NICOLA BUSH!
NOVEMBER 2013
iPad’s Take Over Proctor An insider’s outlook on the technology upgrade at Proctor Academy
iPods, iPhones, iMacs,
MacBooks, and iPads are just the beginning. Upgrading technology is a continuous trend seen throughout history, and for good reason. In theory, the goal of technology is to make the life of the user simpler and more organized. But what happens when we start upgrading for the sake of just owning the newest bit of tech? Why have a computer when you could have
This year, Proctor Academy has
an iPad?
upgraded. Instead of the school
But, many dislike the new required
providing discounted MacBooks for
the students, as they have for many
progressive. In an email sent to
disapprove of tech in general and
years, Proctor is now requiring that
parents, they insist that it will
therefore dislike the iPads, others
all students to purchase an iPad 3 or
“collectively enhance the classroom
don’t appreciate the additional cost to
newer for the school year.
experience.” In addition, the same
their families (or themselves), and
email assures parents that despite the
still others are simply having
iPads are the “hot topic” at
The school considers this change
tech “upgrade.” A few students
700 dollar (minimum) additional cost
difficulty integrating their iPads into
Proctor Academy now. A tablet is as
of the iPad, “It will be worth the
their already set Proctor routine.
easy to navigate as the iPhone, and
investment in the long run.”
has all the great features of a
I spoke to four year senior Haley
computer, but smaller. With access
to applications that enable you to
from students and teachers alike.
dumb that we need iPads for school.
buy and read books, write a paper,
Some are thrilled to have an excuse
I’ve been using my computer for
watch a movie, use your calculator
for their parents to buy them an iPad
three years and I don’t need this
and much much more, this piece of
in the name of school, others are
thing.” Unfortunately for the three
technology is capable of almost
excited to take advantage of the
and four year seniors and juniors, the
anything a student could want or
many applications and features of the
tech shift is occurring right as they
need.
device.
are about to move on from Proctor.
There have been mixed reactions
De Vries who noted, “I think it’s
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NICOLA BUSH!
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Three year senior Annika Paulin comments, “I was told relationship-…”, and yet, how will students learn to when I came as a sophomore that I would be using the
step away from their technology and gadgets, and
computer I bought from the school until I graduated and now I have to go and buy an iPad too? I just feel like the whole thing is kind of ridiculous, especially if I’m only going to use it for one year.”
Many upperclassmen agree with with Haley and
Annika. Emily Morrison, another four year senior, appreciates the efficiency of the iPad but considers her iPad an “unnecessary supplement…” and “would much rather have just a computer than just an iPad.”
Many students, myself included, struggle to use,
differentiate what they read in a book versus what the
navigate, and take full advantage of our iPads in the
world is actually like when they are hiking through the
way our teachers are expecting. “iPads are toys, not
woods, reading from their iPad instead of looking
tools”, senior Haley DeVries shouts in frustration whilst around and learning from experience? trying to print her homework assignment from her iPad.
In addition to the difficulties some students are
experiencing, there are also some bigger questions. Is
Junior Quinn (Stiles) Alpeter is wary. “I think that
the iPads will take away from the classroom experience because it makes everything from homework to notetaking less personal.” Emily Morrison advises teachers to, “not use the iPad for certain aspects of their curriculum,” to preserve some of the traditional teaching methods.
Dougo Houston, Dean of Academics believes
otherwise, “... the iPad will allow communication with teachers at different times and in different ways. You will be thinking more critically all the time.”
Despite the negative reviews, there have also been
many positive reviews. “I for one am thrilled that I don’t have to lug around giant backpacks full of Proctor’s mantra of experimental learning threatened
textbooks, regular books, notebooks, binders, and my
from the overuse of technology in the classroom? The
computer.” Says four year senior, Clara Emlen. “It’s so
school argues that, “technology will never replace the
much easier on my back and now I’m consistently
essential element in the classroom-the student teacher
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prepared for class with just a few folders, I use this thing for everything, and all my stuff is in one place, I love it.”
Along with Clara, there are a number of happy
customers, students and faculty alike, that appreciate everything the iPad has to offer and are grateful to the school for making the upgrade. Freshman Lee Petrini notes, “I like my iPad a lot and I find myself using it a lot more than I use my computer.” Dougo raves, “The iPads allow you to collect, use and minipulate, information more easily and differently than other tools... It’s also easy for me to use pictures, videos, put them all together, share them and display them in a meeting I might have.”
As it is only the third week of school, feelings on
the subject are still somewhat mixed. Perhaps some of the lingering initial frustrations with the switch will fade away as school progresses and the iPad will prove itself useful over all. Personally, I do appreciate being
Even though the upperclassmen got the short end of the stick in the “New iPad Initiative,” we will hopefully become accustomed to the change and learn to appreciate everything the iPad has to offer us and to Proctor as a school. Overall, this Initiative will prove to be a positive change in the long run.
able to write out my Journalism Essays on my iPad simply by speaking to it, but also, being a four year senior, I feel a little overwhelmed trying to fit my iPad into my daily routine. Even Dougo admits that he uses his computer the majority of the time, due to the fact that he’s just so used to it.
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