LAUSD officially ends 'iPads-for-all' contract with Apple

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 62

    It wasn't really $1.3 billion "for iPads". The $1.3 billion included big bucks for many other things like updating school tech infrastructure, as well as the Pearson online learning material. 

  • Reply 42 of 62
    The position that the iPad is the undisputed leader in education with absolutely no competition isn't based on fact. When you strip away all the hype, and clever marketing that has served Apple well, and get a dispassionate assessment of the facts, Chromebooks are a viable option, unless of course you see anything Apple says, and does is gospel.

    "In the third quarter of 2014, Google shipped 715,000 Chromebooks to schools versus Apple's 702,000 iPads."
  • Reply 43 of 62
    blazarblazar Posts: 270member
    Computers in the hands of children ... What a joke. Many kids the last 20 years have had more power in the their pockets on their desktops than the rest of humans have had for the whole of human history. We are hoping that they will learn what on them that a textbook doesn't offer?

    There are public libraries and free resources galore and most of the information is going unused.

    Sure if you put a computer in the hands of a child who needs one to fulfill a passion in programming or math or science... You might get some innovation to occur.

    But place a computer in the hands of everyone and hope that one gets "inspired" to do "something useful" with it is wishful thinking.


    The first litmus test should be cost effectiveness compared to prior educational techniques, not some pie in the sky wish that kids will be happier learning biology on their devices more than from a book.

    My kids are pretty intelligent, but the ipad didn't suddenly increase their intellectual curiosity where it didn't exist before... In fact that still hasn't happened despite all the legos, ipads, and music lessons... So consider me a little dissapointed. In fact games and whatnot served as a sufficient distraction to lower my kid's grades in a very obvious way.

    Reminder: Steve jobs didn't have personal computers in school...

    Don't get me wrong, i am no luddite... Get some computers in the schools but demonstrate a more coherent strategy before doing so with taxpayer money. Hardware and software keep changing so be sure that you teach something about computing that is fundamental. Also make the kids "pay" for their computer with specific achivements designed to make them earn them. You need to appreciate technology by earning it... Its not the same when it is given to you.
  • Reply 44 of 62
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Yeah like a Chromebook is going to get anyone anywhere these days..... sheesh! - I think this is more the old world not understanding the new world. New world is tablets and apps and online education. The old world is Microsoft and web based applications. Educators and administrators need to keep up. There is an entire new generation of children out there and the stats show that they are not using Chromebooks, Microsoft Laptops or even google android devices. They are using iPads, iPods and Apps and the vast amount of educational material that they can contain. They don't want chrome books ?!? Put the controversy to bed.... Give the children what they want or they are going to be singing the "Wall" for the next 30 years.

    You nailed it, this is all about what those old folks with their anti Apple mentalities and the Microsoft IT qualifications want so as to ensure their survival. History seems to repeat itself over and over when IT departments are allowed to influence policy.
  • Reply 45 of 62
    waltgwaltg Posts: 90member
    Tried a chrome book a couple of years ago, pretty good for surfing the net and maybe a note pad WHILE connected to the net, TOTALLY useless when NOT connected to the net... Another ignorant person making decisions that effect so many others....
  • Reply 46 of 62
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    dasanman69 wrote: »
    Socially we've progressed somewhat. People ignore those around them at a all time high. Intellectually we've regressed. Where are all the new symphonies, the new timeless works of art? People know the price of everything but the value of nothing.

    Either you forgot the /s tag or you are really funny.

    Assuming you were serious ... You seem to have shut yourself off from reality. Intellectually who has regressed exactly? Is that 'we' just you and your circle? Sure seems that way. It sure isn't the kids at MIT etc. The amount of new music created now thanks to technology is beyond calculable. People now can both discover and compare the prices of anything and read details to educate themselves to decide the value like never before. Your nostalgic memory of better times was back when you pretty much had to believe a salesman! Next you will be pining for the days before antibiotics and vaccines, possibly pre industrial revolution, how about pre sailing ships, oh heck the stone age was just fine ... right? ... :no:

    Sorry if that came over as a bit harsh but ... Anti-technology folks scare the hell out of me ...
  • Reply 47 of 62
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MacBook Pro View Post





    Wow!



    Thank you for pointing out how dangerous these Google shills can be.

     

    I'm sorry, but dangerous?  Can you elaborate?  I would understand if you were talking about someone like anti-vax groups but Chromebooks and iPads?

