Image used with permission from kyz
In exploring technology in education, I have learned how important incorporating technology into the classroom really is, and how much it can benefit students. As I searched for one more topic to put on this blog, I came upon a standout - Apple. Apple has an entire section of their site devoted to using their software and hardware for education. And it makes perfect sense: Apple is a forerunner in the advancement of technology. They have worked long and hard to make their technology more advanced and accessible then their competitors'.
During my lifetime as a student I have seen the debate over whether to use use Apple computers or PCs which run Windows play out many times. As early as 2nd or 3rd grade, I was using Apple computers at school, simply because they were the better, more affordable option. However, at some point my entire district switched to Dell PCs; not because they didn't want Macs, but because the Macs simply were not affordable. Now, Macs are still not affordable for schools: most of the UNI campus computers are PCs. However, if you enter the computer labs in the art and music buildings on campus, you will not find the usual black PCs that you see everywhere else; instead, you will see large-screened, white-framed Macs. The fact is, Macs just do some things better than PCs.
So who's side am I on anyways, you ask? Just what am I trying to say here? My point is, while Apple takes plenty of initiative to make their devices useful to educators, they are overlooking what maybe be, unfortunately, the most important aspect: cost. When I planned to purchase a new laptop a few years ago, I seriously considered a Mac; however, I am typing this blog post on a Dell PC laptop. And guess what the deciding factor was? That's right: cost. Even with the money-saving program for students available at the UNI campus to encourage the purchase of Macs, and incentives such as free iPods, the cost of a MacBook to a comparable PC laptop came out to hundreds of dollars more. I simply do not have the kind of money to pay that much more for a comparable machine - and neither do school. So, while I support Apple's initiative to bring more technology into the classroom, I think they - and we - need to realize that cost is often an important factor, one which can make or break this very important deal of bringing technology to our students.
In exploring technology in education, I have learned how important incorporating technology into the classroom really is, and how much it can benefit students. As I searched for one more topic to put on this blog, I came upon a standout - Apple. Apple has an entire section of their site devoted to using their software and hardware for education. And it makes perfect sense: Apple is a forerunner in the advancement of technology. They have worked long and hard to make their technology more advanced and accessible then their competitors'.
During my lifetime as a student I have seen the debate over whether to use use Apple computers or PCs which run Windows play out many times. As early as 2nd or 3rd grade, I was using Apple computers at school, simply because they were the better, more affordable option. However, at some point my entire district switched to Dell PCs; not because they didn't want Macs, but because the Macs simply were not affordable. Now, Macs are still not affordable for schools: most of the UNI campus computers are PCs. However, if you enter the computer labs in the art and music buildings on campus, you will not find the usual black PCs that you see everywhere else; instead, you will see large-screened, white-framed Macs. The fact is, Macs just do some things better than PCs.
So who's side am I on anyways, you ask? Just what am I trying to say here? My point is, while Apple takes plenty of initiative to make their devices useful to educators, they are overlooking what maybe be, unfortunately, the most important aspect: cost. When I planned to purchase a new laptop a few years ago, I seriously considered a Mac; however, I am typing this blog post on a Dell PC laptop. And guess what the deciding factor was? That's right: cost. Even with the money-saving program for students available at the UNI campus to encourage the purchase of Macs, and incentives such as free iPods, the cost of a MacBook to a comparable PC laptop came out to hundreds of dollars more. I simply do not have the kind of money to pay that much more for a comparable machine - and neither do school. So, while I support Apple's initiative to bring more technology into the classroom, I think they - and we - need to realize that cost is often an important factor, one which can make or break this very important deal of bringing technology to our students.
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