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"What do you mean?"
"I'm from an older generation and I like the feel of a book in my hands when I read. I like to see people's faces."
Another more academically said that she was concerned that if everything is electronic and online and if the "system" failed, all information and knowledge will be lost.
An hour before these answers, Steve Jobs introduced the iPad to the world. The iPad appears to be a "big daddy" iPod (finally an "large print" iPod for my older eyes) or an laptop without a cover.
Reviews have been mixed and probably related to whether the reviewer was a member of the Apple fan club or not. The future is in question. The cost is low, compared to a laptop, making it competitive in that market but higher than the iPod or iPhone, perhaps taking it out of the high school market for awhile.
While the laptop and Touch iPod are making their ways into the public school classrooms, as well as the colleges, the iPad will be only a small step behind. The report is that the iPad will be available this summer and by Fall term they should be in our classrooms.
Or should they? That may not be the question we have the privilege of answering. The question will be: How can we use the iPad be effectively in education?
Order us 20 for a start!
I just saw the iPad presentation, or part of it on the news last night and I just sat and shook my head. Things become obsolete so quickly these days. The "grass is always greener" is what it makes me thing of.
ReplyDeleteI was quite blown away by one of the options they decided to highlight in this clip, it was a "video" game, Like driving, the steering wheel picture in the middle of this and grasping the iPad like a wheel to manuever the vehicle about its course. Unreal, a gamers delight.
I do feel somewhat helpless. I believe you are right Denvy, we do not get to the answer of whether or not this should be in our classrooms. The reality is they will, in some way, shape or form and the challenge is your comment on the effective uses of in education.
Despite my best efforts, I am still hesitate to this constant change. While I do believe change is a good thing, too much change, all at once, without some grasp of consequence remains very scary too me.
I imagine they'll make their way into classrooms. If, that is, they aren't obsolete by the time we can get grants to find money to buy them!
ReplyDeleteThe question of whether or not they should be there is an interesting one. I think technology needs to enhance our teaching rather than run it. In my opinion, teachers should find the technology that works for them and stick with it for awhile. Otherwise you end up spending important teaching time learning about new technology instead of the actual lessons intended. Unless, of course, you teach technology. That's a different story. :)