ipads issued to school children..

Gilldog

Students at a Dublin school were issued with iPads instead of books at the start of term today.
Parents pay for the tablets over the child’s time at school - €150 each year – and they come with online material for all subjects studied by the first-year students.

According to Blake Hodkinson, principal at St Kevin's College in Crumlin, this system is 40 per cent cheaper than buying books. Until now the school has provided all books at a cost of €20,000 per year, with €4,000 of that contributed by families.

One of seven schools in Ireland issuing iPads to students, St Kevins is using material from Edco Digital which is automatically updated during the year.

Teachers at the school already work with interactive white-boards.

History and geography teacher Denise McLaughlin said it will make her classes more realistic. “It’d be good for geography. If I’m trying to explain about volcanoes, they can push a button and watch one erupting on screen now.”

However the students were the most excited people in the room.

“The iPad is better than books, you don’t have the heavy bags and it’s easier to organise everything,” said Peter Casey (12)

His classmate Pamela Gleide (13) was already at work, saying: “It’s whopper, there’s loads of apps on it. It’s less boring than books.”


Im so jealous

orourkeda

They might give them teachers and classrooms next.

mackg

Wow great idea I'm impressed!

Oscars Well.

I'll give it a week till half of them are robbed.

UnknownSpecies

Yeah they are cheaper but now that these schools have been on the news, what thief wouldn't lick their lips at the thought of 100 first years walking down the road with iPads! Absolutely crazy tbh!

mackg

Oscars Well. wrote: »

I'll give it a week till half of them are robbed.

I'd imagine they are insured anyway

Gilldog

What does a twelve year old know about taking care of an ipad....get their grubby little finger marks all over them.

Samich

Sanitary pads would be of more use to them.

bijapos

How does it work, do they take them home at night, if so I can see a few of them being nicked on the way home from school? Do they write on them or do they still use copybooks? Interesting idea all the same and worth a trial at least.

Thinking about it I wonder how long until a parent sues the Dept of Education for injuries their child suffered by jabbing at it with their forefinger all the time and hurt to the eyes caused by the bright screen.

Oscars Well.

mackg wrote: »

I'd imagine they are insured anyway

You're probably right.

Sky King

Surely even cheaper again would be to issue the notes in PDF format and let each kid (or parent) get them printed and bound themselves.

Each 'book' would cost about a fiver. I can't understand why they don't do this.

What the hell changes so much every year they they need new books? What is so special about the syllabus that a teacher can't write it in word format.

God, it would even be worth the government getting the 10 best teachers in the country to write them every year and pay them 100 k each for it than giving it to fking Folens for fk sake.

I remember in 6th year having to bring in two school bags full of books if I was staying in school for the day. Anything that reduces costs and also reduces the weight put on kids' backs is a good thing imo.

Saaron

What if they get stolen? Broken? Lost? ...

alex73

School here in Mayo already issued them. Its the way to go really if we are to position ourselves to be the leaders in information technology.


But... Ipads are expensive A book at most 50-60 euros to replace. while the ipad min 400.

Mike 1972

Gilldog wrote: »

using material from Edco Digital which is automatically updated during the year

What is this obsession lately with updating textbooks ?

Is 2 + 2 not = 4 anymore ?

alex73 wrote: »

But... Ipads are expensive A book at most 50-60 euros to replace. while the ipad min 400.

Why does it need to be an iPad anyway ?

Are there no cheaper models on the market ?

Gummy Panda

Why iPads?

I thought an android tablet would be a cheaper option for schools (unless Apple is doing them a deal).

Mr. Rager

Look, I'm in 5th year, and if these were introduced in secondary school, I can guarantee ye I'd only be lookin' at porn during pass maths

Mr. Rager

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Why iPads?

I thought an android tablet would be a cheaper option for schools (unless Apple is doing them a deal).

Google fanboy





me too

alex73

Sky King wrote: »

Surely even cheaper again would be to issue the notes in PDF format and let each kid (or parent) get them printed and bound themselves.

Each 'book' would cost about a fiver. I can't understand why they don't do this.

What the hell changes so much every year they they need new books? What is so special about the syllabus that a teacher can't write it in word format.

God, it would even be worth the government getting the 10 best teachers in the country to write them every year and pay them 100 k each for it than giving it to fking Folens for fk sake.

To be honest if you are going to issue PDF format files then the IPAD is spot on perfect.

Also with ibooks there are thousands of free books that can be downloaded, If you are doing Macbeth its already free on ibooks.

Ireland should be leading the way here.

PCPhoto

Saaron wrote: »

What if they get stolen? Broken? Lost? ...

cant believe someone hasn't said it yet ....

Won't somebody please think of the children !!

Professey Chin

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Why iPads?

I thought an android tablet would be a cheaper option for schools (unless Apple is doing them a deal).

