Tablets: Basics for Education

Word vs. Pages

Similarities:

1. Compatibility is solid with both Word and Pages. If I need to start a Pages document on my Macbook, switch to my iPad, and finish editing on my Windows XP PC, my document's format will not change. The same goes for Word. Though they look a little different, there are versions of Word for both Macs and PCs.
2. Both Word and Pages offers a variety of templates to choose from even before you begin your document. You can choose a blank document or choose something that has already been formatted (such as a letter or a resumé).
3. Both Pages and Word offer easy ways to insert tables, charts, and graphs. There are internal spreadsheets, so the graph is basically computed for you. These can be displayed anywhere within your document.

Differences:

1. Pages has sharing features which allow users to easily send their documents in a variety of ways, and those who receive to open those documents with ease. Even if the person you send it to does not have Pages, it will send them a link to the document that they will be able to open regardless.
2. Word has an incredible amount of icons for every function imaginable, whereas Pages seems to consolidate for ease of use and simplicity by having only a few icons which still contain the necessities.

Preference: Word. This is mainly because it has so many features that I use often on my PC. I do, however, like the ease of use and simplicity that Pages has.

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iThoughts

• iThought is definitely an app that I would use in my future classroom. It is easy to use and might be more fun and more structured than allowing students to make their own mind maps on a piece of paper.
• I would use this app to primarily introduce the writing process. Before writing, students must brainstorm. Often it is easier to put these ideas in a mind map or brainstorming web so that they can be as random as they need to be in their thinking, yet their information stays relatively organized.
• It has several options for styles. Students could learn how different brainstorming tasks require different map layouts. Some brainstorming projects visually make more sense vertically, while others might make more sense in a fishbone layout. I like that these layouts allow children to simply put in the information without having to worry about where to draw lines.
• The conversation bubble would allow me as a teacher to go in to their brainstorming maps to offer suggestions without tainting their original project. They would be able to read them and delete them easily when they were finished reading without it damaging the format they have already set up.
• It even allows students to draw arrows which is just another way to show them that items are related to each other.
• I love the "research" option. If a student is making a brainstorm about the solar system, they can type out Jupiter, hold down the word and an option to research will pop up. This will take them on to the web to explore more about Jupiter and maybe even spur them on to think of something else they would not have if not for the research option!
• Ultimately, iThoughts is simple to use and teaches students the importance of organizing thoughts.

Safari vs. Rover

Similarities:

1. Both allow their users to browse the internet for information or for leisure. They can be very useful in the classroom to research for projects or do in-class assignments.
2. They have many of the same features, but Rover filters for educational content only.

Differences:

1. Because Rover is a free educational browser, game websites are often blocked, because they sometimes contain noneducational content.
2. Rover is only available on the iPad, whereas Safari can be accessed on a variety of devices.

Preference: I prefer Safari, but in the classroom, I definitely see the advantages of providing my students with the Rover app! I would feel confident with them browsing the internet in my classroom.