Do you think that the iPad lacks ‘information production’ – the word processing capability that we are used to on PCs? Before discussing whether the iPad lacks ‘information production’ or not, we need to consider the differences in the use of the iPad and the netbooks/laptops/PCs. Although I spend a lot of time with my […]
Continue reading Discussion #3: Understanding the Difference Posted in: Week 09: iPad Apps
Question: Is there a market for this technology within education? I believe that there is a market for this technology in education, albeit quite limited. Steve Kaufman’s reasons on why the iPad will change education are all valid, but they don’t necessarily speak to the market itself, as is. The iPad in its current incarnation […]
Continue reading Discussion #2 – iPad in education Posted in: Week 09: iPad Apps
If Apple strategically places itself in educational institutions – similar to what Gates did with Microsoft – the potential future market would be expansive. I think you are right though – the present incarnation of the ipad is limiting. It will be interesting to see where they will go from here – post Steve Jobs.
Presently there are limitations. I agree with you – I am not sure the cost outweighs the benefits. As well, the durability of the device amongst school age children may be more of a problem then school boards want to take on right now. Maybe a highly indestructible design would assist in opening the market a bit. However, the biggest obstacle is likely the inability to run Flash media.
There are workarounds for Flash, albeit probably not ones that a school will want to engage in.
Unless there is a massive change in the way public schools are run, I have no doubts that the iPad market in Canadian public education will stay around zero. There is no way that each student will be given a $600 device that has a shelf-life of maybe 2 years (not counting devices that get broken). It’s not even close. Perhaps universities are a better place to look, but then again, I don’t think university students are that interested in apps that have primary level math games.
A typical secondary school in Vancouver can barely keep computer labs running with 3 year old computers at a ratio of around 14 to 20 students per $450 computer (latest quote for a Dell PC purchased by the school district).
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khenry 5:36 am on November 5, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Deb,
Good points. Functionality and purpose do indeed distinguish the ipad from the pc and the information production capabilities. I do agree that the ideal would be to somehow fuse PC and ipad capabilities. However, as you pointed out, the different technologies serve different purposes and like you, I and many others I know, look to technologies during the day to support responding to, editing and viewing of information rather than actual production, which we do at sit down times. However, I wouldn’t mind doing some content creation as well as the demands for time increase. I also believe that creation/production apps are the way to go.
Kerry-Ann
Deb Kim 12:23 pm on November 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thank you, Kerry-Ann.
You are absolutely right that “creation/production apps are the way to go”.
verenanz 6:33 am on November 5, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Deb – The fact that we are considering buying some kind of keyboard support for the IPad for my daughter…proves your point. all users need to be able to have ease of use in creation and production. Excellent points. It’s true, I too use my Dell LapTop and my IPad for “different” things. There is room for growth!
Verena:)
Deb Kim 12:20 pm on November 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thank you, Verena.
hall 6:34 am on November 5, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Deb,
I absolutely like the comparisons of the PC/laptops/notebooks and IPads. I think the list of differences you mentioned were factual and gave readers a platform to make a valid choice of the electronic device they should purchase. In regard to word processing software for IPad, there are some Apps available which allow you to perform tasks similar to MS. You could visit this site http://www.iPadWordProcessor.com, it currently hosts a resource center for Apple’s iWork Pages, Office² HD, Quick Officeand iA Writer. These software are useful word processors for Ipads.
Conroy
Deb Kim 12:18 pm on November 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Conroy,
Thank you for the website address. I’ve never used any of the Apple products other than my iPhone, so that’s always been one of my concerns for purchasing an iPad. I use MS Office a lot (for my teaching practices as well as for my assignments), but it has occurred to me that Apple doesn’t provide such a good program that’s compatible to MS. I was looking for apps for the iPad that you mentioned (e.g. iWork Pages, Office² HD, and Quick Officeand iA Writer) because I’m planning to purchase an iPad in the near future.
Thank you for the tips.
Deb
Jim 10:18 am on November 5, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I enjoyed reading your post as I posted a discussion around the same answer. You also pointed out that PCs and iPads are different devices with different intentions behind their designs. I mentioned at the end of my post that PCs are going to become the workhorses of digital content whereas mobile devices will be used day-to-day. True, you can take notes on your laptop with MS-Word, but you will never us 98% of it’s capabilities in doing so.
You also talk a little bit about some of the difference between PCs and iPads, such as the portability. One could argue back, what about Netbooks? Just as portable and they can run MS-Word. But why haven’t Netbooks caught on with the vigor that iPads have? The answer is, I think, because the iPad was designed specifically as a easy to use, fun, mobile device from the start. The Netbook is just a continuation of the miniaturization of the desktop PC. The iPad breaks free of that desktop paradigm like no other device, I think.
Deb Kim 12:14 pm on November 7, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Jim,
I agree with you that the iPad is easier and more fun to use than the netbook as the netbook is “a continuation of the miniaturization of the desktop PC”. I mentioned “portability” because the iPad is lighter in its weight than the netbook. Also, it doesn’t take as much time to turn on as the netbook. You press the button and it turns on right away.
Deb