Is an Ipad a suitable teacher laptop replacment

[SimpleSi]

Parent

 

Since and IPad is about same cost as a reasonable laptop, I'm just wondering if it is a suitable device as a replacement for teachers?

 

Anyone tried one out for that purpose?

 

regards

 

Simon

[morganw]

I wouldn't have thought so, it won't run the same software used at school and a lot of education websites need flash so I can't see it would be useful there. I can't see how it's better than a laptop for writing things up or creating resources, due to the lack of physical keyboard. In fact the only thing would be useful is if you use it to access your MIS either through the browser or through a custom app - you could do this with any other kind of remote access system.

 

I've also tried using a normal Windows XP desktop on one using a Citrix Connector to our XenApp server. It was bordering on unusable, the touch screen suddenly wasn't accurate enough because of the resolution needed to do anything. I was really disappointed with it as we were considering it for mobile registration.

[sted]

id hate to have to type anthing more than an e-mail on a touch screen imagine typing up 50 reports on an ipad you would go insane

[SYNACK]

Is a pastel a sutible replacement for a pen?

 

They are by their nature different things, if your teachers don't do much original work and think that innovation is something that you buy then an iPad would make them feel less bad about themselves. If they actually create resources and new things in line with their implied job descriptions then an iPad is not a full solution. They would need access to a 'real computer' as well either at home or in school. This could to a certain extent be handled by terminal services and turning the iPad into an expencive remote in order to give it access to needed features but then you are just double buying.

 

Also what about data protection, can you encrypt all data on an iPad and password protect it, would the staff actually stand for this tarnishing the appliance like nature of the device with messy and to their view 'unnessisary' security.

 

Again the data protection could be handled by terminal servicing it but then you have to ask yourself how many differnet teacher access devices do you need to buy and how much more complex does it end up than just buying the humble laptop.

 

The media, apple and certain users would like 'computing' to be as easy/limited as using a remote control but you loose so many possibilities with this approach that you are really just self sabotaging if you do not also take into account the shortcommings and like many apple products, pay out the nose to correct them.

Edited April 2, 2011 by SYNACK

[p858snake]

Seeing what my mum creates (as a teacher aide) for students to work on in classes, no way....

[pete]

No. I've yet to find a teacher (here) who can answer "how are you going to fulfill your job requirements using an iPad as your issued computing device?"

 

iPads and any (currently available) device where multi-touch / touchscreen is the sole interface are designed for consumption of information. They're distinctly mediocre when you need to create or do things with any kind of precision.

[localzuk]

At this present moment in time - no. The range of software needed simply doesn't exist. Now, ask the question again in 2 years and you might get a different answer.

 

Companies are continually moving into the multi-touch space - even Adobe has now developed Photoshop for the iPad.

[SYNACK]

even Adobe has now developed xxxxxx for the iPad.

 

So you can cross security and stability off any possible list of features

[eejit]

The iPad doesn't replace a laptop/PC. It is a wonder device that supplements those, but probably not at the expense of the school

[dhicks]

Is an Ipad a suitable teacher laptop replacment

 

Yes - it'll make the school money, anyway, as you can sell all your IWBs on eBay and use the iPads instead. Note that I think that any teacher devices should be separate from any classroom machines hooked up to front-of-class displays and quite possibly separate from any IT equipment provided for home use, i.e. teachers shouldn't have to lug devices back and forwards between school if they don't want to, they should have a laptop provided for home use. TAs should get devices too. "iPad" doesn't neccesarily mean "an iPad, from Apple", other tablet devices are available (although, admittedly, Apple still seem to be ahead of everyone else).

 

Edit: Just to add, in the context of that BBC article, the iPads weren't (or shouldn't be) bought as tech toys for staff, they were (or should be) bought because IT equipment is useful, important and time/money saving for schools. I can't see how buying them for senior staff helps - classroom teachers and TAs are going to be the ones getting most use out of an iPad, senior staff are more likly to be best off with a plain old office PC for now. Performances of Shakespere plays are also useful and important for schools, of course, and as worthwile scraping money ogether for as IT equipment.

