[Article] iPads in education: Not actually evil, but pretty close

[Dos_Box]

I've just found this on The Register. The article seems to be a bit of a negative view on iPads as ICT/Computer Science tools rather than as a 'whole school' device: iPads in education: Not actually evil, but pretty close ? The Register

It's amusing though

 

So you know that the budget needs to include keeping the numbers up as they perish. We’re dealing with kids here, so can expect them to be dropped, lost, stolen, immersed in fluids or some macabre combination of all four.

[Flatpackhamster]

It's hard to argue with his analysis and I've often seen schools seduced by The Shiny without a consideration for the fact that you'll have to replace The Shiny in 3/4/5 years' time and where's the money going to come from?

 

I am fighting the urge of the non-tech teachers to fit out the place with iPads at the moment. It does seem that the less they know about tech the keener they are to get iPads. Probably explains why the EU Parliament and UK parliament both voted themselves a free iPad.

[elsiegee40]

If the shiny lasts 3/4/5 years I'd be delighted, but I'm afraid that all the reasons given in DB's quote mean that probably half won't make it through the first twelve months.

[Dos_Box]

It would be interesting to see some attrition rate figures if anyone has them for their school. Mind you, if a particular school has spent £££££'s on iPads and they have suffered heavy casualties then I doubt they would want to advertise the fact.

[localzuk]

We've had to have 2 repaired out of 12 here, in less than a year. And they are only used by teachers...

[HMCTech]

I hate the fact we are buying over 100 for teachers and want to get one each for 950 pupils and have to put Wifi in everywhere just to cover it. And not one single person who is making the decision can answer the question of "Why?".

[Domino]

I hate the fact we are buying over 100 for teachers and want to get one each for 950 pupils and have to put Wifi in everywhere just to cover it. And not one single person who is making the decision can answer the question of "Why?".

 

jeebus...imagine what you could do with that money....

[X-13]

jeebus...imagine what you could do with that money....

 

Scrooge McDuck style swimming in gold coins or GTFO.

[Domino]

Scrooge McDuck style swimming in gold coins or GTFO.

 

TechTales, ah-wooooo

 

[Dos_Box]

jeebus...imagine what you could do with that money....

 

Fly somewhere warmer for a start.

 

*WHY IS IT SNOWING!!!!!!*

[Guest Guest]

It would be interesting to see some attrition rate figures if anyone has them for their school. Mind you, if a particular school has spent £££££'s on iPads and they have suffered heavy casualties then I doubt they would want to advertise the fact.

 

There was one school who have. It's been posted on here before. Sorry, on an iPhone so I cba searching for te thread.

 

Summary, iirc 25% needed fixing in the first year but once they got hard cases that number dropped.

 

Winodws 8 is to one to watch IMO as you can do and move WORK to and from them. Hopefully some developers will make some educational apps for them and then the only "advantage" iPads will have is the apple logo

[edutech4schools]

Secondary school near me is going 1 2 1 with I-pads for all pupils and staff. They are ditching every desktop and laptop.

 

They say they are doing this as most students can use an i-pad. My response = Should we not be preparing them for the work environment which would be the very items you are ditching.

 

I can see why a school would want a tablet but only as an addition to the systems in place and not as the only system. IMO Tablets are for consuming, computers are both consuming and creating.

[dhicks]

And not one single person who is making the decision can answer the question of "Why?".

 

Although some school, somewhere, does at least have to try and give it a proper go and see exactly how well iPads (or other tablets) can work in a school setting. Tablets aren't so much a consuming-only model of computing so much as a network-reliant model - you can do interesting things with them, including programming, it's just that you have to write an app or a webpage to do it. If there really is a shortage of applications that allow pupils to create their own interesting content using a tablet then that makes for a huge market just waiting for someone to come along and write some software. The author of the article has a degree in computer science, he should stop complaining and get to fixing the problem.

[Sean-OC04]

Although some school, somewhere, does at least have to try and give it a proper go and see exactly how well iPads (or other tablets) can work in a school setting. Tablets aren't so much a consuming-only model of computing so much as a network-reliant model - you can do interesting things with them, including programming, it's just that you have to write an app or a webpage to do it. If there really is a shortage of applications that allow pupils to create their own interesting content using a tablet then that makes for a huge market just waiting for someone to come along and write some software. The author of the article has a degree in computer science, he should stop complaining and get to fixing the problem.

 

Agreed, below is one of the reports I have seen...

 

iPad Research in Schools - University of Hull

[localzuk]

Although some school, somewhere, does at least have to try and give it a proper go and see exactly how well iPads (or other tablets) can work in a school setting. Tablets aren't so much a consuming-only model of computing so much as a network-reliant model - you can do interesting things with them, including programming, it's just that you have to write an app or a webpage to do it. If there really is a shortage of applications that allow pupils to create their own interesting content using a tablet then that makes for a huge market just waiting for someone to come along and write some software. The author of the article has a degree in computer science, he should stop complaining and get to fixing the problem.

 

Or schools could use laptops...

[Arthur]

Or schools could use laptops...

Couldn't we just use good old-fashioned desktops?