Anyone primarily use an iPad for high school or college work?

[Pea-n-Me]

If so, would like to hear details about how you manage it.

Do you rent or buy ebooks?

What Word program do you use and have you experienced any problems using it?

Do you actively use it in school like for taking notes in class or doing work between classes?

Typing (without noise) and portability aren't problems with this: http://mobilesyrup.com/2013/07/21/l...ad-review-a-truly-fantastic-tablet-companion/

And we are able to print wirelessly.

 

[Burnedout]

My son hated his art ebook. Too hard to flip through for info.

 

[mymeme]

Definitely not in school! but I use my iPad for everything!! I have the Pages app. Very good and it backs up to iCloud. If you get something you can't open or view on iPad just get app WinZip and it will open it. There is really a way to do most anything you can do on laptop. I love mine. Never open laptop anymore. I have tons of educational apps on my grandson's iPad but he is young. I understand that on iTunes U you can get many textbooks for high school and college? Also besides iCloud you can save everything to Dropbox. If you have an iPhone it can sync your contacts, calendar, everything between them. Can you tell 'I am hooked'!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Definitely not in school! but I use my iPad for everything!! I have the Pages app. Very good and it backs up to iCloud. If you get something you can't open or view on iPad just get app WinZip and it will open it. There is really a way to do most anything you can do on laptop. I love mine. Never open laptop anymore. I have tons of educational apps on my grandson's iPad but he is young. I understand that on iTunes U you can get many textbooks for high school and college? Also besides iCloud you can save everything to Dropbox. If you have an iPhone it can sync your contacts, calendar, everything between them. Can you tell 'I am hooked'!!

Yes, I can. But I don't understand why you say "definitely not in school"! Lots of people use them for school.

 

[GadgetTheInventor]

If I had the money and they were around back then, I would have gotten one at that age. The educational benefits outweigh the negatives IMO. Most students that age prefer to use their devices to play games though and I have seen that be a huge problem when needing to focus on school work.

I will always take notes on paper and then scan them. Professors lecture way too quickly and skip around for efficient note taking on a computer. Scanners are imperative these days for an organized and minimalist life style anyways so my old school ways are not that much of an issue.

E-books are getting better, but are far from perfect. A laptop won't fix this though so it is a moot point.

Backups are imperative. The iCloud is wonderful when wi-fi is available. No need for a fireproof safe!

Calendars can be sent and linked amongst family members. Each family member has at least one calendar that they send to others to inform them of their schedule. Instead of a paper itinerary, I just send my DM my vacation iCalendar.

There are a lot of other perks to having an iPad, but the extra cost might not be fully appreciated and utilized by the student. A (much cheaper) laptop can accomplish providing web access, office programs, and file storage. An iPad won't magically transform someone into an avid reader of newspapers or reader of educational e-books just because they have an iPad in their hands. I used to beg the librarians and a professor to save the NY Times for me so that I could do the crosswords BEFORE I had access to an iPad that provides them for free (some at least) to me now.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Not quite what you asked, but here's my DD18's experience: All the kids in AP Bio were given iPads through the school for the year. They were encouraged to use them to the fullest--play games, take notes, use e-books, etc. The teacher was very pro-tech, and he wanted the kids to get the full benefit, warts and all, of having an iPad. At the end of the school year, they turned them in (no chance to buy it, I asked).

DD had asked for an updated laptop for graduation, since her's is aging. I asked if she might prefer an iPad, but nope--she went with a laptop. It has a full keyboard and a touch screen. She's never mentioned missing the iPad. Based on her experience, I have to think that the iPad isn't as great for things like taking notes. She is also renting hard-copy books for her first semester--they might be heavier, but I think she finds them easier to deal with.

 

[mymeme]

Yes, I can. But I don't understand why you say "definitely not in school"! Lots of people use them for school.

I'm sorry!! I only meant I am not using one in school!! I'm a grandmother!! I would highly recommend an iPad for any one, student or not.

 

[pintamino]

I had an iPad my senior year of college... it was fine for taking notes using a bluetooth keyboard (used a stylus and hated that), not "the best", but fine. A tablet provides a minor barrier between note-taking and "multi-tasking" with social media, etc. while in class.

Now I'm in grad school, have had a couple ebooks for pricing and HATE them. Physical textbooks, whether you buy or rent, are much more useful. I was never a major that had to read novels, so maybe that kind of work lends itself better to eBooks.

My #1 use for my iPad is playing music on the dock in my apartment. #2 is games/checking social media. If I go for an interview or client meeting, sometimes I'll take photos on it (very slick looking, but I haven't done that since I got my current job). Productivity is below all that. To each his own, but my overall impression of the iPad is that it's a toy, and not nearly as useful as my iPhone or MacBook Pro.

FWIW, I was a Dean's List comm/PR undergrad and a remote study homeland security grad student.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm sorry!! I only meant I am not using one in school!! I'm a grandmother!! I would highly recommend an iPad for any one, student or not.

Gotcha, thanks!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

iPads are great. I've had mine for a long time and use it more than I use my laptop. That said, it is not replacement for a computer, especially if you are using it for school. You really need a laptop.

 

[pryncess527]

I know plenty of undergraduate and graduate students who get by with just an iPad. They have a docking station that gives them a real keyboard and rely on Google docs for word processing and spreadsheets. And they use one of the hundreds of computer labs on campus if they need a "real" computer.