An iPad For Every College Student, Why Not? Discussion

[Vince Font]

It’s no secret Apple is making a play for the education market. The iPad maker recently unveiled their new iBooks 2 app for the iPad, which sets Apple’s sights squarely on eTextbooks, and Apple is promising an unparalleled learning experience complete with interactive animations, photos, videos, and more. Few can argue that ushering in a new era that eliminates the crippling cost (not to mention the burdensome weight) of traditional textbooks is a good thing, but not everyone is of the opinion that Apple is going about it the right way. And we’re not just talking about hardcore papyrus devotees, either.

iBooks 2 has Apple partnering up with some of the heavy hitters in the publishing world (McGraw-Hill, Pearson, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) to make iBooks textbooks available to students at no more than $14.99 each, and in some cases much cheaper. At the present time, however, iBooks 2 is focused on the K-12 crowd, although Apple has eyes on college arena, where others have staked a claim with apps and services. To date, iBooks textbooks are only readable on Apple devices. And given Apple’s history of closed systems, it will probably remain that way.

Read the full content of this Article: An iPad For Every College Student, Why Not?

Related Articles:

• Top Tablets for Moms, Dads, and Grads
• New Apple iPad (3rd Generation) Review: The Best Gets Better
• Are the Old Apple iPads Really Obsolete?
• TabletPCReview Tests Wi-Fi Strength Of The New iPad

[nicopizza]

if you offer something to students, give them at least something they can also use to write and take notes on… iPad is a consumer product, NOT a productive tool…

[Jamison Cush]

Like a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1?

There are actually some really good notes apps for the iPad. I just checked out Dan Bricklin's Note Taker HD and came away really impressed.
Note Taker HD for iPad on the iTunes App Store

[Ed Hardy]

The argument that the iPad is useless as a note-taking tool is one that stopped being true at least a year ago. As Jamison said, there is quite an array of note-taking apps available for Apple's tablet.

That doesn't mean someone couldn't arguing that a laptop is a better tool, but don't say the iPad is only good for displaying information. I assure you, there are many thousands of students using tablets in class right now.

As mentioned in the article, a tablet has some advantages over a laptop, like a vastly longer battery life and greater portability. The main advantage laptops have is that their note-taking software is more mature, but iOS developers are working hard to close that gap.
-

[Agent 9]

No, just plain and simply no, there is literally no way a iPad (or even a Galaxy Note) can come even close to being a working replacement to a full fledged Wacom Tablet PC from ~2007 and beyond [coupled with One Note at minimum, but even the built in 'Journal' is good]; I'm sure that a ipad can make sense for a select few that are concerned about having moderately long battery life to do their facebook browsing and touch gaming, and only the very occasional 'work'

As to the weight and cost of ipad vs Tablet PC (I know not the comparison the article was making, but its the one I'm making), honestly, almost everyone I've seen with a ipad has had it in a ~1-2lb case to protect the thing, and some have large and obtrusive bags that are used almost solely for their ipads; so 1.5lb ipad + 1+ lb case + accessories (capacitive stylus, speaker/ headphones, charger and some other small things I've seen) + stylish carry bag means it is right at the weight of a 3.5lbs convertible Tablet PC + charger + sleeve... For cost, a good convertible Tablet PC that should hold up extremely well for the next 3-5 years, and will likely cost $300-500 for the unit and a bit for some upgrades if they are needed, and then a MS suite with One note (student bundles are about $80 or so I think); compare that to an ipad that is a non-upgradable system (OS or Hardware) and is essentially a throw-away device that costs $500+, granted there are used markets for these as well, but they still sell for a high price

The price to performance/ capability/ long term usability is NOT there in an ipad or similar entertainment tablet like it is on a Tablet PC (quick example: even if the COA is for Win XP on a older Tablet PC, you can install Vista, 7, or even 8 on it and have 98-100% of the things working and of the software it is only limited by the nature of the software [if its intense 3D modeling or gaming or 2D work, or 'office stuff']; on the ipad or other entertainment tablets after a certain point due to planed obsolescence you cannot upgrade the OS through them, cannot [easily] replace faulty hardware like a dead/dying battery, and there are new 'apps' [these are not full featured like 'applications' to begin with] developed that are only meant to work on the new OS, and so on)


