Website Mission
It is the mission of this website to assist in the development of learning environments that promote Career and Technical Education as well as academic excellence. To provide examples of effective 21st century teaching and learning strategies in order to assist in the development of more engaged and motivated classrooms. To provide multimedia Podcasts and articles to facilitate an understanding of how to implement technology and multimedia in classrooms regardless of content area. To encourage independent and personalized learning by teaching students to enjoy the process of learning. To assist teachers in becoming facilitators of learning.
iPads in K-12 Classrooms
The launching of iPad devices into K-12 classrooms seems like it would be met with little resistance. After all, most students thrive on the use of technology and most educators welcome the use of devices that promise to engage their students in the curriculum. But a look at pilot programs in two California schools and one Oregon school district may shed some light on the potential limitations of this concept.
In the article entitled The Impact of the iPad on K-12 Schools, author Tanya Roscorla identifies several advantages to implementing the iPad into classrooms. For instance, students are able to power up the devices, open apps and navigate the touch screen interface with little difficulty. The battery life allows for unlimited use during a normal class period, and the iPad is well suited for communicating, e-reading and Web browsing.However, using the iPads for instructional purposes does have some limitations. Sharing the devices in a classroom may prove to be challenging at first, as each student inevitably wants their own device to use. Also, some students may not be comfortable using the touch screen keyboard for typing longer assignments, and saving their work may be more difficult, especially when more than one student is using the same device. In addition, during the pilot study, the iPad offered no support for Flash websites, access to quality digital textbooks, or printing capabilities to a printer that was not AirPrint-enabled. Purchasing and syncing apps to every student-used used device is also time-consuming for teachers and administrators.
At the end of the pilot programs, it was determined that although the iPad cannot replace good teachers or good classroom instruction, it is an effective tool for students to use. The article states, “As a result of the collaborative, differentiated learning environment, homework turn-in rates and student engagement have increased.”
In conclusion, the launching of iPads in the classroom does have its advantages, as well as its limitations. Although the devices are not intended to replace traditional laptops for educational purposes, they do offer some benefits that are worth working through the limitations of the iPads, most notably the increase in student engagement and the student-centered environment that is created.
