What do you think about Middle School students being issued an ipad, instead of

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   lupineposted 11 years ago

   What  do you think about Middle School students being issued an ipad, instead of books?
   
   Students in the local school district, middle school, have all been issued an ipad this year (2013), instead of the traditional text books. What is your opinion? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

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   sheilamyersposted 11 years ago

   I think the main disadvantages are the cost to replace if they get lost or broken and the fact they'd be a target for theft. Otherwise, I can't see much of a difference between a print book and an IPad. A book in either form will do the student no good if they don't read it. I don't think having the iPod instead of a print book is going to magically make kids read if they aren't inclined to do so in the first place.

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      lupineposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for answering...yes, the initial cost must be expensive, not to mention the cost of replacements. Not sure how they would handle that, don't think parents would want to be responsible for replacement cost. True, a student must want to read.

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   CraftytotheCoreposted 11 years ago

   Wow, that's amazing!  I don't think our school district has that kind of money.  I was surprised when they started putting a few computers in each classroom. 
   
   I love books.  I love researching in libraries and learning the old-fashioned way.  I've taught my children to appreciate reading from books as well, but they certainly would rather spend their time on electronics.
   
   As times change, even my own children know more about electronics that I do.  I think one advantage is that the children will have a lighter load to carry every day in backpacks.  The biggest downfall I can see is when the internet is down, they can't get their work done.  I see this in my own home office.  When the internet is down, it causes huge problems.  It lessons productivity.

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      lupineposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Teaching has evolved since my school days, for sure. I guess the district here has a lot of money...especially since so many teachers have been let go in the last few years...maybe they were planning for the ipad to do the teaching. I like books too.

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   johnsonrallenposted 11 years ago

   While expensive, I think it's a good and logical direction to go. I remember the hassle of carrying multiple books around for hours because I didn't have time to make it to my locker between classes. What if you have homework in 7 classes one night or over the weekend? How do you fit all those books and notebooks in your backpack without the strain? I remember it was so bad at one point my backpack literally broke and went tumbling down the stairs (with all my books scattering around) due to the weight.
   
   I imagine all the iPads will be locked for study only and serial numbers notated to deter theft so the only negative would be cost to the district.

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      lupineposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      This will definitely be a lighter load for students. When I went to school, everyone had a locker for books, but when my kids went they cut down on issuing lockers and eventually had none...all had to carry backpacks w/books all day! Thanks.

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   christiananrkistposted 11 years ago

   To be honest, I don't see any disadvantage. I know my daughter carried so many books in her backpack she was having back pain daily from the weight. I'm not even exaggerating when I say the bag weighed 30-40 lbs. That more than 1/3 of her weight. So I'm happy about the ipads

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      lupineposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, books in the backpacks are extremely heavy. Students will feel much better just knowing they won't have to carry that weight around all day. Maybe this will be a reason to be responsible with the ipad, and not brake or lose it.

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   peeplesposted 11 years ago

   How wonderful! I wish school districts here would transfer over to that! My children are wearing backpacks that are ridiculously heavy. There is no need for that anymore.
   As times change schools NEED to change with them. There is no real benefit to holding onto the books just for old time sake. They should switch over to one multi use book in case of an issue where an ipad doesn't work. 
   Technology is the direction of our world, our children need to learn it.

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      lupineposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That is the #1 complaint...carrying all those books are hurting kid's back, shoulders, etc. The ipad will lighten the load for sure. Schools must teach the best way they can, and keep up with technology. Thanks!

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   duffsmomposted 11 years ago

   I would say that district has too much money on its hands and they should buy textbooks and pay their teachers more.
   
   I can only think of disadvantages:  They can get lost and are expensive to replace. Kids may use them for other purposes unless they can block the internet on them.  And I think the kind of budget that can issue iPads to students is highly suspect.

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      lupineposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, teachers do deserve better pay. Apparently, the district has plenty of money, to afford this. I mentioned earlier, many teachers have lost their jobs in California in the last few yrs., maybe this is why, they're being replaced w/ipads. Thanks!

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   TNT Huskyposted 11 years ago

   it's interesting, but a tad risky. they could be out by large amounts of money for no reason but a young adult's lack of responsibility. on the other hand, though, it has the potential to give them access to all of the learning tools they need without burdening them physically. technology for the sake of education is still very untapped ground right now. this idea would be a good example for other schools and administrations to use when considering the practices. it's good that they made this stride for their students, but it isn't without its risks.

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      lupineposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You are exactly right! This is a new idea for students, and responsibility for care and use of the ipad will be key. The district must have a budget for the cost  to repair/replace if needed. Yes, a good example for others to consider, if this works,

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   JohnGreasyGamerposted 11 years ago

   Considering how outdated the books I used in Middle School were (we're talking a good 20 or so years old at the time), I think the iPad is a good idea. However, it's unlikely to be cost efficient because of things like battery life, how fragile they are, maintenance costs and you have to compare the cost of those things to buying books in bulk. Will there be any health and safety issues to consider, and will they need to be heavily configured to meet each student's font and font size preferences?
   
   Lots of things need to be considered before this is accepted for the school budget, which in England, is incredibly small.

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      lupineposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You have brought up lots of important points to consider. This is just the beginning, so we should see some results by the end of the school year, and health issues not for some time. Thanks for your valuable input.

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    mbuggiehposted 11 years ago

    As long as the school district is providing the i-pads and providing them in such a way as to guarantee equal access to the devices and their content, then it is likely to be very advantageous to the students.
    
    Not only in terms of up-to-date information, but also in terms of enhancing inter-activity and developing end-user computer skills.

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       lupineposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks  for commenting...yes ALL students in the district (middle school) were issued the ipad. It could be an up-to-date way of learning, that may cause students to want to learn. Many students are lazy to learn traditionally.

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    Steve Burgessposted 11 years ago

    A very good initiative for school going children as for my times i used to carry a heavy log on my back for the whole school session. The burden of books become lighter than the earlier time by replacing it to ipad. Now children have a vast knowledge pool in their hand only instead of limited books. Although the start up cost will be some what high, but it doesn't matters when this is done at education level.

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       lupineposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks Steve. Will be much easier to carry an ipad, for sure. Books are becoming a thing of the past, even around here there's bookstores that have closed. Now many books can be found or read online. Students won't be limited to outdated books.

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