As we all know, Apple introduced a new iPad at its education event in Chicago, which it seems like the shortest meeting for introducing new Apple products. A lot of Apple fans expected to see cheaper version of iPhone X or updated MacBook Air or Pro, however, it turns out only a cheaper-priced iPad that can support the Apple pencil. The flashiest news was that the $326 iPad now works with the $99 Apple Pencil stylus. Apple(AAPL) wants schools to buy these products at a slightly discounted rate so students can create art, immerse themselves in history and, yes, dissect virtual frogs. In fact, this new idea of cheaper price Apple targeted on students and faculties, entering Apple spirit into the aspect of education. Moreover, the new iPad is competing with the market share of Chromebook 11 as well. That could be one main reason why Apple struggles to have more new iPad into school. As a comparison made by technologies lover, they have conclude that :”Apple isn’t going to make any headway in schools from a financial perspective with the new iPad. It is essentially the same cost as the old one, with the primary differences to users being Apple Pencil support, and the company not “going loud” with the previous model’s educational price. Between the iPad and Acer Chromebook 11, the price, battery life and general performance are in the same ballpark, but the new Acer Chromebook 11 is among the higher-end ones that schools choose. Most schools are cash-strapped, and volume of devices available for a set amount of money generally is the prime consideration to technological ones making the technological gap larger for a one-to-one comparison.” Therefore, occupying more marketshare in education, cost is the first drivers.
From my perspectives, I would love to see today’s education entering the element of using iPad or Chromebook because we could save more trees from cutting down and turn into paper. It can be part of saving energy and natural resources. However, everything has two sides. For those younger than our age children, the cost of using those technologies in school will be their eyesight issues and potential addiction of using technology. As we might seen in the real world, a lot of toddlers already start starring at those screens while eating and can’t eat their meals without it because the cartoons or fun games showing will help their parents feed them food. Also, the average eyesights of today’s kids get lower and lowers, putting a glasses when they are just 3rd grade. These sides effect should we think more than how we embracing technologies like Apple getting involved in schools.
One thing to consider with adding technology to the classroom is the development of the students in other ways. This op-ed article I linked below shows how even though adding new technology into the classroom might be good for their education, it might have a detrimental affect on their social development. Kids are on some device pretty much all the time when they aren’t at school and even when they are in school sometimes. Adding more devices that they can actually be on all day in school will mean even less time that they are spending interacting with other people. School is an important time for kids to develop social skills and if they aren’t talking to each other than that isn’t happening.
It’s possible to get around this though by limiting the amount of time that kids are using the devices and I think the benefit to their education is worth it.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/i-gave-my-students-ipads–then-wished-i-could-take-them-back/2015/12/02/a1bc8272-818f-11e5-a7ca-6ab6ec20f839_story.html?utm_term=.d35dc4ecabea
I have more of an old school view on technology in the classroom. I think technology should be kept out of the classroom and if it must be used it should be heavily monitored. For example, my junior year of high school they gave all incoming freshman an iPad. At first I thought this would be a good thing but all it led to was the students being distracted in class with the games and apps that were accessible through the iPad. If something like this were to be implemented I believe that the iPads should be monitored in the classroom and teachers should be able to tell how the students are using the iPad so they can make sure they are following the class. Without this monitoring, in my experience, it leads to students being distracted which will ultimately have a negative effect on their learning and their grades.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/the-problem-with-technology-in-schools/2013/01/28/cf13dc6c-6963-11e2-ada3-d86a4806d5ee_blog.html?utm_term=.aa1ec977c25f
Technology is everywhere–entwined in almost every part of our culture. It affects how we live, work, play, and most importantly learn. With devices that are becoming essential to industries around the world, it only makes sense that our schools are also effectively deploying mobile technology in the classroom. But, as we all know, not everything that makes sense, ends up becoming a reality. According to PBS LearningMedia research, 74% of teachers surveyed responded that using classroom technology motivates students to learn. Technology in the classroom allows students to take greater control of their education because tools like tablets and laptops encourage interactive, hands-on learning. Increasing the use of technology in classrooms provides plenty of benefits, including broader learning, deeper engagement, tools for teacher efficiency, and most importantly, it prepares students for a digital future. Devex studies show more than 50 percent of today’s jobs require some degree of technology skills, and experts say that percentage will increase to 77 percent in the next decade. Think about that, over three quarters of the jobs in the next decade will require some sort of technological skills, and over the majority of kindergarten to 12th grade classrooms lack a technological presence. Based on everything already said, I applaud apple for taking these steps to include more ipads in classrooms because I, along with them, think this will benefit students – young or older – better themselves for the future. Yes, this will be hard for a lot of schools due to money, but it is a step in the right direction to try and implement this.
