Some of my 2 cents and gather your thoughts....

You will find quite a bit of comparative information throughout this blog.... read those pages first.  Then, come back here, read my musings and let me know your thoughts!  Below, I will post a few different comparisons between the different OS available for tablets and then my overall opinion.  I look forward to hearing yours!

My first opinion:  Big, heavy, wayyyyyyy over-priced and with a battery-life of about 4 hours, the Windows tablet is the immediate loser.  Like, it didn't even get out of the starting gate before it fell down and had to be carted off the track in an ambulance.  That's just how I feel.  So, since I own this blog, I will move on to the other two, more worthy, candidates: iOS and Android.

Grab a cup of coffee, get cozy and listen to these guys compare the tablets in this podcast.  They are great, and it has tons of information and ideas as well:
The State of Tech

Ok... still with me?  Here is a nice little discussion with varying view points.

And, a fascinating report called Learning Untethered, where a class of fifth graders were given individual tablets and set loose with unlimited internet access.

My opinion?  I opt for the Android.  I am excited to see what Google Play for Education unveils this fall.  I worry with using the iOS that students with Android devices will not be able to access some of the features.  I feel that the iPad some students may have for BYOD will be more likely to have an Apple version of certain apps than the other way around.  I like the variety of tablets available for the Android system... the price range is wide and I think there are far more options available.  Maybe I have a bit of a sweet tooth and am swayed by the Android OS names.... My thoughts may change after Google Play for Education is released, but, for now, these are my thoughts.

Just how much is too much?

So, here, we have the Amplify Tablet.  Reading this particular guy's blog makes this thing out to be sunshine and rainbows.  And according to Amplify, this tablet is next best thing since sliced bread!! Just listen to what it can do!!

Soooo.....  what is wrong with the Amplify platform?  Well, it seems like it will force schools to use the Amplify tablet to access this software.  I rooted around and did not see a software only package.  The tablet is reasonably priced, but the memberships are expensive and it kills the BYOD possibility.  

Furthermore, it takes away the student's ownership of good behavior and the learning of digital citizenship.  Some people are so worried about what students will access with a WiFi or LTE enabled device.  Well, folks, life is full of temptations and we won't be there to hold their hands forever.  They need to LEARN how to focus and stay on task.  They need to learn how to make good choices on their own.  Personally, having an "Eyes Up Front!" message flash on the student's screen is a little creepy to me.  And lock-down?  Really?  It's no different and no more innovative than the archaic teacher-leading-the-class philosophy we are trying to leave behind. 

On a positive note, I do love the quick quizzes you can push out and the attendance feature, but I'm willing to bet I can find those elsewhere.  Overall, it is too much of an Orwellian dystopia for my tastes.... 

Bringing Creativity to Life with Tablets

Tablets, such as the iPad or the many new Windows or Android-driven pads, can be implemented in instruction to bring creativity into the classroom.  Both the Common Core State Standards and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills are calling for massive increases in critical thinking and problem solving .  Certainly, these two skills require creativity.  There exists a number of incredible apps for the iPad and other tablets that will help students boost their creativity skills.  Lagwitches offers an excellent chart showing many apps and where they fall on Bloom's Taxonomy.  With tablets, students can create stories, books, movies, presentations, cartoons, audio files and more.  Students' creativity will open their minds to be able to accomplish the complex tasks of problem solving and critical thinking.  However, with so many hardware and software choices out there today, where does the teacher even begin to look?  Prepare for the Tablet OS Wars!!!

Sources: 

http://langwitches.org/blog/2012/03/31/ipad-apps-and-blooms-taxonomy/

http://www.corestandards.org/

http://www.p21.org/

Sure tablets can expand creativity in the classroom.... but which one do we use?!?!

This blog space will go beyond exploring the possibilities of expanding student learning with the implementation of tablets; by now, many of us have figured some of that out.  Rather, this space will highlight the best each of the three main operating systems (Apple, Andriod, or Windows) has to offer and will crown a champion (in my most humble opinion).  May the best tablet win....