MANAGING ICT Are you using iPad?


Kerry Turner looks at how schools might migrate to using


‘T ‘


mobile and tablet devices rather than static ICT, including a focus on using iPads in the classroom


he desktop market has entered the dark ages, and it’s going to be in the dark ages for the next 10 years…” Steve Jobs, Wired (1996). Approximately three years ago


there was one very useful piece of information I took away from an


ICT strategy meeting – do not invest money in static computer suites, the future of technology is mobile. To that end, our ICT department implemented more


laptops for student use and carefully reconsidered the development and replacement of static ICT suites within school. It seemed rash to be kitting out a suite which would only be replaced in four or five years. We had considered use of handheld devices in


lessons, but up until two years ago, neither tablet devices nor SmartPhones were on a par with current products manufactured by Apple. However, the enormous strides made in the development of these devices have also sped up our ideas to give greater consideration to a strategy of “Bring Your Own Device” in the school. It is often said that mobile devices and tablets


are placed to bring about a fundamental change in the way we teach and learn with technology. Mobile technology is ubiquitous; we have become accustomed to using the internet as we chat, sit, stand in queues or stroll about with a circle of friends. An iPad or iPhone have made learning more personal and the devices are our constant learning companions. However, there is no doubt that mobile technology


will present challenges to the conventional ways in which we have become familiar with using more static devices, and that IT leaders will have to think and work differently when implementing this technology across school. It does not mean that we should be throwing out


the baby with the bathwater; there will often be times when paper and pen and static machines or laptops will be used. However, we must effectively teach the use of mobile and tablet devices in schools in order to enable our students’ future learning; to show them how to use a wide range of technology for their work, and allow them to experience mobile devices beyond their use for leisure.


We must effectively


teach the use of mobile and tablet devices in schools in order to


enable our students’ future learning


At the outset, not everyone in school may readily


embrace the concept of mobile learning – students, parents nor teachers. The adage of “if it’s not broken, why fix it?” may be raised. So, it is vital that there is broad discussion of why and how the implementation will take place (it could be useful to point out just how many static devices or laptops remain around the school for regular use). Time needs to be set aside for demonstrations


’


and staff training, and to give references to best practice on blogs, or to schools which have already implemented an iPad strategy. It is also imperative for successful pedagogy, to show users that specific aspects of technology use, which they have become comfortable with in lessons, can easily be achieved on an unfamiliar device. The school’s internet connection will have to be explored for robustness; this will include the overall


SecEd • April 26 2012


broadband capacity, suitability of current network hardware, and management and access via a solid wireless solution. iPads lack ports for direct connection


to devices such as USB memory and printers. This necessitates a rethink of the way in which the network and shared drives are used as storage and printers are accessed via a wireless connection. App developers offer


alternate solutions to these. Hard-drive storage can be replaced with cloud apps (iCloud, Dropbox, Evernote and Google Docs to name a few), by sending work via email, by setting up a WebDAV service, or by creating a wiki. My current


preferences are for the Good Reader app which enables the amalgamation of several cloud storage areas into one, and FileBrowser which allows viewing of IOS network files. Otixo is also a useful


WebDAV service and for editing Microsoft files on an iPad, CloudOn and Docs to Go are also good, as is Google Docs (but this is less effective with Microsoft Excel). Also, iWorks files can be edited directly on an iPad, however I have not yet found a way to edit and then save work back to the school network drive from an iPad. The iPad’s lack of Flash and capacity to open


a browser with multiple tabs has been seen as a weakness for use in the classroom, but several apps provide this functionality. Puffin will display Flash on websites, Perfect Browser allows for tabbed browsing, and Duo Browser displays split-screen access to two internet sites at one time. In history lessons, I use several apps besides the


productivity ones listed above: Voicethread, Prezi Viewer, Skitch (for preparing diagrams), Popplet Lite (for mind-maps), Comic Life, Showme, Infinote (add ideas to a pin board) and the camera and video function. Students enjoy using the iPad and it is such an easy device to pass across to them to use. The school IT support team will need to explore


ways of managing multiple iPads and each school will have their own way of doing this. As we initially set out to manage only a small number of devices, we set up accounts on iTunes without the use of a credit card (as we redeem vouchers to purchase apps). As Apple’s volume purchasing plan (which gives


you an around 50 per cent discount on apps) is not yet available in the UK, we share the apps that we have purchased across five devices. We may reconsider this as we purchase more


iPads. Students do not purchase apps as they do not have access to the passwords for the iTunes accounts and we centrally assign core apps for productivity and creative work across all of the iPads. Our support manager has looked at Apple


Configurator (which enables the management of 30 Apple devices at one time) and reflects that as a management tool it looks incredibly useful, that the interface is self-explanatory, enables a “pick-up and use” approach, and that it looks set to save time and effort in updating the IOS on multiple devices. Using the three management sections, Configurator


can restrict or enable certain functions, and by using a sync and charge hub, several devices can be managed at one time. There could be both benefits and drawbacks to


using Configurator in the UK – currently only Apple volume purchasing plan apps and free apps are easily managed and distributed to iPads. Also, we have not looked into purchasing one yet,


but several schools in the United States use a sync, store and charge trolley for their iPads. There are also more obvious considerations for


iPad deployment: Do we buy new or refurbished devices at a much reduced cost? What type of cover will be robust enough for student use? Insurance? Guarantees and support from Apple? There is much to look forward to with deploying


iPads. Releasing an ICT suite means that a room can be made into a learning area with configurable furniture for any type of activity. iBook Author and iTunesU for schools suggest


that the future of e-publishing will grow and that students will have access to a range of texts for


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learning. I look forward to the day when it won’t be as necessary for children to have to carry around a 30-pound school bag!


SecEd


• Kerry Turner is director of ICT at Nottingham High School and her interests are are in mobile learning, web 2.0 and use of social media in schools.


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