Thursday, June 16, 2011

14 months and emerged

I know it’s played out but I have to say it. I’m a special education teacher so I can’t dismiss it. I’m a teacher in the virtual environment so I have to name it. iPad. There, I said it. The iPad is a technology that has emerged in the last few years that shapes learning in education. Few years?!?! OK,14 months but whose counting?


The problems and challenges that have been associated with this technology are not as many as one would expect. The device itself has limited memory, no options for external memory, a very awkward means with which to share amongst different devices, and keyboard connectivity issues. The challenges with K-12 implementation are bandwidth and cost related. The issue with adoption in the K-12 virtual school environment is LMS and web based conferencing interface with mobile technologies.

The benefits of this technology are many. It’s a mobile device that is smaller than a netbook with access to numerous applications that allow the device to be used in ways a netbook cannot with 3G built in. Some examples: photo and video editing, online gaming with rich graphics, interactive ebooks, music creation, personal organization, etc. The benefits to K-12 education are that the device itself encourages engagement; increases access to learning resources; and allows for greater accessibility to peers, teachers, and learning materials for those with disabilities. In the virtual learning environment, it makes learning mobile.

The way the iPad is not talked about amongst the masses is with regards to the accessibility features and applications. I hinted to it in the above paragraph but the iPad can be used to meet the needs of many people with disabilities. The feature that most readily comes to mind is that of the AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) apps. These apps allow individuals with disabilities that impair verbal communication to communicate verbally. How does that benefit society? It empowers individuals and increases their independence. Broader picture? The iPad can be used a tool to improve academic performance by increasing student engagement; providing greater access to resources; and by making learning mobile and accessible.

The iPad can be improved upon. The text to speech feature for ebooks could be made better by allowing the technology to start and stop through user interaction with the device rather than limited to selected text. Collaboration could be enhanced by allowing local users (or remote users through the soon to be released iCloud services) to work collaboratively (as opposed to logging onto services like Google Docs). The device itself could be run using verbal commands. Oh wait…that’s already in the works. And a drop in price is always helpful.

2 comments:

Sullus said...

Hello Dolly,

You have done an excellent job of explaining the benefits and shortcoming of the iPad. I waited to purchase the iPad because I want the camera feature. I will purchase an iPad shortly, but it was interesting to see the shortcoming you have listed. I attended a Knowledge Management Conference in October and about ten percent of the personnel in the briefing audience were using iPads for note taking. I was surprised.

I am interested in mobile learning so the iPad is a device that can be a media for mobile learning. The benefits the iPad offers for education are good. Learners must be engaged in the learning process or they will not focus on the learning outcome or objective. The iPad gives learners the ability to access and retrieve information from various locations. I am sure Apple will improve the text to speech feature. According to Johnson, Adams, and Haywood (2011) Cloud Computing is expected to evolve within the next year and I see Apple is preparing for iCloud business (p.10). The Army is testing the iPhone and iPad for education use. Soldiers Media Center (2010) displayed great examples of the iPad and iPhone potential enormous use in the military learning environment. I envision the iPad being a mobile learning device for K-12 and the military which will benefit society as you mentioned with empowering and independence for personnel.

References

Johnson, L., Adams, S., & Haywood, K., (2011). The NMC horizon report: 2011 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. 10-13. Retrieve from http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2011-Horizon-Report-K12.pdf

Soldiers Media Center (2010). Army learning concept 2015. Retrieve from http://www.youtube.com/user/soldiersmediacenter#p/search/0/KD9NGAV3-3k

W. Ardoin-Bailey said...

Well, as I have read the iPad may not be considered an emerged technology. I am sure you may agree as evident of your price comment. I think you are safe to write about it in this blog, and I don’t think it is played out at all.

I didn't know much about the iPad before reading your blog tonight. I have discovered so a tool in your classroom? Do you have more than much through the use of my iPhone, so I am sure the iPad's features or much more directed to learning in the classroom. Have you used it as one or is it your personal iPad?

~Wanda

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