The
iPad: What is it?
Steve Jobs believed in the innovative
capabilities of the iPad which he worked some 27 years to create (http://lifelibertytech.com/2012/10/02/the-lost-steve-jobs-speech-from-1983-foreshadowing-wireless-networking-the-ipad-and-the-app-store/).
The iPad, sold and marketed by Apple, is a computer in tablet size and form
which utilizes software and apps bought in the App Store (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad).
Through the use of the iPad the world is
literally at our fingertips. It mobilizes people so that they can be a part of
their lives happening around them yet connected to technology and the world
with just the touch of a screen.
With icons housed on the opening screen
for ease of access the iPad user is capable of checking email, browsing the
web, or utilizing an app. These icons can be changed or removed through the use
of the touch screen technology. iPad’s use Wi-Fi which allows for ease of use
nearly anywhere these days.
I personally am not one to use Wikipedia
for my information but the website does have an interesting comparison of the
different generations of iPad’s in case you are interested in this data (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad).
According to JD Power and Associates
Apple ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Tablets” (http://www.apple.com/ipad/why-ipad-retina/).
Interesting facts from the Apple website are:
- 81% of tablet web traffic comes from iPad
- 95% Fortune 500 companies are piloting or deploying the iPad
- 65% U.S. school districts are piloting or deploying the iPad
With more than 300,000 Apps, a 10 hour
battery life, up to 128 GB of storage, face time, video recording, wireless
capabilities, and Siri as your assistant – the iPad can allow you to work from
home, keep your kids busy, or become your personal assistant all with the touch
of the screen (http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/).
Apple “focused on the big picture, but never lost sight of the details” which
is a concept important to most people who invest in a tablet or computer (http://www.apple.com/ipad/design/).
The iPad has 5 generations and the “latest
iPad cements its position at the head of the tablet pack” (http://www.reviews.cnet.com/ipad-3/).
As someone who has often contemplated whether or not to invest in an iPad,
after reading the reviews I am still not completely on board with the iPad.
Using
the iPad in My Leadership Position
While I am the team leader for a group
of instruction my leadership mostly surrounds being a leader for my nursing
students. The iPad could be used in nursing education as a resource for
students in terms of medications and procedures – such as Lippincott’s newest
app which allows for procedures and skills to be accessed without the use of Wi-Fi
(http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ipad-app-lippincotts-nursing-procedures-133000874.html).
Instead of having to carry (or drag) a
bag of books to and from clinical and class students could utilize the iPad to
download their books through the use of iBooks or as a download from the book
publisher. In doing so the students would not only have the books in one place
but the iPad’s compact size would help to save their backs from injury – an issue
which plagues the nursing profession.
For me the iPad would likely be useful
in keeping my schedule and tasks all in one specific place. I find myself going
between my paper planner and my iPhone calendar to mark important dates rather
than using one method and in doing so I run the risk of missing important
meetings or deadlines. With an iPad I could sync my calendars between it and my
iPhone. The iPad is more mobile and could prove to be useful in team meetings
to display charts, graphs, or other items for discussion.
Downsides
to the iPad
The downsides in terms of my students utilizing
the iPad is the dependence factor – using the iPad for the internet or Apps
related to healthcare does not necessarily teach the student to think
critically on their feet. However, it does allow them to find answers to
virtually any question they might come to ponder. For instance, if while in the
clinical setting a student needed to research the effects of a drug on the body
he could access that information through the use of an iPad.
For students who learn better by
physically holding a book in their hands and highlighting information – those who
need more tangible and less mobile – an iPad may be detrimental to their
learning. I am one of those students who prefer to hold the book in my hands,
highlight key areas to return to, and write notes in the margins. For me, a
tangible book is important. With my increasing dependence on the web for school,
work, and life the switch to the iPad is becoming more of a reality by the day.
Only apps from the App store can be
purchased for use with the iPad (http://gizmodo.com/5458382/8-things-that-suck-about-the-ipad)
which is similar to the Kindle Fire for which apps are bought exclusively from
Amazon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindle_Fire).