As a college student, I can already see the effects of technology on education and how whiteboards, notebooks, and other traditional aspects of education are gradually becoming obsolete. The efficiency of education made possible by technology is something that can’t be ignored. The implementation of iPads in schools specifically for educational purposes has proven to have immensely positive effects on students in a worldwide study conducted by Apple.
https://www.apple.com/education/docs/ipad-in-education-results.pdf
This study compares various aspects of education before and after the implementation of iPads in classroom settings, tracking data from as early as 2009 to as recent as 2015. Some highlights of this study include a 44.9% increase in reading test scores and a 55% increase in math and science test scores at the Montlieu Academy of Technology, 96% of students being more engaged in the classroom at Cedar Valley Catholic Schools, and 84% decrease in new students who drop out of school in the first year in Kindai High School.
Education is progressing into a new era of efficiency and engagement, and I believe more students will be encourage to learn with the implementation of iPads or Chromebooks in the classroom setting.
Ipads have developed far distances over the years after the release of the first ever ipad. However, throwing more and more ipads into schools is not the best of ideas for these upcoming generations. Over the years more and more younger children are gaining access to advanced technology, which is ultimately destroying their own social lives and sometimes even their performance in academics. I have seen time and time again, where younger children cannot hold a proper conversation with another, due to the fact that they have not much experience doing so, or they are still consumed in their handheld device where they are too uninterested to talk. Having this kind of technology in school at the disposal of such younger generational children, can even act as a distraction to them during the learning process.
Although, if sending this kind of technology into the hands of younger children was mandatory, the ipad should not be the main consideration for the sole reason of its simplistic design and operating system. Whether being an apple fan or not, ipads are too easy to use and do not give children the full experience of using advanced technology due to the lack of features they have compared to other devices. Using more advanced technology in school can teach children how to do more with what they have, and even teach them to be more creative and successful for the future.
The reason more and more iPads are getting thrown into schools is their software and UX design. Apple’s IOS is an easy to use operating system that pretty much everyone is familiar with. Not only is it easier for younger students to use, but it has also been developed for learning software that feels natural to the students. Because IOS is so basic the younger students are catching on faster than if they have to learn to use a laptop first. After all, the students are more used to writing rather than typing so they do not need to gain a new skill to start using the iPads for education. With the lower price tag on the iPads, there is no need to use computer labs at the lower grades because they are portable and have little to no maintenance. PC’s need to be tended to quite often but because IOS is so simple it doesn’t need nearly as much maintenance. This way the children are able to take them home and have more opportunity to learn. Over the last couple of generations on new, more useful iPads learning has taken a step into a new realm. Apple has started to focus more on the educational side of IOS as they now offer a plethora of learning options. These options are simple and easy to learn without a teacher needing to explain how the activity works before the students can use it. Apple has even created an application called iTunes U that has audio and video files from museums, universities, and public media organizations that are free for students to use. They also include Google Classroom which is an awesome application to keep students and teachers connected around the clock.
Overall because of IOS and the UX design that is so familiar to us, it relates to what we talked about in class. The ease of use is easy for students to learn and use, even at such a young age. iPads really are a fantastic option over the traditional laptop or computer lab.
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/12/131210-ipad-learning-education-space-science/