Is the iPad the Correct Tool to Aid Learning in Education?

[Steven Pearce]

Link to Original Blog click here

Many educators have asked – “Are iPads the correct tool to aid learning in education?” Having read several articles and well as witnessing first hand the implementation of iPad programs in several K12 educational establishments. I still don’t have a definitive answer, but I suppose it depends on the goals of your educational establishment and the age group of learners and what they need to achieve by using the iPad.

Therefore my answers are Yes and No……..

No

If you are going to implement an iPad program then the pedagogical style of education in the classroom must change. There is no point in simply giving out iPads to every student and expecting everyone to use it as a tool for learning. I have seen this in action, where a private school gives each child an iPad as part of its admissions; the cost is included in the school fees. “What great marketing”, but no help with the actual learning of the child. The teachers had not been trained to use the iPad; the school infrastructure had not been designed to cope with 200 students using the iPad all at the same time. Parents were asked to purchase and download the apps at home, so loss of control from the school’s point of view, with parents who were not really trained correctly with technology use at home. No thought about the older students who need to type 5000 word projects on an iPad keyboard. No training given to teachers or students about Internet safety, correct usage in the classroom and digital citizenship.  No thought about storage of personal data or even transfer of data, no thought over the applications available on the iPad and whether they are suitable in the classroom.

Yes

If you have planned your implementation correctly, considered all the points mentioned above, then your iPad program is likely to be much more successful:

• Supportive, designed, and managed wireless infrastructure
• Teacher continuous training and support
• Introduction of classroom IT Integrators/Innovators
• Parental workshops to support home use of technology and understanding the use of technology in the classroom
• Control, centralized and managed downloading of Apps by the school
• IT pedagogy, how to use iPads to aid learning in the classroom (and at home)
• A supportive and fully trained IT technical team
• Data storage and data transfer
• The correct Apps which will aid learning
• A good LMS or VLE
• The health and safety issues (how to look after and care for your iPad)

This list is not exhaustive and I am sure we can add several more important points to this list……..

Is the iPad suited for all ages?

This depends on what the iPad is going to be used for in education? I still believe at the moment it is more valuable as a learning tool for use in the Elementary/Primary school sector and that a laptop (MacBook or Notebook) would be more suitable to Middle/High school/ Secondary school, possibly if the budget allowed, an iPad would be useful as a supplementary learning tool. (I can see the benefits, the ease of carrying an iPad or any mobile device, the ease to make quick notes in a lecture theatre or classroom, the use of Science based Apps in 3D etc., the long battery life and the long list of other benefits mentioned in previous blog entries here). The processing power, storage capabilities, number of applications, software and of course a keyboard, simply make laptops currently a far more effective learning tool than the iPad. I have seen the separate keyboard that can be used with iPads as well as the overlay for the keyboard, this maybe a way forward for the future.

Don’t get me wrong; I feel the iPad is a fantastic educational tool, when used in a school environment that has been planned and where everyone fully supports the program. But if a school just gives an iPad to everyone and thinks the magic of learning will automatically take place, I feel that they may be proved sadly wrong.

Written by Steven David Pearce 20/12/2011

[Jo-Ann Fox]

I suggest checking out the iRead program in the Escondido Union School District. While most if their program uses 1:1 iPods much can be learned about the effective implementation of iPods/iPads. You can visit them at https://sites.google.com/a/eusd.org/eusd-iread/.

I am a teacher in this program and manage 30 iPods. I am documenting my use of Apps on my personal website blog www.AppEducation.com

Feel free to check out my site and how I use apps to support innovative learning. I advocate for the use of CREATIVE APPS vs. skill review apps. Love visiting this site for more ideas for my classroom.

[Charlie Underwood]

David I agree as well. In addition I think that the Apps need to mature as well. I see far too manyapps that are like glorified powerpoint presentations. As a teacher it is difficult to have everyone just flipping through the presentations.

[Peter McCaskill]

David your analysis is spot on. We are currently researching the implementation of iPads and I agree with your comments. The management of iPads and iPods in a school "BYOD" scenario is just to difficult at this stage. The licensing of apps and their installation is a major issue. Hopefully Apple may come to the party with some managment tools. For the 2012 year, we are likely to go with a laptop solution for our portable IT provision, even though it is muchx more expensive.