This
week I was talking to a teacher who is in charge of the science department in
his high school. When I was talking to him about physic teachers, he told
me that none of the physics teachers in his school use textbooks in their
classrooms. He told me instead of buying textbooks they bought I-pads for
each students, which was quite close to how much the textbooks would have cost
anyway.
I
was shocked when I heard about this.
After talking to him for some time I realized what an extraordinary idea
it was to use I-pads instead of textbooks.
Many times in schools, kids are very confused and dread physics. However by using the I-pad, you can make
physics something that is totally relevant and interesting. With the apps that the I-pads have, you can
text video footage of different things, and be able to derive formulas out of
real life experiences. Such as shooting
a basketball, playing bowling, pushing a chair, etc. This creates physics to be something that is
easy to grasp and understand. Physics
becomes something that is very real and something that is happening all around
us. With the use of the I-pad you can
calculate velocity, measure displacement, and be able to see real results very
easily.
I
know when I first came to learn physics it was very difficult to understand and
comprehend, but after watching some videos upon how physics can be taught with
technology it looks extremely fun and tangible. I hope when I become a teacher, I can use
something like the I-pad to be able to make physics something that is more real
than ever before. It is amazing how
powerful and inspiring technology can be if it is used in the right way.
If
you have time please watch this video, and see what I am talking about:
http://www.vernier.com/products/software/video-physics/
http://www.vernier.com/products/software/video-physics/
Using iPads in Physics class seems like a great idea. The picture you attached to the post shows a great benefit. When problems are complex, the iPad can generate a picture to go along with the problem. Visualizing the problem can help students to solve what they are looking for.
ReplyDeleteThis seems like a great idea for Physics, but as a math major I think it could work in a similar way. Word problems in math can also be easily understood if there is a picture to go with the problem. An iPad could easily generate pictures that go along with math problems. The iPad also has a calculator which will reduce the clutter on the students' desks.
Hello Raymond,
ReplyDeleteGreat post and I love this topic.
It's remarkable that Ipads and textbook cost around the same amount of money! Additionally, like you point out, the uses of an Ipad are almost endless. I have one post dedicated to Apps in education and the more you look into them the more you realize just how many digital resources are out there. They make learning fun, interactive, and the Apps are almost always free.
Once again, great topic!
-Peter