Monday, March 18, 2013

Can an iPad replace a Teacher Laptop? How?

Many of our teachers love iPads. But can they be productive with them? Two years ago the common sense dial pointed to iPad as an entertainment or consumption device, not a production tool for real work. That is proving to be an oversimplification. Is a different kind of production, using different processes and tools, still production? Is it? What can you produce? What do you need to / want to produce? What tools and processes do you need? Let's dig in and invent some answers.


From Edudemic
http://edudemic.com/2012/04/
25-ways-to-use-ipads-in-the-classroom/
In our school system we have moved to embrace the iPad rather quickly, faster really than comfortable for some of us. This speed has been a direct result of required assessments, we need the iPads NOW was the call in August. This has up heaved our status quo. We have been a Windows shop, desktops and laptops for 8 years. Now,  iPads...

At this point, we find our teachers replete with technology; desktop, laptop and new iPad. This makes outfitting a teacher expensive, both in dollars and support hours. Something has to give.

The technology department has leaned on school personnel at each step to help us figure out the best way to help teachers and student use the iPads. We are going back to the boots on the ground to find out how far an iPad will take a teacher.OR is that how far a teacher can take an iPad? How far a teacher can take a student using an iPad?

This blog will explore what are we to do moving forward. Do teachers need laptops and iPads? What functionality does an individual lose and gain if they only have a desktop and an iPad (and no laptop). What can the ITT department to do support teachers in this transition.

Please let us all know your initial thoughts, including why you are interested in this pilot program, in responses to this post. thanks in advance. !



17 comments:

  1. I joined this experiment to find out how I can utilize the I pad to help guide my instruction, help my students, and integrate technology in the constantly changing 21st century curriculum. I truly want to give my students a real "21st century classroom," fit with all the amazing games, tools, and technology I expect from a classroom in 2013. I feel we have been reliant for decades on outdated, old philosophies in regards to education, and that is why I feel this experiment is so beneficial. We are really trying to discover what this amazing technology can accomplish, and how it can benefit not only ourselves, but our kids. I think all of our students will eventually be utilizing technology similar to the I pad to help guide all of their instruction in the upcoming years. It's great that we are taking this opportunity to truly see if this technology will be beneficial for us. If the technology doesn't work out, then that's great. We actually took the necessary steps to see what could be possible. I'd much rather push the envelope and see what happens, then sit back and be complacent.

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  2. I am excited to participate in this pilot program. IPads have a plethora of uses and I want to push myself and find out what they are and how I can use them in my elementary classroom.
    Best way to learn about technology is to play with it and give it a try :);

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  3. I am looking forward to learning great new ways to use the ipad in my classroom. I'm sure there will be some troubleshooting as we explore ways to replace what our laptops have been used for, but ultimately I think we will find that the ipads are a more mobile, student-friendly tool for the classroom. I would like to learn how to create, modify, and print documents from my ipad. I also hope to find a way to share documents between this ipad, the classroom desktop, and my personal computer in order to streamline planning.

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  4. I am all about paring down and simplifying the amount of school equipment I schlepp around! I remember a recent past in which a laptop equated liberation... battery life! wireless connection! I can carry it in one hand! ...my iPad has spoiled me. My laptop is now a bulky, clunky, heavy hunk of plastic.

    A strong connection between iPad and classroom desktop is very important. We are taking steps to forge that connection, but I foresee this as a difficulty (or "growing edge") moving forward. Documents created on a desktop do not always format well on iPad. The laptop helped bridge that gap.

    I joined this program because I am very excited about the possibilities these smart devices present for our classrooms and our children. This should be fun!

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  5. Hey all! I am really excited to be apart of this team! I joined the iPad pilot program to learn more about the iPad in general and how to use more in the classroom---I want to know/learn where all I CAN take the iPad!! Also my students!
    And so far I LOVE my apple keyboard :)

    Does anyone have any apps you would recommend that you like on reading comprehension?? Or any other ones that are beneficial? Thanks!

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  6. This is my second post since my first was deleted :-)
    That being said, I am excited for this opportunity to explore the ipad. I like how compact it is and it seems like the natural transition for us to go in as technology changes. The laptops are getting older and having issues, so I'd like to explore how the ipad can work in my classroom and also for the work I take home. My current concern is how to complete my lesson plans. I haven't been able to upload my format to google docs successfully, so I may need to take the time to set up a new format I can use on there.

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  7. I am looking forward to learning to enhance productivity using the iPad. I use google docs for all of my documents now because it is accessible from anywhere and I can share them with anyone. However, it is frustrating not being able to edit on the iPad - with the exception of my team's math data spreadsheet.....I wonder how that was set up. I totally want to be able to mirror with my smart board and work the the smart board apps.

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  8. I am interested in this pilot program because I want to be able to support my colleagues with this new iPad endevor. I am interested in being able to problem-solve the functionality of the iPads and offer those solutions to others. I also want to support my students in meeting the 21st century technology standards.

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  9. I think the pilot program is a natural progression once iPads were distributed to classroom teachers. I am hoping the device will support classroom management by allowing me to move around the room and give attention to students who need it. I have had lots of success with projecting through the connector cable in science.
    This next generation will be very connected and I like the challenge of trying to get ahead of them.

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  10. A condensed version of my origin...I'm wondering if there are other districts that have already worked out many of the kinks that this group is in place to solve. Are there districts that already have teachers using iPads as their sole(or at the very least) main production tool? If so, what can we learn from them to streamline our learning curve

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  11. I signed up for the the iPad pilot because I am always interested in learning new ways to integrate technology into the classroom with my students as well as learning new ways to make the responsibilities of my job more efficient. I have been a mac user at home for a long time and love apple. I am very attached to my macbook, but I knew that the only way to truly see if an iPad can replace my laptop would be to be a part of something like this. I'm eager to see exactly what the iPad can do. I'm also eager to learn from my colleagues and to have time discussing and sharing the ways in which they use them with students and in other capacities of our jobs.

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  12. @Blair - I understand what you are saying, and yes we are leaning on the work of others. iPads are only 3 years old. I know many districts are in the same place we are, trying to sort it out.

    The model I see more of is students get iPads and teachers get apple laptops. That is not a good option for us because of mClass and our existing windows investment.

    The devil is in the details. I want this stuff to work for our teachers, on our network, with our curricula.

    Also, I want to build a community of our local experts supporting each other.

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  13. @Travis, I agree, let's see where we can go with this tool, keep what works and know that we tried to make it better.

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  14. @ Lisa Hash - Yes, student friendly is the key!

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  15. @ Mister Scott - i'll keep you in mind for the google glass pilot, but i'm sure that will be too clunky when the contact version is released.

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  16. @Ms. Gebhard - since it is close to the end of the year, you may want to wait on rebuilding your lesson plan template. You may be making lesson plans in HomeBase in the fall.

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  17. I didn't have my iPad at the time, but I appreciate the comments and agree with the excitement expressed. It's great to have a voice in district decisions. And even better to get to experiment with innovative ideas.

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