Son and app's

securityguy

notanewuser wrote: »

Are you my father-in-law? He mocked my DH for using computers at school in the 80s. DH now earns well over £100k per year in IT - far more than his father ever earned as an engineer.

I've worked in IT for thirty years (let's not play "my salary is bigger than yours", eh?) I think you'll find that frustration at IT being misused in schools is fairly high amongst people who work in IT. It's amazing how many parents think that just because their child can "use" an iPad they're destined for your husband's, or my, career...

The days of people actually learning about computers while using computers in schools have, unfortunately, long gone, and we're left with joke subjects like GCSE "ICT", which has all the intellectual content of an RSA Typing Exam except that you don't actually learn to type.

notanewuser

I'm lucky if my DD (not yet 3) lets me anywhere near mine!!!

Idiophreak

securityguy wrote: »

I've worked in IT for thirty years (let's not play "my salary is bigger than yours", eh?) I think you'll find that frustration at IT being misused in schools is fairly high amongst people who work in IT. It's amazing how many parents think that just because their child can "use" an iPad they're destined for your husband's, or my, career...

I think you're misunderstanding the aim of using IT in schools (particularly primary schools) - for the most part, it has nothing to do with IT itself...It's used as a tool to get children engaged with their learning - whether that be through videos and web content shown on an interactive whiteboard, video conferencing with exchange partners, re-enforcing maths learning with iPad games, laptops to present reports as websites...

Fine, there will be some primary school kids that use mindstorms, raspberry pi et al to teach simple programming concepts - but these are in the minority....as someone from IT myself I'd like to see more of this...but I'm under no illusion that this is what schools are aiming for with their current IT provision - because it simply isn't.

aileth

Please don't be too annoyed at him - he might not have even realised what he was doing!

madjay

balletshoes wrote: »

I dont have any of my card details logged with apple. we use itunes vouchers in small amounts instead.

This is the only way not to get hit with a big bill. My Kids do not buy and Apps or additions to Apps with out first Asking me or the other half and I make sure the Ipad and laptops do not hold pass words

[Deleted User]

aileth wrote: »

Please don't be too annoyed at him - he might not have even realised what he was doing!

I doubt that - my 4 year old knows which apps are free, and those that costs (since he's normally only allowed the free ones - and most the time the app store is blocked)

alias*alibi

OP; been there done it and was landed with over a £80 bill. Shock horror my DD who was 7 at the time was playing little pet shop, run out of free coins and bought a pail of paws for £69.99 plus other bits. She had no idea she was buying things using real money; it was totally and utterly my fault for not changing the password and setting restrictions. However lesson learnt and now everything kid proof (I hope).

MSE did a thread on this not so long ago on this board; check it out. You will find you are far from alone in your 'stupidity'. Ignore those saying you're stupid for letting you child play on it; iPads used correctly are excellent for engaging children to learn all sorts. My DD used mine recently to look up Celts and Romans which she was learning about in school; and the ipad is a lot quicker to get up and running than a PC/Laptop without having to put up white screen/whirring of hard drive whilst it does various updates.

lostinrates

securityguy wrote: »

Hey, I think that's my model....

I wish I could use my iPad as well as my friends toddler can use it:o

andygb

securityguy wrote: »

I've worked in IT for thirty years (let's not play "my salary is bigger than yours", eh?) I think you'll find that frustration at IT being misused in schools is fairly high amongst people who work in IT. It's amazing how many parents think that just because their child can "use" an iPad they're destined for your husband's, or my, career...

The days of people actually learning about computers while using computers in schools have, unfortunately, long gone, and we're left with joke subjects like GCSE "ICT", which has all the intellectual content of an RSA Typing Exam except that you don't actually learn to type.

I have experienced this whilst working in financial IT support. You will find people who own the latest gizmos - Iphones, Ipads, and yet cannot understand the software applications in their workplace.
There is a very great danger that millions of children are just using these devices to play on, and are not learning anything about technology or application of science.
I completely fail to see why 8 year olds are using Ipads in school.

Idiophreak

andygb wrote: »

I completely fail to see why 8 year olds are using Ipads in school.

Write 100 sums on a piece of paper and have an 8yo child sit down and solve them.

Then have them do the same sums on an iPad app, with pretty pictures etc.

Any ideas which the children will do with more enthusiasm?