Surface RT for Teachers - Glass Half-empty or Half-full?

"Our environment, the world in which we live and work, is a mirror of our attitudes and expectations." - Earl Nightingale

I bought a Surface RT this weekend.

 

After going back and forth whether I should buy one to learn more about the device I finally decided to, even with all the recent negative publicity.

Have you ever noticed the echo chamber that occasionally pops-up on social media sites and the mass media in general? It happened again this month, first it was #sharknado on my Twitter PLN and then the barrage of negative articles about the Surface RT after Microsoft announced its earnings and a $900 million dollar write-down on the Surface RT tablet.

 

 

 

Here is a small sampling of the crescendo from techno-blogosphere this week:

Why Microsoft's Surface RT Failed

http://mashable.com/2013/07/19/surface-rt-failure/

Microsoft's Surface RT Didn't Have To Be A $900 Million Disaster
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/19/microsoft-surface-rt-900-million_n_3624014.html

Zune 2.0: is Microsoft making the same mistakes with Surface RT?

http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/19/4537944/surface-rt-mistakes-look-like-zune-2

If the iPad was late, ran Windows 8, it would fail too

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57594689-75/if-the-ipad-was-late-ran-windows-8-it-would-fail-too/

Surface RT at $350: Time to Buy?
http://winsupersite.com/windows-rt/surface-rt-350-time-buy

So why did I buy a Surface RT with all the doomsday predictions?

1)    Curiosity – many have asked me about the Surface RT but I had not used one for any length of time. What little time I did spend with one I saw potential as a teaching and learning device. Having used the Surface Pro for the past six months it is time to try out its little brother.

2)    I was shopping for a larger tablet than the Nexus 7 that my wife primarily uses as an ebook reader. She is wanting a larger tablet to browse webpages, check email, and keep up with the family on Facebook in the evenings. Our older laptop that she currently uses is tethered to the table by the electrical adapter as the battery has completely failed, time for another device.

3)    The price reduction to $349 makes the Surface RT an acceptable risk for me and a prime candidate for a BYOD device.  I need to learn more about this device first-hand and not from Monday morning quarterbacks. Most tech articles are superficial and the only way to know for sure is through your own experience. Also, keeping a couple of Benjamin's in your pocket is a good thing.

4)    I have written extensively about the Clover Trail Windows 8 Tablet (Samsung Ativ 500T) and the Surface Pro. Blogging my experiences about the Surface RT will complete the trilogy of current Windows 8 devices by processor type. The Surface RT uses an ARM processor that is not compatible with x86 programs so I go into this endeavor with that knowledge.

5)    At #iste13 in San Antonio, the worlds largest edtech conference approximately 10,000 educators were given Surface RTs as a gift from Microsoft This is a great opportunity for teachers to explore the possible uses for education.  Since the conference I have not seen many conversations about how to use the Surface RT for teaching and learning purposes.  I have however witnessed many negative comments and complete dismissal of the device from some.  I hope to be able to help with some insights for using the Surface RT in the classroom so it does not become a paperweight from all the current negativity surrounding it, that indeed would be a shame.
 

Lee Kolbert also noticed the negativity surrounding the Surface RT at #iste13 and has a blog posting that is worth a read:

Rants, Ramblings, and a Challenge from #ISTE13

http://www.leekolbert.com/2013/06/rants-ramblings-and-challenge-from.html

So, is the Surface RT a half-empty or a half-full technology for you? I suspect that depends upon you and your mindset.

I will be finding out more for myself over the coming days, but be warned, I have always been a half-full type of guy.

I am sure I will find many limitations but I am also confident I will find amazing potential for use in the classroom. If you have not used that Surface RT you received at #iste13 since getting back from the conference it is time to pick it up and knock off the dust. Summertime is a perfect time for learning new things.

Stay tuned for more as I blog my Surface RT experience here in the coming days.

I am using the Surface RT right now to write this blog post, using the included Word 2013 program and then pasting into Blogger.

If you have a Surface RT, or received one at #iste13, or like me, bought one on your own at the new sale price, let’s learn together.

Keep on Learning,

Tom Grissom, Ph.D.

 

http://eiu.edu/itc

 

@tomgrissom