Poll & Discussion: Any High School Teachers use iPad in Classroom?

[kds786]

We are implementing the iPad initiative in our small private high school in the fall, and I just wanted to get an idea of what you all thought about using the iPad in the classroom and if any of you currently use it for your class.

The details: Each student & faculty member will receive an iPad with the intent of turning the school into a 21st century classroom (i.e., eBooks, interactive textbooks, note taking, typing, science lessons, music, etc.).

I am the designated "techie" (or Educational Technology Coordinator) at the school and was the one who pushed for the iPad over a laptop tablet PC (you know, the ones where you turn the screen around and lay it on the keyboard). I'll also be the one teaching the class most likely called "21st Century Classroom" in order to train the students to use them.

So, back to my question(s), what do you all think about using iPads in a classroom setting and have any of you had any experience in it?

Thanks a bunch!

-Kristy

 

[MrMac'n'Cheese]

We are implementing the iPad initiative in our small private high school in the fall, and I just wanted to get an idea of what you all thought about using the iPad in the classroom and if any of you currently use it for your class.

The details: Each student & faculty member will receive an iPad with the intent of turning the school into a 21st century classroom (i.e., eBooks, interactive textbooks, note taking, typing, science lessons, music, etc.).

I am the designated "techie" (or Educational Technology Coordinator) at the school and was the one who pushed for the iPad over a laptop tablet PC (you know, the ones where you turn the screen around and lay it on the keyboard). I'll also be the one teaching the class most likely called "21st Century Classroom" in order to train the students to use them.

So, back to my question(s), what do you all think about using iPads in a classroom setting and have any of you had any experience in it?

Thanks a bunch!

-Kristy

I voted iPad because tablet PC's are too clunky/not good quality like the iPad is

 

[Xeperu]

I use my iPad when I teach at my University (MSc classes). Works great.
We also suggest students buy them, but it's not a mandatory thing. Most seem to do it though.

Before I used my Macbook Air. But it's a bit too chunky.

Tablet PC's are terrible, stay away from them.

 

[afd]

Our school has just bought a small (5) set of iPads. We're not too sure how we're going to use them yet, though we have a few ideas.

 

[LiloThePleo]

I'm not a high school teacher, but on my recent five week prac in primary school I used my iPad daily for teaching and the students responded really well. It is so easy to hook up to the smart board and use, much easier than a laptop. I used the schools laptop a couple of times for flash websites and it was just so slow and clunky to set up in comparison.

I used keynote a lot for presentations, we did some group persuasive writing practice with pages, we had the ultimate big books- ebooks, I played documentaries during eating time, and classical music during writing time- made a huge difference to noise levels and as a result the students worked better. The class also whipped up some movies as part of an excursion and the project based upon it.

My only regret was not having a couple of extra iPads so the groups didn't have to take turns.

 

[EugenexYew]

My teacher uses a tablet PC in lessons to write on Word/PPT/Excel documents.
It is screened to the class via a projector.
IDK about you, but if you have a TV in your classroom and do not require emphasising points *as you can't really POINT on an iPad*, you could just use the HDMI dongle and hook it up.

 

[porcupine8]

One complication I can see arising is the need for special styli if students want to handwrite notes rather than type them. Personally, I remember information better if I write it rather than type it - and there is research showing that I'm not the only one. If I were a teacher, I'd rather have my students handwriting their notes over typing them. Not to mention that if you really want to move everything onto the iPad, you'd probably want to move to writing on PDFs over printed handouts for many things. So unless you want kids to get really good at writing with their fingers, you'll need to provide styli (which run about $10 each, but you could probably get a bulk discount) and hope they don't get lost. There are some that have a little bit to plug them into the headphone jack, though then they're just dangling there.

Also, would you provide cases or any other protection for the iPads? I can't imagine that they wouldn't get naturally beat up and scratched from banging around in a high schooler's backpack all day, not to mention the potential for dropping. Would students be responsible for buying their own cases? Would the school try to get a special discount on cases? What would be the consequences if a student drops the iPad and breaks the screen with vs without a school-sanctioned case on it? Do you have students on scholarship who could not afford to replace the iPad if they drop it? Along similar lines to the case, would you provide stands so that students don't have to spend all day holding the iPad with one hand? (Or a case that doubles as a stand?)

Honestly, I think that the iPad has incredible potential for this kind of thing (I'm an educational researcher, I actually use my iPad to take notes while videotaping middle school classrooms). I've only looked at a few of the educational apps available, but just after getting to know my iPad's capabilities I have all sorts of ideas. I'm just trying to think up all the possible logistical issues you might run into - because you know there would be a ton of them!