# iPad ideas from the Suthard family carpool



## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

We had a great discussion about this on the way to school this morning. One of the iPhone/iTouch apps we love to use is called Whiteboard. It uses bluetooth to let all five of us scribble, write, and draw on the same whiteboard at the same time from our devices. It's fun and cool. Well at schools now they have these great gadgets called smartboards, which are like projectors hooked to a teacher's computer. Wouldn't it be amazing if the smartboards at school were hooked to the teacher's iPad and all the students used their iPads to contribute to the whiteboard? They'd all be connected via bluetooth. And better yet, they could have their color textbooks available right there on their iBook app as well. They could update their planners using iCal, do their homework with Pages, there's no end to the possibilities. And best of all, no huge rolling backpacks with 35 pounds of gear carried around all day long. 

My boys are in 5th and 6th grades now and we're in the process of looking at different schools for them to attend next year, so we've been seeing some creative teaching styles a lot lately. Almost makes me want to gift the 7th grade class with a room full just to encourage the school to try it out -- really, they're so affordable it's actually a possibility! 

Of course the sticking points would be getting the textbooks actually online and affordable for the schools to get.


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## Magenta (Jun 6, 2009)

I think there is a huge market for text books on the iPad... more so than for the DX. This is the key area where Apple can out compete Amazon.

Remember Apple put their product in schools back in the beginning.  Putting the low cost models of iPad in schools would open up a world of opportunity.


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## gavipb (Dec 21, 2009)

I am really intrigued by this idea. It reminds me of how the schools in the future work in the sci-fi books I've read. My daughter is only 15 mos old so, hopefully they will technology like this will be in place when she is in school.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

I think one major problem would be the breakage rate


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## jason10mm (Apr 7, 2009)

I think an electronic device like the ipad is a bit much for younger students, but it is undoubtedly being marketed to college students where personal responsibility for the device can be a bit more clearly delineated.

I think secondary schools, and especially elementary schools, will always rely on DTBs because the broad range of economic situations at home make handing out expensive electronics unfeasible. While the books may be more $$$ in the long run, the individual replacement costs are significantly less.

I would say that kids could use ipad like devices that stay in the school, but they still need a way to do homework and a PC at home can not be guaranteed.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

The breakage concerned me, too, but kids are better than we realize sometimes. The school we interviewed with yesterday distributes laptops in 4th grade and the kids use them as long as they last. They said they don't have many issues with drops, etc., and that fits with what I've heard from parents as well. If they use the Apple cases and carry them in a padded bag, I don't think it would be too difficult.

My daughter even suggested that they have indentations in their desks for the iPads to fit into; my boys thought that each desk should have iPad keyboard docks. Either way, there is some level of protection for them.

And of course the sleeves, skins, covers, and cases will be coming just as soon as they can! Woohoo!


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## rho (Feb 12, 2009)

hsuthard said:


> My daughter even suggested that they have indentations in their desks for the iPads to fit into; my boys thought that each desk should have iPad keyboard docks. Either way, there is some level of protection for them.
> 
> And of course the sleeves, skins, covers, and cases will be coming just as soon as they can! Woohoo!


Your kids have GREAT ideas --


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

hsuthard said:


> The breakage concerned me, too, but kids are better than we realize sometimes. The school we interviewed with yesterday distributes laptops in 4th grade and the kids use them as long as they last. They said they don't have many issues with drops, etc., and that fits with what I've heard from parents as well. If they use the Apple cases and carry them in a padded bag, I don't think it would be too difficult.
> 
> My daughter even suggested that they have indentations in their desks for the iPads to fit into; my boys thought that each desk should have iPad keyboard docks. Either way, there is some level of protection for them.
> 
> And of course the sleeves, skins, covers, and cases will be coming just as soon as they can! Woohoo!


You and your kids are thinking like my husband and I have been thinking.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Ok, now I'm intrigued. I'll have to look at this whiteboard app too. I homeschool. Maybe I could figure the ipad into our education budget  although to make it really work, I'd need at least 2....


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

Great ideas, too bad I have no homeschoolers left in the house. Kids all grown up now.


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