Cause very few people whod actually sign the cheques would know theres more out there then what the tv tells them

Itsdacraic

It's grand until they go to sit their junior cert and realise they have forgotten how to write.

alex73

Mike 1972 wrote: »

Why does it need to be an iPad anyway ?

Are there no cheaper models on the market ?

yes, but to be honest, nothing comes close to an ipad... and you would be better having 1 standard in the classroom.

Samsung are releasing some good tablets, but they are being blocked for copying apple.

TouchingVirus

fjsanchez wrote: »

Look, I'm in 5th year, and if these were introduced in secondary school, I can guarantee ye I'd only be lookin' at porn during pass maths

Kids, aim high and stay classy!

bijapos

fjsanchez wrote: »

Look, I'm in 5th year, and if these were introduced in secondary school, I can guarantee ye I'd only be lookin' at porn during pass maths

You'd soon stop once the teacher has called you up to the board a couple of times to explain something.

Good move.. Bags were a killer weight back in the day.

jc84

The problem with iPads is that apple seems to be going down the same route as the Iphone which would make them old and or obsolete within a couple of years, with 1 released every year thats 6 releases during the students school lifetime, hows that gonna work, but otherwise I think it's a great idea and only wish they had these when I was going to school as I love my ipad

snooleen

Sky King wrote: »

God, it would even be worth the government getting the 10 best teachers in the country to write them every year and pay them 100 k each for it than giving it to fking Folens for fk sake.

My secondary school geography teacher made books of notes for us, more like example answers as he found that the massive textbooks (of which we had to have 2 due to geography having different options) didn't explain in any way how to write an actual answer or outline what was required of you to do so, they just had easy to follow diagrams. The rest of the information was in random articles.

We just studied his books of notes. The information was that from the books, it was just put in a way that was easy to understand and exemplary of what was being asked of us in the exam paper.

Morlar

Itsdacraic wrote: »

It's grand until they go to sit their junior cert and realise they have forgotten how to write.

These are non-backupable aren't they ? What happens to the student when one of these crashes the week before exams, whole terms everything gone. It looks like a good idea but isn't it also a massive single point of failure ? Not to mention them being dropped, stolen, damaged, lost, frisbeed across the room etc.

Mike 1972

Gummy Panda wrote: »

I thought an android tablet would be a cheaper option for schools (unless Apple is doing them a deal).

alex73 wrote: »

and you would be better having 1 standard in the classroom. .

So that Steve Jobs can commercialise the classroom in order to create a nice little monopoly for his $hitty company

Quazzie

Deleted User wrote: »

Good move.. Bags were a killer weight back in the day.

I'm off to check E-Bay to see if there is any of these for sale yet?

Mr. Rager

bijapos wrote: »

You'd soon stop once the teacher has called you up to the board a couple of times to explain something.

Well, I could explain something else to him/her, but I wouldn't think it would be appropriate

Doylers

Morlar wrote: »

These are non-backupable aren't they ? What happens to the student when one of these crashes the week before exams, whole terms everything gone. It looks like a good idea but isn't it also a massive single point of failure ? Not to mention them being dropped, stolen, damaged, lost, frisbeed across the room etc.

What happens if you lose your notes or school bag a week before the exam?

pragmatic1

snooleen wrote: »

My secondary school geography teacher made books of notes for us, more like example answers as he found that the massive textbooks (of which we had to have 2 due to geography having different options) didn't explain in any way how to write an actual answer or outline what was required of you to do so, they just had easy to follow diagrams. The rest of the information was in random articles.

We just studied his books of notes. The information was that from the books, it was just put in a way that was easy to understand and exemplary of what was being asked of us in the exam paper.

My old teachers did the same thing. Far easier than going through the text book yourself.

FTGFOP

Gilldog wrote: »

If I’m trying to explain about volcanoes, they can push a button and watch one erupting on screen now.

Interesting example.

merengueca

Where I work there are plan's to issue iPhone 4's and iPads to all front line staff - appx 20,000 people:eek: - in the next 3 months.
Industry specific Apps are being created at the moment.
Just read that a local council over here is also planning to do the same.

Morlar

Doylers wrote: »

What happens if you lose your notes or school bag a week before the exam?

If the bag contained EVERYTHING then pretty much the same thing.

Bags can be lost, however far less likely to get stolen. Also bags don't crash and give you a bluescreen of death (or whatever the apple equivalent is).

kirving

A Windows, OSX or even Android tablet would suit far better than an iPad. Hardware wise, they're behind.

Swapping notes/pictures via USB or memory card? Stuck using iTunes? Very limited and controlled software? It's a stupid idea from someone who thinks they're being modern.

If it's just a weight issue, then use an e-reader instead of paper books. If they want to introduce more technologhy into the classroom, an open source, or more common/customisable OS(windows) should be used.

