On Tuesday, I handed out the iPads to my students, and today we set out to download the textbook, apps, and run through how to use some of the apps for the course. I was nervous about today (so much so that I woke up before my alarm, which rarely happens) because I was certain that there were going to be unexpected problems. First thing, I had a student who brought in his laptop because iTunes wouldn't install (for some unknown reason), so he couldn't use his iPad the whole term (we couldn't figure out the problem).
I'll try to be brief here and run through some of the problems and what I learned today:
I guess I failed to be brief. After today, I'm kind of frustrated, but also excited and eager for the rest of the term. I gave my students the following assignments over the weekend: 1) set up SugarSync and make sure they can access course documents; 2) set up their email on the iPad; 3) write their planning worksheet for the assignment and email it to me; 4) read a chapter out of the textbook in the iBooks app; 5) write a blog post about their experiences using the iPad over the first week.
In a way, I'm feeling like this guy, who thinks the iPad might make a better coaster than computing device:
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I'll try to be brief here and run through some of the problems and what I learned today:
- The app store and iBookstore only really work on the PSU network—and not on the VPN pennstate wireless network. When we started class, I had students who had not set up wireless at all get help from a peer while I tried to troubleshoot the iTunes problem with the one student. After that, we discovered as a class that the VPN connection was not going to work with the App Store, so as a class we went through how to set up the PSU wireless network.
- The iPads were slow while downloading apps or connecting to the app store or bookstore. This became a problem for a number of students, and we had a lot of wait time. I imagine this was a combination of the wireless network and the iPad. I found the best solution was usually to shut off the iPad fully, and restart it. Connectivity was much quicker after that.
- It's best to add gift cards before trying to download free apps—this way iTunes does not ask for credit card information.
- The app store charges tax, depending on what address you put as your billing address (so New York charges more tax than Pennsylvania, for example). We had planned that students would have $2 left over on their gift cards, but they wound up with somewhere less than 63 cents.
- The process of downloading apps and the book can be time consuming, but I think it's worth taking up time in class for it to make sure everyone has everything they need. This means we're pushing back due dates a day because I had hoped to spend about half the period going over aspects of their first paper and how to use the apps for it. Next term, devoting an entire day to just tinkering with and getting apps and such will probably be important.
- The iPad requires Mac OS 10.5.8 or higher, which I hadn't anticipated. I surveyed students at the start of the term and was only concerned about students who didn't own computers at all (they're using friends' or roommates' computers). However, I had at least two students who had Macs older than 10.5.8 who couldn't upgrade because of hardware concerns or because it costs money to upgrade to 10.6.
- If we continue to use SugarSync for next term, we'll need more clear directions on how to set it up (logging in for the first time, making sure students download the application on a desktop or laptop computer, etc.)
- Some exciting news: a few students showed initiative and had already set up their Mail on the iPad. This was awesome.
I guess I failed to be brief. After today, I'm kind of frustrated, but also excited and eager for the rest of the term. I gave my students the following assignments over the weekend: 1) set up SugarSync and make sure they can access course documents; 2) set up their email on the iPad; 3) write their planning worksheet for the assignment and email it to me; 4) read a chapter out of the textbook in the iBooks app; 5) write a blog post about their experiences using the iPad over the first week.
In a way, I'm feeling like this guy, who thinks the iPad might make a better coaster than computing device:
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
These entries are fascinating... in what other ways are students beginning to use the device? I'm surprised only one has found email so far.
More than one has set up email. I know at least three had after less than 48 hours with the iPad (one less than an hour and a half after they got it). I don't really know how else they're using it yet — I know one student already has Netflix downloaded. There's definitely a wide variety of familiarity and comfort with the device — from having it set up within minutes to struggling to even get it to sync with iTunes correctly (which is largely a problem with the computers and not their iPad use specifically). We'll see what else they do as the course goes on!