IPads for schools - The next step

[Blue_Cookeh]

So what happens at the end of the child's time at the particular school? I assume the school hands over ownership of the device to the parents?

[broc]

I would like to understand how schools who are trailblazing with handheld technology deal with long-term issues such as theft & repair; things like batteries, chargers, accidental & deliverate damage; what happens when a student leaves(especially if part-funded by parents)... & then what the schools plans are for replacing/renewing devices when they come to the end of their planned life & how this is all funded in an economic climate which suggests budgets are likely to be cut?

 

My worry with many of these innovations & worthy ideas is that the thinking does not go beyond the initial device purchase..... especially having suffered from this at my school in the past where 'someone' gave the school loads of equipment but no means of affording its upkeep.

[GrumbleDook]

People talk about trailblazing on Handheld Learning ... it is nothing new, it is just that some of the technologies to help make it happen has become cheaper, more consumer orientated (ie often making it easier for personal devices to be used) or more enterprise friendly.

 

Mobile learning has been around for even longer ...

 

The educational uses of such kit has also been researched many times before too.

[Rydra]

These devices, not just ipads but all the other varieties have the ability to transform our ways of thinking and working. Will they ever replace some established methods? Possibly not, only time will tell.

 

But you can't find out unless you try it first.

 

I have personally just made a change in my place. I showed the HT an alternative to the IWB+Projector setup, which will work out in the region of £1000 cheaper with more flexibility, using large sized TV's, and we're looking into Tablet solutions for the interactivity portion, likely Apple TV and ipad, since I've got 40 Ipads 1s in the school now.

 

Maybe the current Ipads aren't the ultimate answer, and maybe the system they are using isn't the best for paying/acquiring them. But revolutionary changes start somewhere. You have to make mistakes before you can learn from them, and regardless of the views, technology is here to stay, and our use of it within education will only increase.

[Jamo]

These devices, not just ipads but all the other varieties have the ability to transform our ways of thinking and working. Will they ever replace some established methods? Possibly not, only time will tell.

 

But you can't find out unless you try it first.

 

I have personally just made a change in my place. I showed the HT an alternative to the IWB+Projector setup, which will work out in the region of £1000 cheaper with more flexibility, using large sized TV's, and we're looking into Tablet solutions for the interactivity portion, likely Apple TV and ipad, since I've got 40 Ipads 1s in the school now.

 

Maybe the current Ipads aren't the ultimate answer, and maybe the system they are using isn't the best for paying/acquiring them. But revolutionary changes start somewhere. You have to make mistakes before you can learn from them, and regardless of the views, technology is here to stay, and our use of it within education will only increase.

 

I have to ask, will it increase though? With this current government I wouldn't be surprised if we saw the use of technology in schools shrink considerably.

[maveriick]

Our District Here in the USA is looking at this for Digital textbooks. There is a state mandate by 2016 for no more paper textbooks.

So far this has came out as our best solution.

[Rydra]

I have to ask, will it increase though? With this current government I wouldn't be surprised if we saw the use of technology in schools shrink considerably.

 

If anything it'll increase in use rapidly.

A lot of quango's have gone that schools used to buy into for random services, many of which provided these technical things for a low cost. Like doing media work, loaning ipads/apple's camera gear. But the cost of most of these items has come down considerably, and the price for the managed services are going up and up.

 

I don't have exact figures, but a service we used last year went up by about 8 times the cost, and the primary use was X weeks of hiring a set of tech equipment. The price they are now charging for the same X hiring period is so high, I can buy the physical hardware for less cost than 1 year's service costs.

 

So what is being set up here is school partnerships, so School X buys equipment 1, School Y buys equipment 2 etc etc, and the stuff is shared equally between them according to use.

[rad]

how long before one person drops theirs, blames someone else, gets it nicked, etc etc....

 

I know, lets forget school work and play Angry Birds...

[mthomas08]

To be fair, both sides of the arguements are pretty good. Surely then it comes down to "School" specific. I will always be the first to admit the kids that go here are from difficult backgrounds compared to other schools. This conversation came up earlier concerning a few things (current damages). Our students do have parents who are divorced/remarried/dont care/invovled in drink and drugs. Compare the average student here to another school which is more "prestige" and it doesnt surprise me when their kids are better behaved.

 

We have done several trials with open computer areas, laptops + wireless for students and I have to say that they have all failed. Although if the same trial was done at another school not far from here I can bet those results will be far better.

 

And although IPads are better/faster access to information there is currently a discussion about our own memory going down the hill as a result of all this information being "Easy Accessed".

 

One thing about all these arguements for/against IPads for schools is the fact they are all true.

[russdev]

To be fair, both sides of the arguements are pretty good. Surely then it comes down to "School" specific....

 

Our students do have parents who are divorced/remarried/dont care/invovled in drink and drugs. Compare the average student here to another school which is more "prestige" and it doesnt surprise me when their kids are better behaved....

 

One thing about all these arguements for/against IPads for schools is the fact they are all true.

 

Think your quote hit nail on head it is schools specific as I have been involved and seen where students "have parents who are divorced/remarried/dont care/invovled in drink and drugs." and it has been a great success.

 

Interesting video on use one 1-1 laptops in history setting - Cigar Box Project | Thinking In Mind

 

Russell