On Youtube, Steve posted a video of a presentation he gave about the iPad. It turns out, someone is actually utilising these in the classroom. There are some interesting ideas in the link above, and also a link to the man’s blog.
What is it the iPad can do which a simple laptop cannot?
I agree, Friedemann. A cheap, small, portable laptop is better than a tablet in my view.
The only real use I have for technology and language learning - is - an mp3/4 player with lyrics display (and a way to access mp3/4 files).
Nothing. Maybe some apps are better to use or offer more than a website or a standalone program.
The point is: it’s a device for people who don’t like laptops and/or want an entertainment / infotainment device. You cannot compare the two… Laptops or netbooks offer more flexibility, and you can work with them. iPads are more fun-oriented…
Well, I guess mobility would be an argument. But what is that good for if you can’t run he programs you need, can’t use the hardware periphery you want, have too little memory etc…
I would much prefer to own a tablet than a pc or a laptop. My laptop is very cumbersome, and isn’t easy to carry around, whereas a seven-inch tablet can easily fit in a glove compartment, the back of the car seat, (or perhaps large coat pockets, but that may be stretching it a bit).
Will children be more interested in using a tablet than a laptop? I don’t know, but judging by the amount of people crowding around the iPads whenever I go into a local dealers, and the lack of people hanging around the macs, I would say yes, the would be. They are a lot more interactive than the standard laptop. Children have the chance to move things around, draw things etc. on a tablet screen. They don’t have that option on laptop.
With the new iOS5 and iCloud, documents, photos and so on are easier to share. Whenever a teacher wants to share something at the moment, they have to load it up onto one of the shared drives on the computer. The pupil then has to access that drive, and download it. That takes time. If you look on the apple website, if you take a photo for example, iCloud automatically shares it to all other iDevices, if they are linked. That’s a lot quicker.
You need to look at Fraser Spiers’ blog as well. The link is in the post I linked to, and he explains what he feels about iPads in the classroom and iOS5 a lot better than I do.
Experiments have shown that the maximum screen size that will fit in my trouser pocket is 4", so by definition this is the ideal size for a portable learning device. Even an iPad would require me to find a handbag to carry it around in.
Amazon.com. Spend less. Smile more. You may be able to get away with this one (although it could be more an mp3 player than a tablet).
Tablets and Laptops are designed for different targets. It’s depend on what you need. They can not completely replace each other. It seem that laptops can do what ever iPad can, but ,in fact, it is not. For example, iPad has sensors such as GPS and Accelerometer sensor built in. It has own OS and applications that are designed for. For learning, I think that iPad is a good tools, but it is not essential tools that everyone has to have in order to learning something. You can use it where ever when ever you want. It will give a huge benefit for maintain knowledge in short term memory. However, no iPad, people can learning what they need as well.
I haven’t an Tablet but I using my cel phone with Android operate system to study english.
It’s being helpful, the time that I’m normaly would waste waiting something ends up being well spent on something useful.