Best tablet to get for a hign school class? (1 Viewer)

Alc

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I've been asked if I have any recommendations for a tablet device to be used by a high school class. As my opinion doesn't extend far beyond "can I watch movies on it?", I thought I'd ask here.

Do any of our esteemed forum members have experience of using different kinds of tablets for anything other than games and/or watching TV? If so, what are your opinions?

The requirements:

  1. The class has a budget of $800 CAD (roughly $550 USD, based on today's rate), incl. tax, and cannot go over this. There may well be some great device for only $50 more, but the teacher had to fight tooth and nail to get the budget she has and there's no way it will be extended. even slightly.
  2. It will be primarily used to teach French, so will need good audio and video capabilities.
  3. Fairly robust, as will have lots of users
  4. Easy to connect to projectors, etc. for display
  5. No preference exists with regards to Apple vs Microsoft
As an auxiliary question, if any forum members have experience of using a tablet for teaching or giving sales presentations and the like, are there are any useful apps or peripherals that may come in handy?

As always, thanks for any responses.
 

plog

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Honestly, its 2016, tablets are commodities. My advice is to focus on a seller who provides a good warranty and/or service department.

As for accessories, Google ChromeCast. Plug it in to a TV, and you can cast what you see on the tablet onto the TV so the whole class can be included on whats happening on the tablet at the same time.
 

Katiecat29

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I used Ipads in my old high school class and found them really frustrating, much prefer laptops
 

Alc

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Honestly, its 2016, tablets are commodities.
Yes, but the same thing can be said for cars, and it's still easy to get stuck with one that's slower/less reliable if you're not particularly into them (as in my case).

My advice is to focus on a seller who provides a good warranty and/or service department.
Knowing her school, it's probably going to be one of the two main electronics chains here in Canada (both of which are owned by the same parent corporation). I'm going to suggest they take out the extended warranty, just to be safe.

As for accessories, Google ChromeCast. Plug it in to a TV, and you can cast what you see on the tablet onto the TV so the whole class can be included on whats happening on the tablet at the same time.
Thanks, will look into that.
 

Alc

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I used Ipads in my old high school class and found them really frustrating, much prefer laptops
I feel the same way, but a tablet is what they've been given the budget for so that's what they'll probably get. If she asks to change to a laptop now, it means a whole new requisition request which may well not be approved this time round.

I doubt this is an 'everyone in the class use it' type thing, as they're only buying the one. Possibly it'll be shared around for each to do presentations, but that's about it.
 

Galaxiom

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The main difference is that an iPad will not support moving files to and from it through a USB drive. Everything has to be done through iTunes.

With Android devices it is simply a matter of plugging in the USB drive.
 

Katiecat29

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If you have to get a tablet then fair enough. I have only ever used an Ipad in a classroom setting and definitely advise against it, Ipads are too expensive and break all the time.
 

Alc

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The main difference is that an iPad will not support moving files to and from it through a USB drive. Everything has to be done through iTunes.

With Android devices it is simply a matter of plugging in the USB drive.
Yeah, with the benefit of hindsight I wish we'd gotten one for home instead of our iPad. Cant' stand iTunes.
 

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