[ Date Index ] [ Thread Index ] [ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]
On 04/11/11 08:36, Anthony Williams wrote: > Hi, > > This was in the Cornishman yesterday: > > http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Cornwall-school-gives-pupil-teacher-iPad/story-13743002-detail/story.html > > > I am quite disturbed about this. The idea of getting rid of paper and > pen in the classroom, and replacing textbooks with internet access is > just daft. > > Firstly, how are children supposed to learn neat handwriting, proper > spelling and so forth if they type everything? > > Secondly, if they are going to do all their work on the iPad, then how > are they going to stop the pupils spending all day on facebook? > > Also, an iPad doesn't have the best UI for actually creating stuff > rather than consuming it; a real keyboard is much better than the > on-screen one, for example. > > Then there is the issue of wear and tear, and obsolescence. What > happens when all the screens get scratched from being in school bags > for a few months? What happens when Apple release the next version of > the iPad? Are they going to fork out again for an upgrade? Apple kit > is not cheap. > > And then there is the potential for muggings. This part of Cornwall > has a very low crime rate, but advertising that every pupil from that > school is probably carrying an iPad is just asking for trouble. > > And then there is the issue that it is an *iPad*. This is just as bad > as buying Windows kit, if not worse. Apple keeps a very tight control > over what is and isn't allowed to run on an iPad. If they wanted > tablets (and I'm not sure that is a good idea, for the reasons above) > then Android tablets would surely have been cheaper and a better > prospect; at least Android is linux-based, and you are in full control > over the device, rather than being held hostage to Apple. > > Apparently, this school is also the "Apple Regional Training Centre", > so they train *other* teachers to use Apple kit. Ugh! > > Anthony Ergonomically a proper keyboard and screen (and perhaps proper training) is needed to ensure that you have good posture when typing, ok a laptop makes this slightly more difficult, but if typing for long periods then you need the right set up, or if doing specialist tasks such as photo editing, you need to use the correct tool. What concerns me (as well as the pen / paper thing) is that children are still growing, if they develop posture related disorders while using ipads for long periods of time what could the health consequences be. Its hard to teach kids about safety as it is, you can teach road safety you can see the danger, how do you teach back safety to 10/11 year olds, or younger. Bad habits (such as top posting) start in education establishments, they should be teaching good posture too, (in my experience the don't) the former does not affect your back, bad posture does, As for handwriting, employers are already complaining about this, spelling and grammar (even my own at times) is bad, a really funny example was posting in an agency for telephone interviewers, "must have good spoke and written English. I have a feeling people thing the written word is old fashioned, its still needed for application forms, or for forms generally (ok you can type most job applications as they are electronic) but there are some you can't e.g CRB forms, or forms just handed to you on the day e.g forms for passports etc. Perhaps when the raspberry PI comes out, all of us with access to kids can get one and let them have a go, it may turn the tide, if they like it, they will tell their friends, once you have them hooked you can explain about the freedom, and the differences between MS. Apple and Linux, perhaps suggest they use it as a debate topic, in school, give them for and against arguments and evidence and see where it leads., and yes tell them in that about the dodgy practice of MS buying start ups, later on it can go in to talking about software patents (good and bad points). And kids of 10/11 are capable of understanding all this if you put it across in the right way. Paul -- -- http://www.zleap.net Join the revolution, switch to Ubuntu http://www.ubuntu.com -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq