http://www.kxxv.com/story/18822647/belton-high-school-to-launch-ipad-initiative

2500 ipads to high schoolers.

ready aim fire.

South Belton Middle School has issued iPads to all students for the past year

yes. and now all students at the HS will be getting them.

Is this good or bad?

Seems like a one pound iPad is easier to tote around than 50 pounds of textbooks.

Here we go again. My wife teaches at SBMS and is tired of explaining to people where the money for the iPads came from (i.e. it was a grant). People dont want to listen and don't care to research the facts on funding, who's responsible for taking care of them (get online and read the contract both parents and students have to sign). And if I'm not mistaken, they aren't mandatory.

I think the iPads are fine. It's not like they buy new ones every year. Yes, they will have to be replaced eventually, but all students turn them in at the end of the year. Textbooks, assignments, interactive... It's all there. Moving into a paperless world. Just a different medium, that's all....

Not to mention, think of all the jobs this will create for 10-year-olds in China...

Birddog,

you are right people don't want to research the facts on that. A lot of people think we're just burning through tax payer money to pay for those which is very incorrect. All Texas schools used to get separate monies for technology and for textbooks per student every year. The state nixed that and now has moved to a single pot per student for both. A device like the iPad seems to be the transition they're aiming for. SBMS had a lot of successes this year.

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Not to mention, think of all the jobs this will create for 10-year-olds in China...

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zing.


[This message has been edited by c-jags (edited 6/20/2012 8:02a).]

jags, we were given teacher Ipads this year and color me not impressed.
So many of the good educational things require purchase of apps.

Unless there is also wide spread funding of those online books and apps, the ipad itself is just a bigger smart phone. And yes, I have had training.

I see way more for math and science on it than ELA. And the books from apple--novels--are way more expensive than for the nook or the kindle. For ela, I would rather have a nook tab or a kindle fire at a much lower cost.

It is slow to type on, at least for those of us who touch type, not use thumbs. I prefer stongly MS word to the so called apple equivalent. I want something kids can write papers on, read books on, and get to the internet. With my smart board, if I want to use video, or have interactive lessons (which we do on many, many days), we can do it there with a much larger canvas.

Even if the purpose is to have them able to use them at "home," until or unless families have high speed access in all their homes, then the ipad is again limited.


Add to that the fact that it won't take a usb or flash drive again limits. It's not like I can type on my computer than take it over to the ipad easily. I have to use dropbox, and then dropbox has to have the wireless connection for the ipad to access it.

It is a neat toy, and kids love using toys, but I simply think waiting for the new microsoft tab to get the bugs worked out might be more cost effective, or having the much cheaper e-readers at least for my field, would have made sense.



[This message has been edited by 3rd Generation Ag (edited 6/20/2012 8:57a).]

[This message has been edited by 3rd Generation Ag (edited 6/20/2012 9:02a).]

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Even if the purpose is to have them able to use them at "home," until or unless families have high speed access in all their homes, then the ipad is again limited.


Add to that the fact that it won't take a usb or flash drive again limits. It's not like I can type on my computer than take it over to the ipad easily. I have to use dropbox, and then dropbox has to have the wireless connection for the ipad to access it.

It is a neat toy, and kids love using toys, but I simply think waiting for the new microsoft tab to get the bugs worked out might be more cost effective, or having the much cheaper e-readers at least for my field, would have made sense.

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all valid points. High Speed internet isn't everywhere and I think we'll find out how wide spread that is very quickly. We have an inhouse dropbox like Application so even if they can't send it at home they can save it to a teacher's folder right at the beginning of class. There will be some kinks to work out on that, but I've had success on a smaller scale already with it.

i agree wholeheartedly on the ELA lacking in Apps. I think that's more a nature of the field than it is something wrong with the iPad. We're a partially mac school so with that comes the ability to create e-books from within the district to push out curriculum to ipads from that. It's fairly new, so I haven't gotten a feel for how effective that will be.

i am excited about the microsoft tablet, but based on their reluctance to give numbers on monday, I don't believe it's cost effective over the drop in price on the iPad 2.

