Should electronic tablets be used in schools ?

[tav18]

I think they should.

[Aragorn]

My school uses them and it works out pretty well.

[Suicune]

If they're actually useful in the classroom and are worth the money spent then sure.
But I think it depends on the grade level.

[MattVon]

Waste of money, in my opinion. Much simpler to use a standard desktop or laptop which can allow students to do much more.

[StoppingTime]

Waste of money, in my opinion. Much simpler to use a standard desktop or laptop which can allow students to do much more.

But they are much cheaper. And if you get a tablet (iPad), you can put Pages, Numbers, Keynote on it, and save all your work to iCloud.
If you go Android (Asus Transformer maybe), there's Quckoffice.
There are readers for both.

What else would it need?

[MattVon]

I don't know the figures for either iPads(other tablets) and computers at a bulk discount price, but I am certain a school would favour computers over iPads as they are highly customisable, easy to control via the IT department and if anything was to go wrong a cheap (or free if they have spare parts) fix. Trust me, if tablets were that amazing every school would be using them, but it's not possible due to their budget and the limits they have compared to a computer system.

[StoppingTime]

I don't know the figures for either iPads(other tablets) and computers at a bulk discount price, but I am certain a school would favour computers over iPads as they are highly customisable, easy to control via the IT department and if anything was to go wrong a cheap (or free if they have spare parts) fix. Trust me, if tablets were that amazing every school would be using them, but it's not possible due to their budget and the limits they have compared to a computer system.

I doubt it. They are still a relatively new technology, so it takes a while if a school would want to transition?

But what would they be used for?

[TheMatrix]

Have you ever tried typing on a touch-screen? It's pretty difficult!

And if you suggest that you buy a docking-station-thingy, then you're better off just buying a desktop. They usually are cheaper when bought in bulk, and can do much more.
And besides, the tablets are easier to steal or drop.

[StoppingTime]

Have you ever tried typing on a touch-screen? It's pretty difficult!

And if you suggest that you buy a docking-station-thingy, then you're better off just buying a desktop. They usually are cheaper when bought in bulk, and can do much more.
And besides, the tablets are easier to steal or drop.

True. But I can't say I'm completely against the idea. If a school were to start using them, I'd be fine. But I really wouldn't car either way. But I think in a few years, this may be different.

[Aragorn]

Well, what my high school did is get the students thinkpads. In otherwords, its a laptop/tablet.

[StoppingTime]

Same as the Asus Eee Pad Transformer kind of.

[Amnesiac]

I'm split on the issue. I do know my school district, in another amazing act of absolute stupidity, is spending tens of thousands of dollars to put four iPads in every classroom – each with only $100 to $200 shaved off the list price. I have no idea why my district insists on continuing the purchase of inefficent, costly Apple products. It probably has something to do with them looking sophisticated.

Now, if each student were assigned a tablet for the year, with all textbooks pre-loaded on there, that would be incredibly efficient. However, buying a bunch of iPads for no reason at all is just stupid.

[Aragorn]

I'm split on the issue. I do know my school district, in another amazing act of absolute stupidity, is spending tens of thousands of dollars to put four iPads in every classroom – each with only $100 to $200 shaved off the list price. I have no idea why my district insists on continuing the purchase of inefficent, costly Apple products. It probably has something to do with them looking sophisticated.

Now, if each student were assigned a tablet for the year, with all textbooks pre-loaded on there, that would be incredibly efficient. However, buying a bunch of iPads for no reason at all is just stupid.
Apple products are only good for personal use. For other uses, you are better off just getting a regular laptop with windows and Microsoft office on it.

[DerBear]

At my school we have already used them in the classroom as they are so easy, you can request for one like tap water and its really good, you can also bring in your own and hook it up to the wi-fi ect

[anonymous53]

But they are much cheaper. And if you get a tablet (iPad), you can put Pages, Numbers, Keynote on it, and save all your work to iCloud.
If you go Android (Asus Transformer maybe), there's Quckoffice.
There are readers for both.

What else would it need?

I digress, they are not much cheaper. Many of the computers in our school that we have built are sub 200 dollar systems with adequate performance and *much* easier to repair. We know they get beat to crap by students, laptops get destroyed everyday, why would we give them something *shinier* to destroy? Managing these devices up to educational standards and laws such as I think the CPA (Child Protection act) would be much harder on a large scale. With computers we can set up a few programs and that is it, they're up to compliance.

At this point, no, tablets are not really a viable option for my school at least.


Look at it this way, Tablets are for media consumption /not/ creation. Students have to type up and edit word documents, excel spreadsheets and such which are much more quickly done on a computer with more precision.
Sure E-Readers are fine preloaded with school books, but right now tablets just aren't practical enough to be adopted full scale by schools. :)


So my answer: No, they should not.... /Yet/

[AlmostHomeless]

My laptop was $300 and handles most games that I throw at it (besides crysis, hard reset, timeshift, shattered horizon, nuke dukem, and other performance hogs). Seeing how 300 can make a decent gaming laptop, the most price efficient choice is obvious.

Besides, most kids would want a laptop that could do more anyways. Even if it is an under-powered sub-$200 machine.

[avater159]

Yes it could add new ways of teaching/learning

[Aragorn]

At my school we have already used them in the classroom as they are so easy, you can request for one like tap water and its really good, you can also bring in your own and hook it up to the wi-fi ect

You can do that with latops too. 0.0

[SwimTech]

Funny I found this today, while not doing research. I think so. My middle school uses MacBooks, iPods, and netbooks in every class. The high school that i go to is thinking about implementing iPads. I'm writing a research paper on the exact title of this thread haha

[phantomnull]

Definitely. Schools need to get with the program. It seems like they're stuck in the 19th century lmao

[UnknownError]

My school's computers are from about 2001. Getting iPad's etc isnt happening any time soon here.

[StoppingTime]

Yea, we have laptops from the Stone Age. And the desktops aren't that much newer. Would tablets be useful? Yes. Is it a 100% feasible idea at the moment, no.

[Jess]

definitely. but I won't be around to experience it, if my school ever decides to use electronic tablets.

[DefianttotheEnd]

Hell no. My school just got like 20 iPads. It's fucking retarded. Tablets are for business people that are constantly on the move; students stay in one place for hours at a time. It's just a failed attempt at being cool.