District Administration - June 2012 - (Page 67)

that the tablet can connect to. Like Google, Canadian-based CDI Computers, which sells refurbished PCs, notebooks and LCDs to U.S. and Canadian school districts, is taking on the tablet manufacturers with its Uno Book. COO Erez Pikar says that the tablet is designed for education, with USB functionality, optional Bluetooth or USB keyboard and a rugged case. Tablet models by many of the major hardware manufacturers continue to evolve rapidly, offering new features and capabilities with each new iteration. For a sampling of tablets currently being marketed to education and recommended by contributors to this article, see the chart on page 61. Going Forward with Tablets The ideal Classroom device Cameron Evans, Microsoft’s education chief information officer, doesn’t so much see the future holding a single device for one-to-one connections in classrooms, but what he terms “a richly connected ecosystem of learning devices, apps and services that are smart and aware of each other.” For tablets, natively designed for consumers, not schools, to fulfill their potential in education, Evans says, they need to provide an interoperable experience across the device, cloud services, and existing school assets, such as hardware and instructional and management software. If students want to connect their tablets to a USB microscope for biology class, it should work without special accessories. As far as an ideal device goes, Evans says that is yet to come, but among the essential elements it would include are a high-resolution screen for easy reading, and a range of accessibility features. “I would recommend a device that adapts quickly to a student’s choice of engagement, be it touch first, stylus based, speech recognition, handwriting recognition, or the venerable mouse and keyboard. Additionally, text to speech, language translation, and speech recognition are critical.” For district administrators considering implementing tablets, Casap, Evans, Wilson and others advise that you are first clear about your goals and then work back from there to determine what device best suits your needs. Beyond that, Casap and Buckleitner advise district leaders who are aiming for a one-to-one environment to take it slow, start small and do the research through print and online journals and YouTube reviews. Considering the number of tablets on the market, it is difficult to remember that multitouch tablet technology has only been available for less than two years, says Buckleitner. With three iterations of the iPad already launched in that time, it seems a safe bet that users can count on new models with new features. “We are at a great time for tablet-style devices and so many more form factors in education,” says Cameron Evans, education chief information officer for Microsoft. “I am confident that with technology we can increase the human potential for teaching and learning beyond any previous generation.” Echoing the sentiments of Wilson and others, Evans says that the tablet should be about empowering the individual student and supporting robust, creative work. “If I’m a student and I want to write a novel, compose a score, program a robot, build an app, edit a 36-megapixel photo, or produce a film—my imagination should be the limit, not the capacity of the device.” DA Susan McLester is a contributing writer to District Administration. A Fast Track University’s Executive Ed.D. Program: Traditional Ed.D. Why more administrators have chosen Seton Hall • National/International Reputation • Dissertation Starts on Day One • Cohort Model of 30 Students • Intensive 2-year program: 10 Weekends, Two 4 week Summer sessions. • Personal Care and Support For more information, call 1-800-313-9833, email execedd@shu.edu, or go to www.shu.edu/go/execedd. “The knowledge and skills acquired at Seton Hall and the network of cohort colleagues were essential elements to my career advancement.” Jason E. Glass, Ed.D. ’11 Iowa’s State Director (Commissioner) of Education Now Accepting Applications for Cohort XVII www.DistrictAdministration.com June 2012 67 http://www.shu.edu/go/execedd http://www.shu.edu/go/execedd http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - June 2012

District Administration - June 2012
Contents
From the Editor
News update
Arts update
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Geography Ed for a Flat World
Her Own Brand of Education Reform
Finding a Cure for Senioritis
Principals as Instructional Leaders
CIO news
One Tablet Per Child?
Changing Lives With Assistive Technology
Going Mobile
Student Counsel
New Directions
Product Focus
New Products
Online Edge

District Administration - June 2012