't wait!
One of the first uses of it will probably be the introduction of every textbook individualized for each student's Lexile level. When a student's reading level increases over the year, they can just download the textbook at the new, ideal level. As far as I know, this doesn't exist now, but there are already companies (Achieve 3000 is one that I know of) that have thousands and thousands of Reuter's news stories at the widest range of Lexile levels. "Same article", individualized reading level. Why wouldn't we demand this in a text"book"?
I love these lines from a YouTube video by Dan Brown (not the author) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P2PGGeTOA4&playnext_from=TL&.... He notes: "It is clear to the world that something just isn't working with institutional education, and most people think this means we need to change institutional education. But to the educators of the world, I am here to say that I disagree. You don't need to change anything. You simply need to understand that the world is changing; and if you don't change with it, the world will decide . . . that it doesn't need you anymore."
So here's to the iPad as a way to increase learning, not facilitate teaching. May it be a catalyst in the shift from the Age of Schooling to the Age of Learning!
-
-
I could not agree more, Tom! I am fortunate to be in a position to facilitate independent research a great deal. My G/T students are learning all about how to "do" research (evaluate sources, synthesize and summarize information, paraphrase, and properly cite sources, etc.) and I will use the IPADS mostly for the purpose of independent study and research. We use Britannica and World Book Online, online dictionaries, and other reliable educational sites. I will probably throw in some webquests when we are studying a certain topic, but the recording of what they find will still be done on good old-fashioned paper and hopefully involve some THINKING, not just copying information they've located. As far as the other things my students work on (i.e. presentations and projects), I'll have to learn more about the Apple/ Mac apps for this.
I also agree that Smartboards need to be used in ways that involve students. These technological tools do not really impress the kids as they do me! They just want to be hands-on! That's where the IPAD comes in.
-
-
It's different because the students see it as different from those other devices. They are comfortable with the interface. They ask to do their research on my iPad even with laptops right there for them to use.
I agree with Tom. I've seen it in my classes. I can give them readings and DBQ's on McCarthyism but they are much more involved with their own learning when they get to use the iPad.
-
Permalink Reply by Larry Sandberg on
-
I love some of the iPad apps which have an immense educational value and can complement what you learn in classrooms.
Math Board, Star Walk and Frog Dissection are a few amazingly crafted apps.
Frog Dissection is very new and does provide great value to high schoolers/Sci enthusiasts(http://www.punflay.com/frog-dissection-appstore.html)
Cheers
-
Permalink Reply by Ajay Shroff on
-
Hi Antwon,
iPads are defintely going to change the educations scene. Check out the wired magazine on the iPad and how interactive it is. Imagine teaching students using this level of interactivity - http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid3698508001?bctid=88...
Ajay
-
Permalink Reply by John Peters on
-
Antwon;
Nice post. I think that eventually, iPads will be a "Game-Changer" as you said. While I was in Denver at ISTE 2010 I attended several sessions, and had many informal discussions about the iPad. Also, I was inspired to write about our own Special Ed daughter's use of her iPad: http://tinyurl.com/249774r
It is going to be exciting for me as an educator to see how I can best use iPads in the classroom. I'm still trying to figure out the role it will play. Will it just be just another interesting thing to have and use in the classroom, or will it be something that will change the way we use technology? I'm not sure yet.
I do feel, that as a reader and as a way to view the internet, books and other similar items, the iPad does have a place, but as for producing "stuff", I'm not sure. I think that it will never replace a laptop or desktop computer, but I think it will have a place in education, but that place has yet to be defined.
Report
Win at School
Commercial Policy
If you are representing a commercial entity, please see the specific guidelines on your participation.
Badge
Follow
Awards:
© 2024 Created by Steve Hargadon.
Powered by
