iPads are Consumption Devices. Really?

[Sam Gliksman]

iPads have been hailed as unparalleled mobile devices for the consumption of media. The ability to browse the news, read an electronic book, display your photos, watch a video - these activities are all integral to the popularity of the iPad. On the other hand, iPads have equally been criticized within educational circles as ONLY being consumption devices. Many educators feel that iPads don't give students sufficient capacity to express themselves creatively. 

 

Is the depiction of the iPad as a consumption device a myth? How are you using them in your classes? Are you utilizing iPads for creative expression ... and if so, how? What iPad apps and activities are proving most effective in your class?

 

Add your voice to the discussion...

[Jay Morris]

Brian,

 

Interesting link from gizmowatch. There is a typo in the first sentence. And the comment about "access to millions of open source apps" seems a bit of an exaggeration - no? I was hoping you could offer links to real reviews of devices on the market that are half the price of an iPad.

 

Many of us in education are following the development of the tablet computer market closely. I believe Android devices will eventually catch up with Apple's offering - but that just isn't the case now. 

 

Harry McCracken has a great summary of the current state of the market here.

 

- Jay

 

 

[Jeremy Dorn]

 

Brian if you can show me the easy to use tools for deploying, locking down, and managing Android tablets I'd be happy to start considering them. Favor given to those based on a GUI and as little technical knowledge as possible. "Rooting" anything is likely out of the question. How much of an additional overhead is this going to cost? I also assume that any site licenses for Apps would need to be worked out with the individual App writers, which could be a plus over Apple's volume purchase program.

 

The problem to me as a techie inclined person who's seen what kids can do to a fairly locked down Mac OSX environment, is how much they would be able to dig into settings and options. If that can't be locked down and a "standard" layout enforced it's a no go.

 

Outside those technical issue on the back end, put an Ed had on over my IT one, I inquire about interface. How complex is it to move a PDF from a web server to an annotation/note-taking app, mark it up, and then send it back. How much does a student or teacher need to understand of connection protocols? This is an area where even computer's in eduction can be quite a pain in the rear.

 

The biggest problem with Tablets (be they iOS or Android) is they are being built as personal devices first, institution second if at all. I've seen things like the Kineo by Brainchild and am not impressed. If the institution level tools were in place iOS is almost the right level of locked down and freedom. I'm still waiting for an Android system to peg that out of the box. I'm curious to see what Amazon has cooked up.

 

=====

 

To Sam's over all question. I'd personally say it gets the creativity tools more directly and accessibly into student's hands. One difficulty I've had time and again doing major projects with students is keeping their files organized. The multi-step process of saving/exporting a file, picking the correct location to save, and then importing that file can quickly loose some kids I've worked with. Even written/pictorial instructions give some of the 'lower' students fits. The fewer steps and fewer possible missteps the better. If a student makes a presentation in the Keynote App it stays in Keynote. If they download an image from the internet, it stays in the Photo App. On the computer these file could go anywhere, Documents, Desktop, Downloads, Pictures. From there it will be shuffled around and even dumped into the trash. iOS takes those organizational options away for the most part.

 

Aside from say Flash (and with the knowledge that Rich Text is coming in iOS5) there is very little that a PC(Mac, Windows) can do that an iPad can't (again given my experience at a 1:1 computer school). There are specific issues but over all the available tools are at near parity. A K-8 student does not need a personal machine capable for doing 82,300 MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second). That's what my tower is for when I capture or render high definition video. Students can write, they can draw, they can film(counting still and audio). Have the darndest time doing the last two on laptops. Makes me cringe every time their teachers have them do end of year movie recordings outside on the field.

 

I know Brian pointed Wacom pads, out but peripherals do not make for good school items in anything but a static lab... and then not so good. As a former student who used to use a laptop and a Wacom tablet to take notes during college science and math courses... not fun juggling the two. Would have so taken an iPad if they had been available back in 2003. Speaking as someone who has to deal with managing various peripherals at 1:1 school, nasty job. Anything that gets plugged in can be broken, cords will be tangled/crimped/cut, parts will be lost/stolen.

[Steven Pearce]

I think the discussion has moved slightly away from its original purpose. However, I am an Apple advocate and I can give 101 reasons why I use Apple products in my school over any other company/android devices. Here are a few:

• Apple have an excellent and supportive educational department (in all regions).
• Apple warranty is excellent (we have an apple shop on campus - services all our MacBooks, iMacs, iPhones, iPods, iPads etc - one company, all standardised throughout the school - easy to control/manage)
• Apple have excellent educational conferences (the last was in Singapore and included Daniel Pink speaker)
• ADE program
• In school Professional Learning Support - provided by Apple 
• Device management (although still needs improving for iPads) 
• and so on.........

