iPads at School

iPads Abound
by Todd Ream
   When I went away to college, my parents announced anything I took with me was going to have to fit into my car.  Since I was never a slave to fashion, my clothes did not take up much room.  Any books I needed I would just buy once I got to campus.  However, this relatively new invention called the personal computer took up a considerable amount of space.  The futuristic monochrome monitor and sleek, dot-matrix printer easily weighed enough to make me wonder if I needed to pull into some of the truck weigh stations on the interstate.  All that just so I could type and print my papers, as even the internet had yet to emerge.   
   This fall, children in grades K-8 at Eastern received a device that weighs a fraction of my first personal computer and is small enough that it can fit in almost any backpack (most students in the high school received comparable devices known as netbooks).  This one-to-one iPad initiative, an effort garnering local, state, and nationwide acclaim, is arguably the first of its kind.  The essence of it is that each child was issued one of these devices in order to aid in their educational efforts both at home and at school.  Some schools make these devices available in the classroom and Eastern had taken that approach for a couple of years.  However, now each child can use this device in any number of locations.
   With internet capability and high resolution screens, iPads can be used to support a host of initiatives from helping with research for science projects to shooting short documentaries.  At a recent meeting of the Parent Advisory Committee, Eastern Elementary Principal Randy Maurer highlighted that iPads are even allowing for individualized instruction for students, such as reading assignments that match with each student’s current reading level. 
  Eastern Superintendent, Tracy Caddell, noted, “We are excited to see the positive feedback from parents, guardians, and other stakeholders concerning our one-to-one program with iPads and netbooks.”
   Of course, students have also figured out that such devices can be utilized for a variety of purposes.  The same iPad that can be used to make a documentary for science class can also be used to make a host of films starring any number of actors including family pets.  Rumor has it that video footage of a previously unknown schnauzer that roams several acres on 100 N has now gone viral in Azerbaijan.
  On a more serious note, Tracy Caddell also recently warned parents that “Unfortunately, we cannot fully control all aspects of internet access from sites other than our own. We highly recommend that the parent supervise and control internet use while the student is away from school to prevent them from reaching inappropriate content. Should you have concerns with how your student uses their device or the content they can reach, please contact us immediately.”
   While our children will have more room in their cars when they leave for college for the latest fashion accessories, the introduction of new forms of instructional technology comes with both benefits and challenges.  Remembering technology is a means and not an end, such devices are designed to reinforce and individualize what is best about the educational experience—not expose students to the worst dimensions of the human experiment.  Failure to respect those parameters compromises what is ultimately a step into the future of education.  We may very well all have a role to play in this new world where devices such as iPads abound.   
   Todd and his family live in Greentown. He has two daughters who attend Eastern Elementary School where he serves as a regular volunteer.  He also teaches at Indiana Wesleyan.