Using iPad in Education

Introduction

The iPad is a revolutionary electronic device introduced into the market as a post personal computer device in early 2010 by Apple Inc. it quickly grew in popularity as a premium consumer device and though it was not meant to be an enterprise device it was well embraced in the corporate world as well as in schools. A year later the iPad 2 was introduced with more innovative features such as twin web cameras and a very fast processor (Murray & Sloan, 2008). This has been propelled by the need to ensure that the latest technological advances are suitably utilized in education.

In Australia, the iPad has been extensively used in assessing the positive effects of using modern electronic devices and services towards the evolution of education in the 21^st Century. The iPad has actually become the next best device in the education sector more so in the gathering of information and group work interactions in the classroom (Bachmair, 2007). This paper seeks to look into the ways in which the iPad has been applied to improve on the current education techniques and systems. According to teachers involved in the trials for the use of iPads in the Australian education system, an increasing level of confidence from teachers has apparently resulted in more improved student engagement and implementation guides more so towards a more in-depth understanding     

The use of iPads in classrooms has continuously upraised as being the driving force in the observed influence towards better enthusiasm toward learning experiences, student motivation as well as student motivation which has ultimately resulted in better student attendance (Hayhoe, 2012). It is important to note that iPads have been successfully used in the betterment of learning environments conducive towards the education of the hearing and visually impaired learners (Baga, 2012). As much as the use of iPads has been applauded within the education sector it is important to note that teachers have also appreciated the iPad as a very important device in the streamlining of educational material as well as being quite efficient in the integration of information and technology in the education sector.

The iPad has been ideally packed with the sufficient combination of power dedicated to computing, visual display size as well as mobility making it appropriate tool towards the development of better learning experiences to both the students and the teacher (Gkatzidou & Pearson, 2009). The iPad has been accepted as a welcome advantage to teachers in that searching of teaching resources has brought about better navigation in classrooms as well as better navigation for learner centered learning experiences.

 The iPad is essentially marketed as  a device that promotes personal productivity and as such schools in Australia have run trials on this device with the sole aim of determining the contributions that the iPad an bring towards the betterment of both the teaching and learning experiences.  Support from parents during such trials has been commended as a shared device with the convenience of being used by multiple students as well as being used as personal device (Hart & Whallon, 2012).

Teachers involved in trials for the use of the IPad as an educational tool have agreed to the fact that it has been quite useful for its important implementation of personal learning schedules. One very important outcome as a result of the iPad trial runs resulted in the teacher’s inability to be in touch with the contemporary electronic devices (Heasley, 2010). The movement of teachers from such a comfort zone proved to be beneficial to classroom integration as students interaction with teachers appreciated greatly as students were evidently keen to assist teachers with using the iPad’s numerous applications.

Response from students as to the application of the iPad in learning experiences was tremendously positive. In cases where the iPad was utilized as an assisting device in appealing to students more so in numeracy and literacy skills was quite commendable (Heinrich, 2012). Through the iPad applications store it was possible it was possible for the first time for students to hear a word that they could not pronounce correctly and also being able to spell words unfamiliar to them as it was visible to the on the iPad screen.

Disadvantages

The main aim of trials held towards the assessment of the application of the iPad in teaching and learning experiences. Some shortcoming were encountered which included the need for a robust and efficient 3G network (Barbour, 2012). Hardships experienced in the trial runs for the iPad in schools in the Australian context included management issues, iPad limitations as well as proxy shortcomings. These were actually collected from the data resulting from the evaluation of trial runs. Teachers and students collectively shared information with regard to network connectivity, device shortcomings and some ideally negative experiences in the application experiences of different apple stores applications and iPad model (McGinley, 2012).

Management issues arising from the use of iPad in teaching and learning experiences included set up costs as well as the management of multiple iTunes account for each and every student assigned to a particular device. An iPad had to be assigned to more than one student during the duration of the trial (Modell &Dar, 2002). Challenges were also encountered during the handling of updates with regard to the iPad operating system as well as the use of applications on many devices. This problem was actually experienced in instances where the files for certain applications had a size exceeding 600 megabytes (Meurant, 2010).  This was compounded by the fact that there was the innate inability to make purchases on more than one copy of the iPad applications through the apple stores.

 Proxy issues experienced included issues with authentication with regard to both the iTunes store and the iTunes software applications. This issue was a cause for frustration to a lot of teachers since they would work well on a personal standpoint but pose o be a significant problem in front of the student (Burden, Hopkins, Male, Martin, & Trala, 2012).  This was mainly due to lack of uniformity in educational institution proxies and the internet providers. Other limitations that arose from these trial runs included the inability of the lack of support for various independent applications such as Adobe and Microsoft office.

Trials on the iPads in an educational setting facilitated for the provision for the opportunity to assess both advantages and disadvantages in the application of the iPad in a whole range of departmental capabilities. The experiences shared through such an experiences can go a long way in the further development of iPad applications for the use in the education sector.

 (Bachmair, 2007)     (Baga, 2012)   (Barbour, 2012)   (Burden, Hopkins, Male, Martin, & Trala, 2012)    (Gkatzidou & Pearson, 2009).

References

Bachmair, B. (2007). M-learning and media use in everyday life. Mobile learning: Towards a research agenda. Occasional Papers in Work Based Learning, 1, 105-152.

Baga, J. (2012). E-Resource Round Up: Emerging Technology As Assistive Technology: Conference Report. Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, 24, 1, 46-48

Barbour, M. K. (2012). Teachers perceptions of iPads in the classroom. MACUL Journal, 32, 4, 25-26.

Burden, K., Hopkins, P., Male, T., Martin, S. & Trala, C. (2012) iPad Scotland Evaluation. Hull, Humberside: University of Hull.

Gkatzidou, S. & Pearson, E. (2009). The potential for adaptable accessible learning objects: A case study in accessible vodcasting. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 25, 2, 292-307.

Hart, J. E. & Whalon, K. E. (2012). Using Video Self-Modeling Via iPads to Increase Academic Responding of an Adolescent with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability. Education andTraining in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 47, 4, 438–446.

Hayhoe, S. (2012). Using an iPad with a blind student: A case study at Sharjah Women’s College, In Dowling S. et. al. (Eds.). eLearning in action: Opening up learning. Abu Dhabi: HCT Press.

Heasley, S. (2010). Apple Puts Spotlight On Disability Offerings In App Store. Disability Scoop, downloaded from http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/10/26/sped-app-store/10918/.

Heinrich, P. (2012). The iPad as a Tool for Education: A Study of the Introduction of iPads at Longfield Academy, Kent. Nottingham: NAACE: The ICT Association.

McGinley, S. (2012) Sheikh Mohammed unveiled iPad college scheme. Arabian Business, Monday, 24 September 2012,  downloaded from http://www.arabianbusiness.com/sheikh-mohammed-unveiled-ipad-college-scheme-474030.html

Meurant,  R.C. (2010) The iPad and EFL digital literacy. Communications in Computer and Information Science,123, 224-234.

Modell, B. & Dar, A. (2002). Genetic counselling and customary consanguineous marriage. Nature Reviews, 3, 225-229.

Murray, C., & Sloan, J. (2008). iPod Touch Research Report. Victoria: Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

  (Murray & Sloan, 2008)   (Modell &Dar 2002)   (Meurant, 2010)    (McGinley, 2012)

  (Heinrich, 2012) 

(Hayhoe, 2012).

 (Heasley, 2010)  (Hart & Whallon, 2012)

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