Possibly the biggest downside? Price.
For the newest version you could spend $500 or more for an iPad. While the pros
seem to outweigh the cons money can be hard to come by these days. Even if your
budget did allow for the $500 or greater expenditure you would need to be sure
the iPad is the right fit for your technological needs (http://www.geekosystem.com/ipad-pros-and-cons-specs-features/).
Top 100 Tools for Learning 2012
In reviewing the “Top 100 Tools for
Learning 2012” YouTube and Prezi resonate most with me (http://c4lpt.co.uk/top100tools/). YouTube
is used daily by my nursing students whether to review a clinical skill or to
be entertained with a nursing rap or catchy tune. As ‘Death by PowerPoint’
continues to loom all around us I see Prezi stepping in and taking over as a
fun and creative way to teach didactic content. Research could be done
utilizing the same information from a PowerPoint presentation in a Prezi
presentation to see if the content is comprehended in the same manner with either
form of presentation. Students and faculty could be surveyed on their usage of
YouTube and whether they see it as an effective tool for learning in nursing.
I appreciated your comment about actual books vs books on an iPAD. I find I read faster on the iPAD but when I am using a book for teaching I much prefer the real thing. As this is my first class, I wasn't sure for school so I order hard copies.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you found in nursing there were applications were the visuals exceeded what was possible in a text book. I have an app of the brain on my iPAD that I downloaded so a friend could see it. I can get some great visualizes of different systems in the brain on it. I also have an app with Bible maps and the quality is better and there is more I can do with it than with the maps in my study Bible. Both are better on the third generation iPAD with retina display than on the first generation.
Just something I thought would be interesting to think about.
Mary-Elise,
DeleteThere are definitely pictures (and obviously animations) which are better visualized on the iPad or computer screen. For example, a picture of a heart in a textbook is just that - a picture. A heart in animation on a computer screen can show how the blood pumps through the heart and where it is pumped to after leaving the heart. This can help make the information learned in the textbook much easier to understand for students. Although I have never used an iPad I work with several peers who use one and love how real the pictures/animations are - for me it is definitely worth checking the technology out!
Thanks for your post!
Sarah
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your wonderful description of iPad, its abilities, and your concerns with it.
I am new to Apple Products, having just up graded to an iPhone and a MacBook for this program. My wife and children have been Apple converts for a long time.
My wife purchased her iPad 1 a while ago and it has been a useful tool for her to be able to do all the connectivity with her friends, entertain herself with games and books, and most of all e-tailing.
The portability has come in quite handy when we were on the road visiting and seeing the sites. It allowed us to stay in touch without the bulkiness of the laptop.
But beyond that I have not seen the added benefits from a work or school perspective. Like you, I love the feel of a book in my hand and the ease of flipping back and forth to make sure i have caught the thread of discussion.
Using the iPad for this is painful for me and many other I know. I assume I could learn to use the iPad and the apps for this if pushed.
I have many young students that are savvy on how to make the iPad and tablets sing this way and are always clamoring for us to provide them the text in electronic format for their iPads. I hope someday I can do that.
As for apps, I am sure there are some out there that help the reader use the iPad just like a textbook with the highlighting and note taking features. I do know that Adobe Acrobat Pro allows you to highlight text and insert comments and have used it at work but for me it is still laborious.
I do consider myself progressive and that you can teach old dogs new tricks. I hope that one day I can incorporate a tool like iPad into my every day activities at school, home and work.
Marc
Marc,
DeleteI completely understand your issues with the iPad. There are people out there who swear by the iPad and believe they could not live life without it. The more you utilize your iPhone and Mac the easier the iPad should become since they use the same technology. My husband keeps asking me if I want an iPad or a Kindle Fire and I cannot see many differences between the two. I am not sure if I think I would enjoy the use of a tablet or if I am simply succumbing to the changing times! I personally still enjoy the bigger screen of my laptop - it may be heavier to lug around but it does what I need it to do! Maybe some day people like you and I will get on board with the iPad - I would love to be able to try one out before I buy one! At least then I could determine if it is a good fit for my professional and personal life.
