Module 4, Assignment 2

     In this article, they discussed several ways that the iPad could revolutionize education.  There ideas were electronic textbooks, new mobile computing labs, virtual field trip guides, mobile data collection, and new ways to create content.  Many of us are already seeing these very uses in our classrooms, or if you don't have an iPad in your classroom, at least in your building. 
     This new technology of the iPad is here and will not be going anywhere soon.  As a matter of fact, we have already seen many of the ideas in this article come to pass.  This article was written three years ago and some of the issues the writer mentioned have already been addressed by Apple.  The secret in new uses of the iPad rely on future apps and Apple's ability to address product output issues. 
     There are two things I would love to see for use with much younger children in the iPad.  One, I would like to see a program or app that would promote easy text use for very young children.  Sort of like a note taking program, but for small children, typing text isn't very practical.  What I envision would need to be a little similar to Apple's Koala Pad.  Wow, this goes way, way back, but I remember my librarian in elementary school had an apple with this on it.  I would beg to go back to that little room where she kept the computer to play on this.  Hooked up to the computer was the Koala Pad that had a primitive stylus like device attached to it.  You could draw, write, doodle, and all kinds of things with it.  I would love to see Apple make a tougher screen that could hold up to the use of a stylus.  The children could use it to draw or write in class.  Also, I would like it to have the capability of a simple camera for young children that is very easy to use.  The children should be able to save their work and all work could have a date or time stamp.  All teachers in our county have to keep four writing samples per year to put in a child's writing folders.  The teacher could review the work stored in each child's account and simply print out the samples to place into their folders.  Or better yet, save the samples to some type of storage device and each teacher every year could just add new samples to the storage device.  Wow, just think of the trees we could save.