This week I spent some time researching iPads in the classroom. Overall, I think the 1:1 iPad initiative is a great thing. Since the beginning of DED 318, I’ve been pinning links to hundreds of great education-related iPad applications to Pinterest. There are tons of apps that can be used for every content area, plus tons more that can be used in any classroom for classroom management, organization, and teacher-student-parent communication. I love that teachers can create class calendars for students to have on their iPads so they can have reminders of assignments right there. Then there would be no need for parents and teachers to be worried about students forgetting to write down their homework.

The Gibbons Fairfax Winthrop School District has recently become a 1:1 iPad district. I love that this link shows how every teacher in their district is using the iPad to enhance student learning. Each teacher has talked about several apps they use in their classroom plus other programs that come preloaded on the iPad that they use for organization and classroom management. For instance, they all use the calendar feature to help their students organize assignments better and often times have students email assignments versus having to find a place to print them off. The music teacher uses apps that allow her students to record themselves singing or playing for assignments and another app that allows students to compose their own music. The English teachers use Google Books among other book apps as a less expensive way to get various texts, plus it’s a lot lighter for students to carry around one iPad versus several books. I love that more and more textbooks are being made available in iPad versions. This makes textbooks cheaper for schools to purchase plus makes backpacks much lighter for students to carry.

I can see that there would be several concerns for using this new technology in schools. For instance, they could become a distraction if educators do not teach students how to utilize them properly. However, I think it is our responsibility as educators to teach students how to use technology properly because they will need to use it in a collegiate and work environment. I can see the expense of the iPads being a concern as well, however it is much cheaper than the 1:1 laptop initiatives and I think is a greater value for the money. Plus, in using iPads, schools would be cutting down on textbook costs and the need to have quite as many computers in the school for students to have access to.

Overall, I think the benefits outweigh the concerns with using iPads in schools and I think a lot of schools are coming to this conclusion, as well.