Thank you for your response, Marc!
~Sarah
Hi Sara,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post on the IPAD. One of the challenges we face at our institution regarding nursing education is educating our students on a variety of different platforms of electronic medical records. In one particular case, a group of our clinical nurses explored strategies for downloading templates of the electronic medical record system for a particular hospital onto the IPAD to orient students to the new software. However, this turned out to be less effective and more cumbersome than the nurse educators originally intended. As a nurse educator, have you found any tools that assist students in transitioning to the hospital setting? How does the clinical or hospital setting balance confidentiality with open source software tools? Can any tools be used both in the classroom as well as in the clinical setting? How do you balance security issues in these distinctly different environments?
At the risk of starting a debate on the merits of the iPad versus other tablets, I want to share our institutions recent purchase of several Microsoft Surface tablets. This particular tool contrasts with the IPAD in several key ways. First it has a USB port which allows for external storage. Second, it runs very compatibly with all the Microsoft products, thus allowing me to immediately sync between my desktop and the portable tablet. Further, being able to access the excel, word and powerpoint documents with ease strengthens the effectiveness of this tool as a productive business tablet, rather than a tool largely relied upon for entertainment, mail correspondence and other personal activities. Finally, the built in keyboard allows the user to increase the frequency and accuracy of typed correspondence (at least for me!). While the iPad is a sleek device for entertainment, its actual work applications are fairly modest relative to the surface. Thus, in my opinion, for professional work, the surface provides a much more productive technology interface.
Thanks for your thoughtful comments on the iPad.
Amy Novak
Amy,
DeleteThank you for your response! In regards to the Microsoft Surface tablets I can see how having a USB port for external storage might come in handy! The ease of use with the compatibility with Microsoft products definitely does not hurt its case either. I will definitely look into this tablet before I make a decision on which one to purchase.
To answer your questions - the hospital setting/clinical for student purposes maintains confidentiality quite easily as students do not use iPad/iPhone/camera in clinical. There are a handful of students who have used an iPad in clinical but they are only allowed to use them in the break room so their actions cannot be misconstrued. An example - we had a student who was in a patient's room for a dressing change. The patient asked the student to take a picture with the patient's phone. The student obliged. A nurse walking by the room merely saw the student taking a picture, jumped to conclusions, and the student was in trouble. It was not until an investigation was done that it was uncovered that it was the patient's cell phone and not the students. Also with the posting of inappropriate pictures on Facebook we as a faculty do not allow the use of electronic devices on the units. This is mainly how we balance security issues. I print out a copy of the electronic medication administration record for my students at clinical but ensure they are in the shredder before leaving the hospital - as taking patient information out of the hospital carries a hefty fine.
The iPad could be used in both the classroom and the clinical settings for researching normal lab values, medications, disease processes, and treatment options. After researching the iPad I could see how a tablet would really boost the amount of knowledge we could impart on our students.
Thanks again for your response!
Sarah
Oh Amy how we could debate Apple vs. Microsoft, but I will go in a different direction! I am a 5th generation iPad and MacBook user. I went Mac and never looked back. The dual processing system on the notebook and Microsoft compatibility tools, make it a win-win.
ReplyDeleteThe iPad for me has revolutionized my work and personal life. I go to the gym at 4:30 a.m. I have kept up on the morning news found in the Chronicle, Inside HigherEd, and read the Omaha sports page before my husband has realized I was gone. The ability for me to consume information on the iPad is very different than a device that includes a keyboard. I can also capture video and photos of my kids at sporting events, etc. while doing a little email between goals!
In my professional life I use a keyboard in meetings to take notes. I use EverNote by the way. I am able to easily take notes, jot down to-dos, and still have a tool that is very portable. I also use Dropbox to access documents and have an app called Logmein to access my computer back in my office if I need to. My email, found on a Microsoft Exchange server, is compatible. I also have the Mac/iPad version of the Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on my iPad.
