This morning, the iPad vs laptop debate appeared again on my Twitter stream. The case in point was Anastasis Academy, a 1:1 iPad school in Colorado. Alec Couros and Jon Becker questioned whether a laptop wouldn’t be a more broadly capable device. Several interesting comments ensued.
Kelly Tenkely mentioned “…all an I-pad will let you do that laptop won’t (for same price)” and then clarified that she was thinking about software when she wrote “…not as many free software options on laptops.” That one made me do a double take, and I’m sure somewhere Richard Stallman’s ears are burning. Jon Becker then mentioned Linux laptop projects. Before Kelly mentioned software, I was guessing that she was making the argument, which I’ve seen before, that iPads are more useful than laptops because their UI makes it easier to actually get work done since you don’t have to spend as much time learning how to do things.
Michelle Baldwin made the quite valid point that different tools meet different needs. I think, however, that the 1:1 model implies that one tool will be a focal point of technology use. I would argue that if you are going to put a single tool at the “center of the show”, that tool should be as flexible and open a tool as you can find.
I hope Anastasis Academy’s iPad approach works for them. I also hope they’ll consider adding a Raspberry Pi, or something like it, to the supply list for older students once the device ships later this year. I’d love to see what the creative students they are cultivating could do if given a device they could program.
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26 September, 2011 at 3:47 pm
ktenkely
Let me clarify here what 140 wouldn’t let me do.
I think the iPad has a lower TCO because of a few factors:
1. Software- there are 50k education apps, 50k productivity apps and hundreds of more apps are added every single day. Many of the apps we use at AA are free or have a very low cost associated (.99-$4.99). Students can download these INSTANTLY as they need them making it great for on the fly additional learning, customization of devices (based on student needs, etc). I realize that there are opensource/free/etc software options for Linux (and other platforms). The problem I have had with these in the past: You have to have some level of tech savvyness to utilize these for both the teacher and the student. They aren’t use instantly because there is a learning curve associated with the tech. They also often require a system administrator to download and install. In many schools this is not a convenient option and actually keeps kids from getting to use the tools because they get stuck in the wait game. I am the first to say (as a previous technology teacher) I LOVE opensource/freeware/shareware. Even when I ran my own computer lab I couldn’t make a decision on a new piece of software and download it instantly to the lab. It took a process. Our students certainly couldn’t just download a piece of software. There may be schools who have come up with different solutions but from my experience, the iPad is much more fluid and inexpensive for the AMOUNT of content and tools.
2. Camera is built into the device (actually 2). Many laptops also have a forward facing camera but for outside of the classroom learning it isn’t a convenient option. The iPad is easily used for learning everywhere, in or out of the classroom. Students can easily capture learning as they are doing nature walks, science field work, field trips, etc. For Anastasis Academy this is essential. Much of our work is mobile, our students spend very little time sitting in a desk. The laptop would not be conducive to the exploratory/project based learning we do.
3. The iPad has a learning curve of zero. We have 5-14 year old students. Every one of them can pick it up and use it without having to “learn the steps” first. It is a great entry point that lets the tool do the job of assisting learning instead of getting in the way of the learning or acting as a stumbling block that they have to figure out before they can get to the learning. The iPad blends with student learning seamlessly. Teachers don’t have to get specially trained to use the ipad with the students…the iPad UI really is intuitive.
4. Open tools make more sense when you have a population of people who can truly utilize it’s openness. As much as I wish that every school was equipped with the people who could make that happen, they just aren’t. For that reason alone the iPad makes more sense as a 1:1 tool for learning. Perfect world, maybe it is a combination.
5. ALL of our students (50 boys and girls) have become very interested in programming as a result of using the iPad. I taught this same population of students in a traditional system prior to this year and maybe 1% was interested (boys). The iPad has spurred this interest and as a result our students are working with @ianchia to learn how to program using Corona so that they can create their own apps.
6. Programming options are becoming available for the Ipad. The most recent I have downloaded is called Composer and it lets kids program their own interactive ebooks that can instantly be added to the app store or shared with others through iTunes.
7. Support- The iPad requires MUCH less support than any laptop lab I have ever had. For students who are using the iPad every day that is essential.
8. Battery Life- a 1:1 tool is useless if the battery is constantly dead or it is always in need of charging. Kids can use their iPad all day long without having to charge it. That is so helpful when you want learning to be instant and anywhere. I have yet to find a laptop that will go like the iPad does.
I invite you to follow us on YouTube http://youtube.com/users/teamanastasis to see what kinds of things are kids are creating.
Different tools do reach different needs. For the needs of our students and the exploratory/project/play based nature of our school, the iPad is a pretty ideal device.
26 September, 2011 at 10:49 pm
Alec Couros
Jason, check out Ben Grey’s post.
http://bengrey.com/blog/2011/09/a-lack-of-critical-thinking/
There’s no way an iPad has a lower TCO than a Linux machine – and you’re right – I am sure Richard Stallman was cringing on the thought that there are few free apps on a Laptop/Desktop. Ben has made a great argument, and he backs it up with what his district has been doing to save money and still integrate amazing technology.
28 September, 2011 at 12:19 am
Jason Green
Thanks for the comments. To be clear, I think the iPad is very good at some things. My iPad is my absolutely preferred device to take to meetings, for example. It’s great for note taking, on the fly web research, and showing things to other attendees. I’m also quite willing to consider that the lack of learning curve might trump other things with younger students.
However, I’m quite troubled by the lack of openness. Here’s an example. I’ve had an iPhone for a couple of years now. It’s only in the most recent versions of iOS that streaming audio from an iTunes instance has been possible. Until that happened, I spent weeks trying different workarouds (web front ends to firefly media server, ampache, etc.) to circumvent the limitations baked into the iOS ecosystem, since my music library was much to large to fit on my phone.
I’m glad to hear that iOS devices are getting more programming options, though I wonder what happens when this runs into Apple’s forbidding of interpreted code.