Edited April 2, 2011 by dhicks

[FN-GM]

It depends what you use them for. We had a few people here who only used a laptop for taking the registers & check a few e-mails. They now have some iPads with the Citrix app on to take registers on the terminal servers. For them they are great.

[marshharrier]

Not in my opinion. OK for occasional or low volume data entry task but that's it. There isn't enough performance (processing capability) for any serious applications plus the work involved in getting data on and off the things makes them unsuitable.

[fafster]

Take a look a the new Asus Transformer tablet running Android 3.0. Has a detachable keyboard, which also acts as an extra battery pack, so 16 hours between charges.

 

Hands on: Asus Eee Pad Transformer review | News | TechRadar UK

[Butuz]

Is an iPad suitable for delivering content in a classroom? Yes to a certain extent. Though I am not sure what my teachers would say if I rolled out iPads across the school when they tried to open their hundreds of ActifStudio flipcharts....

 

Is an iPad suitable for creating that content/lesson resources? No. Not at all. Not one bit.

 

Butuz

[GrumbleDook]

For quite a chunk of teaching staff ... yes. For all ... no ...

 

How about you get your teachers to complete a short survey (and get them to be truthful) about how they use IT at the moment.

Also consider whether there is a desktop in each classroom for staff to use connected to an IWB.

Consider what software staff use at the moment and whether they need to use these when teaching to display things created elsewhere, or whether they actually create anything to start with?

The big barrier is the displaying of materials which contain Flash. This is a big problem for some places ... but only if you are using it as the sole display / delivery tool of a teacher.

The other main issue I know some people do have is the lack of connection between IWBs and tablet devices. Then again, the folk I know who are making really good use of IWBs are adaptable to take the iPad and do something different with it anyway.

[ZeroHour]

For quite a chunk of teaching staff ... yes.

 

Come on though, you know they cant redo a lot of teaching based material before we get to IWB issues. You are sure that people could replace their pc/laptop in the room with an ipad?!?

I think the chunk of staff would find serious limitations over a traditional approach. I have an ipad, I worked in a school for 10 years, I had to research staff needs and no far far FAR too much wouldnt work with iPad.

This is before we get to long term typing issues such as RSI etc on a compacted keyboard. We could give them bluetooth keyboards but they are flakey as I have heard multiple reports and thats before we get to the simple steal-ability of them.

And saying RDP as a workaround is really really not a solution, your moving your cost from the desktop to RDP servers and licensing too, its not a proper solution and this is before we get to multimedia which is erratic at best unless you use the new RDP stuff which wont work on ipad anyway. This is all before you get to the price of the device and the longevity. Apple have a tradition of ending support for the device after 3 years with firmware etc to FORCE you to upgrade, newer software wont even run then. If we buy hardware we get 6 years before refurb and thats a similar spend to an ipad.

If you deliver all stuff without flash/software and have a vle its a maybe but this again forgets about having to update/manage ipads which is a nightmare currently. I think very few schools would be in a position to go over to ipad and even then I doubt the chunk of staff would thank you for it in the long run.

[2097]

Is there a hole for a kensington lock ?

 

I would not trust a ipad unlocked in a classroom of kids !

 

Why not buy one of them chinese alternatives ? that run a normal OS Cheaper and more praticle in the long run ( Even though they will only be atom 1.6 processors)

[Dos_Box]

Given the availability of Windows 7 tablets now, would it not be better to get one of these instead, or is it more of 'I want an iPad'? Admittedly it would be prudent to wait until Windows Tablet 8 debuts in June as W7 on tablets, whilst functional, is not best suited to the task in hand. W7 Will however, give you all the access and functinallity required to run (almost) all of your current curriculum software and have the required level of web funcionality.

[Pete10141748]

Having owned an iPad 2 for just over a week, I would say NO WAY are they full replacements for laptops, especially for teachers. The amount of resource creation and typing they have to do would drive them insane to do on a touch-screen, add in the fact that there isn't the same level of freedom of creation on an iPad compared to a Windows/Mac desktop/laptop, plus that you need expensive accessories to connect it to a display and dock it/get a hardware keyboard, and even then you can only use one of those at once.