This next year Creighton is "recommending" all undergraduates have a MacBook and iPad. Even the Nursing School. I think the number of apps available and the access to data is seen as a benefit in all areas and academic units. It will be interesting to see how these are integrated. As more high schools include these devices in the curriculum, we as leaders in higher education will be required to find ourselves adapting to what the market needs and wants, both pre- and post-enrollment.
As an Enrollment professional Apple and the iPad have a certain "coolness" factor beyond just the functionality. Be little it as you may, but putting students in the classrooms is what pays the bills and sometimes cool doesn't hurt! Regardless of your opinion on that factor, as leaders, do you think integrating a solid technological tool into curriculum is a bad idea to gain on the "cool" factor in attracting students? Because there was academic gains by making this move, Creighton developed the recommendation. We in Enrollment Management simply felt some of the runoff in the fact that this is a tool students like!
Nice evaluation of the tool Sarah! I don't know that I could have presented such an unbiased analysis. Clearly from my post it doesn't appear probable.
Mary,
DeleteFavorite part of your response: "I went Mac and never looked back." It would be great to be able to use the iPad in the gym to keep up with news or to be at a function and still access email. That is what makes the tablets such a good investment - they keep you in touch with the world and with your family while still allowing you to get some work done!
Is the Mac/iPad version of Microsoft Word the same layout as for the PC - in other words, does it work the same?
It is great Creighton is recommending all undergraduate students to use a Mac/iPad. Having all students on the same page with their technological tools could make life easier for faculty and students alike. We must adapt to the changing world around us in order to be of any assistance to our students using these devices.
"Cool" definitely does not hurt when it comes to keeping students in the seats!! Part of being innovative is finding technology which will keep students engaged and excited about the material - I am convinced the iPad could do just that! By adopting a solid technological tool into the curriculum could entice students more. However, for those students who are PC oriented it would be important for your school to have Mac/iPad training sessions before the students would be required to use them in class. In doing so it would allow students to feel more comfortable with the technology and less intimidated by it.
I believe the main reason I was able to present an unbiased view of the iPad is because I do not own a tablet - I was simply researching for which place to put my money. If I used an iPad every day it would have made it difficult to stay objective.
Thank you for your response and for your insight into how you utilize the iPad in your daily life!
Sarah
The version of Word or other Microsoft products works well for me. I can't remember when I made the transition if there were differences from the PC side, but if there were, I easily adapted. There are some characters available in the Mac version that I like as well as the ease of converting documents to PDF. The best part of using a Mac for me is that I have Fusion which allows me to work in a PC environment right on my Mac. I share files across the systems through Dropbox. It is the best of both worlds. I have not yet converted to downloading Apps for my computer. I don't know that Apps for the Mac have taken off like they have in the mobile environment.
DeleteOne item to take note of as you debate between an iPad or other devise, the Apps you have come to appreciate on your iPhone will become your favorites on the iPad. My son has a NOOK and it is frustrating that the Apps don't cross platforms. Oh well! Lesson learned.
Thanks for the heads up in regards to the apps not crossing platforms! That is definitely good to know when making such a big decision!
DeleteSome comments here. I had an iPad 3 which met the concrete deck of the parking deck when it slipped out of my briefcase...so now I have an iPad 5. They are tough but not indestructable!
ReplyDeleteI find it is a great consumption device but not a replacement for a computer. If I am going to type much, I shift to my laptop or desktop. I do like that it syncs with my iPhone and for reading, I prefer the larger screen of the iPad over the iPhone. I have apps for reading and annotating PDFs, productivity apps, and I read the entire Hunger Games trilogy through my Nook app.
We are doing some interesting things with iPads and teaching at VCU. Our School of Education has a project where iPads were used to connect with autistic children. In the School of Arts, iPads are being used by faculty and students for Art History projects, archiving material in local museums. And our Mass Communication school outfitted budding journalists with iPads and they produced some amazing stories.
I like that Apple has some competition out there. While I enjoy my iPhone and iPad, I put up with my Mac Airbook and will not give up my PC desktops at both home and office. So it will be interesting to see if Microsoft can compete. In some ways, we are moving to a world where the device becomes less important than the app...and the app is available on multiple devices.
