The address below is a link to an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution discussing Georgia's consideration of iPads for students. Their plan would start by providing iPads to middle schools first. They discuss how the iPads would replace the purchase of books and how the students would be provided with ebooks by companies changing their format to fit today's technology.
The following address provides a link to a video by 11 Alive News, an Atlanta news station. The video discusses the replacement of books with iPads in Georgia schools, now being considered by our state lawmakers. Apparently, they have been talking to Apple already!
Sharon, this is such exciting information! It seems that everywhere I look there is a new app coming out. The specific ones that deal with learning are the most important. Instead of textbook adoptions we will have iPad "app"options! Thanks for keeping us informed and having time to watch the news!
ReplyDeleteThere are certainly a lot of comments about this article.
ReplyDeleteUnless the parents are required to take out an insurance policy, I'd never do this. I've had kids break science lab equipment and parents refuse to pay to replace it, so we can never do the lab again because there is no money to replace things. I see how the kids throw their textbook around too--they'll be very careful the first year with an Ipad because it's NEW, but the second year will be different. I have kids every week or two leave their cell phones and Ipods at school and generally they never see them again.
We are definately losing kids in middle school, but I'm hoping the state government is looking at all of the hidden costs, including batteries.
Do you think it will ever happen? I do wonder about the replacement and upkeep on them. The info. is very interesting though. Wouldn't it be nice...
ReplyDeleteTwila, I can't imagine them not requiring some sort of insurance by the parents or county. I believe that was one of the requirements they were talking about in one of the articles I posted. I don't see how you could make it work without the insurance. I also think you would have to have a technology specialist at each school that could fix problems as they occurred, not tomorrow or next week! They should also know the software and how it works. Otherwise I think the students and teachers would be so frustrated that it would hinder the success of the program.
ReplyDeleteSharon, I too worry about middle school students being responsible for iPads.Not only breaking them or loosing them, but having them stollen or selling them for cash. I know that these issues will be worked out in the future, but for now I think there are too many variables, including the budget. At a time when they are laying off staff members due to budget cuts, they certainly won't be able to afford iPads. And one ECS for 2 or 3 schools leaves the staff "high and dry" for days at a time. There is no way they could manage student iPads also.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a nice thing to have but I agree with everyone else is the cost worth it? I think most middle schoolers would not be responsible enough to keep up with and take care of the iPad. The money spent to repair and replace them would be far more than the funds available in most school budgets.
ReplyDelete