iSchool - is the world ready for it?

[hh5]

will iSchool get rid of senior day?

[hh5]

pro-old School

[Rilbur]

I always buy ebook these days.

 

The advantages outweigh the costs.

 

• No wear and tear on the book -- only the device, which you'll replace eventually anyways.
• Less weight -- can carry a lot more on you
• Less volume -- contributes to the above
• Doesn't require an external light source (depending on device)
• Can't loose your place
• Easy searching
• Non-damaging options for marking notes
• Ability to instantly get definitions on unfamiliar words
• Can't be lost
• Can adjust certain design elements (font size, margins) to suit your current needs

I'll concede that battery life can be an issue, depending on the device, but 'page always loads' is a BS complaint based on a web browser.  Also, visual compatibility is to a large degree a matter of getting proper compensatory devices (glasses).

 

And by 'carry more with you', I mean I carry over three hundred books with me every day.  More than that; that's just the best count I can get.  I have 231 books in my caliber library (which means in un-encrypted e-pub format), and I think more than 100 books in my nook library.  And then there's my much smaller kindle library.  And I'm constantly adding more -- both from new releases, and when the publishers are finally smart enough to release older books in ebook format.

[hh5]

If there be another JKR ... their ebooks won't be worth as much in the collectors arena

unless they actually publish books just to get a foothold in that market

 

so you don't have this concern?

Handheld technological devices including tablets are associated with a range of health problems. Handhelds contribute to Computer Vision Syndrome, which causes eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision, and dry eyes, according to the American Optometric Association. [20] People who use mobile devices more often have a higher incidence of musculoskeletal disorders associated with repetitive strain on muscles, including carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain ("text neck"), shoulder pain, and fibromyalgia.

 

Isn't the issue with young children is about getting near sighted, cross-eye, wearing glasses at an early age?

 

I always buy ebook these days.

 

The advantages outweigh the costs.

 

• No wear and tear on the book -- only the device, which you'll replace eventually anyways.
• 
  
• Less weight -- can carry a lot more on you
• 
  
• Less volume -- contributes to the above
• 
  
• Doesn't require an external light source (depending on device)
• 
  
• Can't loose your place
• 
  
• Easy searching
• 
  
• Non-damaging options for marking notes
• 
  
• Ability to instantly get definitions on unfamiliar words
• 
  
• Can't be lost
• 
  
• Can adjust certain design elements (font size, margins) to suit your current needs
• 
  

I'll concede that battery life can be an issue, depending on the device, but 'page always loads' is a BS complaint based on a web browser.  Also, visual compatibility is to a large degree a matter of getting proper compensatory devices (glasses).

 

And by 'carry more with you', I mean I carry over three hundred books with me every day.  More than that; that's just the best count I can get.  I have 231 books in my caliber library (which means in un-encrypted e-pub format), and I think more than 100 books in my nook library.  And then there's my much smaller kindle library.  And I'm constantly adding more -- both from new releases, and when the publishers are finally smart enough to release older books in ebook format.

Edited March 20, 2013 by hh5

[hh5]

wouldn't this be an interesting result of ebook?

[hh5]

toys be obsolete

Edited March 20, 2013 by hh5

[iSimba]

I got extremely poor vision from reading regular books, not ebooks. Over the last few years when i've done mostly online reading, my vision had stabilized more and more.

[hh5]

was the poor vision due to poor lighting conditions?

so there wasn't any other explaination other than books?

 

 

thanks for the share, keep on taking care of your vision :-)

 

 

I got extremely poor vision from reading regular books, not ebooks. Over the last few years when i've done mostly online reading, my vision had stabilized more and more.

[Lugh]

actually doctors are encouraging older people to use tablets to read because the font can be enlarged and it has "proper" lighting so that arguement is out hh5... don't know where you get your sources.

[hh5]

where are your sources .... before you ask for mine

 

but its does not matter

 

I am neither against nor for the technology ... if its helps the people then use it where it should ... if it needs to be tweaked then it should be 

 

if people prefer the old tech or hate the extreme expense  ... we just try our best to make their lives comfortable after the pain of arguments for the technology

 

I explain to my mom ... its no use to buy a new battery for an old phone if it were to breakdown for another reason

but when the time came ... we bought a new phone since tech is disposable and low costing since its made in china

but you can't avoid it because its made in china

 

lol, the inconvenience of the old phone finally drove her to have us buy a new one ...

now I teased her she can now stay on the phone three times longer with the three handsets than the old one that can hold a battery charge of one hour