So yes - there are other mobile devices/tablets on the market - but when we really get down to which ones can be used successfully in school as a tool for learning, but also for maintaining and ensure a successful 1:1 or similar initiative - then I would always advocate Apple. Maybe the other companies will catch-up one day?

[Tim Cooper]

Regardless of whether in the end it is an iPad or other tablet, there are a number of distinct differences from ed tech of the past that make them more suited. The hardware design makes them less intrusive (how many meetings have we sat through looking at our cooworkers and students over the backs of laptops?). The operating system is simplified, which at time is frustrating, but as Jeremy mentioned above, it leads to less missteps. It can better keep kids on task doing educational rich stuff rather than trying to find stuff, fix stuff or get distracted by stuff. Not to mention that before we were trying to get 1500 machines into carts and labs and not everything is in the 250-1000 range.

One of the major shifts that I see is from the special tech project to the everyday project that uses a lot of tech. For years, I have taught kids and worked with teachers and tech where the end result of our project was days away and a culminating event. We would take picture/movies, spend many hours editing etc. getting them into a final powerpoint, movie, book, etc. We would bring in stuff from the new fangled internet and spend days adding in animations or other bells.  These were great and I still want to do some, but what I think is a big game changer is that when kids meet in small groups they can report back to the class backed up by a Keynote. They see something notable in their science lab experiment, they can write about it, take a quick snapshot, even markup that snapshot and then put it in their lab report. 1:1 Laptop programs have made some progress here, but laptops are more intrusive and less media usable (take a pic of your experiment with your laptop camera ...).  Note taking will become more multimedia. You meet for extra help, why not record you teacher/tutor when she/he reexplains that troublesome concept to you. The most mundane things will become richer. I don't doubt that many cool things will emerge and tablets give us all sorts of new capabiblities, but there are so many basic ways in which they can help tech make education richer, more efficient, reach more learning styles,and more.

 

 

[Steve Adcock]

I agree that you can create lots on an iPad but to be honest I don't care if it's a consumption device or not. Why is this considered an issue? Well people seem to be trying to use this as an excuse not to have iPads in education for some strange reason. Part of learning is consuming information and an iPad like any computer allows this to happen. However it's quicker, easier and more convenient on an iPad. There are plenty of posts saying how we can create but I find it silly that we don't just embrace the consumption side in education rather try to justify creativeness.

[Patti Kennedy]

I find iPads to be great access devices and the capacity for my students to write purpose based apps for themselves means that I am not trapped in the hands of developers at all. Any teacher who is waiting around for someone else to tell them how to teach, or waiting for some game developer to tell them what's available on what platform, has missed the point. That Apple limits pornography and gambling apps should be a good thing, that Apple says no to apps that are corruptible or carry malicious code is also good, particularly for education. I have encountered less robust and more expensive apps for tablets and I suppose if we wait for the tail to wag the dog...you will only get what you pay for. Get creative!
As some one who has trialled both iPads, Acer tablets and net books I have learned that the device is not limited by the apps but by the user. That Apple gives users the tools to develop their own apps and through the iTunesU site, a free course on how to develop for their device, the only thing stopping genuine creativity is the user.

In the hands of a poor teacher even pencil and paper is an ineffective device. Let's look at what we can do to advantage learning with all the tools available, not turn every opportunity to share good ideas and approaches into a platform war. I have no living memory of educators arguing brand of chalk or coloring pencil. Let's just keep sharing what works!

tom abeles said:

Not only are iPads consumptive devices, they are limited by the capabilities of the aps and the inability to get around Apple's control of what can be consumed. At a games for education conference, the number of developers writing in Flash gives one to understand that they see other ways to deliver. The number of ipads at the meeting from 2010->2011 seemed to be less w/laptops and net books returning w/attendees.  The introduction of Android to the Nook shows the possibility of  lower cost and more flexible tablet options.

 

Tablets are evolving but still are hammers looking for nails. Apple seems to be trying to protect its net book market while android systems seem to understand that mobile devices are becoming more flexible and interchangeable. Educators need to pause and think whether tablets are the best investment w/limited resources and then whether the iPad is the tablet of choice

[Dave Brown]

Is the iPad a device of consumption?

My daughter:  She is four.  She creates on her iPad  by drawing pictures, shooting videos, and playing the piano.  This is far more than she would ever be able to create on a laptop or PC.  Of course, she consumes on her tablet as well.  She consumes amazing things, like interactive story books and math games.  Better still, she learns through this consumption.  When a young woman writes a bestselling novel, we don't criticize her for all the books she consumed when she was a child.  We celebrate the consumption as a means of fostering creativity.  Why is consumption such a dirty word in this debate?

