ipads in school

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#498745 27-Jul-2011 23:11

Sorry, I didnt mean as e-textbooks, more as online referencing. I.e. the kids have a textbook on a topic such as Physics, be great to add to that, a number of Physics web articles.

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#538024 27-Oct-2011 07:54

From http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/5859716/Orewa-College-iPad-plans-move-ahead:

Teachers have been schooled in using the high-tech device by IT organisation Core Education and by other staff members, and have been familiarising themselves with tablet software since last term.

Orewa College Principal Kate Shevland said that training would continue until the end of the year.

Shevland said the training "covered a range of practical aspects" of using the tablet as well as showing teachers how the device would change the "way students submit work and how teachers assign work and respond to work".

Unless they are using a web-based tool for work, there's no way students can use a different device than the one mandated by school.

That's strange. And wrong in my view.

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#538026 27-Oct-2011 07:59

The training company identified is Core, they like many other education IT companies are deploying the Google Apps (education edition) and a bunch of other web based apps, this includes docs, hope that helps answers your question.

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#538030 27-Oct-2011 08:36

If this issue never mentioned iPads, or tablets, but was decided that these kids have to have a Netbook, would this have made the news?

In todays communicated world, if education progresses to kids using $390 netbooks that all makes sense as general progress.

The other issue that is missing, which I find bizarre, is I would have expected that there would have been a clear indication on what use the devices are put to, to show the benefits to the kids. I am assuming that the benefits are not using devices to teach kids but to give a better distribution of content to and from the kids and teachers, saving time, putting that time back to education in the classroom?

My opinion on this issue resides with a clear answer to my last point.

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#538039 27-Oct-2011 09:27

tdgeek: If this issue never mentioned iPads, or tablets, but was decided that these kids have to have a Netbook, would this have made the news?

In todays communicated world, if education progresses to kids using $390 netbooks that all makes sense as general progress.

The other issue that is missing, which I find bizarre, is I would have expected that there would have been a clear indication on what use the devices are put to, to show the benefits to the kids. I am assuming that the benefits are not using devices to teach kids but to give a better distribution of content to and from the kids and teachers, saving time, putting that time back to education in the classroom?

My opinion on this issue resides with a clear answer to my last point.

Probably not, but then there is a pretty big difference for families between a $350 netbook and a $800 iPad.

And whilst there is very little that can be done on an ipad that canot be done on a netbook, the same cannot be said for the reverce. i.e. schoolwork involves lots of essay writing, which ipads are pretty useless for.

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#538044 27-Oct-2011 09:46

NonprayingMantis:
tdgeek: If this issue never mentioned iPads, or tablets, but was decided that these kids have to have a Netbook, would this have made the news?

In todays communicated world, if education progresses to kids using $390 netbooks that all makes sense as general progress.

The other issue that is missing, which I find bizarre, is I would have expected that there would have been a clear indication on what use the devices are put to, to show the benefits to the kids. I am assuming that the benefits are not using devices to teach kids but to give a better distribution of content to and from the kids and teachers, saving time, putting that time back to education in the classroom?

My opinion on this issue resides with a clear answer to my last point.

Probably not, but then there is a pretty big difference for families between a $350 netbook and a $800 iPad.

And whilst there is very little that can be done on an ipad that canot be done on a netbook, the same cannot be said for the reverce. i.e. schoolwork involves lots of essay writing, which ipads are pretty useless for.

I agree fully. I really want to know what the device will be used for, I feel that some seem to think they will be using the device for their education a lot, I would doubt thats the case. Broadband for schools has been a big deal, as the Govt wants the current online capability that is out there for education, available to all schools, and I feel that the kids having access to this is a benefit, but the public needs to know how this will all work. Thats what I want to know. I have no idea how it will fit in or what the uses will be.

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#538132 27-Oct-2011 12:57

There is lots of elearning content on the web these days.

Of course it's all flash and java based.

If I were a parent at that school I'd want an itinerary of the applications being deployed and their intended uses.

