Since the advent of the iPad in 2010, there has been a tremendous excitement about how they can revolutionise our lives and our children’s learning. Indeed, tablet technology is now thought of as a household item, desired, if not owned by the younger generation. Children are central to the digital revolution and often understand the technology better than their parents, so why, in this age in which we live, shouldn’t the iPad be a large part of a child’s learning?
Before the invention of mobile technologies (m-technologies) the use of desktop technologies took place in dedicated times and places, children would sit with their backs to the world and individually work. Whereas the interactions with iPads are a part of ‘all times and places’ …show more content…
Previously, it was only large-scale textbook publishers that could distribute educational resources to wide scale audiences, but now teachers, parents and anyone with the inclination can develop new content and distribute it digitally through the App Store (Lapouch, M. 2013). Unlike traditional textbooks, content of the App Store is un-moderated and ever changing. Teachers, administrators and parents have few resources to identify high quality apps, not only that, the rate at which new apps are being developed is overtaking the teachers ability to determine which apps are the most effective. Within three years of the introduction of the iPad, the number of dedicated educational resources available had grown to over 100,000, and by early 2013 Apple had sold over 8 million iPads directly to educational institutions (Lapouch, M. 2013).
The issue comes when we consider how iPads are used and how we measure the impact of their use. Between 2009 and 2010 schools in the UK spent £487 million on ICT equipment and services, including iPads, however this has not yet resulted in huge improvements in learning or achievement (James, S. 2010). Impact is not going to be seen purely by having the technology in school; impact depends on how the technology is used (Luckin et al.,
Before the invention of mobile technologies (m-technologies) the use of desktop technologies took place in dedicated times and places, children would sit with their backs to the world and individually work. Whereas the interactions with iPads are a part of ‘all times and places’ …show more content…
Previously, it was only large-scale textbook publishers that could distribute educational resources to wide scale audiences, but now teachers, parents and anyone with the inclination can develop new content and distribute it digitally through the App Store (Lapouch, M. 2013). Unlike traditional textbooks, content of the App Store is un-moderated and ever changing. Teachers, administrators and parents have few resources to identify high quality apps, not only that, the rate at which new apps are being developed is overtaking the teachers ability to determine which apps are the most effective. Within three years of the introduction of the iPad, the number of dedicated educational resources available had grown to over 100,000, and by early 2013 Apple had sold over 8 million iPads directly to educational institutions (Lapouch, M. 2013).
The issue comes when we consider how iPads are used and how we measure the impact of their use. Between 2009 and 2010 schools in the UK spent £487 million on ICT equipment and services, including iPads, however this has not yet resulted in huge improvements in learning or achievement (James, S. 2010). Impact is not going to be seen purely by having the technology in school; impact depends on how the technology is used (Luckin et al.,