Me: I am 32.  I am a teacher, and I also run a company that creates educational apps for the iPad.  I don't code.  In my two roles as a professional, I must admit that the iPad is not always the best solution for creating.  When I need to sketch out my math app ideas for my developers, I still work at my iMac.  If I were to create a Keynote presentation for my class, I would still work at my iMac.  That being said, I believe that I am able to carry out most of my professional creative tasks on my iPad.  That is because most of what I do boils down to communication, which is both a consumptive and creative function.   The iPad is great for communication, far more efficient than an iPhone.

I think the question we need to ask ourselves is not whether the iPad is a great device for writing complex code or designing buildings.   It is clearly not the best solution for every single one of humankind's technological needs.  Instead we need to ask how often our creativity is limited by tablet computing, and whether this limitation can be alleviated with greater innovation over time. 

Web: www.interelem.com
Twitter: @interelem

[Leah Lacrosse]

In May, I posted some ideas about this topic on my blog... http://leahlacrosse.blogspot.com/2011/05/technology-consumption-or-...


As we continue to pull technology into the classroom, it is important
to recognize what we are asking our students to do with the
technology. Whether it is a smart board, a student response system, a
document camera, a digital camera, or an ipad, we need to evaluate the
ways we are asking students to interact with the technology.

There may be more dimensions to this topic, but I have recognized two
major ways we (and our students) use technology. We are using to
consume information and create representations our own understanding/
learning/inquiries. While I think that it is still very important to
give students opportunities to "consume" the information, I hope that
we don't allow our technology use to only fall into this category.
Drill type activities are important for building instructional basis,
but if we are not allowing students to use the technology for more...I
think we have missed the boat.

For example, I have loaded various apps for student consumption of
information in science on the ipads. These apps vary from internet
(safari app), drill/game apps, and various interactive books (like
Marcus Chown's Solar System). These apps are very valuable in sharing
content, developing understanding, and learning together. And, after
thoroughly exploring the content through these apps, my students are
extending their understanding by using other apps to create!

Creation apps include anything from a popplet app to create a concept
map, pages app to create a poster, keynote app to create a
presentation, drawing pad app to create a drawing...and so on. Taking
what they have learned and showcasing their understanding is an
invaluable process. The students garageband song/rap, toontastic
cartoon, or storykit book may not always be the most polished or slick
looking project, but it is a window into their understanding,
learning, and progress. It can tell me so much more than some
conventional methods of assessment.

This principle applies to almost any technology. Critically thinking
of how much time we are devoting to just the consumption of
information/skills is going to be more and more important as we
recognize what our students are going to need to be able to do in the
future. Very few instances are going to arise that require our
students to stop at the information consumption stage.

[Lisa Johnson]

Less than a year ago, my initial infographic (compiled from information from various blogs and articles on the topic of what the iPad can and cannot do) consisted of this very debate: consumption vs. production. Many of the first iPad lessons that I created were written to use the iPad for consumption: research, collecting data, writing prompts, virtual tours, and inspiration for upcoming projects. The suggested final product or writing assignment was to be completed with a Web 2.0 tool or available peripheral.

Flash-forward (pun intended) ten months or so and the iPad2 with camera and video capability as well as an ever-evolving prolific store of apps (which I get lost in for hours a night) has rapidly morphed the way I use my iPad and how I promote its use in the classroom. Yes ArounderTouch and Tour Wrist are phenomenal apps for virtual 360 tours, but why not create a tour with Photosynth or DerManDar. There are thousands of ebooks and interactive book apps available for all ages, but now you can create your own with Calibre or by simply saving a document as a PDF or ePub and dragging it into iBooks. You can watch a puppet show about Tortoise & the Hare or a 60second Recap of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but why not create your own with Puppet Pals or Sock Puppets.

I will say that I am biased (being a Mac User, iPhone Geek, and iPad enthusiast) towards the iPad as the tablet for education because I do find it to be so intuitive and I have some brand loyalty. Above and beyond that, whatever tablet or device you choose to implement needs to be used as a learner-centered tool for communication with multimedia and as a global consumer. After reading much of the lively discussion on iPads in Education and how they are used in the classroom, I believe many of the contributors would tend to agree that it is truly not about the tech but the teach:

• What are we asking students to do with the device?
• Has our pedagogy changed?
• Are the devices being used to foster learning and innovation while providing a platform for differentiated instruction or are they being used as a lighter version of a textbook?
• Furthermore, are we teaching digital and media literacy and producing critical consumers?
• Are students able to evaluate the information they consume?

Stepping down from my soapbox, I am confronted with another issue. The campuses I support have not initiated a 1:1 ratio and the iPad was never truly intended to be a multi-user device. While it is sometimes appropriate to have students surf the internet to research a topic, launch an app to track earthquakes, or reshuffle their deck of vocabulary words in iCardSort before the next user, it often presents an issue when you desire to have students produce rather than consume.

While I use my iPad to produce videos, photos, and mindmaps on a regular basis, logistically this presents a hurdle when you want to mass produce these products class period to period.

