ETEC 522 – Sept. 2011

Week 09: iPad Apps RSS Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Angela Novoa 3:49 pm on November 6, 2011

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  Culminating week 9 

  Hello everyone, The members of the team for week 9 would like to thank you all for your participation. The goal for this week was to critically examine and evaluate the potentials of iPad as an educational tool. The discussions for this week showed the advantages and disadvantages of integrating iPads in education. These are […]

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    Deb Kim 12:24 pm on November 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Thank you, Week 9 team, for your great work.
    I truly enjoyed the discussions. You’ve provided great tips for me as I’m planning to purchase an iPad in the near future.

    Deb

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  mcquaid 3:15 pm on November 6, 2011

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  D#3 – Will iPad, or Won’t I? 

  This is a trick question in the sense that it’s more than one question. Whether or not I think the iPad(#) is a global education changer may not match my opinion on whether I would invest in it or not. As long as it was profitable and I stood to make some money on it, […]

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    Everton Walker 4:58 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    mcquaid,

    I like how you zoomed in on what should iPads do to consider a game-changer. I think a technology has to change all aspects of teaching and learning with proven results overtime to be considered a game-changer.

    Everton

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  Tamara Wong 1:30 pm on November 6, 2011

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  Tags: iPad ( 15 )   

  Discussion # 3 Bates and Poole tells it all 

  As an EVA I would be tempted to first apply the Bates and Poole sections model to look at whether or not the iPad would be a smart investment for the classroom.   S- Students: As others have pointed out younger students would be the best candidates for iPad in the classroom as they are […]

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    Jim 1:48 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Genius! I totally forgot about Bates and Poole! Thanks! I will be incorporating their framework into my venture pitch assignment!

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    mcquaid 3:32 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    I, too, use Bates & Poole’s SECTIONS model. Ever since I came across that piece in a previous course, I keep it in mind all of the time. Very useful.

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  Tamara Wong 1:28 pm on November 6, 2011

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  Tags: iPad ( 15 )   

  Discussion #2 – Too frustrating for an ESL adult 

   I don’t currently use an iPad in my class and I don’t own one – I have a blackberry playbook.  I got the playbook because of it’s size, it is easier to thumb type than one finger type like on the iPad, it’s multitasking abilities, and it’s ability to run flash.  The biggest advantage my […]

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    Juliana 2:16 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Hi Tamara,

    Thank you for your post. I like the fact that you brought this other perspective to the discussion. It is true that we need to think about what the incorporation of technology does for our students. For instance, does it make learning better or does it make it more frustrating? I remember the same thing came up about Second Life and its use in education. The immersive learning environment can be great for adults to learn in complex situations, but many of the students found that trying to interact with the Second Life platform was very frustrating.

    Juliana.

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    Deb Giesbrecht 2:35 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Great point Tamara – user frustration and the learning curve that comes with it. The ipad is built to be very intuitive, however, not every user finds it that way.

    I found that it is a great way to teach my girlfriends kids action terms – like ‘shake’ or ‘flip’ etc. We used a story book app that showed Humpty Dumpty and you had to shake him off the wall – very fun but becomes overkill very quickly when you have to do it numerous times in a row.

    I think the ipad is good as a ‘tool’ – just like anything else – and not to be the object of learning.

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    Tamara Wong 1:21 pm on November 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Juliana,
    I see your point about Second Life – sometimes it just takes too long to learn the tool. When I tried out Second Life I got frustrated because I couldn’t figure out how to use it and decided that it might not be appropriate for my students who struggle with the most basic things on the computer when it’s in English (or sometimes even in their language).
    Deb, I love how intuitive tablet can be – and it seems especially for children, and Mac’s in particular are great at making things easy to use. Older people seem to get them much easier than PCs at least my mom’s questions about her computer now that she has a Mac has decreased significantly. She seems to understand it way better. However, I feel for my some of my students (others are way ahead of me in the technology department) learning a computer and learning a language at the same time is too difficult and the learning time is too long. I find that other tools might be better suited for this situation and I’d only be using an iPad as a ‘cool’ factor (I think if I were teaching younger students I’d have asked my boss for iPads a long time ago!)
    Tamara

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  Juliana 10:56 am on November 6, 2011

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  Discussion #3 – To invest or not invest… 

  I think the iPad has the potential to change education, but only if it is utilized appropriately.  In one of my other classes I was looking at radio and television and its uses in education and the one consistent message that I got was the the instructors either did not have time or were not […]

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    Deb Giesbrecht 2:40 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    I agree with you Juliana – the technology is only as good as what is being presented. I recently went to a very frustrating class where we learned about a new finance software system – very difficult for one that does not like to do anything with numbers. The instructor continually pointed out how much she did not know – inspiring real confidence in her ability to educate us! I found it very frustrating in that everyone in the class was at the same point in the learning process as she was.

