buyer beware

Q1 Compare Products Steps

19. Buyer Beware
Your class is receiving a grant of $6,000. You have been asked to evaluate and recommend a tablet device to purchase. Compare Samsung, Apple, Amazon devices by visiting Amazon, Best Buy or Newegg

1. Open, Copy and Save this Tablet Product Specifications Chart. The chart includes the basic information and has a blank column for a device of your choice.  Partial screenshot of the Product Specifications Chart

2. Discuss the importance of the different features of each device in a small group or as a class and identify pros and cons. 

  • Memory, storage, resolution & screen size, processor, price
  • Keyboard or mouse pen
  • Consider whether other features are important for your class work:
    • cameras
    • the ability to attach a monitor or projector to it
    • keyboard or touchscreen
    • USB port for external devices

3. Calculate how many of each device can be purchased with the grant funds.  Remember you have $6,000 to spend!

4. After your research is completed, select one device to recommend.  Offer three reasons why you selected it. Document this on your worksheet.

5. Save and share your Tablet product chart and final recommendation with your teacher.

Bonus activities:

  • Your small group can present and defend your recommended device to the rest of the class for a final class vote for a single device recommendation.
  • Invite your school or district technology director to present your recommendation and ask how the school/district makes a decision.
  • An anonymous donor has offered to match the grant. Will this make a difference to your recommendation?
  • Search Amazon for the device chosen and read the user reviews. Does this change your recommendation?

MITECS  Michigan Integrated Technology Competencies for Students, and

ISTE Standards for Students

2. Digital Citizen
a. Cultivate and manage their digital identity and reputation and are aware of the permanence of their actions in the digital world
b. Engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using technology

3. Knowledge Constructor
c. Curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts or solving authentic problems

5. Computational Thinker
b. Collect data or identify relevant data sets