 

if your looking at technology as a solution to health issue ... remember the doctors creed "DO NO HARM"

 

In the school situation, the teachers must be made aware of what health risks they may impose on their students by not knowing what those health risks are

Imagine parents suing schools for not instructing the kids about the proper use of technology

 

 

the question was targeted at understanding an 18yo preferences ... but nice you applied the older people argument to describe the 18yo solutions ..

you assume technology is the solution but since you don't care about why the 18yo switched ... you don't care about his health

 

btw, watch the new TV series "Monday Mornings" ... its a nice balance since ER

 

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/ipads-tablets-eye-problems-computer-vision-syndrome-article-1.1038685

 

 

Ever since Apple announced the third generation model for its popular tablet, all eyes have been on the iPad -- but health experts are warning that tablets, much like computers and smartphone screens, are contributing to a host of problems known as "computer vision syndrome."

According to the American Optometric Association, symptoms of computer vision syndrome, or CVS, include eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision and dry eyes.

Recent media reports from CBS News and Asian News International (ANI) reveal that you may have the syndrome and not even know it.

If you spend two or more continuous hours in front of a digital media screen each day, you are most at risk for CVS.

Why? Because digital media screens are often held close to the eyes, causing eye strain as your eyes shift in and out of focus to view pixilated images on the screens. Plus, some people don't blink their eyes enough when using iPads or other tablets, which can make eyes dry and irritated.

To reduce the risk, users should take a short break every 20 to 30 minutes and try to look away at a distant object for a few seconds. Also, avoid prolonged work on a tablet. Instead switch to a computer screen that is about 20-28 inches/50-71 cm away from your eyes, according to the American Optometric Association.

 

VISION & EYE HEALTH

....  Apple's recent announcement of a new high-resolution screen dubbed "retina display" might help prevent some of the symptoms of CVS, "since users supposedly will be less able to distinguish pixels from one another," noted the article.

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/ipads-tablets-eye-problems-computer-vision-syndrome-article-1.1038685#ixzz2O742o0bt

 

 

 

 

 

Elderly people can benefit from e-readers, but may not want to 

 

... it’s important for elderly individuals to be comfortable with this technology as well. Day after day. elderly people are being exposed to more technology...

 

Convenient but disliked 

The scientists discovered that when older individuals read text on tablet computers, it required them to exert less effort than reading a traditional paper book. However, previous research has shown the older adults prefer to read traditional books over e-readers. When asked, older readers consistently stated a strong preference for paper books...

 

 

actually doctors are encouraging older people to use tablets to read because the font can be enlarged and it has "proper" lighting so that arguement is out hh5... don't know where you get your sources.

Edited March 20, 2013 by hh5

[hh5]

Found a company that does iSchool

an idaho school it cost 0.5 million dollars lease a year - pilot program

at end of 3 yr lease the school will own the ipads n equipment

the school is providing the ipads to the students vs BYOD

http://www.ischoolcampus.com/about.html

iSchool was born almost by accident when a rural charter school adopted a fully deployed Apple environment

http://www.localnews8.com/video/Paul-Elementary-to-give-iPads-to-students/-/461276/16530026/-/c9388f/-/index.html

Edited March 28, 2013 by hh5

[hh5]

an interesting thought from another thread ... arming students with the android mini pc ... they cost 50 to 100 dollars ... all they have to do is hook it up to something like a hub that has a monitor and keyboard ... it has wifi ... connects to flat screen tv 

 

so ...

 

android mini pc .... 75

monitor .................75

keyboard n mouse 40

32gb .................... 22

thats 212 vs 500 ipad per student

 

1000 students => 200K (bulk buy)

that's 300K saved for the first year and subsequent 500K x two years => 1.3 million dollars saved

if parents buy anp and 32gb => then the school only invests 115K and the parents 100K

a few ozs vs 24oz

[Rilbur]

The issue with this 'android mini pc' would be portability.  You can't whip it out in the cafeteria to study between classes, or on the bus, or at library tables.

