Public school district in Maine giving all kindergarteners ipads

[justlearning]

Just saw this story on cnn.com:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2011/09/12/cohen-kindergarten-ipad.cnn?hpt=hp_t2

What do you think of this strategy to improve the kids' reading skills?

[bubbaray]

Our school won a $30,000 grant for iPads. We have ordered a classroom cart, and due to educational discount, will actually have enough $ for more iPads. There won't be enough for every student to have their own, but (just like the laptops we have an will continue to use), there will be enough for about 1.5 classrooms (45 ipads?? not sure the exact number).

They are key for our school b/c so many French resources are online now -- published French books and texts are about double the price of English ones.

[infomama]

I may be in the minority but I don't like it. I think kids should be holding a pencil and coloring a page instead of tapping at a screen at the age of 5. I wish they would have hired more teachers instead (if that was truly the reason they handed these out). I totally get that media is going to be digital in no time but something about it just feels off to me.

[hellokitty]

I may be in the minority but I don't like it. I think kids should be holding a pencil and coloring a page instead of tapping at a screen at the age of 5. I wish they would have hired more teachers instead (if that was truly the reason they handed these out). I totally get that media is going to be digital in no time but something about it just feels off to me.

:yeahthat:

[ABO Mama]

:( our school had to cut the P.E. this year, as well as all classroom aides who are not there for special needs kids. I do feel that kids should be reading and writing with actual books and pencils.

[kijip]

I don't think this is a good idea. At all. As a supplement or fun game, fine. But there is no replacement for the basics. And it has been shown again and again that electronic and video learning is not the same and interaction with a parent or teacher.

Also, we are already phasing out cursive. I do not want us to become so digitized we phase out printing. ;)

[Naranjadia]

There's starting to be a steady trickle of studies finding that throwing technology into the education mix doesn't actually improve learning. The New York Times had a good article about K-12 (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology/technology-in-schools-faces-questions-on-value.html) a week or two ago, but there are similar studies at the college level, too.

I think technology has an allure - even though it comes with the costs of maintenance and eventual replacement - it is easier to justify in today's climate than more teachers or changing curriculum and pedagogy. I don't have anything against it, in and of itself, but if the outcomes continue to be stagnant to disappointing than I hope people will be willing to try something else.

[ahisma]

I may be in the minority but I don't like it. I think kids should be holding a pencil and coloring a page instead of tapping at a screen at the age of 5. I wish they would have hired more teachers instead (if that was truly the reason they handed these out). I totally get that media is going to be digital in no time but something about it just feels off to me.

I have an iPad. I like it a great deal. I do have some carefully selected educational apps for it for the kids too. (And some games!) We're pretty tech savvy - have multiple laptops, kindles, smart phones, etc.

I don't want my kids using an iPad at school in K. Really, I'd prefer them to stay away from the computer at school until at least grade 3. There is plenty of time for technology. They have plenty of exposure. I don't like it as an early ed teaching method, at all.

For me, the only exceptions would be in special needs situations. I think they can be a powerful tool in the right circumstance. I don't think the traditional student has any need for that level of technology in their everyday curriculum though.

[wellyes]

Too young.

[gordo]

The district I work in gave all 6th graders iPads this year and every special ed student and teacher are getting them as well (k-8). It will be interesting to see how it all plays out and how much use they actually get.

[essnce629]

When I was getting my teeth cleaned at my mom's work a few weeks ago, the hygienist was telling me that everyone in her DD's class got iPod touches this year as well. She's 8 and in 3rd grade. I can see how an iPad would be used, but working on a tiny iPod touch seems kinda odd. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I would have to see studies that say there's any benefit. The private high school that I went to switched over to iPads instead of textbooks this year. It would definately take the load off of your back not having to carry 5 super heavy textbooks home every day in order to study and do homework, but I'm not sure if it would make things easier or more difficult. But then again, I've never used our iPad as an e-reader or a kindle so I'm not sure how easy it is to study with.

[AnnieW625]

I may be in the minority but I don't like it. I think kids should be holding a pencil and coloring a page instead of tapping at a screen at the age of 5. I wish they would have hired more teachers instead (if that was truly the reason they handed these out). I totally get that media is going to be digital in no time but something about it just feels off to me.

:yeahthat: Kids need to be doing other stuff like learning handwriting and cursive (not saying 5 yr. olds need to that yet) than playing around with an Ipad.

[kijip]

Also the backlit screen actually changes how people read/digest what they are reading.

The only possible advantage I see in a school distributing them is that it could help bridge the technology gap between rich and poor students, which does take a toll later in high school and in terms of who goes to college.

[gatorsmom]

I may be in the minority but I don't like it. I think kids should be holding a pencil and coloring a page instead of tapping at a screen at the age of 5. I wish they would have hired more teachers instead (if that was truly the reason they handed these out). I totally get that media is going to be digital in no time but something about it just feels off to me.

:yeahthat: I'd rather see that money going to the teachers. Plus, upkeep on computers is one of the biggest black holes in a school's budget. I just cany see how these are a good idea at all.