  • Reply 48 of 62
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    It wasn't really $1.3 billion "for iPads". The $1.3 billion included big bucks for many other things like updating school tech infrastructure, as well as the Pearson online learning material. 

    We in the USA need to look at other countries that are succeeding in education far better than we are and figure out why. It's not about iPad vs Chrome book, I wish it were that simple. The discussion has been aired several times here on AI already so i won't start it over but the answer seems, at least partly, to be in getting better teachers! I say this as a qualified teacher in my day too. Check out the Scandinavian countries.
  • Reply 49 of 62
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by lightknight View Post

     



    Friend bought iPhone last week, switching from her Nokia WhatTheHellDoTheyCallIt(TM). First complaint is "Apple Maps sucks".

     

    After digging, she hates the absence of "public transportation" option for routes. I pointed out GMaps is also available for that purpose, but now she complains that she needs to have "lots" (aka, 2) of Maps apps.

     

    Apple Maps should implement those features, trafic warnings, public transportation maps. These are really in use by people.


    Only some people. The majority of folks in the US don't even have access to public transport, or don't use it. I'm not saying it shouldn't be added, but I can see why they didn't prioritize it from the get-go.

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post





    You nailed it, this is all about what those old folks with their anti Apple mentalities and the Microsoft IT qualifications want so as to ensure their survival. History seems to repeat itself over and over when IT departments are allowed to influence policy.

     

    The college I graduated from this summer is like that. They buy only Dell stuff because their IT department consists of Dell certified techs, and nothing else is allowed. Everyone must have the latest crap from Dell. And all the hardware is so bogged down with controlling bloatware that i7 quadcore desktops with 8GB of RAM run like a mid 2000's Celeron.

     

    Heck, when the iPad first came out their head of IT actually said they would never allow iPad support in any fashion, that's how backward these folks are. They're the same types that force Surface tablets on their subordinates when those people really want iPads.

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post





    Either you forgot the /s tag or you are really funny.



    Assuming you were serious ... You seem to have shut yourself off from reality. Intellectually who has regressed exactly? Is that 'we' just you and your circle? Sure seems that way. It sure isn't the kids at MIT etc. The amount of new music created now thanks to technology is beyond calculable. People now can both discover and compare the prices of anything and read details to educate themselves to decide the value like never before. Your nostalgic memory of better times was back when you pretty much had to believe a salesman! Next you will be pining for the days before antibiotics and vaccines, possibly pre industrial revolution, how about pre sailing ships, oh heck the stone age was just fine ... right? ... image



    Sorry if that came over as a bit harsh but ... Anti-technology folks scare the hell out of me ...



    And let's face it, it's not like the crazies have suddenly multiplied, it's just that they're so much more visible now.

  • Reply 50 of 62
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    Either you forgot the /s tag or you are really funny.

    Assuming you were serious ... You seem to have shut yourself off from reality. Intellectually who has regressed exactly? Is that 'we' just you and your circle? Sure seems that way. It sure isn't the kids at MIT etc. The amount of new music created now thanks to technology is beyond calculable. People now can both discover and compare the prices of anything and read details to educate themselves to decide the value like never before. Your nostalgic memory of better times was back when you pretty much had to believe a salesman! Next you will be pining for the days before antibiotics and vaccines, possibly pre industrial revolution, how about pre sailing ships, oh heck the stone age was just fine ... right? ... :no:

    Sorry if that came over as a bit harsh but ... Anti-technology folks scare the hell out of me ...

    Just by reading a few comments on here, and you'll quickly come across spelling errors, and bad grammar. 'Loosing' for 'losing' has become an epidemic. :lol:

    Here's an interesting read.

    http://www.uwsp.edu/pointeronline/Pages/articles/Is-the-Internet-Making-Us-Stupid.aspx
  • Reply 51 of 62
    dasanman69 wrote: »
    Just by reading a few comments on here, and you'll quickly come across spelling errors, and bad grammar. 'Loosing' for 'losing' has become an epidemic. :lol:

    Here's an interesting read.

    http://www.uwsp.edu/pointeronline/Pages/articles/Is-the-Internet-Making-Us-Stupid.aspx

    Spelling and grammatical errors didn't start with the Internet. Ever heard of dyslexia?
  • Reply 52 of 62
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    Spelling and grammatical errors didn't start with the Internet. Ever heard of dyslexia?

