Much of history isn't pretty. This year I was part of a tech
cohort for iPads. I was hoping (and explicitly asked for) lots of
hand-holding to make sure I got the most out it.
We're all busy. If something seems only moderately interesting, then it risks getting tossed to the side. Anyway, I'm a teacher. I know how to run lessons no problem. I don't “need” to incorporate any specific newfangled tech.
But I don't want to stagnate, either, so I signed up. It's pretty exciting to get the toy that everyone dreams of.
Good things:
Bad things:
Okay, I'm bitter. I'm disillusioned. Plus (to add one more item to the list above), most of the resources we worked with in the cohort were just for websites, no specific device needed!
I don't want to finish sounding whiny and beaten. And I appreciate the opportunity. But I needed some serious hand-holding. Without purpose, technology goes to waste. And half (or all) of a tablet's appeal is its convenience, which was reduced to negative one million by all of the county tech policies.
My biggest takeaway: get your own Kindle Fire HD. It's awesome.
Oh, I edited the picture with Google's Pixlr app. That's awesome, too.
We're all busy. If something seems only moderately interesting, then it risks getting tossed to the side. Anyway, I'm a teacher. I know how to run lessons no problem. I don't “need” to incorporate any specific newfangled tech.
But I don't want to stagnate, either, so I signed up. It's pretty exciting to get the toy that everyone dreams of.
Good things:
- cool
- from Apple! Apple's cool, right?
- ...video (?) it takes videos...that's amazing, right?
- decent way of navigating the web for a tablet
- a few worthwhile apps
Bad things:
- I had to use my home wifi connection in order to download any app whatsoever
- I found out about that after wasting tons of time trying to use school internet
- same with updating apps
- and dropbox doesn't work
- and I could never get a cable to connect the iPad to a projector
- and for paid apps you have to submit a form and send it to central office
- and for most any app you have to ask special permission to download
- I never liked Apple in the first place
Okay, I'm bitter. I'm disillusioned. Plus (to add one more item to the list above), most of the resources we worked with in the cohort were just for websites, no specific device needed!
I don't want to finish sounding whiny and beaten. And I appreciate the opportunity. But I needed some serious hand-holding. Without purpose, technology goes to waste. And half (or all) of a tablet's appeal is its convenience, which was reduced to negative one million by all of the county tech policies.
My biggest takeaway: get your own Kindle Fire HD. It's awesome.
Oh, I edited the picture with Google's Pixlr app. That's awesome, too.
