Game Changer?
Thank you for including the article in your wiki that discusses the game-changing ability of iPads. I agree that this is a cool tool that students will enjoy and engagement will likely follow…but I noted 2 comments that tell me that the iPad, as it stands now, will not be as globally accepted as hoped:
“Right now, the iPad is clearly a device that does not take the place of other computing or communication devices
At what point do we have too many devices and choose to buy the one device that combines the features of two? “
As long as the iPad is missing key features that are needed in schools, what institution is going to pay for both? And what parent, if told that the iPad will do some really interesting things, but oh, by the way, for many other activities you will also need to provide a netbook or laptop?
As an administrator, I would not encourage their purchase – not yet anyway.
Brenda
Posted in: Week 09: iPad Apps
Jay 8:37 am on November 2, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks Brenda. The two comments you have highlighted that the iPad as an educational technology device does not fill a need or aim to solve a problem since it cannot replace other “computing or communication devices”. While it offers features and applications that other devices may not, the cost of supplementing computing devices instead of replacing them is too high to be considered a good investment for some.
What features would Apple have to include in their next model for you, as an administrator, to consider its purchase and see it as a device more able to meet the needs in schools?
jenaca 4:06 am on November 3, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Brenda,
I am very curious about the second question you posted here.
“At what point do we have too many devices and choose to buy the one device that combines the features of two? “
I think that because there are so many different kinds of technologies available, we are all becoming unsure of which “new” device to buy. Right when we think we’ve decided to purchase something, a new and upgraded version comes out on the market.
Jenaca
jenaca 10:27 am on November 3, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. ~Albert Einstein
andrea 11:21 am on November 3, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
This is an interesting point, because we want to have devices that do things *well* but we also don’t want to have 10 devices each with only a specialized purpose. For example I’ve heard that the Kindle app on the iPad isn’t as good as Kindle itself, and while the camera in my iPhone is really good it’s not quite as good as my other camera. I wouldn’t trade my iPhone for anything, but it would be nice if the screen was a bit better for reading… You know how it goes!