[hh5]

the issue for that school is being able to spend 1.5 million dollars for the three years for 1000 students

they have plans to expand the program in 2013 and thats only for elementary

after another couple of years we'll hear if high school and middle schools will get ipads or not

 

please note that ultimately the people will pay the 1.5 million dollars ... if every student got an ipad ... every household that has children will have to pay an extra 1,350 a year for three years in taxes ... there be a bit of an debate with households with no children to pay for children ... then seniors would be up at arms if they had to pay an extra 600 dollars a year

 

in the alternate idea

with the money saved ... other areas of the school can be easily equipped with touchscreen monitors coming out ... ranging from 7inches and up

 

this can replace the monitor and keyboards ... perhaps portable ones will soon be available

 

lol, in the economics, someone will try to make it costly to have a mini android pc and portable touchscreen monitor be expensive

enough to encourage you to buy an ipad but we can always count on the china to sell them cheaper than the local companies here

 

The issue with ipads in the public, buses, n trains ... its advertising to the criminals to come and steal ipads from the student

who will get hurt in the process I wonder if the school n the company consider the increase in crime n bullying

 

 

The issue with this 'android mini pc' would be portability.  You can't whip it out in the cafeteria to study between classes, or on the bus, or at library tables.

Edited March 30, 2013 by hh5

[Rilbur]

Saving costs is nice.

 

But the point you're missing is that in this case, you're trimming costs that actually undermine the entire process.  Maybe you save money over an iPad -- but that's actually debatable, because you'll have to provide multiple monitors in every environment.  Instead of 1 iPad per person, you're stocking each classroom with as many monitors as the classroom can hold people.  This creates duplication, especially when you add in the need to have additional monitors in facilities like the library.  Plus you'll probably need to provide them at home for students.

 

And even if you save costs, you create a situation with trade-offs that, frankly, are not worth it.  The point of an iPad is it's portability compared to PCs.  You can carry it anywhere, easily.  Whip it out at lunch, on the bus, at school, etc etc.  You can't do that once you bolt it to a keyboard and monitor.  It's just not practical.

[Lugh]

furthermore, if it's a "tax" everyone pays not just people with kids.... young people, old people, gay people.... everyone except the poor people who will all qualify for government subsidy anyway so it wouldn't matter.

[hh5]

School that spent £500,000 giving its pupils iPads admits that HALF are now broken

Honywood Community Science School gave iPad2 to its 1,200 pupils a year ago

Admits half of the costly devices have been broken

 

 

A school which gave out iPads to every pupil in hope of improving their education has admitted that just a year later half the costly devices have been broken.

Honywood Community Science School dished out iPad2 tablets to its 1,200 pupils a year ago, at vast cost to the taxpayer.

Despite warnings that children would not be able to look after the fragile computer tablet, the school in Coggeshall, Essex, allowed children to take the device outside the classroom, playground and street and home at evenings and weekends.

 

About a fifth of those sent for repair – 112 – had to be sent back more than once.

Pupils said in some of the younger classes, around half the class had broken their tablet at least once, and some as many as three times.

 

 

He said: ‘In my view you cannot expect children of 11 and 12 to be responsible for a delicate gadget.

‘They are still running around using jumpers for goal- posts and being generally rambunctious.’

Handing out equipment without expecting the parents to contribute financially only increases the likelihood of something being lost or damaged, he added.

Matthew Sinclair, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘Buying technology for schools has to be about educational results, not just trying to appear cutting edge for the sake of it.

‘Not many parents would trust their 11-year-old to look after such an expensive piece of kit so it is wrong for the school to do so just because taxpayers are picking up the bill.’

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2255546/School-spent-500-000-giving-pupils-iPads-admits-HALF-broken.html#ixzz2P62P6Jm3 

 

 Sure, iPads are less expensive than MacBooks and other overpriced Apple products.  But they are more expensive than…

 

Android tablets ($350 for equivalent of iPad; less for smaller/weaker tablets)

Netbooks ($250)

Chromebooks ($250)

All of these other devices are about half the cost of iPads, yet they have advantages over the iPad including USB ports, ability to access Flash websites (for an explanation as to why Flash is important in educational settings, see Part 5 of this series), and lower costs for maintenance and upgrades.

 

In all of my educational technology research, I have not seen a single study that shows iPads are any better for education than other alternatives such as Android tablets… however, I have seen multiple studies showing that computer technology is most effective when we have 1-to-1 computing (ie. one device for each student — or, at the very least, one device for every 2 students who can work as a pair when using it):

Microsoft burgled, only the APPLE iPADS stolen - cops confirm

Choosy thief leaves Redmond gear on the table

 

Jan 30, 2013 – Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are investigating the theft of 10 iPad 3s from a local middle school.

 

A total of 54 additional iPads were stolen early this month from Raymond J. Fisher Middle School, police said Wednesday.

 

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio — The Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District announced on Thursday that District-purchased iPads were stolen from middle school students on the way home from school.

It happened to more than a dozen students during the last two weeks.

