Several school districts nationwide are replacing traditional textbooks with iPads. Some are providing the devices for all students enrolled in certain classes, while others are providing just enough for students to share them at various times during the school year.
This is a curious trend given the dismal state of public education budgets in much of the nation, but it is one that ought to be studied and monitored carefully. Some school officials say the iPads will save money over time. That may pencil out under some formula, but it's doubtful any real savings will accrue over time. Today, schools are buying the iPad 2. Next year, the iPad 3 may be on the market. Are schools prepared to keep buying the newest technology, or are they going to go for discounts on the older equipment, falling behind and not taking advantage of improvements that might make learning even easier? And if they don't provide the latest technology, are they prepared to make necessary repairs that may start eating into budgets.
And what if the iPad gives way to a new trend next year? Nothing is as fleeting in the world today as the latest technological wonder. The computer world constantly reinvents itself. It is instructive to remember that, not long ago, schools were discussing whether to make laptop computers available to all students. At a cost of roughly $500 to $750 apiece, the iPad represents a hefty investment in one particular type of technology.
But really, none of this matters as much as whether kids learn, and there is no evidence to show that fancy computer equipment makes any difference in terms of student performance. Good, motivated students may find that the Internet opens a world of learning and helps them see and understand new vistas. But students who lack motivation and interest aren't likely to gain it this way, nor will those teachers who lack motivation find it in an iPad. On that score, one of the most troubling aspects of iPads in schools is that they might turn teachers into mere monitors who road classrooms to see how well students are teaching themselves.
There is no denying the seemingly endless array of apps that make the iPad attractive for learning. Interactive games and hands-on tools are only part of the story. Textbooks not only can be updated in real time, they can provide video and audio extras that supplement the reading experience. It's all heady stuff. Until someone can demonstrate that it helps students learn and prepare for the demands of the world, however, it's useless.
U.S. schools are lagging in their performance, and the ACT reports that only 27 percent of the Utah students who took the college entrance exam scored well enough to be considered ready for college. There is little to suggest that the growing amount of gadgetry in classrooms throughout the 20th century, from televisions to computers, led to higher test scores. Quite the opposite happened, actually.
The key lies in getting children excited about learning. Young people today are no strangers to technology. Anyone who has watched a teenager try to do homework and chat on Facebook at the same time understands that this isn't necessarily a good thing. The information age is wonderful in that it makes much of the world's knowledge available with the click of a mouse or the swipe of a finger. But if that was all people needed to get excited about learning, it would be reflected in the top search items requested from Google.