Brain Based Learning

So now that the iPad mini has officially been announced, all the pundits who were busy scrambling to predict that that iPad mini might be the answer to education’s prayers, are now scrambling to predict that yes, of course it will change the face of education as we know it. I know, I know, it’s Apple so we HAVE to get excited about it, and it may very well end up being an incredibly useful product. But that isn’t really the point.

The point is, it’s yet another tool we can take advantage of. Is it right for you? Gosh, I guess it depends – do you WANT a smaller tablet? What grades do you teach? Sure, a smaller tablet can be easier for smaller hands and eyes to use, but may be disappointing to a high schooler. Is iOS better for you than Android, on a similar sized tablet? Well, gosh, I guess it depends – what do you plan to DO with the tablet? What apps do you think will be useful?

There can be a benefit to using an Apple device since there seem to be so many more apps developed for iOS than Android…unless you also rely Google Apps for Education, in which case your students might benefit from tighter integration with Google products. Or maybe, just maybe, what your particular students really need are laptops rather than tablets. When every new product is announced like it’s the Second Coming, and has the be evaluated as “great” or “waste of time” before it’s even in the hands of consumer, it removes rational analysis and debate from the table and becomes nothing more than a knee jerk reaction.

Don’t get me wrong, the iPad mini is a welcome addition to the pleasantly growing family of 7 ” tablets. While my initial reaction to the size of the Kindle Fire was along the same lines as Steve Jobs, and I don’t see myself buying a smaller device any time soon, my middle school daughter loves it – just the right amount of screen real estate for watching videos, but small enough to throw in a bag when going out with friends. And my son has no problem watching videos on the even smaller iPod.

Choice is always good for the consumer, and the question of which to choose can really only be answered by deciding what you want to do with it. I know I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again – it’s all about defining goals. Once you determine what you want to achieve, you’ll be able to narrow down which choices are most relevant for you. And I bet it won’t have anything to do with hype.