Wifey teaches one of the STARS classes. She loves the iPad and when she finds apps or books that she wants she submits them to the man behind the curtain, and then they are approved/declined and she/students can dowload and use them. Don't know that she's had too many not be approved. She likes the fact that she can also hook it up to the projector hanging from the ceiling and show whatever on the screen, print from it and I don't know what else she does with it but she seems to like it and uses it in the classroom quite a bit.

We can't print. Our copier systems are tied to our pcs. We do not have ios or what ever it is called on server. Thus no sharing of books or apps without paying again. Our tiny departmental budget would not fund even one book per student. belton must be rich. I am not talking about just buying the device, but all the educational apps and books to make it worth it, plus the permits and infrastructure to allow books and apps to have mulitple downloads.


While I can project from the ipad, it is NOT interactive. My pc laptop has a better as in larger picture plus is interactive since I do everything just about on the smart board.

I think they fit math and science better, but sadly, using the state money for the ipads in most schools means little or no money for elar. Yet the state set our standards higher than any of the other core subjects.






[This message has been edited by 3rd Generation Ag (edited 6/20/2012 4:28p).]

[This message has been edited by 3rd Generation Ag (edited 6/20/2012 4:32p).]

Belton's not rich.... they just saw the writing on the wall last year with the budget cuts and saved in some spots from Textbook and technology funding to be able to do this.

There's a lot possible on ipads for free, you just have to have the server infrastructure to do it.

jags, did not mean to sound so negative. Kudos for Belton. It is just that I spent long hours of the time I could not work after my hip replacement trying to find good free apps for my ELAR department and just could not find enough to justify the Ipad for student use. Like I said way less expensive tabs like the fire of nook tab would do for elar everything the more expensive ipad did and books are actually cheaper for the nood or the fire.

If Belton has the funds to buy the materials needed for the ipads then they can be useful.

Taylor used them last year. They are a good resource, but make sure they get software so the teacher can see what the student is looking at. There were disruptions with kids looking at something else. My wife had them put them away except for certain times for research and they were given assignments using the Apple at home. Her classes grades went up and the distractions/disruptions from wandering eyes ceased. The Taylor Administration said they would acquire the software in August (same reason as all public schools in this state...no money). I think as long as Mississippi is below Texas in funding of public education, our state legislature will do nothing. They are professionals and are good at it.

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3GA - It is slow to type on, at least for those of us who touch type

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This might sound funny but it wasn't until a couple months ago that I figured it out.

MOST people these days - Can't type. Therefore, when they're hunting and pecking, it doesn't matter if they're using a keyboard or glass, the number of words per minute is going to be similar regardless of the method. In fact, typing with thumbs on a glass screen might be faster.

So, while I've been trying to figure out why anyone would sacrifice the speed for convenience, I overlooked the fact that this is a concern for me but it is not a concern for most people.

i can peck out some pretty quick speeds on an iPad for the most part. But I type literally all day.

I've learned that the kids don't have many issues with it. It's what they've grown up with.

Jags, they are amazed when they watch me type that I am so fast and that I don't look at the keys at all--at least on a full keyboard. I have more trouble on the laptop like now and when I have nails like now.

I think we really made a mistake not teaching kids to type because it takes them forever to type out a research paper, even on a keyboard. I can't imagine how long it will take them to do papers when they are in grad school.

I had a colleague ask me yesterday how it is that I can send the volume of Email that I send and put so much detail into each one.

I told him that it was thanks to a crusty old WWII Veteran typing teacher who would throw an eraser from the chalkboard at your head if you turned your head to look at your hands. I told him you get to 45-60 wpm pretty quick with that kind of instruction.

after this thread i decided to a few timed writing tests.

> 70 wpm <7% error.


still got it.

