Ipod
From LIS 460 Summer 2007
Contents |
What is an iPod?
First introduced by Apple in the Fall of 2001, the iPod was simply an portable MP3 player designed to operate with itunes. Originally, the ipod was created only for audio purpose, allowing users to upload their MP3 music files directly from their computer to the portable MP3 player. The iPod instantly became a hit, and many viewed its central wheel click as revolutionary. The display screen also set the standard for other MP3 players to imitate.
Since it's creation in 2001, iPods have continued to evolve, and now offer users more features than ever. Today, iPods now have the capability to store and view not only MP3s, but videos and photos as well. iPods also provides users with sections for Contacts, Notes, a Calander, Games (many are free downloads). Additionally, Ipods function as portable hard drives that connect to computers via USB or Fire-wire. Say goodbye to CDRs, zipdisks, and key drives, the iPod can do it all. Today, Ipods are also compatible with PCs.
Though originally very expensive, over the years iPods have become a mainstream part of society, and are now available in all shapes, sizes, colors, and prices. Through the itunes store, it is possible to download music,audiobooks, speeches, podcasts, and more directly to your ipod.
Over the last few years, Apple has begun to advertise the iPod as a useful education tool. The Apple website even has a section devoted entirely to using iPods in the classroom, and provides sample lesson plans that utilize the device. This will be explored further a little later in this entry, under the "How can iPods be used the school/school library?" heading.
What the benefits of iPods?
-Students love iPods. Anything in education that is iPod related will automatically generate a certain level of interest within students.
-Great way to download and listen to podcasts.
-When listening to lectures or podcasts, students enjoy the fact that they are able to pause and replay.
-Students can listen to audio books.
-iPods have been around long enough that most students know how to work one, even if they do not own one.
-iQuiz(to be explored a little later)
-iPods also serve as a portable hard drive, allowing students to save and take their work with them. Forget about carrying around cdrs, zipdisks, or keydrives. <br?
-Apple offers ideas, advice, and lesson plans for incorporating ipods into education
What are the drawbacks of iPods?
-Illegal software that allows users to rip songs from their iPods to any other computer, resulting in illegal file sharing, is very easy to find, often free to download.
-With the variety of iPods that exist, not all iPods owned by students may have the same features required to complete an assignment.
-Not everyone can afford an iPod. The more features (audio vs video/audio) an iPod has the more expensive they get.
-iPods are a frequently stolen item. If the school chooses to lend iPods to students, there must be clear rules and conditions.
-iPods have the potential to cause student distraction levels to rise.
-The battery life of iPods have the tendancy drain quickly.
How can iPods be used the school/school library?
The possibilities for using iPods in school and in the library are endless. While some teachers may not embrace the idea of using such a technology, they need to see it as a means to an end. When students are able to play with iPods, they will want to learn.
One way that school libraries can use iPods is to upload a tour of the library onto the ipod, and then allow students to check out the ipod and take a tour of the library. Of course, there would have to be strict rules that students must follow when borrowing an ipod, such as no uploading new items to the iPod, no "ripping" items that on the iPod, and perhaps even an hour time limit per checkout.
Apple has also begun to embrace the idea of using iPods in education and has created an entire webpage complete with Lesson Plans that incorporate ipods. Included on this page are Lesson Plans that incorporate the use of iPods. One such example of how an iPod was in the classroom revolves around a young student whom had difficulty reading. Her teacher and her, each week would sit down and have her read a book. They would record the session and later upload it an iPod. Once on the iPod, the student was given the opportunity to listen to herself read, and compare her improvement from week to week. The student was able to see where her strengths and weakness lay, and together her and the teacher would decide what to work on. For a list of lesson plans that use iPods, look at the additional resources section.
Apple has also created a program called iQuiz. iQuiz is a trivia game that can be uploaded to any iPod. iQuiz was created with the purpose of allowing students reinforce what they have learned in class, in a fun and enjoyable manner. iQuiz allows teachers to create their own custom quizzes on whatever they maybe teaching at the time. iQuiz is built for all subjects, from math to history, science to geography.
