Schools Are Embracing the iPad

As students returned to the classroom after the holiday break, some of them found themselves in possession of brand-new Apple iPads, given to them, surprisingly, by their schools.

 

No, this wasn't part of an elaborate holiday gift scheme, but rather it is the start of a new trend in education. The New York Times recently reported on the event, and explained that many schools across the nation are embracing the iPad as a tool to teach subjects in multimedia, to teach history through games and math with animation of how to solve equations.

 

The iPads themselves cost $750 apiece, and they are being used both in the classroom and at home. They are being used as replacements for textbooks. With the device, students can correspond with teachers, turn in papers and homework assignments and even keep a portfolio of their work.

 

There have been many attempts to provide students with the latest technologies, hoping to find a way to bridge the gap to students who have been raised with computers and video games. The past few years have seen many initiatives to provide a laptop to every student. Many educators wonder if giving students technology has made much of an impact academically.

 

It seems odd that in this tough economic climate, when school districts are hard hit and trying to keep from laying-off teacher or being forced to cut programs, they are willing to spend money on tablet computers. There are many parents and educators who are concerned that the schools are rushing into investing in a product before the educational value can be determined.

 

The nay-sayers feel that the money could be better put to use recruiting, training and retaining good teachers. Their reasoning being that new products like the iPad are great for engaging kids, but after the novelty wears off, there is still the issue of teaching students.

 

But, many school leaders say that the tablets aren't just a cool new toy, but a powerful and versatile tool for the classroom. They also like the iPads design, saying that the large touch screen and flat design allows students to maintain eye contact with their teachers while using it. Additionally, due to the light weight of the product, it doesn't weigh down the students backpacks as much as heavy textbooks.

 

Many textbook companies have developed comparable programs for the iPad, and say that it will be interesting to see the difference in the test scores of the students who are using the iPad versions. Houghton Mufflin Harcourt, a developer of the iPad algebra program says that the tablet version offers videos of the author solving equations and individual assessments and practice problems.

 

The proponents of using tablets in the classroom say that bringing individual technology into the classroom without having to change the classroom set up or atmosphere is a huge selling point. They also note that equipping each student with an iPad would save money in the long run, because it would reduce the printing and textbook costs, and they estimate that using iPads for just two classrooms could save more than $7,000 a year.

 

It remains to be seen if classrooms across the country will start providing iPads for every student, or if this is just a fad that will die out, but it certainly looks as though it has the potential for changing the face of education in our country.

 

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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.