    So your point about educating instructors is very valid – technology is not useful if it cannot be used properly or – more to the point – demonstrated properly.

    deb

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    Deb Kim 2:33 pm on November 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Hi Juliana,

    You made good points.
    I absolutely agree with you that teachers need to be retrained for the use of new technologies. I also agree with you that these new technologies change the way students learn. As training teachers costs a lot of money as well, we need to consider if the new technologies we are about to incorporate into the classroom are easy to use. We also need to consider if we’ll be utilizing them as much as we can. Buying decent technologies would be a good idea but it’ll be a waste of money if we don’t utilize them often.

    Deb

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  Juliana 10:04 am on November 6, 2011

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  Discussion #2 – Not sure about this…. 

  I was teaching laboratory safety to adults, so it was a 6 hour lecture course and a 3 hour practical.  This course has shifted to an online mode where all the 6 hours of lectures were put online, but the 3 hour practical is kept the same.  In this context one advantage of the iPad […]

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    David William Price 10:32 am on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Great example of using mobile as a performance support.

    You can probably find conductive gloves or a conductive solution to allow you to use gloves.

    There are all kinds of cases and shields for iPads to keep them safe.

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      andrea 3:25 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

      Funny that this should come up – I just saw an ad for the first time this weekend for i-touch gloves, and then discovered this article: http://topiphoneresource.info/best-iphone-gloves/. Even though I live in Vancouver, I am a cold weather wimp and may be investing in some of these

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    Deb Giesbrecht 2:26 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    That is an interesting scenario Juliana.

    Presently in the OR at one of our hospitals they are trialing the ipad for instrumentation tracking and control and have found an ipad that is surgically closed (I think that is the term they used) meaning that it is encased in such a way that it can be wiped down with cleaning solution after every use. It is mounted on the wall and plugged in at all times (hence no worries about battery life). Of course this option costs more as that is not the usual consumer package that it comes in. Gloved hands are used in the OR, and there are no reports that this is a negative factor in its use.

    It is really hard to setup online learning when the learner is suppose to perform a return demonstration – much harder depending on the angles of the camera, if that is indeed what they are using, to capture all the cues of the demo. For tactile learner, like myself, being shown in person is a lot more advantageous then seeing it on screen.

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  Doug Smith 4:18 pm on November 5, 2011

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  Tags: apps ( 9 ), capitalists, iPad ( 15 ), market ( 3 )   

  Discussion #3 – a couple of more thoughts 

  In regards to creation vs consumption with the iPad… If I am about to create media for tomorrow’s lessons, what tool am I going to use? My tablet, laptop or desktop? While the former two may be more comfortable in the sense that I can stretch out on the couch with them, by far and […]

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    David William Price 8:50 am on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    “Why haven’t EV capitalists taken advantage of the iPad? How come one year ago a bunch of EVC didn’t develop a bunch of amazing support tools and media for the iPad in education”

    I suspect the reason is that most software used for education is not designed for education.

    MS Word, PowerPoint, Google, reference apps, note-taking apps, etc.

    A major trend is users demanding to use their own technology within companies and educational institutions. People already have the hardware and software tools they’re comfortable with. Does it make sense to get into a “get rich slow” educational niche when you can build a tool that everyone wants to use?

    I think the prevalence of behaviourist apps in the education market simply highlights how poorly we integrate authentic learning into formal education. When people want to solve a real-world problem, they follow heuristics to find, evaluate, and implement information. I think it was Papert who said a child may not be able to add 3 + 3, but he certainly knows if someone else has more cookies than he does.

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  Jim 9:55 am on November 5, 2011

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  Discussion #3 – iPad: Content authoring vs. media consumption 

  Q: Do you think that the ipad lacks ‘information production’ – the word processing capability that we are used to on PCs? Rob Abel’s article includes several interesting insights and information regarding the growing use of the iPad device in education.  It is unfortunate that despite IMF’s K-20 range Abel article only seems to be […]

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    Jay 12:00 pm on November 5, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Thanks Jim. The discussion around content creation vs consumption is an important one this week evidenced by the number of posts addressing this issue. I like the list you created and I think it furthers the thought that we must move away from the idea of content creation being limited to paper-pencil tasks and methods (only textual based).