Britt,
DeleteThank you for your insight into your experiences with the iPad. I can clearly see how easy it would be to use the iPad for its apps, reading, syncing an iPhone, or checking emails. We are on the same page in terms of still needing a PC at home or work. I am not sure I could ever give up the actual computer on my desk. When we first moved to the country (2.5 years ago) we did not purchase the internet as you can only find satellite internet where we live. We literally just got internet service in February - so for class work I was having to go in early to the office or stay late and would have to check emails on my iPhone. The iPhone is a great tool and although years ago I said I would never go Apple I did and I love it, but you are right, the small screen makes it hard to read/email/search the web.
It is incredible how much VCU is incorporating the iPad into every day classes. I look to be transitioning to a university in the fall as opposed to the community college setting so I hope to incorporate technology more into my discussions with students. I really appreciate you pointing out that the device is less important than the ability to use apps on them - point well taken!
Thanks for your response!
Sarah
Sarah -
ReplyDeleteNice post. I find myself missing my iPad more and more every day since turning it over to my former employer (my new employer did not provide me with an iPad, but did give me an iPhone...I had both in KC).
While I agree with Britt that the iPad doesn't meet all the needs my laptop does (mainly projects and programs with a heavy influence of typing and research), it was certainly a useful tool. As I expect most everyone with a Smartphone does, I do lean on my mobile device for much of my work (email, appointments, memos, internet, social media, etc). For me, the iPad essentially replaced my iPhone. I found myself basically just texting and making phone calls on my iPhone after I received my iPad.
An interesting movement with phones/tablets...they're becoming more popular in the bedroom than TV (http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/20/tech/mobile/mobile-video-bedroom). Now that's a cultural shift!
-Josh
Josh,
DeleteThanks for your response! I too lean on my iPhone for most anything these days! It is interesting that tablets and phones are taking over the bedroom these days, replacing the television. That is a huge culture shift - thanks for sharing!
I am actually assigned to section one of the class, but I wanted to see who was in section two. I started looking through the blogs and found yours. It seems that our blogs this week have a lot in common. First, I didn’t even realize there was another nursing instructor in the class. An even bigger coincidence is that I reviewed Amazon Kindle this week. It seems we had to consider some of the same factors.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest benefit for me is that I don’t have to lug around 50-60 pounds worth of reference books. Most of the publishing companies have an electronic version of their books. I can take my Kindle Fire with me to clinicals, when I bring students to the hospital. I always have all of my print references on my Kindle along with anything I could want to access on the internet through Wi-Fi.
Since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 calls for healthcare facilities to use EHRs by 2015, I also have my student do electronic charting on Google documents that they submit to me by midnight on their clinical day. If they use their i-Pad or Kindle, they can do a majority of their paperwork as they go. Some of the other instructors at our school are still using paper for their clinical paperwork. But with the federal requirements for electronic charting I don’t see why they would want to switch to electronic charts.
One downside that I did notice would be that the risk for HIPAA violations with the use of EHRs. Since my students don’t use real names or room numbers on their paperwork, it’s not as much a risk for nursing school as it would be for a hospital that uses mobile devices. But the Department of Health and Human Services does have a publication on security and the use of mobile devices. This is usually something that I stress to students, as many of the facilities in our area are switching to i-Pads, Kindle Fire, or some other mobile device.
References:
US Department of Health and Human Services (2013) Guide to privacy and security of health information. In HealthIT.gov. Retrieved from http://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/privacy/privacy-and-security-guide.pdf
Edward,
DeleteVery excited to know there is a fellow nursing instructor aboard! I definitely will have to check out your blog as well to see what you had to say about the Kindle.
It is encouraging to know you are utilizing your Kindle in the clinical setting and that students are expected to use theirs for charting. We are still using paper charting (in a sense) in my semester (fundamentals) but I make my students submit it all to me electronically. We too shy away from using the patients name or room number so as to protect their rights through HIPAA.
