Is an Ipad a suitable teacher laptop replacment

[ZeroHour]

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.

 

The thing is its our job to know what teachers use ICT for, we provide it.

I suspect a lot saying "no" here have a good grasp on what teachers use day to day with sites that require java/flash etc.

I am kinda surprised you cant see what tablets are not usable for a lot of things tbh as so so many teachers use powerpoint etc to embed all sorts such as flash and thats before we get to fonts/transitions that wont work when delivered from a pad like device (unless its windows) and I find it rather amazing you dont see this same pattern. We cant give it to the few that dont as we all know the real political reasons that wont work, we are not blue sky's.

The OP was specifically targeting the ipads use, which is why I know it wont work well. Windows based tablets could do anything that a laptop can but thats a side point.

Also using having a dual setup basically means your spending £400+ on a device for email/occasional use at a time where budgets are being nerfed. The OP did specifically say "replace" and to that its a no.

Tbh in a lot of ways a PC that only did registration could be seen as a very expensive way to replace pen/paper, its all about the ROI and if its in addition to a real computer then its ROI will never be good, only when it is doing all the roles could an ROI be better and thats before we get to refurb cycle.

I know ALL staff would probably want one, but when faced with all the limitations they would then suddenly change tact and say "we must have a computer too" even when it was clear it was a replacement. We all know thats a possible scenario as it has happened to me personally tons. You ask staff, they say yes, you list the negatives, they say yes, you say they cant go back, they say YES and then when it goes in they suddenly shout that they must have a computer too.

We are here to analyse what they use and find stuff that meets all needs, its our job. Asking staff is part of that but really its only part, teachers shouldnt be wholey deciding as they are not the best people to factor in all aspects unless they get computer based qualifications which us as professionals have.

This is before we get to printing

[mthomas08]

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.

 

This is what we got for our IPhones, currently trialing it for 3 months, works a treat.

 

They have just today authorised IPhones but even the head said "Only if: SIMs, Emails, Phone calls, Calendars" can be done on them. It did make sense though because their previous blackberrys were not compatible for Emerge, but did do all the above. The previous phones only did calls (none of this fancy SIMs, Emails etc). The way IPhones are compared to what we previously had is "Much more Functions" the same goes for Blackberry compared to their old nokias. When IPads are capable of much more then perhaps I can think about replacing laptops but to be honest the way Apple works with their MACs I still see Laptops being owned by teachers in 7+ years time.

[SYNACK]

@GD, what are you going to have on the questionare?

 

Do you currently use just the bare minimum features offered by IT?

Would you like an expencive excuse to not do your job and create new content?

Are you more interested in the brand than the utility of the device in question?

 

This is why schools are filled with gimics and don't have money for the basics. I'm sure that the argument will be raised that we should be using the cloud instead and offshoreing all that nasty technical knowlage making western countries even more impotent by throwing away another field of competence but thats another discussion.

 

I guess that is what the parents were picking up on too, where the school was happy to pay for the next big fashion statment but were pushing the parents to pay for internal school curriculum activities.

[Butuz]

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".

 

Why? We're just stating facts based on our existing knowledge of how our teachers use our current equipment and current mostly windows and flash based software. Sureley it's better for us to say "it'll never work" rather than keeping shtwm smiling and knodding, and ending up with 70 ipads delivered with NO clear way to use them. That's happened to several schools on here.....do a search...

 

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.

 

Yep and they were right, a teacher desktop PC in each classroom is still the fastest, most reliable way of delivering MIS access, teacher apps and interactivity to teachers clasrooms. As large side bonus this method also delivers the lowest total cost of ownership of the lot.

 

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.

 

I think the problem my grubledookery™ is that tablet / iPad model will actually only suite the vast minority of teachers. The majority will prefer to stick to windows, desktops or laptops, and all of the software they can currently easily use.

 

Change is great. I love it. But change for changes sake? Not so good.

 

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

 

Now on that we can agree!! I love my iPad, no windows tablet comes close for usability or reliability.

 

Butuz

[CyberNerd]

Buy Citrix before you buy Iphones/ipads.

Once you have your Xenapp it will do all the things a pc will do.

Don't get the technology unless you have the infrastructure to support it, as usual.

