Life with an iPad in the Possibles Bag

By Chuck House

CMC’s Office of Innovations in Teaching and Learning was the greatest in getting an iPad to me for use and evaluation as an instructor for CMC’s Fire Science Program.  We have been developing many of the courses we offer in a hybrid format, something that I was excited to try out in the iPad environment.  I am reasonably tech-savy and having used Apple products before, I was hoping to find that this tool would be a great addition to the tool box.

At this point of my blog, I would direct you to Thomas Kainz’s blog post about the iPad.  He writes incredibly well.  That will keep my fingers a bit longer by not having to type much of what his response is, because after about three for four weeks with the iPad, I concur.

Apple makes a quality product.  No doubt.  If that is a primary factor, then by all means, go Apple or go home as their stuff seems to be the best made in my experience.  However, while using the iPad, I found a great deal on a Samsung Note 8, and much to my wife’s disgust, bought one.  To be honest, I don’t like to type.  I much prefer to write by hand and the Note 8 has a great program to do so.  So does the iPad.  But there is no comparison.  Samsung wins that one hands down.  Do you want a 1994 Jeep Wrangler that is a little tinny or one of the new models that is shiny and spiffy when you head out to do some serious, get stuck and walk out, heavy-duty 4-wheeling?  The Jeep – read Samsung, is my choice for what I do with tablets in my classes in this regards.

The apps are there for iPads… lots of them.  Make no mistake, you most likely will find what you need in the Apple environment.  But I found the greatest drawback in printing.  The tablets (all of them) don’t match up to laptops for this function.  Each semester I am trying to be more and more “paper conscious” and keep things as digital as possible (T,  are you listening?  You got to me…) but I do live with a lot of paper still.  Tablets, read iPad, don’t do well in this aspect.  Of course, I didn’t spend hours trying to get to easy printing, but Ming and I reached a point of diminishing returns quickly.  It can be done, but laptops do it better.  (Hmmm, make a marketing slogan idea…)

Credits: rifle image from Tradrad.com; iPad image from ipadcreative.com

iPads and tablets are useful.  They are portable, easy to use, and the students like them.  They are, in my opinion, much more useful for students than in my realm as an instructor.  Many times I found it much more direct to grab the laptop and go than to futz with the tablet.  But, of course, I shoot flintlocks, carry possible bags, make my clothing out of deer skins, and wear handmade moccasins in the snow.  I don’t think I will add an iPad to my teaching bag right now.  Take it for what it is worth.