Thinking of an iPad

October 3rd, 2010 by doug

: Image by Getty Images via Daylife

I’ve been thinking for a while about the iPad and whether it is (or could be) a tool for education.

I will admit, it is still far too early to say for definite whether the ipad will have a major impact upon education, we shall just have to wait and see. I am sure, though, that there will be people who will be trying to explore its potential.

I think the people who may have the most to worry about the iPad are the users of an iPod Touch; I think the advent of the iPad will probably spell the end of the iPod Touch. Nevertheless, there are people using the iPod Touch in education and maybe their experiences will be carried over to the iPad. So one advantage the iPad has is that it might be able to build upon the work done using the iPod Touch.

One thing that disappoints me, and a lot of other people, is the lack of a camera on the iPad. Sure, this hasn’t really held back the ipod Touch but look how the camera on the iPhone has been utilised, particularly in the field of augmented reality, and the lack of an iPad camera looks like a serious omission.

Our modern approach to education is largely based upon changing pupils/schools from being passive users or consumers and becoming creative users of technology. I look at the iPad and find it hard to see it as a creative device. It looks much more like a consumer device on which you’ll store online newspapers, videos, tv programmes, music, podcasts etc.. I see it as a device for use on the train in the morning and again on the return journey home (assuming the battery life is reasonable) more than a device for use in the office.

I notice an increasing range of peripherals being announced for the iPad. Accessories such as keyboards, stands, even a printer. All of which lead me to ask, “why not buy a laptop?”, after all a laptop will have all these things built in.

I do think, however, that such accessories which seem to enable the iPad to emulate a laptop, are possibly indicative of a wider problem. Why do we want the iPad to emulate a laptop? Basically, I don’t think we do. Perhaps we need to rethink the way in which we use technology. Using an ipad or a iPod touch is not the same as using a laptop. They are quite different devices and serve different purposes. The way in which we use them needs to be different. I regard them as more ‘immediate’ technology; I can use my iPod Touch, iPhone (or iPad) almost anywhere instantly. Unlike my laptop, which I have to open up, set on my lap or a surface and hope the battery life is still sufficient! I can also use my ipod touch while still moving! If the iPad is to become successful, we need to stop thinking of it in the same terms of reference as a laptop.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle to the iPad becoming widely adopted into education is that it is made by Apple and only by Apple. I don’t imply any criticism of the company in saying that. Anyone who has been involved in education procurement will know about uncompetitative tendering and how Apple products can fall into this trap. This accounts in part for the lack of a strong presence for Apple within the UK school sector. Unless Apple creates a stronger presence for its products in schools, it will find it harder to promote the iPad as an educational tool.

Two Weeks with an iPad (ericsink.com)
Why the iPad is Perfect for Schools (chris.pirillo.com)
“The iPad isn’t a big iPod touch – an iPod touch is a miniature iPad that restricts the full multitouch…” (davebc.com)
What’s Not So Great About the iPad: The 10 Biggest Complaints (crn.com)

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This entry was posted on Sunday, October 3rd, 2010 at 02:34 and is filed under Classroom Technology, Handheld Learning. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.