Tag Archives: pilot program

What I think about iPads

1. HOW I USED THE IPAD FOR LEARNING.
I used my iPad for most of my homework and it was a lot easier to keep track of one iPad than seven different binders. I think I had better grades in the classes that I could use my iPad in than in classes that I couldn’t.2. WHAT I WOULD WANT MY TEACHERS TO KNOW ABOUT STUDENTS USING AN IPAD.

I think students are going to be careful with iPads and not losing them because they know that iPads cost a lot of money… a lot more than papers and pencils. I don’t think that teachers should control what goes on our iPads, I think we should be able to download the things we want to and just not be able to play with them at school. It makes iPads more useful when you have what you want on them. During the pilot program it was really annoying that I couldn’t put what I wanted on it. I also think that we should get our own iPads and not just ‘rent’ them from DA.

iPad or laptop vs. paper and textbooks and pencils and binders and heavy backpacks and…

The blue class with iPads were just told we may have to give up our iPads so that another class can try them out as part of the pilot. All of the teachers involved in this pilot told us we would have a say in if they adopt iPads and/or laptops. Look at the title. iPad or laptop vs. paper, pencils, textbooks, blah blah blah blah blah blah. So much more than one iPad. An iPad these days are about $500. All of your textbooks and binders and paper and pencils and all of the other stuff you have are sometimes more than $500 in total depending on which grade you are in. Also Apple announced yesterday that on an iPad, most textbooks will be free or around $14. On a laptop, if the textbooks are online they are free! Of course if your books cost less than an iPad always take that into consideration that an iPad or laptop could also be used as a family device, for fun and other things. Apps for your iPad are at most $2. Laptops are mostly downloads (free) for new applications. If you have read this, please comment whether you think laptops and iPads are better than pens, paper, pencils, textbooks, backpacks…
See this link for school supplieshttp://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/back-school-supplies-price-comparison-chart/t/story?id=11358743

iPad Pilot Program at Durham Academy Middle School

As part of the Durham Academy pilot program with personal devices, our students have spent the last week setting up their iPads for use in the classroom and at home. With the Middle School Technology coordinator, we have met as a class for the past week to accomplish the following goals:

1. Discussing best practices for iPad use. Topics included the physical aspects of care, cleaning, charging, and storage. For the purpose of the pilot, students are not able to add or remove apps on school issued iPads. We also discussed acceptable use of the iPads including: permission of other teachers to use in their classes, how to handle peer interest in the device, distraction vs. learning tool, photography feature (permission to photograph other people and proper use of photos taken), recording feature (permission and appropriate use), following parental rules and guidelines at home, web surfing and appropriate use, and academic tool vs. toy.

2. Set up their First Class Email accounts through the First Class app.

3. Set up a note taking app called Evernote.

4. Subscribed to the Room 211 Language Art Blog using Edublogs through an app called Blogsy. Posted their first blog that is first edited, filtered and published by Mr. Schaefer and Mrs. Williams.

5. Experimented with Office HD to access Google Docs. Began a collaboration document to suggest books and educational apps that should be added in the future.

6. Today students took the iPads home for the first time. More news to follow tomorrow!