and the IPad is a fad until proven useful.
Len=20
-----Original Message-----
From: Backon, Joel <jbackon@choate.edu>
To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Sent: Thu, May 27, 2010 3:13 pm
Subject: Re: ipads Lower School
Len,
You raise an excellent question. I don't recall Apple positioning the iPad=
as=20
nything other than a consumer product. Somehow, over the past few years,=
=20
omebody has turned education into a consumer product instead of a professi=
onal=20
ervice. "Give me 10 hours with your child at $200 per hour, and I guarante=
e=20
'll raise his or her SAT scores by 200 points." It reminds me of the old=
=20
astrol oil commercials. Buy the latest additive or lubricant, and you will=
see=20
etter performance.=20
I wonder how much of the current iPad craze in schools is about attractive=
cost=20
nd form factor. Certainly it isn't about the tools and applications becaus=
e=20
ery few were designed for teaching and learning. No Logo, no Sketchpad, no=
=20
nspiration, no Flash, etc. I have a personal iPad, and I recognize the gen=
ius=20
f creating a very portable personal information and entertainment delivery=
=20
latform. One of the reasons Apple has been so successful is the understand=
ing=20
hat their respective products can't be all things to all people. When I re=
ad=20
ritiques of the iPad written under the rubric of the laptop, I smile. It=
means=20
he reviewer doesn't understand the product he or she is reviewing.
I'm not suggesting we, as educators, ignore the iPad or any other innovati=
on,=20
ut in the spirit of Len's comments, why not buy a few, give them to studen=
ts=20
nd teachers to use for a year, and after that year, ask them if and when=
the=20
Pad improved their teaching or learning. Then we have some sage counsel fr=
om=20
hich we can make a more informed decision.
Joel
--=20
oel Backon
irector of Academic Technology / History
hoate Rosemary Hall
33 Christian St.
allingford, CT 06492
03-697-2514
On May 27, 2010, at 2:27 PM, Len Doran wrote:
> I have to wonder why we continue to chase technology and not let it chas=
e us.=20
parent asked me this morning if we still taught cursive writing. I wonder=
if=20
e are moving too fast just to be trendy and not really looking at the=20
ducational values and, perhaps, consequences? The APPLE store at the local=
Mall=20
eems to be mobbed, but I wonder how many people are buying IPads for the=
right=20
easons?
=20
Len=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
-----Original Message-----
From: Gary S. Stager <district@stager.org>
To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Sent: Thu, May 27, 2010 12:54 pm
Subject: Re: ipads Lower School
=20
=20
Just curious, why do you think that younger children need less of a compu=
ter?
I have two iPads and I find their best use to be watching TV on them and=
=20
ooking=20
p trivia while watching TV on my television.
Knowledge is a consequence of experience and the richest experiences with=
=20
omputers are when you construct things of meaning, beauty, purpose,=20
ophistication, etc...
The iPads have a long way to go in achieving that objective or in support=
ing=20
roject-based learning.
I've also written about the inadequacies of the iPad as a book reader -=
=20
ttp://stager.tv/blog/?p=3D1189
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