Articles

When students step into most schools these days, the school district requires that they turn off their cell phones, iTouch, iPods, etc. Then they sit down and open a 5 year old, or older, text book and start hand writing notes. Is this necessary? In a way aren’t we putting our students at a disadvantage? We live in an incredibly fast, tech advanced world, yet we are not providing children with the proper tools to help them succeed. In Rob Reynolds article, “How Will the iPad Change Education?” he discusses the importance of technology in schools. The iPad is a fantastic tool that is productive, mobile, and affordable. Educators could have the latest versions of textbooks in a few short minutes. Our students thrive in this tech world, it’s time the education system catches up. “Learning is contextual and promotes engaging students in real-life applications.”     Reynolds, R.(April 2010) //How Will the iPad Change Education//. PBS Teacherline []
 * __Article 1__: How Will the iPad Change Education?** By: Rob Reynolds

**__Article 2__: Measuring the iPad’s Potential for Education? By: Bridget McCrea**

With as fast as technology changes, it is understandable that some educators are wary about adapting it into their classrooms. The truth is, we can NOT afford not to use it. This also means that school districts need to educate their teachers on the newest forms of technology as well. Students are craving technology in the classroom. They are truly “hardwired” for the connections that the iPad could offer, along with other tools. Stop and consider a moment what the world will be like in 10-15 years when our current students are trying to get jobs. By then, the iPad may only be as useful as the “Zach Morris Cell Phone”. We can’t know for sure where technology is headed, but we can try to adjust our teaching style to help prepare the students the best we can now. "The sooner we in the education field start to embrace it and use it, the better off we'll be." McCrea, B. (Jan 27, 2010) Measuring the iPad's Potential for Education.The Journal []

**__ Article 3: __**** The iPad’s Five Best Surprises ** The fives best surprises about the new iPad are the prices, no contracts, external keyboard, iWork, and ePub support. The prices are very affordable starting at just $499. Perhaps the most interesting comparison is the Kindle DX, with its non-color, non-touch-sensitive screen and much more limited functionality with a starting price of $450. The 3G option is very flexible. AT&T is offering a pre-paid, no-contract rate, and you can activate service at any time, right from the iPad itself. The external keyboard is very functional and convenient. The iWork option lets you create, edit, and present Keynote presentations and also work on spreadsheets and word-processing documents. It is also compatible with Microsoft Word documents. The ePub support makes it easier for authors to make their e-books available for the iPad and other e-readers. All in all, the iPad is a very impressive and productive tool.

Frakes, D. (January 27, 2010) //The iPad’s Five Best Surprises//. MacWorld. []

 **__Article 4__****: Will the iPad Change What Happens in Schools?** By: M. Kaufman One thing kids have been complaining about for years is that they are bored in school. The iPad is not only new and interesting, but it creates interactivity. With all the different applications offered, and with new ones created every day, the iPad is a great tool to engage visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. After spending a few hours on the iPad you can understand why students will crave this engaging tool.

Kaufman, M. (April 9, 2010) //Will the iPad Change What Happens in School?// []

**__ Article 5 __** : **9 Worst Things About the Apple iPad By: Bianca Bosker** Before you spend the money on the iPad, take the time to check out the 9 worst things, even though it’s not all that bad. The first is the name. “iPad” sounds very similar to certain female products. Next, you do not really have the option to multitask. For example, listening to Pandora while you search the web or play a game is not an option. Third, no camera. While it might seem awkward trying to take a picture with your iPad, it would be nice to at least have the option. Firth, no USB port. Transferring things to the iPad is more difficult. The next problem is the deal with AT&T. Their Wifi system is already over loaded. The sixth problem, no Flash. This issue has been one that has personally bothered me. “Apple's arguments against Flash are that it poses a security risk and is a resource hog." Next, the screen tends to be harder on the eyes then the e-ink screens that are used on competitors such as the Kindle. The eighth problem is the price. While it isn’t as expensive as they projected, it is still a lot to spend on something that you don’t really need. Lastly, the closed App store. While there are definitely some flaws, the iPad is still destined to change the technology world.

Bosker, B. (January 29, 2010) //9 Worst Things About the Apple iPad//. Huffington Post. []

**__ Article 6 __**** : Apple’s iPad in the Classroom By: Benjamin Kreeger ** New technology emerges every year with great potential to improve the field of education. The iPad brings several new opportunities to engage students both in the classroom, and out. In the area of note taking and diagramming, one application that will be very useful is SketchNotes. SketchNotes, and applications like it, will give students the ability to text notes and format them at the same time. Reading materials are available to students almost instantly, and in the near future text book publishers plan to deliver to the iPad as well. Apple is also going to be releasing versions of their iWork for the iPad which will include Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. These applications will be similar to Word, PowerPoint and Excel. As developers continue to create more applications, there is no telling where the possibilities will end. Kreeger, B. (March 29, 2010) Apple’s iPad in the Classroom. []

**__Article 7:__** **Ten Predictions For The E-Reader/E-Book Market In 2010** The year 2009 was a big year for E-Reader devices. Several predictions were made for e-readers in 2010, this article discusses a few. One major prediction was that the dual-screen mobile phones and netbooks would eat into the e-reader demand. New versions of devices will come equipped with reading optimized screens, making strictly reading devices less valuable. Another prediction, e-book content sales will top $500 million in the U.S. Also, magazine and newspaper publishers will launch their own apps and devices. They want their articles to have color, video and interactivity to keep their subscribers happy. Lastly, China, India, Brazil, and the EU will propel global growth, but the U.S. will still be the largest market.
 * By: Sarah Rotman Epps and James McQuivey**

McQuivey, J. Rotman, S. (Dec 1, 2009) Ten Predictions For The E-Reader/E-Book Market In 2010. Forrester Research []