I have been Googling and musing over the possibilities offered by the iPad in Education. I have been seriously been considering buying a MacBook for myself as I need a new laptop. Now I have been introduced to the iPad I think I will need one of those too. This wouldn't be a purchase only for myself but one which my children could enjoy! I wonder though whether I will be able to buy just one and they can share? Hopefully if I let them alternate between working with me on the MacBook and using the iPad there will be minimal arguing over who's turn it is. Immediately I see that the iPad has so much potential for independent use. I wouldn't be comfortable letting my four year olds loose on my laptop but the iPad is a different story. It is so easy and intuitive to use with the touch screen. They can read books and foster their confidence by recording themselves reading familiar stories. The animations included with the stories hold my attention so they will certainly be appealing to children.
It would be very exciting to be a teacher in a classroom where children has access to motivating tools for learning - IWBs, laptops, iPods, iPads offer so many possibilities. For a job like that, where can I apply? But more importantly it would be thrilling to be a learner in a classroom with access to an exciting teacher with the tools to support learning for today's digital natives! For a school like that, where can I enrol my children?
I enjoyed reading Bridget McCrea's article 'Measuring the iPad's Potential for Education' in the Journal, Transforming Education through Technology online.
1 comment:
I absolute agree with your comment about feeling comfortable letting your kids loose on an iPad but needing support with a laptop. On the iPad you can give easily limit apps and shortcuts to those you want the kids accessing and not others. That's much more difficult to do on a laptop especially if you want them to have internet access. I've seen quite a few youtube clips showing how intuitively preschool children can just pick up the iPad and start playing games, reading books etc with little or no support from an adult. Surely that has a place in education?
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