Fresh from Orientation: iPads are required equipment!

[daisygarten]

How fast our world is changing... When I got my BA in the early 1990s, the internet was just a weird peripheral idea. Now ALL of our nursing school's textbooks will be delivered online through the Kno.com format. A lot of the orientation group groaned and grumbled at the added cost. I'd planned on buying a new laptop, so it sounds good to me. Its going to do amazing stuff-- multi-text searches for research topics; interactive notes and highlighting that can be shared with classmates; built-in flashcards, reactive illustrations, quizzes. It collects data on your study habits and makes recommendations. It collects all of your highlights and notes into a journal. All of your books can be accessed online without expiration.

I'm pumped!!!

My husband is going to be pumped that I won't be dragging another truckload of books into the house. I'm thrilled to be part of this pilot group in my ADN program. We will be set up to dovetail into the rapidly changing tech demands.

I'm in the Hybrid program and will attend labs and clinicals three days per week and watch lectures online. I wasn't listening as well as I should; trying to take the whole iPad trip in. I took pictures of key slides and notes about what was said. So I guess I can study that over summer as I wait to Fall to hurry up and get here!!!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Are you a big eReader fan? If not, this will be a radical departure for you. I am a huge eReader fan (6 Kindles at last count) but I get serious headaches if I am reading small print from a backlit screen.... That's why I love Kindles - no backlight. If you're planning on using it to take notes, you will also need a keyboard. I'd suggest getting one of those snazzy ones that is actually integrated into a case for your iPad.

I'm really glad you're excited about the technology. Many people are surprised at how much tech nurses have to deal with on a continuous basis. My background is critical care... love those machines that go "bing" (Monty Python reference).

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

schools in my area are beginning to require tablets. Sure will be nice if students can leave those backpacks at home because we do not have room for them.

[daisygarten]

@HouTx Not a huge eReader gal, but I guess I'm going to be! Thanks for the advice on the keyboard, sounds like the perfect accessory.

@classicdame I'm all for streamlining equipment too!

The amazing thing to me about this "little" revelation, was that they sprung it on us at orientation. Several people had purchased, or received as gifts, brand new laptops. I felt bad for them. At least iPad have gone way down in cost recently.

[RunnerRN2015, ASN, RN]

I wouldn't like that at all. I'm old school and need/want an actual book in my hand, whether it's a textbook or a trashy book to read at the beach.

[sillypuddy143]

Our school had a similar pilot program as well, we all got free Itouches that came with several text books, nursing skill texts, and drug guides. It was fantastic to have during clinical, any time I needed to look up a drug or clinical skill it only took seconds! I will continue to use it as a nurse :)

[i♥words]

I found out my program requires some kind of "device," whether it be phone, iPad, or Kindle Fire, in order to use ebooks. I wasn't really thrilled about it, but I've wanted a Kindle Fire for a while anyway and I think I'm going to enjoy carrying a very light bag to school. :) I do think it is really odd how in your program (and mine) they waited until a critical time to say, "Oh, yeah, you'll need to buy this device that costs hundreds of dollars besides buying your expensive textbooks." Well, they didn't say it would be cheap.

[Jlm1206]

See I have been debating over whether or not to get a Kindle or an iPad.

[springchick1, ADN, RN]

All of our text books come with an erect copy of the book and I hate them. Call me old fashioned by I like the hard copy f the text and I like to be able to high lite quickly. Ido have an iPad mini that I use for my drug guide and other apps I need for school b

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

Hi:

I looked up Next generation eLearning when "know.com" format was mentioned, and it looks very interesting.

It would be great to hear of the actual experiences as you go through them.

Thank you for sharing.

[Hansmoleman]

I just finished an ADN program that provided iPod touches with skyscape which we were also able to install on any other devices we had. It was indispensable for looking up meds/skills/labs etc. I used an iPad as my primary device throughout the program and only wish that more of our books had been available in ebook format when I started the program (we essentially bought all our books before the program started). The whole stack is about three feet high and more than just a little unwieldy. I used kno for our last class and rather liked it, nice to be able to highlight and and bookmark as well as search the book for specific text. Our instructors posted notes online that we could print out to follow along with the power point slides, this ends up being a LOT of slides to print out over two years. I used an app called "noteability" for the iPad that allowed importing the PDF of the slides and then writing on them, in addition when taking notes you can simultaneously record audio which syncs with whatever you are writing at that time. So when you review your notes and there is something that doesn't make sense or you missed something you just tap on that part of your notes and it plays the audio from that time. I have tried the covers with he built in keyboard but have found that I really liked the apple wireless Bluetooth keyboard much better, however if you use the onscreen keyboard be aware if you have autocorrect on that it doesn't like medical terms and may make some interesting interpretations of what you are trying to type. Best of luck to all of you, it's going to be a trying couple (few) years but it'll be over before you know it.

-N

[Stella_Blue]

I would not like this. I have found a good ild fashioned study style that works for me and that involves text books, paper notes and pencils. Its got me through my first program and working my way through my second. I mean the whole integrated study stuff is cool. Anything extra I could get to help me study is nice, but I like old fashion text books.