[ZeroHour]

Once you have your Xenapp it will do all the things a pc will do.

Sadly it wont tbh, the same limitations you have with thin clients everywhere apply to the ipad and you dont even have a mouse for the ipad.

[SYNACK]

Buy Citrix before you buy Iphones/ipads.

Once you have your Xenapp it will do all the things a pc will do.

Don't get the technology unless you have the infrastructure to support it, as usual.

 

Back to the buy it twice argument. How economical, now if the teachers had to buy their own iPads then this could be far more acceptable.

Edited April 4, 2011 by SYNACK

[localzuk]

I know how technology is used in our school. That's my job.

 

I know that staff require the ability to create presentations, which include multimedia and interactivity, through some form of software (currently we use Smart Notebook to go with our IWBs - and at the moment, such a piece of software does not exist for ipads).

 

Staff create resources for displays, worksheets for books, lesson plans etc... and all of these involve a fairly large amount of typing.

 

All of our staff use SIMS or SLG for report writing. Some of our staff have to do this for the entire school (music, for example). A tablet would not be practical unless we bought keyboard docks, which defeats the point.

 

We have subscriptions to several educational sites, which use Flash. We own dozens of pieces of software on CD-ROM and on our server that make use of Flash, or require Windows.

 

We don't have desktop PCs in every room. Why use desktops, when laptops currently do everything we need? What's the value of switching technology when what 99% of schools already has works?

[CyberNerd]

Sadly it wont tbh, the same limitations you have with thin clients everywhere apply to the ipad and you dont even have a mouse for the ipad.

 

only really in terms of video editing, etc. But works fine for SIMS/flash which is perceived as the main obstacle - just need the correct infrastructure like I said.

 

Back to the buy it twice argument. How economical, now if the teachers had to buy their own iPads then this could be far more acceptable.

 

That's the plan - to be able to support a ubiquity of user owned devices. But the reason we paid for citrix licenses was initially for thin clients, now we have the infrastructure we are able to extend that to be able to support other devices. Not the model that a lot of people here like, but it works for us.

[RichCowell]

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

 

That's my school (we've not got 10 btw) I've not read all the replies here yet, and I'm about as far from an Apple fan as you can get, but I fully support the use of iPads in schools, by those who understand their limitations...

 

The staff that have them were chosen because we knew they'd use them properly, and all do, and all love them. Most have given up using their laptops, but still rely heavily on desktops...

 

The limitations are too significant to be a replacement for all, but given the choice and an understanding of the limitations, I'm sure most would opt for the iPad... So long as they've got access to a PC as well - at home and at work (permanent classroom/office etc.)

[localzuk]

That's my school (we've not got 10 btw) I've not read all the replies here yet, and I'm about as far from an Apple fan as you can get, but I fully support the use of iPads in schools, by those who understand their limitations...

 

The staff that have them were chosen because we knew they'd use them properly, and all do, and all love them. Most have given up using their laptops, but still rely heavily on desktops...

 

The limitations are too significant to be a replacement for all, but given the choice and an understanding of the limitations, I'm sure most would opt for the iPad... So long as they've got access to a PC as well - at home and at work (permanent classroom/office etc.)

 

So how are they cost effective, if you are forced to maintain 2 devices instead of a single laptop? Surely you didn't have desktops for staff as well as laptops for them?

[MK-2]

That's my school (we've not got 10 btw) I've not read all the replies here yet, and I'm about as far from an Apple fan as you can get, but I fully support the use of iPads in schools, by those who understand their limitations...

 

The staff that have them were chosen because we knew they'd use them properly, and all do, and all love them. Most have given up using their laptops, but still rely heavily on desktops...

 

The limitations are too significant to be a replacement for all, but given the choice and an understanding of the limitations, I'm sure most would opt for the iPad... So long as they've got access to a PC as well - at home and at work (permanent classroom/office etc.)

 

But surely that's like giving a staff member a scooter to ride to work in to reduce CO2 , but say you will drive behind them in a 4x4 just in case they break down.

Why give them an ipad but they still heavily rely on a PC. if they rely on a PC, why don't they just use the PC for their needs? Why have two devices doing what one can do?

 

By "we knew they'd use them properly", how are they being used? What functions are they replacing?

