Smart Boards VS Apple TV with iPads

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Permalink Reply by Ben Stafford on January 31, 2012 at 8:19pm

I've had a Smartboard for 10 years and each year I use it less and less.  This fall I started using an iPad and Apple TV and I find these MUCH more useful than the SB.  The SB really just moves something analog (writing) and makes it digital.  Yes you can also manipulate webpages on it but it's very limiting.  I could sort of use Google Earth with it but not well.  With the iPad/Apple TV and can still write but U can also move into other apps and use them more effectively.  From a presence standpoint the SB chains you to the front of the room.  The iPad frees the teacher.

From a cost standpoint the iPad wins over the SB.  Even assuming you need a new projector (HDMI input is a must) the Apple solution is cheaper than a SB and more useful.  

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Permalink Reply by Cheryl Lewis on February 2, 2012 at 5:03am

Ben,

We're currently using the SmartBoards in science at the high school level and found them very useful for to attach their document camera to a microscope to show students what they should be looking for while using microscopes, displaying and taking videos of students' microscope work, displaying and saving to post for later student work large multi-step physics problems, chemical formulas, higher-level mathematical problems (trigonometry and calculus, and multi-step chemical problems involving formulas. We're also starting to use their response systems. Are we able to do all of those things on the iPads and Apple TV? Another question is about glare and size of the screen. Can all students view the Apple TV with no problem. If you have both in the classroom, what do you still use the SmartBoard for? I'd really like to see the Apple TV and iPads in action as we look at what we will be choosing for our new school. Do you know if the MacBook Airs could replace the iPads with the Apple TVs. I am more interested in having MacBook Airs as a student 1:1 device than iPads for the high school and maybe middle school.

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Permalink Reply by Ben Stafford on February 3, 2012 at 8:58am

Since you have a lot of questions about the Apple Tv/iPad I'll try to explain how it can be used instead of a Smartboard or anyother IWB.

The Apple Tv, when attached to an LCD projector, will mirror what is on the iPad wirelessly.. Everything done on the iPad is shown through the Apple TV.

Using apps on the iPad I can display a graphic calculator. I can use a whiteboard app to write equations and formulas. I can draw molecules or use an app to display them.

I can show a video from my iPad or YouTube. I can show a Keynote. This is for me to use my iPad for instruction. If students used iPads as well they could use the Apple TV to display their work to share.

The technology Apple uses is called AirPlay. This is mostly an iPad only feature so using MacBook Airs would not take advantage of this. Look on YouTube or Apple sites for how exactly iPads and AirPlay works.

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