I am a funny mix of neo-Luddite and early adapter. My passion for reading and writing extends to the visceral experience of a reading a real (non-digital) book, riffling through books in bookstores, jotting down ideas on napkins, writing in notebooks with favorite pens... But I couldn't resist the lure of a new digital experience, especially one that allows me to pack my whole library into one slender tablet, and take it wherever I go. So when Don put out a call for proposals for exploring educational applications of the iPad, I jumped. This summer, I'll be comparing and contrasting different iPad eReaders with an eye to how they might be used in the classroom, and looking into annotation tools (I already know there isn't much out there yet), and the feasibility of creating and updating reading blogs and The School's independent reading site using the iPad. I'll also be trying out Pages to see what it's like to write on the iPad.
In keeping with my desire for new reading toys, I borrowed a Kindle from The School this fall. It was awesome having so much reading in such a tiny device, but the sensory experience left me a little flat. The visuals and the clicking were so unbook-like. Moreover, I discovered that I read books in a far less linear fashion than I'd realized, flipping forward and backward, reviewing particular pieces... this was difficult on the Kindle. The very little bit of reading I've done on an iPad offers a more book-like experience, with the page turning, the graphics, and the ability to skim and navigate multiple pages with your fingers.
New toy! What fun!
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