[MK-2]

headteacher Alan Davies defended the decision to provide teachers with them.

 

He said: “We have to make sure staff can access the internet and registrations, and they need to do that electronically to do their jobs.

 

“We have to develop quality teaching.”

 

Not one part of that says "we need an ipad for the job".

"we have to make sure they can access the internet and registrations"......so any web enabled device that is also supported by your MIS.

"we have to develop quality teaching"......a completely separate issue. having an ipad will not develop quality teaching in the same way having go faster stripes will not improve your driving.

the fact is, schools (mainly management) see ipads as the new "hot toy" and all want to be seen on the train, or in starbucks sitting with them. but rather than buy one themselves, its a good opportunity to say "these would be ideal for teaching, lets get them for everyone"

[RichCowell]

I knew I'd regret piping up! lol...

 

So how are they cost effective, if you are forced to maintain 2 devices instead of a single laptop? Surely you didn't have desktops for staff as well as laptops for them?

It was a trial at the end of the day, the only way to really know how effective they can be is to get one and use it. Laptops are being handed back in, which means we can use those for other members of staff rather than buying them new ones...

 

 

But surely that's like giving a staff member a scooter to ride to work in to reduce CO2 , but say you will drive behind them in a 4x4 just in case they break down.

Why give them an ipad but they still heavily rely on a PC. if they rely on a PC, why don't they just use the PC for their needs? Why have two devices doing what one can do?

By "we knew they'd use them properly", how are they being used? What functions are they replacing?

 

If they currently use a desktop and a laptop, but can successfully manage the transition, doing all the work that needs PC Software e.g. ActivStudio etc. on the desktop, leaving all the other stuff to the iPads when they're around the school - emails, document creation etc. then it works quite nicely...

Also, if they're in meetings, if they need to display information, rather than waiting to boot up the laptop, log on, open the software... they can just power on the iPad, pop a PIN in, and away you go...

 

It's really not a solution for all teachers, and I can't see it being until you can do everything that you can do on a PC on them, but definitely for some staff - SLT / Heads Of Year etc. where they need access to information quickly and easily, the iPad solution is proving to be a huge success.

[mthomas08]

I was thinking the same as Zuk/MK.

 

Not trying to sound mean but yet to see a real reason why they were purchased. Just wondering how much money has been spent on them and what do you use them for? And who came up with the idea to purchase them?

 

Just wondering what did they do on the laptops?

[RichCowell]

Not one part of that says "we need an ipad for the job".

"we have to make sure they can access the internet and registrations"......so any web enabled device that is also supported by your MIS.

"we have to develop quality teaching"......a completely separate issue. having an ipad will not develop quality teaching in the same way having go faster stripes will not improve your driving.

the fact is, schools (mainly management) see ipads as the new "hot toy" and all want to be seen on the train, or in starbucks sitting with them. but rather than buy one themselves, its a good opportunity to say "these would be ideal for teaching, lets get them for everyone"

 

No where does it say that "we need a laptop for the job" we've got hundreds of PCs, staff can simply use those instead... but that's not really that handy, because there isn't always access to a PC... so let's get laptops... they work well, but they're big and bulky, the batteries aren't that good, they over heat, you can't really use them on your lap, so need to be sat at a desk really... so compromise - do the stuff you need to use a PC for on a desktop, and do everything else that you can do on the move on an iPad...

[RichCowell]

I was thinking the same as Zuk/MK.

Not trying to sound mean but yet to see a real reason why they were purchased. Just wondering how much money has been spent on them and what do you use them for? And who came up with the idea to purchase them?

Just wondering what did they do on the laptops?

 

I don't ask questions like why when I can see the point - again, for some users, not all... The staff that have them used their laptops, I would imagine, for email, Office software, internet, planning & finding resources etc. both at home and in school - all of which they can do on their iPads, though the Apps aren't official Microsoft Office, they're quite compatible...

[LeMarchand]

the fact is, schools (mainly management) see ipads as the new "hot toy" and all want to be seen on the train, or in starbucks sitting with them. but rather than buy one themselves, its a good opportunity to say "lets get the school to pay for one"

 

Correction ;o).

 

I agree that there is too much "Cool! Want! What do we do now?" in schools. It's bad enough that public money gets wasted at any time, but worse now when the money is taken from other, perhaps more worthy projects.