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#538138 27-Oct-2011 13:07

Read an article today, not much detail but it did say that there is a need to download content, as in online textbooks or similar for the kids,, and to upload homework, etc.

Im keen as long as it will save time and money compared to textbooks and handouts, and be efficient for results, tests etc. If it gets "cool" to play with the device, no matter what device it is, thats a fail for me.

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#538151 27-Oct-2011 13:51

As far as I'm aware the school in Orewa didn't say "thou must have an iPad" they said "thou must have a device (here's a list including the fabulous iPad)" or similar.

The point is most schools are now or will be shortly looking at this kind of thing and as most of the stuff the schools use is web-based, the device itself is a secondary consideration.

Point England Primary School is astonishingly cool at this - a decile 1 with senior kids all owning their own netbooks. The stuff they do is just amazing and I've never seen a more engaged, switched-on group of kids in my life (and I'm on the board of my kids' primary school and well pleased with what they do). Highly recommend having a look at their website and talking to your own schools about what they're going to do in this area.

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#538155 27-Oct-2011 13:59

PaulBrislen: Point England Primary School is astonishingly cool at this - a decile 1 with senior kids all owning their own netbooks.

And that's great. I think we have just some worries that are not clarified anywhere:

1.typing an essay on any tablet is not the same as using a keyboard
2.educational software needs to be web-based, seeing a native application would not be compatible with all sorts of different devices and operating systems.

Is there anywhere with a full description of what's being done and what is the results to be achieved?

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#538157 27-Oct-2011 14:07

This is Point England's home page (you'll see web apps etc on the left).

Here's the PNN news cast page (they do a nice line in filming stuff and cutting it all together - they've interviewed all kinds of people for the site.

This page is best - it's all the kids' blogs - and well worth a scour through.

The teachers found that the kids would do their school work, submit it through the web portal for review and then ask for more. By ensuring all the kids have a netbook of some kind (the principal told me they don't do iPads because they're too delicate) the teachers can then authorise more work to be done on the spot, so the kid who's fully into something can carry on with more exercises even if they're at home on the weekend.

In February the principal spoke at our Telco Day conference and brought a host of kids with him - they were all incredibly good. The principal spends most of his weekends wiring up parents' houses for a fixed wireless network off the school's wifi. Probably not kosher but as he said, most of the parents are not able to afford broadband themselves.

The parents are all fully behind the school in this. They pay $20 a week towards the netbooks - money the can ill afford - so it has to be seen to be making a difference or they wouldn't fund it.

cheers

Paul

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#538184 27-Oct-2011 15:06

Thanks, but I know the Point England story. I'm interested to know about the proposed use of tablets at schools - that's what my two points were related to.

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#538270 27-Oct-2011 19:10

Oh, that... the quote from the newspaper says:

Orewa College is in the firing line after telling parents all Year 9 students will need "one-to-one computing devices" next year so they can step into the 21st century with the "latest technology available".

While those devices could be a laptop, netbook, iPad or a rival Android tablet, the school has made it clear it prefers the iPad2 because they claim it has the best battery life.

and while that's perhaps a tad heavy handed, most schools are looking into the question (off their own back) as part of the prep work being done in readiness for UFB rollout.

The Min of Ed hasn't specified anything in particular with regard to netbooks/tablets/whatever for kids that I've seen - its emphasis is on SNUP (upgrading the schools' networks) and laptops for teachers/training for teachers.

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#538373 27-Oct-2011 21:58

Getting a basic Acer Happy netbook 10" for daughter, thats a 10 hour battery life. Plus its pink! And cheaper, and a trad. keyboard. And with a lid it has to be safer for kids to carry.

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#538377 27-Oct-2011 22:04

So what happens when 5 kids have iPads, 10 have 5 different types of netbooks, and a few have 5 different types of Android tablets???

Surely the best plan for all is to get a deal of a classroom worth of identical netbooks, with 10 hour battery life? $400 ish

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