Assignment+1

Assignment 1

Five Web Sites and Articles

Article 1: T.H.E. Journal Article "__Prepping or iPads in School"__ This article talks about a Christian school in Florida who will be handing out iPads to every high school student in the Fall of 2011. The initial costs of using iPads in schools is more than the average taxpayer is aware of. It isn't just a matter of putting an iPad in every classroom or in the hands of every high school student. Areas of concern addressed in this article include problems with security, acceptable use, and infrastructure. Our buildings have to be able to handle hundreds of people of the internet at the same time, staff need to be inserviced on how to use/implement this technology, curriculum needs to be revisited and the iPads themselves need to be secure and insured. With school district budgets the way they are, I don't forsee many being able to implement sonmething like this.

Our building went wireless this year and students were told that they could bring their own devices in and use them at school. We have actually seen very few laptop computers or iPads but we have seen a larger number of students using iPods ~ are they using it for instructional purposes or just listening to music? Until our teachers really begin to move in the direction of technology in the classroom, I am afraid it is probably the latter.

McCrea, B. (2011, April 28). Prepping for iPads in school. //The Journal.// Retrieved February 27, 2012 from []

Article 2: T.H.E. Journal Article __"Measuring the iPads Potential for Education"__ This article is about the launch of the iPad and potential for use in education. For students, this is not a scarry thing as they are so much more tech savvy than most adults ~ it is like they are hard wired differently :) The comment from the curriculum director who said she wanted to "read" the directions before starting the game, puts into perspective where many adult educators are in relation to current technology (me inlcuded).

Having textbooks available on the iPad is intriguing to me as animation, video and other multimedia will make education/learning so much more interesting. Hopefully, the days of the boring lecture are gone and the days of interactive learning are just beginning. I am amazed at the apps that are already out there and I am sure that this is only the beginning. How wonderful for our children to literally have the world at their fingertips.

I am excited to see where this "initiative" takes us.

McCrea, B. (2010, January 27). Measuring the iPads Potential for Education. //The Journal.// Retrieved February 26, 2012 from []

Article 3: __10 Big Benefits of Using iPads in School__ Got an iPad yet? People in education don't see an iPad as a toy but rather a tool that is going to change the face of education. From kindergarten through college, iPads offer so many different ways for delivering instruction and engaging students in learning. The 10 top benefits talked about in this article are: tablets fit students' lifestyles, tablets are compatible with online teaching, students can troubleshoot and resolve computer issues faster than adults, collaborative content creation )creating and sharing content with others has never been easier), mobile data collection, tablets integrate with IT trends (i.e cloud systems), iPads make mobile computing labs easier, paperless innovations, no more missing the bus (bus drivers can monitor when children enter and leabve the bus), and it is a virtual tour guide.

So far I have been amazed with the number of applications out there and I only expect that number to grow and grow. Teachers and students are not having any problem finding material and content across all areas of learning and this is so much quicker than relying on the internet. Apps are a beautiful thing :)

Fitzgerald, C. (2011, September 27). 10 Big Benefits of Using iPads in Schools. //The Science of Learning Blog.// Retreived February 26, 2012 from []

Article 4: __Powell Incorporates Apple iPads in School__ In Powell, Wyoming all students and teachers are beign given new iPads. So parents would understand how they could be used, Powell's School Board and teachers got them first. They decided on iPads because they are cheaper and more accessible than laptops and desk tops. You don't need computer labs! Students can have an iPad on their desk every day, all day. The use of iPads has increased engagement for students with faculty, and they are an immediate resource for any information that is needed. One student said that he has an app for the internet, an app for all of his essays and papers.

There is an app for just about anything and how wonderful to have everything on ONE device! Staff and students alike can stay connected anytime anywhere and with as fast paced as our lives are having one device that holds everything is not only awesome but convenient.

Preston, P. (2011, August 31). Powell Incorporates Apple iPads in School. //KULR - 8 News, Sports, Weather.// Retrieved February 28, 2012 from []

Article 5: __Pros And Cons of iPads In The Classroom__ You would think that loaning an iPad to college students would be a popular move but the results a seven week study did indeed find that students at the University of Notre Dame liked learning with the iPad but they used the devices differently than what was expecetd. The orignal idea was to use the iPad as an e-reader in place of traditional textbooks. As time went by groups working on projects found that they pull out their iPads to brainstorm and save their results on an online file storage site (Dropbox). Then the next time they got together they could easily go back access the saved files without emailing revisions back and forth.

These students found iPads encouraged exploration of additional course topics, helped them manage their time, provided new functions/tools for learning, increased their learning and made their courses moe interesting. These students also became frustrated when highlighting text and takingnotes within e-books. They also found that multiple "windows"or files couldn't be open, side by side, on the iPad, unlike a a computer.

It sounds like even though there were some drawbacks, students were overall happy with the iPad and would have a hard time relinguishing it at the end of the course. Like the rest of us, they are willing to wait for improvements. Technology is only going to continue to improve.

Woyke, E. (2011, January 21). Pros and Cons Of iPads In The Classroom. //Forbes.// Retrieved February 28, 2012 from []