 

When podcasting was the "big new thing" our LEA invested in a piece of software that got doled out but hired a trainer who used Audacity in the training. Cue (presumably expensive though, to be fair, better for podcasting) software not being used as none of the teachers can be bothered to transfer the skills to a different bit of software.

 

There seems to be a lot of money in convincing one or two schools or better, an LEA team, that item x or software y will transform everything. Then every school has to "keep up with the Joneses". I know a teacher who has just bought herself Boardmaker (sorry, should have warned you all to sit down first) as "it's what the school uses" even though everything she does with it could be done in Publisher (which she already has) except that it wouldn't have (say) the Boardmaker picture for "cat".

 

Sorry, a bit OT, but this thread just reminded me of some current niggles.

[GrumbleDook]

Ok, after loosing a lengthy response earlier this afternoon I thought I would make another stab at covering a few more things. As always, YMMV and a certain level of 'compromise' is expected, but lets look at what some folk as saying are issues.

 

1 - Usage. Right now, the main things people are saying is a problem is that there is not enough software, of the right type, for these to be good tools for teaching. Because staff are used to using particular software (or may need to use something particular) then they will have problems. The lack of flash is an issue, not just for local files but also for a number of online resources and tools. These are real issues and need addressing. Using something like Puffin could help with the online flash issues, but this is a bit of a pain. Part of me feels a bit aggrieved about flash being an issue though ... especially when some of the flash stuff is really just powerpoint exported to flash to make easier to drop onto websites / VLEs. Having spoken to a number of content providers and vendors though ,,, they are either working towards HTML5 anyway or App versions of their products ... perhaps it is just a matter of time and helping people change. This is why I asked about what teachers are really using. There are enough gripes on here about staff duplicating what they need, and I don't see anything wrong with that ... so perhaps they just need to look at other tools, which has the same functionality but might do things differently.

 

2 - Long Term Issues. There are a lot of things I could stick in here. Let's start with lifespan of the device. Yes, I freely admit that I only expect it to last 3 years. Part of that is down to the OS development, partly down to the battery and partly down to thinking about what happened with other kit when it was first brought in. Even when you consider Applecare, that is not going to cover all you need so you have to consider how many devices you expect to lose, get damage and have to replace and so on. To be honest ... not much different to any other kit really. I am presuming that people do give other kit a lifespan when it comes in and have a plan about how they are going to replace it, etc ... The other issues of H&S worry me when they get raised. Not so much by the fact that they are raised ... because they should be, but I have to ask if people do workstation assessments on teachers in the staff room, in the comfy chairs, with the laptop on their lap? Most people have come to accept that people will change the way they do things based on how they find is the best way to operate kit, and then try to fix bad habits when they are made aware of an issue. Trying to get a happy compromise here is likely to be the only thing that works, no matter what tablet is used.

 

3 - Support. This is the corker for me ... still ... either you accept that these are pretty much self-managed devices or you go the whole hog and work hard to get them locked the way you want. You can use iTunes cards to all for credits to be put on school Apple IDs, but then you get into a mess when someone wants to look after things themselves. This *will* be a case of how *your* school wants to work and how flexible you need to make things.

 

4 - Change. Change for change's sake is bad. Nope ... not always. What some people are thinking about is changing technology for the sake of it, but that might not be the case. It might be that by changing the tech you can then also change how people work. It all depends on what the goal is. You might want to call it increasing productivity, enhancing performance ... or simply getting stuff done or making stuff come out better.

 

People are saying that they know what staff need because it is their job ... but how do you know? Do you meet staff on a regular basis? Where do you get *your* ideas from? not everyone does it the same and I think it is worth sharing the different ways ... and again I ask if anyone is willing to go to their staff with a survey to ask them how they use the existing software that is available to staff, and see if they can match what is needed against what various tablet devices can do, and think about alternative tools that could be suggested which still have the same result. If nothing else this can be part of an ICT Skills Audit as well as helping to plan for how you may need to upgrade any of the software in the future.

[localzuk]

People are saying that they know what staff need because it is their job ... but how do you know? Do you meet staff on a regular basis? Where do you get *your* ideas from?