While I am still a huge proponent of teaching keyboarding skills you don't really need them on the iPad. You can use apps like Dragon Dictation which are free downloads and then you can just speak to the iPad what you wanted to type. Might take some editing, but that is exactly how I just typed in this response

I don't want everybody in the cube next to me in the office to overhear what I'm typing. In fact, stealthy communication is about the only use I've found for the Instant Messaging applications. I like being able to chat in private with a co-worker about a 3rd co-worker who is sitting right next to both of you who just ticked one or both of you off.

Dragon dictation is fine if you speak clearly, but the way some of these kids talk these days ( slang etc.), it ain't gonna wurk like dat brutha.

Mobile devices like iPads aren't really designed for "cubicle use"......hence description "mobile" device.....

Like I said earlier as well....I agree there is still major value in keyboarding and believe we as schools should do a better job of teaching it. The state however feels differently and thinks that every student, no matter what their preferred career track is need four years of science and math (math that isn't everyday life related btw) so go figure...

Funny that they typing subject came up today. My daughter took a timed history test last night for Temple College. It was in part an essay test and I thought to myself as I was watching her. "She's never going to finish this in time". Kids these days have no idea how to type without looking at the keyboard.

true. but i kid you not, they can text on an iphone under the desk. I see it all the time. but put them in front of a keyboard and they chicken peck.

The state's decision to drop BCIS as required coursework is one of the biggest head scratchers to me. I use advanced algebra and geometry about once a year at work, but skills learned from BCIS and Computer Apps every day of my life.

We are getting quite a few iPads in my district and I think they are great. They are hands down the best tablet on the market and although more expensive they are worth the extra money over other tablets. These devices can change learning in a variety of ways. The most important thing to me is creating great lessons and using the iPad where it is appropriate in the lesson. Most of the time when I've created a lesson utilizing the iPad or iPod touch I don't use subject level apps, I'll use some sort of content creation app (iMovie, Garage Band, Strorykit, StoryRobe, Toontastic, etc.). So the challenge is thinking of creative ways to incorporate the device into your already engaging lesson.

A couple of side notes. You can download books for the same price on the iPad that you can on the Nook and Kindle. The iPad has applications for both of those services. Typing is still required in the updated Technology TEKS. Although I don't think typing should require a semester, it deserves a small sliver of time when you are in a computer lab. Even with BCIS typing wasn't a big part of the TEKS. With all of the new devices coming out formal typing is becoming less relevant.

Just my two cents worth. Have fun with all those iPads c-jags!

Sorry for the inadvertent sad face, accident.

[This message has been edited by Washburn321 (edited 6/27/2012 8:45p).]

wash,

I think I met your boss last week and we had some fun conversations about the iPading. I'm pissed he won the door prize.

That's funny. He didn't mention he won the door prize! Enjoy the rollout.

Funny but I find no cheap books for ipad from apple while kindle and nook frequently have books for free are at reduced prices. there are even facebook site and blogs to help me find those free and reduced price books I used voice to type this it's called for short of the academic standards needed for college level english papers and that is what I have to prepare students to be able to write
I Pp

Hi 3rd Gen, did you ever search for the same books on the Nook and Kindle apps on the iPad? One of the neat things about the iPad is that you don't have to buy books from iTunes, you can buy them from a variety of places and use your preferred e-reader app to view the books.

3GA, I can download any book for Nook and kindle on my iPad.

We can't Jan. At least not with school money. The ONLY things they will let us put on the Ipad are from Itunes. We have to do a PO and then the school gets us an itunes gift card.

I know other schools have better systems. However this is the one we have. And they added that they don't even want us buying things with our OWN MONEY to put on them.

So as a reader to put in student hands, we have to buy the books from itunes where they are almost never discounted or on sale.

i don't know how your school is managing them.... but most likely you can just log in with your personal itunes account download and install whatever books you want, log out of your itunes account and then the product stays with the device and your account.

not that i'm telling you how to get around your IT guy. I hate people that do that.