Is anyone using a tablet? Which ones work well?

[Peter]

Hi, this is my first post so please be nice if I’ve missed something I should know!

I am a PE teacher and I am really interested in getting a tablet to help with teaching & learning, assessment, admin and all the other tasks we have now which require a computer.

Ideally I would like a tablet with USB and HDMI (or mini HDMI i think it is) to increase the flexibility of the device.

Does anyone currently use anything like this? If so what tablet are you using? Over the holidays I’m going to really look into this as I think it will improve teaching and learning in my classes.

Cheers all,

Pete

[Mark Priestley]

I have an Asus transformer. I don’t like ipads. Find
them a bit gimmicky. The Asus has a dockable keyboard which turns it into a netbook. Otherwise can be used as an android pad

[Peter]

I was looking at the Sony S Tablet, a bit expensive but seems powerful enough to do everything I want it to do.

I don’t want an Ipad, Edinburgh are moving away from supporting apple products in school and I don’t like the idea of being stuck with the apple market when the android one grows all the time due to it being open source.

Today was a perfect example of why I need a tablet, using a flip camera to film sports day then got a pupil to create a movie, it was so clunky and time consuming getting the videos off the flip camera, converted to a file type that is able to be edited then creating the film. I wish my head teacher would listen to me about why tablets are the way forward for gathering evidence and building I.T. skills in the young people we teach!

[Peter]

and now having looks at the specs of the asus and sony next to each other the asus looks a better buy for a similar price, thanks for the reply!

[Neil]

Hi people…
Just finished reading this article and thought you may be interested in it given your posts. It’s the Pedagogy, Stupid: Lessons from an iPad Lending Program

I think it hints at the real problem with any implementation, namely, if you are just using the tech to do the same, why are you bothering? (Just how much money has been wasted on IWBs for instance?)

FWIW: There is still no other tablet to compare with the iPad for two important reasons – the wealth of Apps available, and the iPad’s build in accessibility options (there is NO other tablet that comes close in this particular regard). That said, the new Nexus 7 appears to have some potential…

The point you make about Edinburgh not supporting Apple is possibly a moot one… most Councils’ do not support personal devices so the make may be irrelevant! ;o) I am hoping someone will do something about that in the future!

Good luck with what ever you choose… and keep posting here to keep us informed.

[Peter]

Hi Mr W,

I completely agree with the point about implementation, after only 6 years teaching I have seen a whole pile of technology bought, hardware and software, which sits doing nothing because the older ways didn’t improve education or took too long to set up/learn.

As that article states the ability to take a tablet computer anywhere is the main benefit for me and my teaching. I work across two schools on three different sites with at least twelve different teaching areas, just for me to keep up with school emails is hard enough!

The thing about Edinburgh not supporting apple any more is an issue as we are getting a hardware refresh after the summer, I’m trying my hardest to talk the senior management into getting a tablet for me instead of a laptop! If I can talk them into getting me one for work it would probably be better not being apple.

[Author]

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