 

How can an IT support professional support their workforce without knowing exactly how they use the systems provided, and how they do their jobs? When people have ideas, they bring them to me to see if they're feasible, and if we can afford it and it would work we will look at doing it. We don't buy things simply because they're new and someone wants something shiny. We identify issues first, then fill that gap with something.

 

We have to fix their issues every day, day in, day out. You don't need to produce questionnaires to figure this out. We vet all the software packages and hardware purchases in our schools (or at least we should!).

[GrumbleDook]

How can an IT support professional support their workforce without knowing exactly how they use the systems provided, and how they do their jobs? When people have ideas, they bring them to me to see if they're feasible, and if we can afford it and it would work we will look at doing it. We don't buy things simply because they're new and someone wants something shiny. We identify issues first, then fill that gap with something.

 

We have to fix their issues every day, day in, day out. You don't need to produce questionnaires to figure this out. We vet all the software packages and hardware purchases in our schools (or at least we should!).

 

Oh my ... where to start. Do we need to go through BTRD to see the number of threads from members who are trying to figure out why people want to use something when there is already another perfectly suitable system / application ... forgetting that the technical choice might not be the only reason why something is done? Sometimes the issue is nowt to do with technology ... and so many people will hold their hands up to say they don't know how each piece of software works or how it is used. I'm happy to hold my hands up to say I didn't know how every package was used. Did I really need to know why using iMovie was working out better with Media Studies for things like scene selection, transition, tracking camera angles than Premier Elements? There is a certain amount of trust needed with teachers.

 

And yes ... there are folk out there who do not know how systems are being used. No doubt there will be negative rep again for daring to say it, but for every regular who posts on here there are lots of regular lurkers ... and lots more who don't come here apart from when they need help. And there are many who do not want to post in case people laugh at them or talk down to them for 'silly' issue / mistakes. You remember the reasons why managed services for ICT in BSF was such a popular idea in some schools? That has not gone away overnight. So, if I say things like YMMV I really do mean that for every member on here who is saying they do it all wonderfully and why doesn't everyone see that is the way it should be ... there are others out there who are *not* in that position. So ... perhaps this is an opportunity for people ... if they *had* to do it ... to think about how and why, to think about the good and bad side of it.

[witch]

...I tried to do a survey to see which software the staff use..

Only a handful filled it in!

[ZeroHour]

Ok, after loosing a lengthy response earlier this afternoon I thought I would make another stab at covering a few more things. As always, YMMV and a certain level of 'compromise' is expected, but lets look at what some folk as saying are issues.

 

1 - Usage. Right now, the main things people are saying is a problem is that there is not enough software, of the right type, for these to be good tools for teaching. Because staff are used to using particular software (or may need to use something particular) then they will have problems. The lack of flash is an issue, not just for local files but also for a number of online resources and tools. These are real issues and need addressing. Using something like Puffin could help with the online flash issues, but this is a bit of a pain. Part of me feels a bit aggrieved about flash being an issue though ... especially when some of the flash stuff is really just powerpoint exported to flash to make easier to drop onto websites / VLEs. Having spoken to a number of content providers and vendors though ,,, they are either working towards HTML5 anyway or App versions of their products ... perhaps it is just a matter of time and helping people change. This is why I asked about what teachers are really using. There are enough gripes on here about staff duplicating what they need, and I don't see anything wrong with that ... so perhaps they just need to look at other tools, which has the same functionality but might do things differently.

 

2 - Long Term Issues. There are a lot of things I could stick in here. Let's start with lifespan of the device. Yes, I freely admit that I only expect it to last 3 years. Part of that is down to the OS development, partly down to the battery and partly down to thinking about what happened with other kit when it was first brought in. Even when you consider Applecare, that is not going to cover all you need so you have to consider how many devices you expect to lose, get damage and have to replace and so on. To be honest ... not much different to any other kit really. I am presuming that people do give other kit a lifespan when it comes in and have a plan about how they are going to replace it, etc ... The other issues of H&S worry me when they get raised. Not so much by the fact that they are raised ... because they should be, but I have to ask if people do workstation assessments on teachers in the staff room, in the comfy chairs, with the laptop on their lap? Most people have come to accept that people will change the way they do things based on how they find is the best way to operate kit, and then try to fix bad habits when they are made aware of an issue. Trying to get a happy compromise here is likely to be the only thing that works, no matter what tablet is used.

