Tuesday, July 27, 2010

iPads in the College Classroom - The iPad Pilot and Loaner Programs



This has been one of the most AMAZING summers (with the iPad). :) This wonderful piece of technology has enabled me to become a truly mobile professor. Now, I wish my students had access to this technology as well.



iPads in Scholarly Presentations - This summer, I delivered a poster presentation at the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) on Google Documents. It was a great experience and I bypassed the university network by using my AT&T 3G service <- which was VERY nice. Using the iPad, I demonstrated how to create a form on Google Docs and the faculty were in awe of Google's features! In addition, I demonstrated how my students wrote their research papers using the communication medium.





iPads in the Classroom (Faculty) - Faculty can use their iPad in their classrooms to make their lives easier. I plan to keep attendance on the iPad and demonstrate simple cloud computing concepts to small student groups during the fall semester. In addition to using the device to demonstrate simple concepts to small groups, when the computer system in the classroom is down, I plan to load my power points from Google Docs on the iPad and to display them via the document camera to deliver my lectures.



I still do not allow laptops in my classroom, but I would allow the iPad (generation one). This technology does not handle multitasking well. This is GREAT for classrooms! If the students are operating from an e-book, they cannot have their e-mail open at the same time. However, I have discovered that I can browse the internet or grade papers on blackboard AND receive messages from Yahoo Instant Messenger.


Today, I discovered an article on Wired focused on iPad pilot studies that will happen in the fall. I am VERY disappointed that our university was not selected. :( Here's the link, iPad Gets the University Treatment in the Fall. In addition to the universities selected for the pilot study, Texas A&M University is providing their faculty with an iPad loaner program for faculty to experience the iPad for one week: http://itsinfo.tamu.edu/news/iPad_Loaner_Program_Announced_for_Faculty.php.



The iPad is an incredible resource for the college classroom!


Millennial Professor - Jennifer T. Edwards, Ed.D.

2 comments:

  1. Great post and great suggestions for using the iPad. I had thought of purchasing one, but decided against it. Your suggestions, however, have made me reconsider. I am a doctoral student at Walden U. I am completing my second year in August and will begin my final project in September. Would the iPad work as well for making presentations in my consulting business?

    A Believer
    prof_ngm@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. A Believer,

    Thanks for your post! I really think the iPad is a great one-on-one or small group presentation tool. At a recent conference, I was able to show audience members exactly how a Google Document appears to their students. In addition, I am able to make items larger for people who may not be able to read smaller font (like me) and I am able to play videos at the drop of a hat! :)

    I think it would be a GREAT asset for your consulting business. In addition, CONGRATULATIONS on your doctoral program! It is a great accomplishment!

    J. Edwards

    ReplyDelete

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