This is a part of a series on mobile devices available for learning.
Category: Tablets
These computing devices have touch screens and are typically operated through touch rather than a keyboard. They come in a variety of sizes but are generally smaller than a laptop but larger than a mobile phone.
Manufacturers and models:
Pricing: $199 – $800+
Strengths:
- Intuitive ease of use
- Well-suited to reading and multimedia viewing
- Very mobile
Weaknesses:
- No built-in keyboard
- Consumption-oriented
- Generally not robust enough for advanced multimedia creation, such as video editing
- Frequent changes in models and technology
Killer applications:
- Ebooks
- Multimedia viewing
- Google Apps (word processing, spreadsheets, presentation)
- Anything Web 2.0
- Robust curriculum content
Things to consider and some opinions:
- Reliable wireless is essential.
- Consider the form factor.
The form factor of a touch-based tablet with no keyboard may work for some applications (e.g. reading, multimedia viewing) better than others (e.g. extended writing). In some schools, younger students have been found to like tablets better than older students. The most important things are to think about your curriculum goals (see below) and get a few devices to test with students and teachers. See what they like and what meets their needs. - Think about your curriculum goals before deciding on any devices.
These devices come with different operating systems (Android, iOS, etc.) and have different applications available. If you start by thinking about what you want to accomplish with the devices and then look for a device that has applications that support that purpose, you’ll be ahead of the game.
Mobile devices: Tablets
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