What flavor are they drinking in Australia?

[gunug]

I love the graphic on this page, not that excited by the story though!  Maybe if I buy more stock I'll get as excited as the Aussie kid:

QUOTE

http://delimiter.com.au/2010/09/22/educati...d-for-the-ipad/

Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training revealed this week that some schools in the state were displaying an increased interest in iPads and tablet devices, purchasing the handheld computers independently to trial in various education programs.

“The department does not have a policy on the use of iPads or Android-based technology at this stage, however some schools have bought tablet devices to trial in various settings,” said departmental chief information officer Bevan Doyle. “There appears to be a level of interest in this technology for educational use.”

The department said that Kinross College, Ashdale Secondary College, Ballajura Community College and John Curtin College of the Arts were examples of schools that had already purchased iPads to test out.

In Victoria, the Brumby Labor state government got on the bandwagon early, announcing plans to buy 500 iPads for trials throughout the state soon after the iPad launched in Australia in late May. Those devices have made their way into seven schools in the state.

[Paddy]

QUOTE

Western Australia’s Department of Education and Training revealed this week that some schools in the state were displaying an increased interest in iPads and tablet devices, purchasing the handheld computers independently to trial in various education programs.

“The department does not have a policy on the use of iPads or Android-based technology at this stage, however some schools have bought tablet devices to trial in various settings,” said departmental chief information officer Bevan Doyle.

QUOTE

In addition, an unconfirmed number of secondary and primary schools are trialling the handheld devices in other fields literacy, maths, reading, writing, English as a second language and special needs classes.

Excuse me? Since when did "trial" become a verb? What the heck is wrong with "try"? And this from an education department.

Sorry. End of rant. I know Stephen Fry says we shouldn't be pedantic about language. But you can bet HE'D never commit such an unnecessary mangling.

Then again, I don't think much of the copy editor. From further on:

QUOTE

“It is important to make sure schools’ technology can be accommodated and supported within our standard operating environment. WA schools are “strongly encouraged” to open discussion with the departing before venturing into technology acquisitions.

Would that be the departing as in "dearly departed"? As in lovely plumage and nailed to its perch departing? Should be an interesting "discussion."

[gunug]

Thanks for the Rant Paddy!!!  

[Xairbusdriver]

You beat me to it Paddy!! And you probably thought working a bunch of committees was hard!!

I hope the iPad helps with the education of the students, but it does sound a little like they don't have any specific things in mine, goals or uses.

[kimmer]

Paddy, are you dissing their language skills?    






(and I hate - hate - HATE that word)

[gunug]

Maybe they can get a good deal on these "wonderful" Etch A Sketch iPad cases: http://getaheadcase.com/products.html

At $39 apiece I wonder what discount can be had for the whole of Australia?  

[krissel]

You can't blame the educators for the use of 'trial' as a verb. The author of the article took the quote "bought tablet devices to trial" and used it as a verb in the text.  In the original sentence the "trial" could have meant a more common usage as in "He put the devices to trial".  
But that author uses it as a verb elsewhere, too.

http://delimiter.com.au/2010/09/24/50-ipad...in-qld-schools/

However, while not widely accepted, it has been listed for usage as a verb.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/trial
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/trial
http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/TRIAL

The 'departing' comment referenced either the exiting CIO of Education or those who used the notebooks in previous studies (or both). But it is the lack of writing skills of the article author that is to blame for the laughable text not the educators.  Though one could ultimately blame them for his lack of skills.

BTW, this link was in one of the comments... really cool!

http://www.cultofmac.com/glass-pyramid-use...hic-video/52024

[gunug]

Krissel, thanks for posting that pyramid display thing.  My friend "McGiver" tried to tell me about this thing yesterday but I was working on an old iMAC (trying to get it to chime up) and I didn't pay any attention!  This is technology that kind of seems magical; something for an altar in a church or a museum perhaps.