... I am a college student now (community college) and I've NEVER in my 2+ years here, actually seen a solitary person use an iPad for any thing other than angry birds or facebook (some seemed to try to 'take notes' for the first two weeks, but not a one beyond that), and I have in fact seen several Tablet PC's (a few 12.1" Fujitsu's, what looked like an older Toshiba, and a few Lenovo X2--t's and a handful of Motion Computing ones)... From what I've seen I feel confident in saying that while there are supposedly millions of ipads sold (many of which sit unused BTW) that there are equal, or more Wacom Tablet PC's in use for note taking than there are ipads in use for note taking; and further more that the note taking on the Tablet PC's is far more indepth/ meaningful -part of that is the association with handwriting and being able to better remember what you wrote compared to typing it out, another part of it is One Note (the little known and under appreciated champion of Tablet PC software)


IF MS could pull their act together and build a very fluid pen based OS that is easy to use, and very capable, then get a few OEM's to build solid devices that have a good performance/ weight/ battery life balance at low subsidized prices then I think having college students use that as a notes & book replacement would be a smart idea: but currently the used Tablet PC route is the best option for individuals. But ipads with the hope they will not simply play games or browse facebook and instead will finger paint notes or touch type notes is only going to serve to bring our education system further backwards, especially with the ridiculous costs of college and record student/ credit debt nationwide.





It is kind of nice that the ebook industry (for textbooks) is actually getting used to the idea of ebooks through a unified source because the system I've seen is a mess of different proprietary ebook clients using odd formats and with odd limitations on them, and a host of issues to boot... but with so few classes really using the books they assign, it is often easier and cheaper to borrow a book during class and use it to get the work done, or to use a webcam and 'scan' the pages to reference them later on a computer, so the point of ebooks is somewhat moot at times.



@Ed
I don't understand the laptop reference with note taking software, if anything the ipad is closest to the Tablet PC (slate or convertible) and the note taking software is really only usable with a active pen equipped device than a keyboard only device. But even still, from what I've seen many seem to opt for netbooks, ultra lights, or 'light weight' notebooks (or now the 'Ultra Books') all of which have good to great battery life, and are very portable in addition to being full computers with built in keyboards and no need for a case to protect the screen... basically from what I've seen in Chicago/ and the area where I live and go to school, the ipad seems to not actually be 'used' and is instead left at home in favor of phones or laptops. So while it sells well and has certain features, what it cannot do ultimately has made people look elsewhere when they are actually doing something beyond gaming or facebooking (aside from the occasional short stint at trying to do something productive)

[excalibur1814]

I'm with Agent9 on this.


I recently visited my Managing director and as he 'worked' away on his laptop his iPad sat behind him on the shelf all snug inside its cover. Sorry to say but the iPad should never have caught on but it did and it's here to stay 'until' Apple states otherwise or relegates the device to the dustbin via an iOs update. To buy into apple is to literally throw your money from a cliff-top. Sure, obviously, an ipad will hold its value but only recently I've purchased (Grrr) two iPads for £230 each. What a waste of money.

If you can't replace the battery, have it FIRMLY locked via group policy, then it has no place in business or within education. If the student wants one then that's the individuals choice but it's NOT coming onto the campus 'main' network.

Ever.

...But then again I'm not in charge of that and the 'big boys' overrule my thoughts on this. I just 'hope to heaven' that Windows 8 makes people realise what ipads actually give them, or should I say, doesn't give them.

P.s. Apple is an evil, EVIL company and what pushes them ahead of all the other EVIL companies is their smug 'You're holding it wrong' attitude.

P.P.s. The above is only my opinions and I'm aware that internet warriors can pick apart every single point of what I've said.