 

3 - Support. This is the corker for me ... still ... either you accept that these are pretty much self-managed devices or you go the whole hog and work hard to get them locked the way you want. You can use iTunes cards to all for credits to be put on school Apple IDs, but then you get into a mess when someone wants to look after things themselves. This *will* be a case of how *your* school wants to work and how flexible you need to make things.

 

4 - Change. Change for change's sake is bad. Nope ... not always. What some people are thinking about is changing technology for the sake of it, but that might not be the case. It might be that by changing the tech you can then also change how people work. It all depends on what the goal is. You might want to call it increasing productivity, enhancing performance ... or simply getting stuff done or making stuff come out better.

 

People are saying that they know what staff need because it is their job ... but how do you know? Do you meet staff on a regular basis? Where do you get *your* ideas from? not everyone does it the same and I think it is worth sharing the different ways ... and again I ask if anyone is willing to go to their staff with a survey to ask them how they use the existing software that is available to staff, and see if they can match what is needed against what various tablet devices can do, and think about alternative tools that could be suggested which still have the same result. If nothing else this can be part of an ICT Skills Audit as well as helping to plan for how you may need to upgrade any of the software in the future.

 

1. The simple question is why reinvest SO much time and money to support 1 device that really struggles to add anything to the way people teach. Its a new form factor....

It has only been out for a year and now it seems to be a MUST to reinvest all the software schools bought when budgets were bigger to support a very expensive device that many would struggle to see as improving the way teachers teach. Yes they are nice but surely a honeycomb/windows based one makes FAR FAR more sense then being locked into apples proprity device. Hell the iDevices only support a subset of html 5 and that depends on what firmware your running. Like IE it has its own *special* features that wont work on anything else too. I would STRONGLY recomend no school purchases ANY iDevice software for teaching, your paying money into a locked enviroment which forces you to continue to buy upgrades, yes this is kinda like Windows but at least windows has much longer life span unlike these joyus devices. Maybe if your fully HTML 5 and have no resources that are actual software maybe but even then the same point stands about buying iOS software. At least with Honeycomb your getting a cheaper device with flash and java support.

 

2. Tbh it IS a lot different from most hardware, the nature of the device means you will carry it around more unlike a laptop so there is much more chance of damage. Also a laptop can last 5 years... and they cost the same... and you dont have to rebuy your software... and you can manage it.... and you have a file system.... and you can print... and you can run XP/older OS's for older software...

 

3. People shouldnt buy iOS software so no crappy cards for that... you are being nieve if you dont see the support costs related to them and I feel I cant begin to explain the headaches with them and printing etc, yes people still print.... and yes people still work with UNC's and proper file systems. Each quirk iOS has we must train them to do.

 

4. Yes it is, come on change for changes sake is pretty much always a bad idea. Are you honestly being serious?

 

As for staff issues ALL of what I say is based on a survey I did before moving to windows 7, there is no speculation here, I KNOW what staff use based on what they say and I also know what staff use based on the amount of resources they make. Do not presume others dont have a clue either. You have a pretty poor image of IT staff if you see us as that dimwitted, you forget you used to be one and oh how I wish you would remember those times more often. Should we have to list all the ways we know each time we state "we know", now that would be a silly waste of time, dont accuse people of not knowing just because they didnt list all the ways they know as a response. How do you know what their teachers would use?

 

Oh my ... where to start. Do we need to go through BTRD to see the number of threads from members who are trying to figure out why people want to use something when there is already another perfectly suitable system / application ... forgetting that the technical choice might not be the only reason why something is done? Sometimes the issue is nowt to do with technology ... and so many people will hold their hands up to say they don't know how each piece of software works or how it is used. I'm happy to hold my hands up to say I didn't know how every package was used. Did I really need to know why using iMovie was working out better with Media Studies for things like scene selection, transition, tracking camera angles than Premier Elements? There is a certain amount of trust needed with teachers.