• Image Products: If you are using free apps (which I am inclined to do so due to the VPP being a tad bit convaluded and time-consuming for educators), you may only be able to create one product at a time like in Popplet Lite which means students will need to either save the image to the photo library or email it. If you have enabled the email feature, how did you create the email? Is it a school email or a department email? Who will be responsible for checking it (especially if this is not a class set of iPads and is meant to be used on a revolving basis with the department, grade level, and/or team)? If you intend to pull the photos off the devices at the end of the day, who has the syncing computer and will it be an issue that students will have access to other students mindmaps or products in the photo library before creating their own?
• Video Products: Most video products are either saved to the video library on the device or must be uploaded to YouTube. Again, will teachers wait till the end of the day to pull off all of the video products when they sync each device or will they allow students to upload products to Youtube? If students are uploading to Youtube, who’s email account are they using and is this process highlighted in the Acceptable Use Policy for the district?
• Annotations: I love the idea of annotating PDF’s and books. However, this process was meant to be done as a single-user. If you highlight and take notes in a book in iBooks in period 1, the same notes will be available to the user in period 2. If this were to be an ongoing project or the annotation process was to be similar for each class, this presents an issue. While you can email the notes, is it realistic for each student to do this each period as the notes will compile and be duplicated? Do we open a PDF in Doodle Buddy instead? Or do we morph the project to accommodate the device? Will one class period highlight and annotate based on character traits, another on theme, and another on setting and imagery? If so, this is a welcome change, but a change nonetheless to how we deliver instruction and how students communicate.

Though I find it easier to use a Neo2 with Google Docs capabilities in conjunction with the device or a Google Docs account on the device for word-processing and collaborative writing, other products do not have such a simple solution. I am in no way trying to be a Debbie Device Downer or trying to deter teachers from implementing the devices in their classrooms. On the contrary, I want to encourage and promote the use of the devices to fundamentally better pedagogical practices, instruction, learning, and education at its core but at the same time I think this is a worthy valid discussion:

• What are the logistics involved with using the iPads as multi-user devices in schools for production?
• How are the devices managed?
• Do we connect them to a wireless printer, create email accounts, set up class Dropboxes and YouTube accounts?
• How do we manage the submission of products at the elementary and secondary level?
• Will/should the plan differ from elementary to high school?
• Does every product have to be submitted or can teachers deploy another way to grade and evaluate student creations?

As with anything, I am sure that my qualms will be distant post as soon as the iOS 5 and iCloud capabilities are launched and fully realized. But in the meantime, it is worth pondering as we integrate these devices into our daily life and classroom.

[Ann Francis]

We have been finding amazing uses for the iPad. For example we taught our 3rd and 4th graders about self-advocacy and their IEP's. We got the iMovie app and each student had to find a way to showcase their talent. Some did a news report, a jump rope chant or an interview. Other students made up a song, and some even played the song on the iPad. They had to say what they were good at, what was hard and something about their IEP team. It took about a month to get it memorized, filmed and done. We invited the special education director, parents and other teachers. It was amazing to see the on the kids' faces when I connected the iPad to the mimio board and they were in the brit lights. It was amazing and I learned as much as they did.
Ann francis

[Sam Gliksman]

Great example. Thanks Ann.

Ann Francis said:

We have been finding amazing uses for the iPad. For example we taught our 3rd and 4th graders about self-advocacy and their IEP's. We got the iMovie app and each student had to find a way to showcase their talent. Some did a news report, a jump rope chant or an interview. Other students made up a song, and some even played the song on the iPad. They had to say what they were good at, what was hard and something about their IEP team. It took about a month to get it memorized, filmed and done. We invited the special education director, parents and other teachers. It was amazing to see the on the kids' faces when I connected the iPad to the mimio board and they were in the brit lights. It was amazing and I learned as much as they did.
Ann francis

[Janine Maitland]

I think the discussion has gotten somewhat off track into a debate about devices rather than the original idea of creation vs consumption.

I manage a set of 21 ipads in a primary school.  They are used by all year levels and by special needs on a 'book to borrow' basis. Although the iPads were always intended as individual devices, we are making do with sharing them and still having a lot of success.

As for creation vs consumption - we are having success with both over all year levels ranging from drill and practice type apps to cement underlying skills to children creating stories, podcasts, pictures etc and sharing them via email, or using our learning management system. I think the main advantage over these devices is the ubiquitous access to information. Any thread of discussion can be followed up straight away - strike while the iron is hot! Teachers can challenge students to find the answers on the spot. Teachers can help students to personalise their learning by giving them the choice of many apps that achieve the same purpose so they can choose the one that best suits their learning style.

 

We are hoping to soon enter into a 1:1 program one year level at a time to take full advantage of what iPads have to offer.