 

“During the last two weeks, more than a dozen middle school students reported they were stopped on their way home from school, threatened and robbed of their District-purchased iPads.

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/MatthewGudenius/videos?flow=list&view=0&sort=dd

Just Say NO to iPads For Education, Part 1: Wave of the Future, or Passing Fad?

http://www.sanctuarymedia.com/edtechexpert/?p=39

Just Say NO to iPads for Education, Part 2: iPads Do NOT Meet Today’s Educational Needs

http://www.sanctuarymedia.com/edtechexpert/?p=45

Just Say NO to iPads for Education, Part 3: Logistical Limitations / How iPads Reduce Productivity

http://www.sanctuarymedia.com/edtechexpert/?p=96

Just Say NO to iPads for Education, Part 4: There’s NOT an App for That

http://www.sanctuarymedia.com/edtechexpert/?p=177

Just Say NO to iPads for Education, Part 5: Apple Products Break Budgets

http://www.sanctuarymedia.com/edtechexpert/?p=197

Edited March 31, 2013 by hh5

[hh5]

http://mgleeson.edublogs.org/2012/02/11/ipads-cant-improve-learning-without-good-teaching-pt-1-note-taking/

[hh5]

 

Teaching with the iPad: Behind the Scenes

http://www.whipplehill.com/communication/teaching-with-the-ipad/

 

http://www.keloland.com/newsdetail.cfm/when-kids-break-ipads-parents-pay/?id=145835

 

 

SIOUX FALLS, SD - We all know most kids can be a little irresponsible at times and many school districts find that out quickly after arming them with high-tech tablets.

One repair shop sees what happens when children are in charge of iPads and the financial toll it can take on parents.

 

Will Wheeler of Next2New Wireless fixes iPads when kids break them for 12 different school districts.  He gets in about 12 to 15 a week. 

 

"We've done 100 some repairs for them this year. They're breaking them. They do drop them," Wheeler said.

 

Not only do kids drop them:

 

"We hear all different types of stories, from the student just lobbing their backpacks over there in the corner and somebody stepping on them to they forgot their backpack or iPad on top of the car and they drove off. One of them came in; they found it in the puddle the neighbor found it down the street. It got run over, it was pretty mangled when it came in," Wheeler said.

 

And that gets to be expensive. Wheeler says a new iPad screen usually runs $150. But for the school districts he serves he charges $125.

 

"Who pays for that? Right now most of the parents pay for it," Wheeler said.

 

Edited March 31, 2013 by hh5

[Rilbur]

hh5, I don't think anyone is arguing that we should give iPads to anyone below high-school age (14 years old or so).  Below that, you're right -- they're too rambunctious  too rough.

 

Beyond that, giving iPads to students is stupid when Android is cheaper and just as effective (Android's primary weakness is fragmentation, by issuing the same device across an entire school you remove that issue).  And since Android is open source, that's absolutely no issue with creating a device that's ruggedized to hand up to rougher handling, something that iPads are NOT.

[hh5]

If a student loses an tablet ... regardless if it is theft or damaged ... does the parent pay for it?

Perhaps the parent does as if it were textbooks ... the parent has to pay, right?

Does a family that can barely make ends meets ... get a wavier for above vs the family that can afford?

 

Part of the point is that there are costs ...

but the thing a criminal may not be so interested in stealing textbooks vs an ipad

some schools are putting the tablets in sort of rugged cases

 

Perhaps yer right ... that the teachers would use tablets for in-class teaching for the younger ones

 

Android\win8 - for education - wouldn't it fragment less compared to adult\personal use?

 

The student would be using the text, using apps, very little browsing the internet, small homework data files

If all materials, exams, and homework were stored on the cloud, wouldn't there be less to worry about?

 

The fragmentation is due to browser temp files? Perhaps schedule an defrag app once a month.

 

Its hard to find real independent study on the effectiveness of tablet in education on the internet

its hard to say if the educator saying no or yes ... is biased in their judgement

 

it seems to be that a non-profit company (supported by the gov't, state, donations) that would sell tablets from china and make the software would be better suited than a for-profit company where the motive for-profit is usually the reason to shut the program down. Perhaps the better company is one that has their apps on iOS, Android, Win8, and Linux ... that can run on tablets, laptops, pc, or mini pcs. This gives the educator the means to develop their plans in accordance to the budget their region, city, or state can afford.

 

Sure that iSchool maybe working out for the first year ... the good question is when something happens in budgeting or if the company shuts down ... would the schools return back to books one day or hold a charity fund raiser to make up the difference?