 

iPads are great for consuming information and creating little things like facebook/twitter posts, emails etc but for creating full-blown presentations/lesson plans/worksheets I personally would still go to a 'proper' computer running Office/SMART etc

[mthomas08]

We currently have the IPAD here for testing, answering the question "Is an IPad suitible for teacher/Replacing Laptops".

 

Today, NO.

 

Most of our staff require specific software to be run and will not work on an IPad, we have ICT, Maths, Science, English, Technology software alone that will not run on an IPad let alone MACs.

Can an IPad join a MAC server, so we can at least tighten security? what about SIMs/Remote desktop which also uses VPN to get on SIMs from home.

 

Will all the websites work no problem which staff use? (they do a lot of research and work on websites - some even doing Gov tests online which requires software installation). Will it work with projectors? guessing a USB to VGA will be required. Able to connect up to all our servers? We have a Virtual Box running 08 R2 which has Printers/Programs on it. Also what about OFFICE programs, will staff require new/more training to use it and any work arounds we put in place to get any of the above working?

 

I see some one mentioned Flash? this is a must for staff. I could list a bunch of other software we use but you can guess why I would say no.

 

Personally I do not see it being a year or two but maybe four+ years for Apple to get in to gear, there are still many issues on the above for MAC Laptops.

 

Edit: Have just seen the Parents Fury at IPads and I must say I do totally agree, it is an expensive tool which simply does not help the students in any way just for the staff members accessing the internet. We have just authorised IPhones for SMT which with Exchange 2010 + Emerge (SIMs data) you can see a real benefit, also the SMT do behavior calls all day so able to access student data/numbers/calls/emails quickly is a must.

Edited April 4, 2011 by mthomas08

[GrumbleDook]

This is why I said that you need to sit down and ask teachers how they use ICT.

 

There is no use just turning round and saying"They'll never stand for that" or "They need a proper laptop to do x, y &z".

Remember that it was only about 5-6 years ago when staff said they didn't want to cart around a laptop all the time and they needed a desktop in each classroom, and that wireless would never be good enough to replace plugging their computer into the network.

 

I'm not just saying that we need to be cold and calculated about this, as that would also miss that some people just work differently to others and one solution might seem the best in the world, but just not work, whilst another seems hare-brained yet has fantastic results.

 

So ... why don't people go out and find out exactly how devices are used, whether there is equipment already present which is used to do certain things (see my earlier comment about desktops and IWBs).

If they need a device to access email, to use a web-front end to take registers, to display powerpoint presentations (other presentation software is available), to run activities from certain websites ... then I am trying to work out why a tablet is not going to be suitable. Even with the iPad 2 you can now use it as a visualiser too ..

 

The opportunities are endless.

 

As for Windows ... when they have a tablet friendly OS again, then we can say yes to that too.

[maark]

You can take registers on ipod/ipad now with Emerge

licence is about £3000 a year plus more for each device though.

Not sure whether you can replace laptops with them - printing is an issue though perhaps would be an excuse to stop staff printing millions of pages.

[sted]

Take a look a the new Asus Transformer tablet running Android 3.0. Has a detachable keyboard, which also acts as an extra battery pack, so 16 hours between charges.

 

Hands on: Asus Eee Pad Transformer review | News | TechRadar UK

 

debating one of those myself (not interested in being locked into apples eco system so ipad isnt even an option (i dont see why if ive bought it i cant do what i want with it and if i f up then its my fault and i will factory reset it)) im just trying to justify it as i have a decent laptop (4 years old but still gets 4.? in windows ratings so its not slow but as its got a 17" screen its not that portable )

[talksr]

I think on the new iPad you can use the apple wireless keyboard which would be a help, but a little cumbersome to have to carry around.

[sted]

I think on the new iPad you can use the apple wireless keyboard which would be a help, but a little cumbersome to have to carry around.

 

and being bluetooth will reduce battery life possibly considerably taking away one of the main advantages for tablets imo battery life