P.P.P.s: DoubleDeej: Why I Don’t Like Apple

[e-schreiber]

No, just plain and simply no, there is literally no way a iPad (or even a Galaxy Note) can come even close to being a working replacement to a full fledged Wacom Tablet PC from ~2007 and beyond [coupled with One Note at minimum, but even the built in 'Journal' is good]; I'm sure that a ipad can make sense for a select few that are concerned about having moderately long battery life to do their facebook browsing and touch gaming, and only the very occasional 'work'

Everything Agent9 said. Especially the bit about students fooling around with games and Facebook. We're going to find out the result of all this "time-sinking" in 20 years, when the current generation is handed the control of our government, society and economy. Let's hope for the best.

It's just silly to compare the usefulness of the two platforms. Much worse to try to equate their level of productivity. One is clearly a "toy", the other is obviously a "tool". To say that the iPad can take notes is like saying a bicycle can carry someone's groceries. Are we becoming a culture of "half-arsed jobs", "bear minimum" and "status over merits"? Is anyway a good way now? People try too hard to justify the acquisition (or adoption) of the iPad in their homes or organizations, but all they end up using it for is "entertainment". Then, when time for work is finally upon them, they get up, grab their laptops (their old and heavy, yet reliable mates), and work away. Classic!

The other problem with this idea is the "locked market" it will create. A book is a book. It should be accessible to anyone, regardless of creed, race or, to a reasonable extent, financial situation. Isn't this the principal pillar of our Public Library system? I'm against any ebook format that tries, through whatever means or excuses, to restrict the device on which the buyer/borrower can read said ebook.

If Apple -- through the economical weight it can exert -- develops a new ebook format, then, through the same aforementioned weight, leads it to mass-adoption, such format should immediately become an ISO standard within the reach of any Publisher and Consumer Electronics manufacturer. Be it by means of a free and open-source license or a fairly-priced one. It would be of questionable morals to Apple, Publishers or Universities, to impose a new ebook standard that could hinder students (who already struggle to pay for their education) from a less-than-trivial access to books. College education is already a privilege of a few. Are we going to do the same with "reading"?

[doobiedoobiedum]

-- If Apple -- through the economical weight it can exert -- develops a new ebook format, then, through the same aforementioned weight, leads it to mass-adoption, such format should immediately become an ISO standard within the reach of any Publisher and Consumer Electronics manufacturer. Be it by means of a free and open-source license or a fairly-priced one. It would be of questionable morals to Apple, Publishers or Universities, to impose a new ebook standard that could hinder students (who already struggle to pay for their education) from a less-than-trivial access to books. College education is already a privilege of a few. Are we going to do the same with "reading"?

That's just speculation - even Amazon through their Kindle haven't tried to corner the ebook market through a proprietary format that dominates the market. I recall a few years ago when Amazon would charge me for uploading my own pdfs / Kindle format files etc etc but pressure from other manufacturers (or a change of mind) has since brought about a free policy for uploading your own work onto your own Kindle.

As to the general thread - I'm not joining the "let's bash this technology cos the company is evil" and I'm not going to defend the iPad either.

Basically - I'd rather universities and colleges used that money they would spend on information technology to train better teachers. Education studies have shown for the last 20 years or so that lectures are the worst kind of teaching practice with students retaining only 10% of the information given to them. Also, if anyone talks to someone else for more than 10-15 minutes (without break) the subject receiving the information switches off.

Students (or anyone) learn best when they are engaged in active learning processes, constructing and organising information for themselves rather than being passive receivers of information.

I don't care whether universities and colleges have "apple fanboy machines" or "windows fanboy machines" - the important thing is that teaching is stimulating, that students are engaged and enjoying the lessons (if the lesson is delivered well, who needs Facebook or Angry Birds?) and that any technology is used appropriately.

I'd be far happier for students to be in grade 1 lessons with only pens and paper (remember them?) for writing with than with the latest convertible or slate gizmo and a boring teacher switching his or her students off.