[ Date Index ] [ Thread Index ] [ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]
On 04/11/11 08:36, Anthony Williams wrote: > > I am quite disturbed about this. The idea of getting rid of paper and > pen in the classroom, and replacing textbooks with internet access is > just daft. Doesn't sound that daft to me. It will be the environment in which they live and work when older. > Firstly, how are children supposed to learn neat handwriting, proper > spelling and so forth if they type everything? Hopefully by that age they can write already. Computers still need spelling, indeed I'm always worried by the number of misspelt electronic documents I get - but then I think many devices do this worse than GNU/Linux. > Secondly, if they are going to do all their work on the iPad, then how > are they going to stop the pupils spending all day on facebook? I'm guessing quite easily. Or at least no worse than kids messing around in other ways, it'll no doubt be proxied and logged. > Also, an iPad doesn't have the best UI for actually creating stuff > rather than consuming it; a real keyboard is much better than the > on-screen one, for example. This would be my biggest worry. I've just been going over iOS4 mobile safari, and it is totally inappropriate. It had no support for "contenteditable" or "file upload" which would completely stymie use of many 3rd party websites for training like Moodle. No doubt one can install a "proper browser" but it isn't a good sign. I think iOS 5 addresses some of these issues but I'd want to see it. Android Browser for example claims contenteditable support, but you wouldn't want to use it to edit anything on a regular basis. I think the doc has a proper keyboard but are parents going to be expected to supply that at home? -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq