Comments on iPads in action

• iPads in the field at FIU
• Posted by Francisco Valines , Director of Financial Aid at Florida International University on September 9, 2010 at 7:30am EDT

• We have just completed a very successful Fall Peak using iPads to expand our ability to assist students. We used them with our "Concierge" service, where cross trained staff in Enrolllment Services, (Admissions, Financial Aid, and Registrar) were equipped with an iPad and were placed strategically on the same floor as our service offices ( same as listed plus Bursar, and Cashiers).

  Concierge Staff were able to assist students with simple tasks such as checking their Financial Aid, class schedules, and student account. They also completed more complex tasks such as changing a student's major, residency classification, adjusting a financial aid award, and logging in documents that students were turning in. In addition we used iPads in the Financial Aid Office to expand the number of staff able to assist students during the busiest times of day.

  Having spend several hours a day myself using an iPad to assist students I am very satisfied with how it worked. We utilize one of the major Administrative Software Suites that is completely web based and the iPad worked beautifully. Our building is on the campus wireless network and other than a few times when the whole network bogged down there were no problems.

  I'm already thinking about sending staff equipped with iPads to the areas where students congregate during next semester's peak period to further expand our ability to assist.

  As an FYI this comment was written on an iPad.

• Posted by Steve Foerster on September 9, 2010 at 8:15am EDT

• This hype-laden post makes it sound like Apple invented the tablet. They didn't. There were tablets long before Apple developed one, and there are many, many more on the way.

• Apple invention
• Posted by Bryon Grigsby , Senior Vice President and VPAA at Shenandoah University on September 9, 2010 at 10:15am EDT

• Yes, it is true that Apple didn't invent the tablet--they didn't invent the MP3 Player, either. They made both usable and marketed it well. They are doing the same thing for the tablet that they did for the MP3 Player. That is Apple's genius.

• Loving the iPad
• Posted by Kristen Abell , Associate Director of Residential Life at UMKC on September 9, 2010 at 10:15am EDT

• First of all - I just want to address the comment about iPad love - maybe this post does glorify the iPad. I'm sure people would love to hear about the other viable tablet alternatives that are on the market at this point. Except that currently, the iPad is the most versatile and user-friendly one out there. I'm sure when other alternatives become available, we can consider using those as well.

  Although I haven't adopted the iPad for departmental use yet, I do personally own one, and I love it. It has cut down on my use of paper dramatically, and that alone I think makes it worth it. It is great for social media use, and I use it for taking notes as well as a referral source for other documents, sites, etc. in meetings. I LOVE the idea of somehow being able to use this (or the iPhone) for resident check-ins in the halls. And on-site advising is a spectacular use of this (and makes me think it's something we need to consider as we look toward creating a new student success center on our campus).

  Plus, right now, it's just a great way to get students and faculty/staff talking to me - they're all interested in seeing it.

• Tablet Envy!
• Posted by Michell Jaworski , Residence Life at Winthrop University on September 9, 2010 at 10:15am EDT

• Loved the video! Such a neat way to use the device (given that the battery holds out for all of that).

  I do have some ipad/tablet envy and would love to get my hands on one! You and Ed are really selling me on some awesome technology! First the Droid X and now the iPad!

• Posted by midwest prof on September 9, 2010 at 12:00pm EDT

• I thought the iPad was considered a slate, not a tablet. It doesn't come with a stylus to write on it (at least the one I was lent) and lacks input capability.

  After using it for a week I concluded two things: (1) it looks and sounds great and (2) it's a money pit: want to read a book? That costs $. Want to see a video? That costs $. Want an interesting app? Those cost $. Want to connect to the internet? That costs $. Heck, to use my own home's wi-fi, I had to download and install a trial software package that, in a few months, would begin charging me. Want to input audio? Can't do it. Want to type something? Well, you can do it, but the keyboard won't behave the way you expect it to. In short, while it's light and portable, it's designed to consume and display material, not generate it. It also consumes a lot more $ than a real tablet would.

  Oh, it also wouldn't run things I often use because they utilize Flash. And the "Look Inside" previewing feature available at amazon.com didn't behave. If I was prepared to spend a lot of money and completely change the way I worked, then it would be fine. Real tablets don't force that to happen.

• Tablet to Ipad
• Posted by Harri Williams , Director at TRIO/SSS on September 9, 2010 at 1:45pm EDT

• I agree with Steve that tablets have been around for awhile. But never were we able to envision or utilize them in the way that Apple has made it possible. One of the things that the iPad has that is different from tablets are applications (apps) that provide higher ed users greater adaptability in providing services to students.

  My area is using iPads for our academically at-risk students. They are being given an iPad to use to help them study more effectively. Apps like Dragon Speak, iBooks, and Evernote allow them the flexibility to get things done while they are mobile, that they previously could only do while fixed to a space. Dragon speak, for example allows them English Language Learners to write a paper by speaking the words in their normal voice. Their words are dictated into a document that they can save. They can then take that dictation to the writing center and get assistance with corrections in grammar and sentence structure and walk away with a fairly strong paper. This can be done so quickly-and would normally take them hours to accomplish. We also can use the iPad for GRE and LSAT prep since there are apps that support that. The flexibility, ease and simplicity of the iPad is helping our students succeed.

  I am a Mac fan for life and can't wait to see what else they put out!!

• Misconceptions
• Posted by Non-Luddite on September 9, 2010 at 5:45pm EDT

• I am definitely not an Apple apologetic as I prefer PCs and find them easier to use. However I have found my iPad to be extremely useful for my job, on campus, at conferences and presenting. It's also useful for media consumption which is its strongest feature ;-)

  I have only purchased a couple of apps. However I have downloaded and tested a number of free ones. Out of some 60 currently on my iPad, only 3 are paid apps, Keynote, Pages, and Expedition. Expedition is a browser (for under a buck) that allows me to use the VGA adapter to use a monitor or projector to show websites, something that you can't do with the version of Safari loaded on the iPad. I have loaded a number of free books both downloaded and imported as PDFs as well as papers and reports into iBooks. I find it much easier thatn sorting through piles of paper or trying to read the same on a computer screen. I've loaded videos, audios, and music via iTunes at no cost to myself as well as podcasts and the like. I also access our LMS through it both through the browser and the Bb app.

  As for creating content? Yes, it is lacking in that ability. The on screen keyboard takes some getting used to. The lack of haptic feedback is definitely a limiting factor to typing speed as I have to look at the screen and can't just touch type. However as I've just added a light weight, portable blutooth keyboard, that is no longer as much of an issue. With the built in microphone you can record as well as use Dragon for iPad for dictation. My next purchase is probably a stylus to improve some aspects of input and writing notes.

  I had no problems with the wifi being recognized and connecting anywhere that I have been. The only problem with my home network was remembering where I put my password to log in. There were some tweaks required to connect on campus, but haven't had any problems since. It has also worked fine at fast food joints, restaurants, rest areas, etc.

  Is it the perfect tool? No. Will some of the new tablets do a better job? Perhaps. I would like to view Flash, but am not yet ready to jailbreak the iPad. But I do like the size of the screen and I do have 3G although live in an area that is a black hole. Although not far away there is Edge coverage which is fast enough for email and normal browsing.