Seeing the Light in Technology

It has been 5 years since I entered BMT, and so much has changed since then. Change of attire, change of shoes, introduction of laptop, and now...ipad.

From: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_684461.html

The SAF soldier's latest weapon - the iPad


FROM November, recruits doing Basic Military Training (BMT) will be armed with one more 'weapon' - a handheld touchscreen device such as an iPad - to sharpen their fighting skills.


Responding to queries from The Straits Times, the Defence Ministry said the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) plans to issue about 8,000 sets, including to every recruit in the BMT Centre and those in other institutes such as the Officer Cadet School and the Specialist Cadet School, as well as to servicemen in the air force and naval training schools.

---

I'm sure many NSmen will lament how BMT has gotten more slack over the years, and how recruits are so pampered and becoming physically and mentally weak. The recent cases of sudden deaths during a run/jog as well as the fieldpack-carrying saga serves to prove their point even more. Now the poor NSFs have become a common target for Stompers, who will try all means to capture their un-graciousness, laziness and misbehaviour, then put the pictures up online and blast away with endless rants and complaints.

Returning to the article, even the army has to keep up with technology nowadays, like schools and workplace. The key is how to implement such improvements without compromising training. The laptops and ipads may be used as educational purposes, but I bet many recruits will attempt to install games/apps for entertainment haha.

Some people raised the question if the ipad will be used in outfield exercises. I think it's quite convenient. Like google maps, soldiers can use the ipad for topography. No need for maps and compasses! But if the ipad ends up in mud, or with a cracked screen, that's their own business...

Other than the army, ipad can be really useful in schools too. Not sure if any schools have implemented ipad as a teaching tool. If every student has an ipad it would be even better. Some time ago I read about how students can input their answers into a tablet PC in response to a teacher's question during class. This is suggested because students are usually shy in speaking up and are afraid in making mistakes in front of their classmates. By using such input method, not only every student can have a chance to answer the question, their responses can be 'privacy-protected'.