Learning and Leading - November 2012

Here’s what other ISTE members had to say about this topic. Participate in our reader poll at iste.org/LL.

NO 40%

YES 60%

the cloud, then I can correct and drop it back to them. It’s easy to make the files into PDFs so that they can’t alter what I write.

Sure, I can do all this with a laptop as well. But not while using only one hand. Fifteen years ago, I remember someone asking me, “Why would you want a laptop when you have a desktop?” My response then, as it is now, was that it allowed me the freedom to do my work when and where I want to.

—Alicia Testa is a technology integrator and teacher of mathematics and computer science in the middle and upper schools of Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart in Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Read her blog at pigglit. blogspot.com.

often, they don’t. And even if there is
an app, it rarely has the functionality
or features of its web counterpart. A
student or teacher using a laptop has
access to virtually every program and
software application on the web, while
someone using an iPad has access
only to what has been adapted by an
iOS app developer.
If we are really asking teachers to be
innovative in their lesson planning, they
need the most effective and efficient
tools to make that happen. Right now,
those tools are still laptops.

—Krista Moroder is the K– 12 district technology integrator for Kettle Moraine School District in Wisconsin, USA. She is also a Google Apps Certified Trainer and a 2012 ISTE Emerging Leader. Read her blog at www.edtechcoaching.org.

The Right Tool for the Job

Can small tabletop ovens replace larger convection ovens? No. They are for different jobs. I would not write an essay on an iPad, as the keypads and/ or monitors are so much smaller. I also would not read newspaper reports on a laptop as I travel home on the bus. They are designed for different purposes and different situations. We need them all for the different roles they play.

Helen Crompton, Student University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA

All iPad and Loving It

I am the educational technology director at a school that’s going all iPad. Our decision was based on versatility of the platform (e-book reader, production/ publishing device, web 2.0 enabled, artifact capture, application platform), ease of implementation (profile management, footprint, infrastructure requirements, staffing requirements), personalization, and durability. As a school leading a progressive edge in rethinking pedagogy and assessment, we believe that the more personal, mobile, and flexible a device is, the more it supports initiatives that align with our strategic goals of preparing students to be active global participants.

Mark Hines, Director of Technology Kailua, Hawaii, USA

Stay Off the Technology Treadmill

Laptops will serve schools better in the long run, primarily because they will not need to be replaced every nine months, when a new version of the device is released on the market with features that previous models cannot equal—or worse, with apps that will not play because the model is too old.

Diana Bidulescu, Media Arts Magnet Coordinator Galveston, Texas, USA

Don’t Forget Desktops

With instant on, a full-day of battery life, tons of applications including more sophisticated ones every day, easy access to information, and collaboration opportunities galore, students can do about 95% of what they need to do on the iPad. But, whether they’re using laptops or iPads, students still need access to a pod of “blinged-out” desktops for some high-level creation and manipulation.

Kathy Schrock, Educational Technologist Eastham, Massachusetts, USA

Consuming vs. Creating

The app-based universe is still focused on entertainment and passive delivery of content rather than independent exploration, creation, and innovation.

I continue to struggle with both student and adult perceptions of computing devices as simply delivery systems for content rather than as creative tools, and the tablet environment makes this perception challenge more difficult, given that many mobile app versions of web tools lose much of their functionality.

Frank McCormick, District Technology Coach Tucscon, Arizona, USA

Gold Mine of Student Benefits

The iPad’s interface is easy to learn and intuitive for most students. Numerous apps facilitate productivity for students, such as Pages, Keynote, iMovie, and 123D catch. Additionally, web-based tools can be accessed through the iPad. The iPad facilitates the use of multimedia in the classroom. Both audio and video can be integrated into lessons. For example, in science lessons, students can create time-lapse videos, capture details of experiments, and compile data.

Diallo Sessoms, Assistant Professor Salisbury, Maryland, USA

More Evolution Required

Humans will have to evolve some interesting fingers to be able to type 60 wpm on an iPad. And who wants to carry around an attachable keyboard?

Kris Nielsen, Middle School Teacher Comment on ISTE’s Facebook page

The Proof Behind the Magic

I put the iPad to the test on a six-week iPad-only journey. I found that the iPad has the capability to do most tasks performed by students and educators. The cloud has made everything I need accessible. Apps such as Dropbox and Evernote allow me to download documents with ease. I can edit and create documents, presentations, and spreadsheets using QuickOfficePro. Using my Apple TV and an LCD projector, I can easily show any documents or presentations using my iPad as a wireless tablet. That’s magic you don’t get with a laptop!