iPads Showing Up in Schools

My little sister loves her iPad.

To hear her tell it, the iPad is what every fashionable fashion executive in New York carries into meetings. They all travel with them and make their presentations from them, she says, but after that, the list of things she loves about her iPad are less about creating work.

For example, Kim has 150 e-books loaded up right along with all of her music. She can always find the nearest Starbucks and track her stock portfolio. She is able to play games and download applications from anywhere via her wireless phone network. The iPad has some limitations when it comes to working with spreadsheets, another staple of the fashion industry.

The more she talks about it the more I think I am right about the iPad. It's a little honkin' consumer device designed to sell the buyer more stuff. Many of the applications are cool, but in a classroom setting, I'm not sure how student creativity is engaged much at all and that ought to be a concern to educators. Are iPads really superior to laptops in any significant way?

A quick review of Gizmodo's Essential iPad apps reveals more and more consumer items including Netflicks (movies), ABC Player (TV shows), Marvel Comics, iBooks, NBA Game Time Courtside, and a whole host of games, entertainment and music outlets.

I'm just not sure how much or how successfully iPads will be used in the classroom.

As a technology lover, I enjoy all of the flashy things the iPad can bring. But in the end, technology is simply a tool. It's a better book, or a better telephone, or a better pencil, or a better abacus....but will the iPad prompt the kinds of real creative work our students need?

This from the Charlotte News & Observer:

The high school students in Tim Hall's AP World History class at Franklin Academy whirled through the Middle Ages this month on their 1.5-pound, $500 iPads.

After reading through a digital textbook, students got a fast-paced visual tour of Gothic architecture, the feudal system and the Crusades. All on their trendy tablet computers.

"You just have to get used to it," student Jordan Dunne said, "and you have to check your battery life."

The Wake Forest charter school began its experiment with iPads this fall, when it bought 10 for the AP class. Leaders have been so happy with the results, they recently made plans to order 20 more.

IPads, notebook computers and mobile devices are destined for the classroom on a much bigger scale. But questions remain about how successful they will be in widespread use...

This from Rick Hess at Straight Up:

When "Digital Natives" Discover the Encyclopedia

I'm sure my friends at the Department of Education were thrilled to read in the Raleigh-based News & Observer that North Carolina school districts are using their Race to the Top funds to advance structural reform by... purchasing iPads. Durham, N.C. is spending $3.5 million in RTT funds to "put Apple iPads in the hands of students and teachers at two low-performing schools." Durham Public Schools Superintendent Eric Becoats said, "Our kids are telling us, 'This is how we
learn. This is what we want.'"

Ah-ha, yes, this is the change we've been waiting for. Look, I own an iPad. I like the iPad. But I'll tell you, when I've been to schools that feature one-to-one computing, personal computers, and iPads, they seem to get mostly used in one of two ways. Neither impresses me. The first involves students working on graphics, clip art, powerpoints, or adding sound and visual effects to video shorts. The second is students Googling their way to Wikipedia for material to cut-and-paste into powerpoints or word files.

This was all brought home to me again, just the other week, when I had a chance to spend a couple days visiting acclaimed "technology-infused" high schools. Yet, most of what I saw the technology being used for was either content-lite or amounted to students using Google-cum-Wikipedia as a latter day World Book Encyclopedia. Making powerpoints and video shorts is nice, but it's only us "digital tourists" who think it reflects impressive learning...

This from the San Jose Mercury News:

Are iPads a game changer in education?

Some California districts consider the iPad to be a "game changer" and are launching programs to put them in students' hands. However, some educators question the iPad's usefulness. They say technology distracts students from learning and have largely banned such devices in schools. Others worry that students at disadvantaged schools won't have access to the technology...

Warning, this from FoxNews.com:

How do parents feel about technology in the classroom?

Opinions among parents differ over whether their children should be using technology -- including computers, cell phones and iPads -- in the classroom. Some parents say students should be using technology as educational tools because they will use similar devices in the workplace. However, some worry it can cause health issues such as neck and eye strain or serve as an overall distraction. "The exciting thing is the potential to use these 'time-wasters' or 'over-stimulators' to our advantage in the classroom," one educator said...

This from the Berkeley Independent:

S.C. is testing iPads as learning tools in 2 districts

Fifth-grade students at a Berkeley County, S.C., school are using iPads in the classroom as part of the state Department of Education's Digital Pilot Program operating in two districts. Students recently used the devices to learn about multiplication and fractions, and now are integrating the iPads into lessons about inventors and inventions. "We try to use them every day," one teacher said. "... I don't even think they view it as learning."

And from BlogHer.com:

Children with autism learn, have fun with iPad apps

The writer of this blog post lists 10 apps for iPod Touch or iPad devices that may be fun or educational for children with autism. Some of the suggestions such as "Tappy Tune" and "Splish Splash Inn" help children with pre-reading and pre-math skills, while others such as "My First Tangrams," "Hand Drums" and "Chalkboard" feature puzzles, music and art.

Then, there's this from the Wall Street Journal:

Are students encouraged to be creative in school?

Scores on a standard creativity test showed a steady decline between 1990 and 2008, particularly among students in grades K-6. Researchers attribute the findings to more time on computers and watching television, plus an increased focus on standardized tests and rote learning in schools. Enrichment programs can help encourage creativity in children. Some say parents and teachers can assist by asking more open-ended questions and showing interest in answers.

Thanks Mikey