Edited April 1, 2013 by hh5

[Lugh]

yes, the parents would pay.  The parents always have to pay when things are lost, stolen, or vandalized.  It's how the system works.

[hh5]

Android making its way in
thats 423 avg each => 1000 students 423K save 77K first year, 99K save 401K 2nd n 3rd year

News Corporation, parent company to Fox News, will enter the education sector this fall with not only a tablet-based curriculum but its own Amplify Tablet, aimed at taking on Apple's iPad in K-12 technology.
 
November will see Amplify, News Corp.'s nascent education division, rolling out both its own curriculum for existing tablets and a 10-inch, Android-powered tablet for K-12 students. A New York Times piece on the News Corp. tablet says the company will be selling it for between $299 and $349 per unit. Schools will also have the option of purchasing a $99 per year subscription to Amplify curriculum elements for each device.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT8s66oXP_A

Edited April 2, 2013 by hh5

[hh5]

an interesting institution survey ... I am not sure how to retrieve the results

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NF555C2

I guess one has to wait until the survey is over but i'm not sure if the results are public

[hh5]

perhaps the schools that are not implementing tablets in the last two years will be fortunate to the upcoming choices as the tablet wars continue

perhaps ipads are nice to help drive the trend to change education ... but its plain economics that will drive implementation for years to come

 

if a school did implement such an idea as mini android pc ... it be their decision about saving money and whatever considerations they wish to make

 

the AMP can be used on the flat TV thru HDMI ... the technology is cheaper than a 250 dollar Android Laptop

 

you still don't address the criminal impact to the tablet program ... my brother notices that in california car robberies are up because the criminal sees a blinking light that alerts them to something valuable is there to steel ... inviting criminals to come into more affluent regions ... I did share about students encountering criminals who come to them for their ipads

 

if its a bad idea to give kids under 14 an ipad to take home ... then we're back to taking home textbooks or using laptops ... drowning with budget issues ... education is held hostage by economic n politics ... lots of debates within the educator communities .. companies will sell why their program is the best for the schools budget ... some schools will find out how the program doesn't work but thats after being locked into a leasing period ... schools will take the ischool path very carefully ... getting burnt can regionally destroy the chance of change to 21st century learning

 

but there are schools that are piloting the programs to give ipads in elementary

... and perhaps we might one day get news that is similar in the UK

 

some parents complain that they want their kids to learn to write and use even less computer technology

have you noticed how many kids are wearing eye glasses more often than before the computer \ game age?

 

parents complain of the addicting nature of computers ... parks are empty of older kids ... the kids are exercising less but then we can also complain that the schools are also cutting out gym from their programs ... families are less verbally communicative ... more twittering to get along ... its not human bonding in the real world ... cyber bonding

 

I think the bottom line parents n grand parents want their kids to be well rounded ... put down the tablet n game cubes ... there are more things to experience in life 

 

perhaps the middle ground is ... the cloud is a place to house textbooks and curriculum ... the students will not bring to school or bring home a tablet... they are free to access the cloud from any device of the parents choosing ... access from the library computer and the schools will issue the tablets for in school learn only ... maybe this will curtail criminal activity and equipment abuse ... lol, schools might have to issue more lockers for students to store their tablets ... of course if a tablet is brought home ... the parents are at risk of paying for any damaged or loss equipment

 

another view ... the toddlers and young children are experts at playing with technology .,. but the thing is its the parents that are not teaching them to use the technology nicely ... kids come in and treat school property the same way they treated their parents property ... parents only let the kids have the technology to keep them quiet ... if parents were educated by some usage programs ... perhaps there is a chance of curtailing device abuse

 

 

Saving costs is nice.

 

But the point you're missing is that in this case, you're trimming costs that actually undermine the entire process.  Maybe you save money over an iPad -- but that's actually debatable, because you'll have to provide multiple monitors in every environment.  Instead of 1 iPad per person, you're stocking each classroom with as many monitors as the classroom can hold people.  This creates duplication, especially when you add in the need to have additional monitors in facilities like the library.  Plus you'll probably need to provide them at home for students.

 

And even if you save costs, you create a situation with trade-offs that, frankly, are not worth it.  The point of an iPad is it's portability compared to PCs.  You can carry it anywhere, easily.  Whip it out at lunch, on the bus, at school, etc etc.  You can't do that once you bolt it to a keyboard and monitor.  It's just not practical.

Edited April 2, 2013 by hh5