iPad: Boon or Bane for Education?

I’m fortunate to be a member of the ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU listserv, where an interesting discussion started on January 30 about the potential of the iPad for education. Some pretty strong pros and cons were expressed.

Here are my early thoughts. Perhaps readers would like to add some of their own.

As David Pogue said in the NY Times on January 29 (paraphrase from memory) anyone who makes strong predictions about the future of the iPad without having even touched one is taking a  big risk.

It does seem to me though, that at least the IDEA of the iPad’s potential in education is very present with possibilities.

The first iteration clearly leaves a lot to be desired, but the very fact that the shortcomings are so obvious (no Flash, no multi-tasking, no expansion, no camera, no USB) bodes well for the appearance of at least some of them in pretty short order (and if not by Apple, than by somebody else like Asus, Acer, Lenovo, or even HP).

For right now, I choose to look on the bright side and see the great opportunities for the iPad to make computing a lot more simple and intuitive for a great many more people (and both younger and older ones than the norm today). And yes, of course, the iPad has got to become much more of a platform for creativity and not just a passive viewing/listening device. Otherwise, it’s just an expensive 21st century ViewMaster.

On the general topic of tablet and i-something devices in education, I also wanted to pass along a couple of videos that I find most interesting to view and contemplate:

1. Singapore 2015, produced by that country’s economic development agency in March 2007, I believe: http://www.ida.gov.sg/About%20us/20070903145526.aspx.

Given that it took maybe 6 months or so to produce, it’s fascinating the think that the conceptualization behind this piece is probably three and half years old by now. Some quite prescient thinking here! And I love the design of the tablet computers.

2. What Happens When You Give a Class of 8-Year-Old iPod Touches?
http://www.l4l.co.uk/?p=835 . From a school in Great Britain.

What do you think, dear readers?

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