Let’s set aside all of the negatives about bringing iPads to your students–the cost, the endless list of things that could go wrong with technology, the monitoring, etc., and the other details that we could never foresee to place within the etc. category.  It’s pretty apparent to anyone who has ever been through school that education is a very slow moving vehicle, and one moves even more slowly when the prospect of change is added to the equation.  So, for the purpose of this post, I’m going to set aside anything that could will go wrong for you when you are bringing iPads into your classroom or school.  I am going to ignore rules, regulations, laws, and other things that I am very aware of and fully realize that they are insurmountable hurdles to this goal.  Instead, I am going to focus on the one thing that should be our goal, regardless of the problems:

An iPad for every student.

I know, I know.  Soaring costs, potential for theft, endless problems, endless problems, endless problems.  It could never be done, right?

But if we really want to be forward thinking, if we really want what is best for every student, if we really want them to succeed in the 21st century, shouldn’t we find every way possible to make this happen?

Again, we are focusing only on the positives, so let’s take a quick step back.

When I was going through school, and even now when I am teaching, technology almost seems like it is forbidden.  It was a big deal in elementary school when we got our computer lab time for thirty minutes a week and got to play only the games that were loaded on the computer, games that were outdated and not nearly as relevant as the ones I have at home.  In high school, you had to have a pass before the day you wanted to go to the computer lab at lunch, a hassle that earned you glares from the person signing it for you if they felt you were using it too much.  I know how my students feel now when they complain to me about the computer labs and their short hours.  We always hear that we should be using technology, but the road there is never very clear, and even if it is, it’s jammed with traffic, roadblocks, and other annoying obstacles.

If every student had an iPad, how many of these issues would disappear?  It would always be there, not just for playing games but for doing homework, for looking things up.  Instead of signing out the lab for the hour, taking the entire class down there, getting them logged in, dealing with problems that arose in that simple process, I could say take out your iPads, look it up, and be done in five minutes.  Technology should never be difficult.

So what are the main benefits of a 1:1 ratio for students and iPads?

1) Cost

It’s a lot to lay out in the beginning, but consider the quality of the product you will be giving to every student.  It’s a lot in the future with app costs and updates, but consider that everything you ever give a student can be kept on that iPad for their entire education (more on this in a moment).  It seems like a lot, but how much did textbooks run districts these days?  Copiers?  Paper?  How about time?  I know I’d love to be able to email my class their assignment as opposed to printing it, copying it, and distributing it.  I realize I can still do this, and I do on occasion, but someone always has an issue.  The iPad limits the excuses.

2)  Building a Body of Work

 Many online schools have students complete a portfolio of artifacts of their best work.  My most forward-looking teachers did this for us, but only for the school year.  Imagine looking back to work you have done in 3rd, 5th, 9th grade when you are graduating.  It’s nice to look back on progress.

3) Keeping a Body of Work

Similarly, any materials or apps that are downloaded could conceivably remain on the iPad forever.  What happens if you have a student who doesn’t quite get a concept?  If they are like everyone else, they move on, even if they are not prepared.  This would give a nice option to keep working towards understanding and mastery.

4) Welcome to the 21st Century

If there is one refrain that we sing often here on The Oven, it is that technology is the future for our students, and every opportunity we give them to learn about it and embrace is time well spent.  It is simply going to be an understood fact that people entering the work force are technologically literate and students, from what I see, have a long way to go.

5) iPads are engaging

The nature of the iPad encourages engagement with whatever you are doing.  Like a book, you have to hold it.  Unlike a book, you have to constantly touch and manipulate the screen.  The lights catch your attention.  App designers are rarely cheap on graphics, images, and other attention-grabbing tools.  I’m fully aware that cartoons and video games have obliterated the attention span of a generation, and that is precisely why we need them looking at an iPad screen if we hope to accomplish much of anything.  Books and their stale pictures just don’t do it. 

It’s all a dream, I know, but it is one that several districts are slowly realizing and, hopefully, one that many more will soon be as well. 

So promote the love amongst your colleagues, write grants, show how you are using iPads in your own classroom, do anything you can to give it a positive spin.  There are setbacks and problems but they are setbacks and problems worth facing if it means an iPad for every student.