Also, I never had an issue with the weight of my schoolbag, because I used my locker, and the teachers didn't make us bring in every book every class.

mikom

Surely fanny pads would be more suitable at that age.

yoyo

What a stupid idea. The system will also end up being more expensive than books due to ipads being lost, stolen, broken etc. Why do I think its stupid?
Mobile phones are banned in most schools as they are a distraction, an Ipad is pritty much a a large mobile phone with all of these distractive possibilities, Games, Texting (Plenty of apps do online texting) bar talking.
I assume they will be using Ipad 1 revisions as could a camera not be used as a bullying tool?
If there is a way for these ipads to be locked down, fair enough but as with everything there will be simple ways presumably to revert them back to normal.
This sounds like a great idea on paper, I remember back in secondary school the heavy schoolbag and it can't be good for this kids back. Also having everything in one place (Although I find it hard to believe content for all subjects will be available in electronic form), but I don't think secondary school kids are responsible enough for minding and using such a tool properly. I'm all for technology being brought into the corriculum (It is ridiculous that there is not a mandatory module in leaving cert years dedicated to technology) but I don't think this is a smart move at all, Laptops, Tablets are fine for college students but have no place in a classroom imo

Nick

Sky King

Tablets are fine for college

OH yeah!

CrazyRabbit

Well it will certainly improve sex education in classes.

"Right lads. I want you all to open the following website.
www.pornhub......"

tricky D

Mike 1972 wrote: »

So that Steve Jobs can commercialise the classroom in order to create a nice little monopoly for his $hitty company

iPupil™®

kincsem

What is the world coming to?
/takes pencil stub from behind ears, and licks it.

Parsley

are they going to replace teaching kids to write with pencil and paper with teaching them how to type on touch screens soon? i can see it happening at some point.

minidazzler

yoyo wrote: »

What a stupid idea. The system will also end up being more expensive than books due to ipads being lost, stolen, broken etc. Why do I think its stupid?
Mobile phones are banned in most schools as they are a distraction, an Ipad is pritty much a a large mobile phone with all of these distractive possibilities, Games, Texting (Plenty of apps do online texting) bar talking.
I assume they will be using Ipad 1 revisions as could a camera not be used as a bullying tool?
If there is a way for these ipads to be locked down, fair enough but as with everything there will be simple ways presumably to revert them back to normal.
This sounds like a great idea on paper, I remember back in secondary school the heavy schoolbag and it can't be good for this kids back. Also having everything in one place (Although I find it hard to believe content for all subjects will be available in electronic form), but I don't think secondary school kids are responsible enough for minding and using such a tool properly. I'm all for technology being brought into the corriculum (It is ridiculous that there is not a mandatory module in leaving cert years dedicated to technology) but I don't think this is a smart move at all, Laptops, Tablets are fine for college students but have no place in a classroom imo

Nick

How incredibly condescending of you. Kids aren't stupid, they will have all this explained to them. And regarding the whole distraction thing, read here. Given we are in a world where you are more likely to be using a computer of some sort than a pen and paper this is a great idea.

My biggest worry is thieving bastards around the place, other than that it's a good idea, well, and fcuk apple, they should have gone for something less restrictive.

hatrickpatrick

Why oh WHY are they using iPads?

Seriously, there are any number of tablets out there which don't come with the ridiculous amounts of proprietary restrictions Apple put on theirs. A modern computing device which explicitly refuses to run Flash? Come on!!!

I'm an Apple user but they seriously dropped the ball with the iPad and I can't stand to see it being promoted. Do we just have to stick a lowercase "i" on to any product now to make it automatically better than the competition which has better features?

Would an iToilet be better than another Toilet even if it didn't have the ability to flush and you were only able to use iLooRoll in it?!

EDIT: I apologize, I forgot my main beef with the iPad. Forget Flash, why the HELL would you give students a machine with no standard USB port?
Now THAT'S lunacy.

Professey Chin

I do love my tablet for that :pac:
*sticks in USB key*

Capt'n Midnight

alex73 wrote: »

School here in Mayo already issued them. Its the way to go really if we are to position ourselves to be the leaders in information technology.

It won't teach them much about IT apart from using an easy to use interface.

mikom

alex73 wrote: »

School here in Mayo already issued them. Its the way to go really if we are to position ourselves to be consumers of technology.

Fixed your post

yoyo

minidazzler wrote: »

How incredibly condescending of you. Kids aren't stupid, they will have all this explained to them. And regarding the whole distraction thing, read here. Given we are in a world where you are more likely to be using a computer of some sort than a pen and paper this is a great idea.

I never said kids are stupid, But thinking back to when I was that age I don't think its the age where technology should be replacing the old fashioned way of things, certainly not with the curriculum as it is. Do you seriously think a kid playing Angry Birds on his/her ipad will be paying any attention and will be learning at the same time? I doubt it and its obviously going to happen.
As I said I think technology should be introduced into the classroom, with mandatory modules for the leaving and junior cert but thats about it, even doing computer science in college did I find writing down stuff on pen and paper was more beneficial than using a laptop (very easy to get distracted using such :rolleyes:).

Nick