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      Jim 1:46 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

      Thanks, Jay. I think that both the PC and the iPad will continue to be consumption and creation devices. But, there will be some differences based on the kind of device you are using. People use their smartphones all the time, too, to create content–email messages, tweets, status updates, and so on. This still qualifies as content creation… but it is just a different kind of content.

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    David William Price 8:54 am on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Good points.

    For me the issue is use cases. A mobile workforce needs mobile technology. A sedentary workforce uses mobile technology as a luxury. If we push education out into authentic experiences in the real world, mobile becomes an essential way of accessing, capturing, and manipulating information.

    I also like your list because I think people forget that “educational apps” don’t have to be direct teaching apps… educators need all kinds of tools to create educational experiences. To the extent a mobile device allows you to go out into the field and capture more authentic experiences for your students, that sounds like a huge plus to me.

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      Jim 1:43 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

      And I really think you make an excellent point with this description: “push education out into authentic experiences in the real world.” I think that’s absolutely right. The more we can embed technology within situated learning activities, the more we can have true integration of technology and really have a direct effect on learning.

      I think all technology makes humans more powerful in some way–it becomes an extension or enhancement of something they can do (or wish they could do) but technology takes the limits off what is possible. As you note, it is essential that this technology be mobile and that we have a wide variety of apps for a wide variety of situations.

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    Jim 1:39 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
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  David Berljawsky 8:43 am on November 5, 2011

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  Is the iPad a game changer? Possibly. 

  Is the iPad a game changer? I would have to say yes. Now the sci-fi nerd in me thinks back to the original Star Trek (I’m going somewhere here!) where they utilized an instrument called the tricorder. Now what this instrument did was act as a fancy computer that basically gave the user the answer […]

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    Deb Giesbrecht 6:05 pm on November 5, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    I agree David – I think the ipad has not reached its potential yet – although like I said in other posts – can’t wait till ipad 50! May be I will be able to afford it by that time! I think there are some great apps ( ever tried glass towers?!) As far as educational ones – I have not really tried them out – particularly in a classroom setting. I think we have only begun to scratch the surface as far as potential goes – the sky is the limit. As far as owning one – I have not found good enough reasons to open up my wallet that far.

    As far as Star Trek – I am guessing they were ahead of their time!

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    andrea 3:46 pm on November 6, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Hi Deb & David – I agree that iPad and other tablets have yet to really change education. Yes, they’re portable and that is very handy. Yes, touch-screen technologies do allow people to interact differently with the content. However, are students learning differently yet? Are they creating content in ways they couldn’t before? I liked the component of the presentation this week that looked at the true cost of the iPad, because I think in a cash-strapped environment like today, a new tool needs to either be an amazing price or it needs to do amazing things, and the iPad hasn’t delivered either of those yet.

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  jenaca 2:02 am on November 5, 2011

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  Discussion #3- Definitely a Game Changer 

  Is the iPad a game changer? I definitely believe the iPad is a game changer. Please take a minute to think about the technology Apple has brought to our world, computers, phones, iPods, and now the iPad. I truly believe that this device alone has changed the way we view education and the ability to […]

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    khenry 5:26 am on November 5, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Hi Jenaca,
    When I examined if the ipad was a game changer I was actually interested in how has the use of it changed the game versus the actual technologies? As you pointed out it has enabled anywhere, anytime access and increased possibilities for storage and media production but I couldn’t help thinking that other technologies have also done this so where does the ipad differ in changing the game? Your point on the apps associated with the ipad is where I really believe that the game has been changed (I expand on this is my blog).

    I also agree that costs are an important consideration and I can’t help but think: ‘can we get the same affordances cheaper?’ Now that would be a real game change!

    Kerry-Ann

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    hall 6:13 am on November 5, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply

    Hi Jenaca,

    Thank you for sharing your ideas and the website: http://www.ipadinschools.com/ with us. I found the website very impressive and formative. It highlights some key points for implementing Ipads in the classroom. I think these points are very importance to all educators and should be available to them.

    Your post is a very informative. You explicitly outlined the reasons that Ipad is a game changer. I agree with your points.

    Indeed, the deterring factor of Ipad is its cost and constant upgrading of the device. Most persons who think that Ipads would be useful in a school’s setting always complain that Ipads are too expensive. I agree that the constant upgrading of Ipads drive fear in consumers of the practically in purchase an Ipad if it will be upgraded in a year. I think the competition of other tablets on the market will cause the cost Ipads to fall in the near future.