just a source for reading websites, fine, but as a laptop replacement it's
not fully functional.
Before you go ahead and purchase them in bulk, I'd get one and ask a teacher
to try to replicate the experience by visiting every website and seeing if
the iPad can view it. Remember it doesn't load flash/java, has trouble with
some sites that have text boxes, etc. Also look into how well you can do
follow-up work - since multitasking won't be available until OS 4.0 (due on
phones in summer, iPads in fall) it might be hard to do work in a document
while reading a website. Also see how comfortable your teachers are with the
lack of printing, universal VGA display, and the limited capabilities of the
Office Suites available (whether the Apple iWorks programs or similar
programs by Documents to Go and other developers).
I don't want to sound too negative, but from reading iPad user forums I see
what the "disappointments" are that people have with the iPad. Make sure the
teachers know what they're getting into and what the capabilities are before
making the investment, would be my advice. Might be worth buying one or two
for teachers to pilot next year, and then evaluate.
On 6/2/10 12:00 AM, "ISED-L automatic digest system"
<LISTSERV@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> wrote:
> Date: Thu, 27 May 2010 20:19:15 -0400
> From: Carl Campion <ccampion@mac.com>
> Subject: iPads in upper school language classes/wireless
>
> Our language departments is set to pilot an iPad cart in a
> classroom. Their entire curriculum is online so they feel that web
> access is all they need.
>
> In preparation of deploying the iPads and with a possible
> transition to a one to one program we are working at updating our
> infrastructure especially the wireless.
>
> I am interested in both your thoughts about the iPad for classes
> of 9th - 12th grade students and Meru as a wireless system.
>
> thanks in advance
>
> Carl Campion
> Director of Technology
> Archmere Academy
*****
Nate Gordon
Academic Technologist, Lowell School
Washington, DC
202-577-2017
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