Old School vs. New Age

This post pertains to the different opinions about having iPads in schools.  Previously, I shared my own opinion and experience with using iPads in the classroom.  Now I am going to share the perspective of a parent, a teacher, and a student concerning this same topic. 

Student Perspective:

Elley Goldberg likes almost everything about having an iPad. She says it’s easier to turn in homework through school-approved apps, get feedback from teachers, find information and annotate her reading. She also likes when teachers flip their lessons, asking students to watch a video lesson at home. “It helps to do the lesson at home sometimes because then you can come into class and ask more questions rather than having a whole class that needs to ask questions at the same time during a lesson,” Goldberg said.

Teacher Perspective:

Many educational experts say that the use of iPads for learning is a welcome change from traditional routine. As Hilary French, the Central New Castle High school headmistress says that these new devices are just as important as traditional leaning materials such as a pencil or slide rule. She further says that academically struggling kids have benefited greatly from the use of tablets for learning.  Many educators and teachers agree.  They say that the iPad presents a new learning novelty that will keep children interested in their lessons. Children are able to grasp concepts quickly and more easily. They also spend more time reading than in the past. This has improved the general learning experience for children.

Parent Perspective:

I just wanted to record what an extremely successful ‘test’, the iPad trial, appears to me to have been. I have been struck by the level of energy and enthusiasm it has generated. I don’t think this has just been a product of the novelty. The iPad has introduced an additional level of creativity into every task and that has made the learning process more fun, but also more productive. I’ve also been impressed by the additional opportunities afforded for out of school communication. A number of my son’s friends have been chatting – about their homework projects – via the iPads in a way that I cannot imagine would have been the case otherwise. The communication with teachers has also been more immediate and personal, which has been equally impressive. Another dimension has been the opportunities for students to ‘teach’ staff as Digital Leaders and also for them to act as ambassadors for this new technology for the other forms; excellent opportunities for developing their communication and leadership skills. I think the test has been an outstanding advertisement for the way in which education will change in the future.’

 

As you can see by my post, iPads are a great learning tool, and proper implementation can benefit all learners!

Resources:
http://dedwards.me
http://theipadforkids.com
http://blogs.kqed.org