    I can understand common spelling errors, but 'loosing' isn't a word. They've forced any spell checker to ignore it.
  • Reply 53 of 62
    dasanman69 wrote: »
    I can understand common spelling errors, but 'loosing' isn't a word. They've forced any spell checker to ignore it.

    That particular misspelling grates on my nerves also.
  • Reply 54 of 62
    That particular misspelling grates on my nerves also.

    I'm curious why specific misspellings bother some people. Logically it would be a case of all or none, or at least a case of where the communication is hindered, but I don't think that's the case of the lose v loose in their specific contexts.
  • Reply 55 of 62
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TheWhiteFalcon View Post

     

    Only some people. The majority of folks in the US don't even have access to public transport, or don't use it. I'm not saying it shouldn't be added, but I can see why they didn't prioritize it from the get-go.


     

    Apple sells devices outside of the US. Several years ago US only accounted for 1/3 of iPhone sales. Not sure what the current makeup is. And quite a few countries have much higher usage of public transportation than the US. And contrary to popular belief, Americans also travel to some of those countries where public transportation rules. I find Google Maps public transit information extremely useful when I travel.

     

    Of course, this has little bearing on the subject of iPads in classrooms. And I agree with your comment about not prioritizing public transit info from the "get-go". But the get-go is long gone. Apple needs to stop obsessing about making things pretty and focus on making them more functional.

  • Reply 56 of 62
    LAUSDgate.
  • Reply 57 of 62
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member
    School boards, frequently driven by parents, buy such devices because they think it provides students with "computer literacy". It does nothing of the sort.

    Before you buy computers or pads for students, you first have to decide what the objective is. And I don't think most systems ever do that. Is it to use drill and practice programs? Is it so students can research Google? Is it to provide communications between student and teacher? Is it to write papers or create spreadsheets?

    I can find serious flaws with every one of the above uses. We talk about computer "haves" and "have nots", but my personal opinion is that just about the worst thing you can do to a kid below 7th grade (and maybe below 9th grade) is to give them a computer or similar device. All it will be used for is Facebook, tweeting, plagiarism from Wikipedia and playing games. Kids need to put pen to paper. That's a pre-reading skill. If computers were actually effective in educating students, the U.S. would not be behind most of the rest of the world in Math and Science.

    $1.3 billion? Spend it on quality teachers, chemistry and physics labs, developing new teaching models, etc. It will be far more effective. My bet is that half of the Pads (regardless of manufacturer) will be broken within one school year.
  • Reply 58 of 62
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    solipsismy wrote: »
    I'm curious why specific misspellings bother some people. Logically it would be a case of all or none, or at least a case of where the communication is hindered, but I don't think that's the case of the lose v loose in their specific contexts.

    I can understand 'loose' for 'lose', but again 'loosing' isn't a word. It would be loosening. Those that write loosing had to deliberately circumvent their spell checkers, so not only did they make a mistake, they insisted on it.
  • Reply 59 of 62
    solipsismysolipsismy Posts: 5,099member
    dasanman69 wrote: »
    I can understand 'loose' for 'lose', but again 'loosing' isn't a word. It would be loosening. Those that write loosing had to deliberately circumvent their spell checkers, so not only did they make a mistake, they insisted on it.

    1) It's a typoo. People aren't deliberately trying to spell incorrectly unless they are trying to be funny or making some other point.

    2) Mac OS [en] doesn't see loosing as incorrect so there is no red squiggles under the word to give notice that I might have mistyped a word

    3) The key important aspect of language is communication so we should be as offended by loosing/losing as we are to any misspelling, or instead consider why it occurs and if we can still understand what is being stated.
  • Reply 60 of 62
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    solipsismy wrote: »
    1) It's a typoo. People aren't deliberately trying to spell incorrectly unless they are trying to be funny or making some other point.

    2) Mac OS [en] doesn't see loosing as incorrect so there is no red squiggles under the word to give notice that I might have mistyped a word

    3) The key important aspect of language is communication so we should be as offended by loosing/losing as we are to any misspelling, or instead consider why it occurs and if we can still understand what is being stated.

    The funny thing is that the 'loosing' for 'losing' isn't just one poster. It's several of them, and this is the only place I see it happen. Relic always writes defiantly for definitely, but it's only her. It hasn't spread like an infection to other posters.
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