Live from the First iPad Summit.
This article has to do a lot about the future of teaching with a great Apple product, the iPad. Many educators met for the first time in a group like this at Harvard to discuss what the iPad can do for the benefit of their students. This was not just a prestigious combination of peoples but, a group of educators from a very diverse background. Elementary and Secondary educators, principals, educational consultants. If its anything important with teaching children in today’s world, they were there. This summit was held for nothing else but how the iPad can be used in the classroom which was a great way to get the ideas out there if you ask me. The meeting seemed to go greatly with little takeaway on the iPad itself was that it is just a tool for teachers to use. Educators can not just give them these and expect them to learn the educators must still help them through everything; Educators need to know what they are doing on the device before they are used in school for the betterment of the students; and, they need to be something more than a computer replacement.
Q1. What is your opinion of the issue in the article? Agree or disagree?
Well I do not know what to think of this article. I mean if the setting are right with everything, there could be a major way to get to the children in an exciting way and in a way that they will stay focused, have fun, and learn something new. However, the iPad really is like a computer. As flashy as it may be for now at least, It is going to be difficult for teacher to teach using these devices because these apps they need are not there at the time. Plus with all of the training that they need for these new devices it puts more stress on the educator, when the same exact outcome of using an iPad can be achieved on a computer.
Q2. How will the issue help or hinder student learning?
I feel as if this issue will hinder my students learning. The problem is that the iPad itself is too distracting. There is too much you can do with it and not that big of a way to control it. For all we know kids could just be playing online or in other apps while I the educator are trying to better their education. It is a great idea to get the iPad into the learning community but i think it has a long way to go still.
pizzo1jr 