The Pros and Cons of iPads in the Classroom
At the beginning of my GPP I was given the task of teaching
my Year 5 class how to use an iPad during our Computing lesson, despite never
being very good at ICT! The Learning Objective was to a persuasive poster about
e-Safety on the “Pic Collage” app. Each individual pupil was given their own iPad, and the success criteria was for there to
be at least 2 pictures, 1 video that may be played and numerous captions with
text explaining just what the children knew what is meant be “e-Safety” on their posters.
After recapping what the task entailed, I spent the remainder of the lesson reviewing each pupil’s work, displaying some exemplary work on the interactive whiteboard, and provided feedback on how best to improve their work. When planning the lessons, I began to weigh up the possible advantages and disadvantages to the use of iPads in a classroom environment.
After recapping what the task entailed, I spent the remainder of the lesson reviewing each pupil’s work, displaying some exemplary work on the interactive whiteboard, and provided feedback on how best to improve their work. When planning the lessons, I began to weigh up the possible advantages and disadvantages to the use of iPads in a classroom environment.
To begin with, perhaps the most positive aspect in using an iPad
is just how much fun they can be. Whether a computing whizz-kid or not, iPads
are one of the most “hands-on” methods of computing for children. They can keep
even the most behavioural challenging pupils engaged. On another note, iPads
are light-weight, portable and fast and easy to use. They are an excellent
means to save and record a lot of the pupils’ work and progress. Furthermore,
they can act as a great means of communication, especially with shy pupils, EAL
or SEN pupils whom may feel more relaxed when they have an interactive tablet,
like an iPad, for additional support.
Also, from a teacher’s viewpoint, the sheer number of education-based apps is enormous. Depending of what you wish to teach the pupils, there is probably an app that suits your need. Textbooks can now be condensed to a PDF and therefore result in less clutter and paperwork in the classroom. Furthermore, iPads loan themselves to cross-curricular activities: whether that be recording and colour coding scientific results to planning and designing in D&T.
Also, from a teacher’s viewpoint, the sheer number of education-based apps is enormous. Depending of what you wish to teach the pupils, there is probably an app that suits your need. Textbooks can now be condensed to a PDF and therefore result in less clutter and paperwork in the classroom. Furthermore, iPads loan themselves to cross-curricular activities: whether that be recording and colour coding scientific results to planning and designing in D&T.
However, one needs to highlight some potential flaws in the
use of iPads in a classroom environment. Some pupils may find typing
frustrating. Despite seeming like an irrelevant point to make as typing is a
skill everyone will have to learn, this nevertheless deters from the fact that
typing on a keyboard can be a slow and strenuous chore for pupils, especially
for those with any learning difficulties such as dyslexia and for pupils whose
family are too poor to afford a computer at home.
Furthermore, one cannot negate the fact that iPads, in bulk, can be hugely expensive particularly for smaller primary schools. This leads to the problem that some children may find sharing an iPad a difficult task, especially when one child may be excelling and wishing to continue onto further tasks when their partner(s) take more time to complete the work. Another flaw specific to the iPad is the lack of multitasking. Unlike Windows products, the iPad is not so easy to use when switching from one open window to another and requires a lot of flipping back and forth from the main menu. This leads one onto the argument that there are other technologies and software that children should practise on during Computing lessons. There should be more opportunities to use different technologies: from using standard computers to laptops and even mobile phones (of course, in a carefully monitored environment).
To conclude, iPads and other similar computer tablets are one of the most popular and widely-used resources in primary Computing lessons. Adults and children alike use and enjoy them. One cannot deny the popularity of Apple computer products and pupils should become familiar with how to use that at an easiest stage as possible. Having said that, Computing should not be taught exclusively on Apple products. Teaching in Computing should be as broad as possible, and learning should not be restricted to one specific brand.
Furthermore, one cannot negate the fact that iPads, in bulk, can be hugely expensive particularly for smaller primary schools. This leads to the problem that some children may find sharing an iPad a difficult task, especially when one child may be excelling and wishing to continue onto further tasks when their partner(s) take more time to complete the work. Another flaw specific to the iPad is the lack of multitasking. Unlike Windows products, the iPad is not so easy to use when switching from one open window to another and requires a lot of flipping back and forth from the main menu. This leads one onto the argument that there are other technologies and software that children should practise on during Computing lessons. There should be more opportunities to use different technologies: from using standard computers to laptops and even mobile phones (of course, in a carefully monitored environment).
To conclude, iPads and other similar computer tablets are one of the most popular and widely-used resources in primary Computing lessons. Adults and children alike use and enjoy them. One cannot deny the popularity of Apple computer products and pupils should become familiar with how to use that at an easiest stage as possible. Having said that, Computing should not be taught exclusively on Apple products. Teaching in Computing should be as broad as possible, and learning should not be restricted to one specific brand.