I definitely see your point in regards to there being a potential issue with hospitals using these types of devices. I would think there would be security measures in place to protect the patient's information.
Thanks for posting!
Sarah
I find my iPad to be a critical tool for me. I use it just about all the time at home. At work, I try to steer away from it because I think it is important to be fully present (Yes, I could use it to take notes but with big hands, it really is easier to take them on a regular note pad). My point is that I agree with you that we have become overly dependent on ipads (and iphones for that matter). I cannot tell you how many meetings I am in, even with those outside my organization who would rather focus on their ipad or iphone then concentrate on a meeting or presentation. They clearly are not fully present. Where this can be controlled with my staff, I do. However, I do not set the ground rules for every meeting I am in.
ReplyDeleteAs leaders, I think it is important to set the tone and outline the ground rules for technology and its usage. I cannot tell you how many times I see someone send an email three cubes down because they would rather do that than talk to the person. The technologies are made to supplement and improve our communication, not serve as a replacement for it. Often, people seem to forget that.
Obviously, there is a role for technology. The key is finding a balance between its facility and usage, and how it affects our relationships with others that we work, live and engage with.
I completely agree it is important to find balance!! I too feel during meetings and interactions with students or other faculty I need to be present in the moment. If I am looking at my phone or computer I am not actively engaging in the conversation. I cannot multi-task in terms of doing, listening, and talking at the same time. It is nice to know I am not alone in this!
DeleteWhat is the ipad to me as a leader?
ReplyDeleteThe iPad I use is a 1st Generation iPad so that gives you a clear indication of how old mine is. I have gone back and forth on whether or not the iPad could be my one and only computing device. At the end of last year, I tried to make the iPad my sole device and it failed miserably. I could read files and make corrections, but I could not efficiently complete work on the iPad without a keyboard. Using the iPad for Microsoft Excel was such a chore that I had to go back to using a computer. However, by using the iPad and becoming accustomed to the screen size, I purchased a new smaller, sleeker looking computer. This computer is almost as light as the iPad so I now take the computer everywhere I go.
I still use my iPad to read and listen to books. This is where we differ. I actually prefer to read from an iPad compared to a book. I still highlight and take notes just like a normal book. The big difference for me is the fact that all of the books I need are right there in one place. This helps me stay organized.
The other ways I currently use my iPad include; reading the news, watching videos, playing games, and providing hours of entertainment for my daughters. It is amazing to watch 7 year olds maneuver their way around to find games or Apps, or to surf the net. It is hilarious for me to get up on the weekend and find my daughters playing on the iPad and then sometime later when it is my turn, I discover that they have done a Google search for Junie B. Jones. It is just amazing to me what they already know how to do.
At this point, I am not interested in going out and purchasing a new iPad for my profession. The 1st Generation iPad I currently own serves its’ purpose, but it does not help me become a better leader. I prefer to use a small, lightweight laptop that provides me with all of the hardware, software, and functionality to be successful. If there was ever a need to replace my iPad, I would do so by purchasing a Kindle or Nook. Based on my currently usage of the iPad, these devices would meet my needs and at a much lower cost.
While I may not purchase another iPad for myself, I would look to purchase more iPads for the students in my building. The number of Apps available to make learning more engaging is incredible. I have witnessed students complete frog dissections on the iPad instead of actually cutting open a frog. I have seen math teachers use applications that force the students to balance Algebraic equations by moving things around on the iPad. If they make a wrong move, the number or letter immediately moves back to its original position. As a student learning tool, the iPad would rival the laptops we currently have in our building. Perhaps the biggest downfall for us is the fact that we cannot use the iPads for our end of the year state tests.
Kyle,
DeleteThank you for your response! It is encouraging to know you find the iPad easier to stay organized and keep all your books in one place. I feel myself moving closer towards the use of a tablet for school books as it does become cumbersome carrying my books for my teaching and my books for my learning in the same bag.
It is so interesting what students can do these days on a computer or tablet. I think it would have been incredible to dissect a frog on an iPad.