 

And yes ... there are folk out there who do not know how systems are being used. No doubt there will be negative rep again for daring to say it, but for every regular who posts on here there are lots of regular lurkers ... and lots more who don't come here apart from when they need help. And there are many who do not want to post in case people laugh at them or talk down to them for 'silly' issue / mistakes. You remember the reasons why managed services for ICT in BSF was such a popular idea in some schools? That has not gone away overnight. So, if I say things like YMMV I really do mean that for every member on here who is saying they do it all wonderfully and why doesn't everyone see that is the way it should be ... there are others out there who are *not* in that position. So ... perhaps this is an opportunity for people ... if they *had* to do it ... to think about how and why, to think about the good and bad side of it.

 

DO NOT USE RANTS IN BTRD AGAINST PEOPLE. ITS A RANT FORUM, YOU HAVE SAID SILLY THINGS IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT TOO. THAT IS THE POINT OF BTRD!

That "you said it in a rant so I will use it against you" will stop people posting.

 

You should know why iMovie is better, thats what we need to know as IT staff, the reasons behind it. We dont need to know how iMovie works we just need to know what make the difference so that we can access if there are any better solutions...

Yes there will be, like there are teachers who buy software without having a clue what it does, if you look you will find lots of examples of that too and honestly I would be suprised you hadnt experienced that yourself. TBH I would almost hazard there are MORE teachers with less of an IT clue then there are sadistic NM's that dont have a clue, the numbers game is simply on my side for that.

 

TBH I think all should consider Honeycomb/Windows 8 (or a modded UI for W7) rather then a locked in ipad that costs more with more limitation. I would consider NO tablet really this year as none are really there yet. They have only been out a year people....

 

And breath...

Edited April 4, 2011 by ZeroHour

[Guest Guest]

...I tried to do a survey to see which software the staff use..

Only a handful filled it in!

 

I rebuilt the entire network from scratch last summer. This included repackaging/testing all the software again. Obviously I didn't want to spend time on software which wasn't used so I asked every member of staff, particularly head of departments, to tell me which software they used. Come the start of the new term, we had numerous complaints that "the software I need to teach isn't installed"

 

 

Is an iPad a replacement for a PC? No of course it's not - I don't think I really need to explain myself there as anyone with any common sense will know why.

 

Can an iPad make a teacher/SMT for productive? Yes, in most cases it probably can given the infrastructure is in place. Is it going to directly enhance T&L? IMO I'd say no, but add that by allowing staff to check emails/SIMS/etc on the move you will give them more free time to focus on T&L.

 

Can it make a teacher/SMT "£500" more productive? Well that depend how you look at it. Salaries make up the vast majority of a schools budget, so getting the best out of every member of staff has got to be right up there with the most important things in a school. £500 really isn't a lot when compared to a £40k wage packet. But then is it more beneficial then spending several grand on learning resources? Personally I would think not. (But as has already been said, that £500 isn't the full equation)

 

 

I'm sure when any of these flash new devices are purchased they are done so with the best intentions. Unfortunately experience tells me that 9 times out of 10 (or probably more) they end up being used for something other than what they were actually bought for, or quite often not used at all. Laptops for teachers - all went home and were never seen again. Video conferencing - put in a cupboard and never used. Macs - booted into windows. In our case IWBs put in classrooms and the teachers never actually shown what they are for - end up being a rather expensive "pull down screens". Promethean voting system - put in cupboard and never seen again. Promethean slates - put in cupboard and never seen again...

 

If all of that money (and let me tell you it's a significant sum) was put into learning resources and sensible teacher training, I would bet every last penny I have that it would have been more beneficial to the kids. This, I feel, is where a lot of the "hostility" (for want of a better word) towards iDevices comes from.

Edited April 4, 2011 by Guest

[SYNACK]

Oh my ... where to start. Do we need to go through BTRD to see the number of threads from members who are trying to figure out why people want to use something when there is already another perfectly suitable system / application ... forgetting that the technical choice might not be the only reason why something is done? Sometimes the issue is nowt to do with technology ...

 

No teacher left behind, that worked so well for students in the states, why is it that LCD as an acronym is getting so much more valid play in the education sector than in IT - sure in the case of education it stands for lowest common denominator.

 

We must have this to make up for the abilities of the teachers, we can't have that because it pushes the abilities of the teachers. Its not like they are paid to do a job and might be expected to learn how to use the tools that accompany it... Oh wait.

Edited April 4, 2011 by SYNACK