Twice. And I followed up on other xpads via the blogs.
We should be thinking not "How can I do the same old stuff" but "What new stuff?" - or "old stuff MUCH BETTER".
My two dabbles:
- once I have described elsewhere
"My evidence for this includes this scene: people in groups, tables, paper, one iPad per group to surf, task, gather information when needed to assist the task at hand. Great - my first expereince of an iPad. Not the context for serious database surfing, formal assignment writing, online quizzes etc. Not the right tool for this. And I did note that I learned all I needed in 40 seconds to use the iPad.
Yes a lapotp will do all this, but the portablity of the iPad and it's unobtrusiveness and it's coolness was great. A remarkable support for this sort of work. I actually liked the outputs in paper rather than yet another lousy powerpoint.
Are they learning better because of it? Jury is out. I think maybe."
http://scope.bccampus.ca/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=16148 - and once at a conference when friend had an iPad. We were doing a debate (Technology vs humanity - which wins?? by the way). He had compiled his notes on it. Didn't need much tweaking.
Did the last of the notes under the table during the debate. Portable. The keyboard IS OK for this level of input. No-one will want to use CS5, Indesign, write thesis on them.
In the moving, sitting, grouping the iPad was very portable.
- The iPad is really really cool in their portable, kinesthetic, tactile, simple aspects. (Buy the way, I think the next xPad clones will be good too)
- The xpads will be good for the different things we can do, not the same old things.
- Lots of apps are just simple web page functionality additions, and are nothing special, but they are nice.
- Other apps are just so nice and unique and best suited to touch screen. Little music-y things for example.
Here's what I think you guys could do. I have great plans for your life.
Some sort of action-resesearch coalition. Be a bit intentional about this. I say 'you' because I think it is unlikely I will have any shot at this. This is a suggestion of a long term intentional coalition on this subject.
THE SCOPE xPad RESEARCH AND APPLICATION PROJECT 2010-2011
- Get Sylvia to ask the admins to install Forum NG here at Scope. This give a HUGE benefit. First: Drafts. You can write and save a draft. (How cool is that!!!!!!!) And: subscription at the thread level.
This gives a decent tool for community. [I can expand on this is you like :-) ]
I'm not sure that the way the forums are set up in standard Moodle with no subscription at the thread level will work for real big projects.
http://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?d=13&rid=2927 - Now, having doubled the niceness of your Moodle @ SCOpE experieince . . . . .
- Using the word PILOT and SYNERGY and 'MAKE OUR SCHOOL A MARKET LEADER' get some special funding to buy some iPads (or xPads) for your classes. Do a project.
- Then set up some small action resesarch projects with your classes, basing your community of support here at ScOPE. Describe these plans (for feedback before the event) and then report on these (after the event)
- Host little meetups once every so many weeks (I'd suggest 2-3) to capture ideas and discuss. [A thought that occurs to me is this: do webheads do this already?]
- Along the way share your ideas on good apps etc. Get some decent protocools going: one thread per app maybe. One thread per project. Several nicely specified forms.
- Think of these ideas: case study, intervention, story . . .
- On a volenteer basis, each week produce a small summary of the events, plans and projects underway that gets posted. Save cluttering up inboxes with 37 posts a week. Except the threads you are deeply engaged with. Subsxcribe to them. [Hmm. Sylvia do this maybe if there are no volenteers?]
- Write papers, have fun, push back the frontiers of ignorance.