Well, it’s that time again, where teachers and schools around the country are gearing up for yet another school year. The books are ordered. Student supplies are packed and ready to go. Desk and chairs are cleaned and arranged how the teachers want them. The classroom is set up to your liking. But there is one final thing to get for the classrooms.
Before the school year, educators always design a wish list, well I do anyway, and many times we want the technology tools to help our students enhance learning. Whether it’s Ipad’s, Chromebooks, Mac’s, or a Window’s based system, we want them. So let me hear what you prefer in the classroom.
I am torn between Chromebooks and Ipads because both can be very useful with my 6th graders. I ultimately chose Chromebooks because we do a lot of research, presentations, etc. in 6th grade science.
That’s awesome to hear. I know this is always a huge debate among districts and the community. I feel that it’s whatever is going to be easier and mostly how the technology will be used to enhance student learning. There are so many things that each platform has to offer, which makes it that much better.
I chose Chromebooks because that is what we have in our 1:1 program but personally I don’t like them at all. Each teacher also received one and the only thing I use mine for is to swap out a dead one with a kid. I use a PC laptop at school and a Mac and iPad at home. The Mac is hands down my favorite tool with the iPad a close second.
I have to agree! I love how Mac’s are user-friendly in so many ways. We have Ipads, which I’m not a fan. I am glad my district stayed with Apple products but would be nice if we were 1:1.
They piloted some iPods the year before and most of us hated them. I couldn’t make it do what I wanted. My new iPad works with the Apple Pencil. That’s a me changer for me. Pretty sure I would be ok with it in the classroom now. That’s my favorite thing about Macs. They just work. And if they don’t, I drive to an Apple store, speak to someone I can understand and they fix it.
I agree. They are nice to use in the classroom but are limited on what it can do unlike the laptop.
Lisa, I just got the iPad with the Apple Pencil and it seems like a game changer for me as an art instructor. I can sit anywhere in the room and project my notes on the screen (as I write them), I can sketch in front of them to show shading techniques and I haven’t even scratched the surface of apps that take advantage. I just love that I can project wirelessly to a $50 Apple TV (3rd Gen).
The testing software from my state (along with all the practice problems the state releases) only works with Internet Explorer, so for functionality it has to be Windows based.
I do appreciate iPads with the touchscreen since it is second nature to a majority of students with a smooth transition from smart phones to tablets in the classroom.
I switch back and forth rating books on my iPad and just reading a regular book. When I switch too often, I find myself tapping the book trying to turn the page. #firstworldproblems
I have students with that issue. Sometimes it’s just better to open a book that’s not on a device.
In my new house, I have a touch activated sink in my kitchen. I was trying to “double click” on it by tapping twice for the first week. My husband just laughed at me the entire time about how programmed I am to use a computer. Again, such a first world problem.
That’s awesome. What I have noticed is that software engineers often develop platforms for multiple operating systems. What I don’t like about windows based is that it gets to complicated oh how it functions. I rather use Windows xp over the newer os.
Although I love using the Ipads with my students, there are just some functions that work a whole lot better on a laptop rather than an handheld.
I’m a huge Apple supporter in my personal life, but Google has the upper hand when it comes to ease of use in the classroom. The self-contained OS with extensions is a brilliant scheme, although not without its flaws. I just wish is had the same developer support. If we could get developers as passionate about creating things for the chrome environment as the are about creating apps on iOS it could be wonderful.
Damien,
I have to agree! Like you I’m a huge Apple supporter, but I love how Google gives my students the ability to collaborate even while at home.