On October 23, the world gathered together to witness the unveiling of the brand new iPad 4th Generation as well as the brand new iPad Mini. These sleek innovative products are in no doubt going to revolutionize the way that teachers engage their students and with the smaller price tag encourage even more institutions to think about purchasing them for use in the classrooms.
The release of the new iPad, the iPad mini however started me thinking not just about the upgrading of my own personal devices (I currently am sporting an iPad2), but it started me thinking about ways that I can engage my students as well as coping with an ever shrinking budget.
Big or Small, the iPad serves them all
What is the best option for me? What is the best option for my class needs? What technologies can I afford to provide for my classes? Let’s take a moment and examine each of these products.
Most schools have a difficult question to answer when choosing what device to purchase in bulk. Many are choosing to purchase an iPad 2 for their schools. It’s very functional, affordable and will satisfy any district due to it’s compatibility. With the release of the iPad Mini, many schools might turn their heads and move in this direction.
What does this mean? ADAPTERS ADAPTERS ADAPTERS. The iPad mini comes complete with the brand new Lighting port. This is something that school districts need to include in their budget. New ports equals new hardware headaches. Will the lighting port work with their current configuration? Probably so, but these adapters can run almost $30 each. This adds up over time.
I am very interested in seeing over the next few months, how schools will continue to adapt the iPad and it’s family of products.
A more budget friendly option
Before closing, I want to offer a solution that will not only fill many of schools needs, but will also be a better bang for the budget.
I would like to introduce into this commercial, the iPod Touch.
Starting at only $199, the 16gig iPod touch offers educators a world of edutainment opportunities. Granted you will not be able to enjoy many of the more robust apps that an iPad offers, an iPod touch packs every punch that is needed to completely engage students and create 21st Century Digital citizens.
What can an iPod Touch do for my classroom?
The iPod Touch is capable of all the major features an iPad offers. Complete with a front and rear facing camera, it is the perfect solution for teaching multimedia to students of all ages. It can be used with great apps such as uStream, Skype, FaceTime and Google+ to turn your class into a mobile broadcasting studio. Add the iWork apps (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) and you now can teach about art, design, and mobile presentations. For the price, there simply isn’t a better option on the market. The best part of this equation is that many of your students already own an iPod Touch of some past generation. They can simply add the apps to their own devices and before long, your class has turned into a BYOD super center.
What is the solution?
Where I can’t make the decision for you, I would urge your district to consider all options when purchasing your iDevices this holiday season. $199 for an iPod Touch could go along way with a little bit of creative magic to transform a child into a movie producer.
We want to hear from you!
What are your thoughts?
What devices will you be purchasing for your classroom needs?
Please send us your thoughts and let us know how you will be sending your holiday dollars this year.
