Ipads or Laptops? – By: Audrey M

The difference between Ipads and laptops are like the difference between night and day. Sure they are both cool and expensive, have internet and games, but one is big and heavy (laptop) and one is slick and small (ipad). Personally, I prefer the ipad, but my class did not get the chance to use them. I have one at home so, I know know to work it. My class had the  laptops and I thought they were slightly too large to take to every class and when we had a question, they took SOO long to turn on, go onto safari, and then search it, with and Ipad, you just hit a couple buttons and BAM!! There’s your anwser. Another thing about the MacBooks were that they take up so much space next to our desks, at our school, we have big tables and two chairs in some classes and you have to smush your books in between them, in other classes we have single desks, right next to each other and our books are even smushier.

The apple Symbol

From FlickrCC

Reflection on Laptop Pilot Program by Audrey


This year we were given the luxury of having laptops to take home and back to school and to all of our classes. I enjoy having them at home to keep easy access to Moodle, Google docs, Quizlet, etc. It is a little annoying to bring them to class and sit them next to you when they are never used but I manage. If I could change one thing it would be the cases in which the laptops are secured. I do realize that these cases are not permanent and that they are very strong and trusting. This program will help me overall because I can go on Moodle, Google docs,etc.  —–picture from flickr creative commons!

Laptop Pilot Program by Ian

 

Laptop

The change that the sixth grade has gone through since the laptop and iPad pilot started is amazing. Ever since the computers were distributed to the students, for some people, it is the center of school life. Suddenly, you see shining white laptops on desks, instead of the familiar notebooks and spirals, that have become commonplace as they entered the middle school. Of the children chosen for the program, some wanted laptops and some wanted iPads. Not everyone got what they wanted at first, but everyone who is taking part, has learned to appreciate the advantages of both devices. For instance the laptops may not be as portable, and may not have the cute applications and touch screen that the iPad has, but they have better web surfing, more programs, and in general, can do much more than the iPads. Many on the campus push for this pilot to go forward and become school-wide, but others do not think that technology has a place in the classroom. Both sides have legitimate arguments, but not taking advantage of the tools that are available to us, is a choice that could limit learning, as well as limit how effectively the teachers can teach.