To ipad or your tablet?

Which learning tool,  that is the question!

Here is the deal. Our College would like to integrate a 1:1 program, into the learning environment soon.  I believe this is a mighty fine step!  I am happy. I am excited. I am hoping it will the best tool for our students to learn with.  Implementing this plan will be gradual, perhaps for a grade or two, as a trial, middle school. (Still strongly believe Seniors need BYOD)  Ultimate decisions are made by the board and executive committee, however staff have been invited to trial some products.  The College feel a tablet is a positive move forward for our school.

At this stage, I am open to all options.  However, I am a bit of a research freak. I can drive a grand bargain on any household appliance as I research thoroughly before the purchase and know exactly what suits our needs and for how much. I need to know what we are planning to use the device for and therefore which is the most suitable option...

From what I can ascertain, the College are looking at devices that can be used as a textbook reader, have a USB and SD card slot and are relatively light. They would like students to use the tablet as a supplement to other learning methods (and computers at home.)  They seem keen on an Android operating system.

I work part time, educating students in the areas of Food Technology, Religious Education and Drama.
I have gone paperless with my Year 8's (they rock!)  I have used google docs, backchanneling, glogster, wordle, xtranormal, imovie, prezi, various smart phone apps with the other grades (Yrs 7-9 as I am part time).  Along with the many web 2.0 tools and web information readily available online.

In my view, we need:

• a computing tool that travels with our pedagogy.  Discovery learning, researching, documenting, organising notes,  brainstorming, mindmapping, editing presentions and the ability to present work digitally and other.  
• The tool should support our virtual classrooms and intranet (in our case scholaris).
• reasonably cost effective however, still able to handle the demands of the modern kids learning style!
• ability to organise notes AND files/documents into subject areas (computers MUCH better at this than a tablet!)
• adaptability. Who knows what we may need in 6 months time.
• a tool most educators can work with. Intuitive. Hardy. No fail.
• mulitasking platform. Research window open, backchannel open, research notetaking/organising project.
• Hardware that can be readily serviced or replaced.
• Software that is tested, true to educational outcomes (not gimmicky), able to be accessed readily, adapted, deleted and added to.
• ability to interact globally. 
• useful for industry skills- what happens in the workplace? What are employers desiring?

I am still processing my thoughts on how I view a tablet to support my students learning. I have asked the students. They were very excited and engaged in these discussions. I had to keep them on topic as gaming portability was a number one priority. And true, gamification in education is the hot topic. They were not thinking of this :)  COD, Blur, Halo etc came up- imagine lunch time! One student chimed.   I work casually in a school which is totally focused on technology integration. At first, students did check facebook and play games at lunch but now I don't see it much at all. They get over it and like the break from technology at lunch.

My students responses:

• something they can take home and use at home as often there is one computer at home, that Mum and Dad or older siblings use.
• A tool they can carry with them to save time unlocking laptop trolleys, logging on, discovering issues, not having enough laptops to use as a class set etc
• Note taking, organising notes.  Easier to read word processed notes over handwriting.
• Researching.

As we know, there is another educational world they are yet to tap into!

Questions to schools out there:

• Has your school implemented any computing tool (tablet, notebook, laptop) into your school?
• If so, positives? improvements? why?
• Textbook in PDF form or avail in app format?
• With the ipad- does it matter it doesn't support Flash/ any difficulties to overcome and how?
• With your devices, what else did you purchase? cases? charging docks etc?  Apps?
• What questions should we be asking?
• Which Functionalities are a must/need or just nice/want?

I would so dearly LOVE your opinion! Please spend a few moments to leave a comment. 
Forward onto to others you may know who can contribute...

Keeping the dialogue alive,

Kind regards, @7mrsjames

PBP (Post blog post) :

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Day off today, have an eager Mr 4 so out to park now :)

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