My wife's bday is rolling around......and I was wondering if an iPad would make her homeschooling tasks easier. anyone use it for this?
I would get a macbook air instead. Much more functionality and not that much more money. You might wait until the new ipad is out in a few months and see what new functionality it has. You might be kicking yourself if you get one now and the newer model is much more useful.
I have never even seen an ipad...but wanted to say you ROCK! for trying to find something to help her out!
I think a computer/laptop in general could probably be more of a help. I say that because many programs run on PC's but not on Macs. I dont know of any Homeschool programs that would be any more useful on an ipad than it might be on a regular computer, but if there is a newer ipad coming, you might definitely want to wait. Also, check out some of the tablets coming out, (They are like ipads with giant touch screens but not Mac products.) and see if there isn't something there that better meets your needs, but I don't know, off the top of my head, what you could really use a tablet/ipad for with homeschooling...(where a regular PC might be more applicable...)
I can see where an iPad would be incredibly useful - DH had investigated the technology for applications at work, and we talked about it a lot last summer. We did not get one for several reasons. I am a type-r (not really a typist, per se). I know the iPad has a touch screen keyboard, but I prefer the big one. It would ROCK to enter grades on an iPad type gadget. Not quiet enough to spend the $ for both the gadget and the service, though. My other thought is that is it very intuitive for kids. When we were looking at them in the Apple store, my then-5yo picked one up and went "straight to town" with it. While that's great in itself, I don't want to be competing with the kids for a tool that is for my use...and getting one for each of us just isn't an option right now. gizzy's right about the clones. We're watching and waiting to see what else comes out.
There are a gazillion apps for education. They seem especially geared for lower elementary age children. http://itunes.apple.com/us/genre/ios-education/id6017?mt=8 also this: http://www.teachhub.com/news/article/cat/14/item/439
(I didn't read the links, this post is simply a response to what I quoted above) Well, if its something you can afford and you have children who will get enough use out of it, go for it. Worst case scenario is that you'll take it back or sell it. I would be wary though, see if there is anyway you could get closer to 5yrs use of it. Other wise, I think it could be a poor investment...Kids learn pretty quick and they'll want to play GAMES on it also...which could become a major hassle or distraction for your wife, trying to make them stay on task with an ipad. At least a computer you can easily see the screen from across the room... Lower Elementary is grades K-2 and depending on how much of this stuff your kids already know, OR what things your family already has materials to teach and the rate that your kids are learning, it could be a REALLY bad investment. You could spend that same amount of money on getting different that they'll get use from for a lot longer to come. You'll have to go through the apps individually to see if there is enough of them there that your kids can and WILL use. You don't need 14 apps on the alphabet and basic phonic sounds if your kid is reading on a first grade level... I'm not sure if you meant this as a surprise, but it will probably be much easier if you can ask your wife about it directly...
Depending on the the iPad it can be a couple of hundred more (more memory) and with the data plan over 2 years you have to add a couple hundred more to the price. You can easily get to the 8-900 dollar range with an iPad. You can run parallel or bootcamp on the macbook and run your pc programs. iPad doesn't support Flash so that is another limiting factor, plus if you write very much you really need a keyboard.
I don't know much about the ipad but if I were you I would keep looking into it. It is awesome you want to find something to help her out! Be Blessed, Dawn
if it were me, I would def use it for teaching, researching and scheduling field trips, grades,schooling on the run,etc. Also, you are a totally awesome hubby for doing this for your dw. Maybe I'll show my dh this thread to give him a little nudge!
iPad I have one, but I don't use it for homeschooling. Sometimes I use it to read news or books in the schoolroom while the kids are doing their assignments. :lol: I won mine, so I'm satisfied with it, but I wouldn't buy one. I have the lowest model, so I have to stay close to our network. I can't take it away from home and use the internet. I don't take it on trips, even though I'd like to be able to read books and watch videos on it, because it's not supposed to be left in a car. I wish it had Flash. Dh would never buy (or allow me to buy) a Mac product, since Microsoft doesn't allow certain applications.
Just got one. I love it. HAven't used it too much for schooling. Except when we're out and about...nice to have a handy dictionary, connectivity to the web (I have a wi-fi access one, I do not have a hotspot...so this is only possible if we are places where there is wifi...but that's almost everywhere I've been!). Love love love it, and I'm just discovering all the things it can do.
People must not use passwords where you live. When I've been out, I couldn't get on because passwords were required.
I love the iPad for homeschool! :love: Our gifted $630.00 refurbished with Apple Care 16GB wifi that arrived two weeks ago. Have loaded 127 apps... and haven't even explored them all, yet. Researched the apps heavily before it was actually purchased. Was pretty convinced once I saw all GED apps could be purchased for under $20.00 and my student is in elementary school. There are TONS and tons of free apps. We have only purchased 4 apps reviewing our 127 apps. My son has been near impossible to engage traditionally. We now discuss what he's doing/reading/playing/touching/learning (I have a Master's degree in Art). Our home school is artful living and the iPad as an essential tool if one is training a global entrepreneur able to navigate space's cornucopia COPIA: Cyber, Outer, Physical, Inner and Archetype (space(s)). This is more than an Internet devise this IS our home school's foundational tool! (Oh, there are ton of free Bible apps too... as well as other languages/religions/info we pray all ways!)
Most of the places I go are my daughter's gymnastics gym (they give the code to all the parents). My son's Karate studio, theirs is "free access". Several restaurants near a lot of places I go also have free connection wifi. We've travelled for some meets, also, and had no problem using wifi in the hotels. Usually if you're a guest they give you a code on checkin (unless they charge more for wifi - which we haven't run into YET, but will when we're in CA this summer). Also, I have a lot of stuff loaded on my iPad that the kids can use that don't require wifi at all, so it's been so beneficial to me. I still love it. And I've got the lowest model! LOL
Love love love the iPad for school!! I download books for my boys to read. Its far more exciting to read on mommys iPad then a regular paperback! There are so my aps that are useful. We love google earth and NASA. We use a spelling app and a math facts app quite often. I also download many books for myself such as home schooling books.