[Melanie]

I may be in the minority but I don't like it. I think kids should be holding a pencil and coloring a page instead of tapping at a screen at the age of 5. I wish they would have hired more teachers instead (if that was truly the reason they handed these out). I totally get that media is going to be digital in no time but something about it just feels off to me.
:yeahthat:

[melrose7]

I don't think it's a good idea for all the kids to have one that young. But am jealous of that school because our school got denied 1 iPad for the special Ed students to share. So the kids who have one at home (as my DD1 does) need to bring it to school. Makes me a little nervous sending it school. Not sure what responsibility the school would take if something would happen to it.

[elektra]

Reminds me if Ender's Game! My first thought was that I wish that budget was going to the teachers too, especially with what the situation here in CA is.

[mytwosons]

Our school has them. Two third grade classes take turns with them. I don't believe they read on them, but they do math practice and maybe some other activities.

I believe some (all?) special ed kids have one assigned to them. There is a communication app.

[vludmilla]

There's starting to be a steady trickle of studies finding that throwing technology into the education mix doesn't actually improve learning. The New York Times had a good article about K-12 (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology/technology-in-schools-faces-questions-on-value.html) a week or two ago, but there are similar studies at the college level, too.

I think technology has an allure - even though it comes with the costs of maintenance and eventual replacement - it is easier to justify in today's climate than more teachers or changing curriculum and pedagogy. I don't have anything against it, in and of itself, but if the outcomes continue to be stagnant to disappointing than I hope people will be willing to try something else.

:yeahthat: And although I am ok with technology, I really am not comfortable with iPads for kindergarten students.

[Melaine]

I can understand their use at higher levels, especially in place of textbooks, but I think it's ridiculous in elementary school, much less K! I think it's a huge waste of resources also, when there are so many school programs getting along with little or no funding.

[kristac]

I can definately see the benefits for special ed. Not so keen on my 5 year old having one. A local (charter) school here is requiring that all 3rd graders + have laptops (purchased and insured by the parents). Also too young for that kind of responsibility IMO.

As to the idea of spending the money on teachers, etc- I would guess these technologies are being provided by specific technology grants or the PTA so the monies could not be re-allocated to teachers.

[bubbaray]

They may not be reading with them. Our school will be using them in an interactive way. The classes are all set up so that the students can write answers on their individual iPads and the teacher can display them on the interactive whiteboard (kinda like Jeopardy). I don't know all the capabilities, but it is definitely NOT just reading on them.

I actually think its pretty cool. Then again, I've previously voted that I think teaching cursive is a complete waste of time and I'd rather that the schools taught keyboarding. FWIW, our school has the students do 2 blocks of computers (which are separate and different from iPad use) weekly. Computer use starts in K.

[maestramommy]

I may be in the minority but I don't like it. I think kids should be holding a pencil and coloring a page instead of tapping at a screen at the age of 5. I wish they would have hired more teachers instead (if that was truly the reason they handed these out). I totally get that media is going to be digital in no time but something about it just feels off to me.
:yeahthat:

I think there are better ways to improve reading skills that throwing more technology at it. My kids have access to starfall.com at school, and they loved playing it at home. Just from watching I can tell technology is no sub for a live person and more one-on-one help, esp. if a kid has learning issues.

[maestramommy]

Okay now I'm confused. The video said that 40% of the K students are not reading at grade level. What does THAT mean? They don't know their letters? I thought K was supposed to teach reading!

ETA: okay sorry, it said 40% of all 3rd graders at the district. That's pretty serious. And I really don't think giving all the kids an Ipad is going to fix that as readily as they hope. jmho.

[Kindra178]

Our school has an ipad cart, but I think they have 1 ipad per two students. Another school in our district has an ipad lab, where every student has their own. I just don't think my child is getting less of an education because he doesn't have access to his own ipad. He will probably get a Leap something (maybe the tablet?) for Christmas. We may also get an Ipad for the family as well.

I totally agree with the above posters. I don't like replacing the paper and pen. For me, and this just could be how I learn, I am much more likely to remember something/memorize something if I write it versus type it. Put another way, I don't absorb information that I type.

[larig]

They may not be reading with them. Our school will be using them in an interactive way. The classes are all set up so that the students can write answers on their individual iPads and the teacher can display them on the interactive whiteboard (kinda like Jeopardy). I don't know all the capabilities, but it is definitely NOT just reading on them.

I actually think its pretty cool. Then again, I've previously voted that I think teaching cursive is a complete waste of time and I'd rather that the schools taught keyboarding. FWIW, our school has the students do 2 blocks of computers (which are separate and different from iPad use) weekly. Computer use starts in K.

I'm with Bubbaray (not necessarily with cursive, but definitely with the keyboarding and iPads). As long as the school is preparing the teachers well it should be a fine addition to the curriculum. I highly doubt that the iPad use will replace all the traditional things that happen in a K classroom. I think it's important that we teach our kids to be savvy users of technology, and as kijip pointed out this will indeed level the playing field for those kids whose parents don't have the means to buy them.

ETA: what's so awesome about paper? (not snarky, just wondering why it's such a privileged media for so many here).

[liamsmom]

ETA: what's so awesome about paper? (not snarky, just wondering why it's such a privileged media for so many here).

I can't speak for anyone else, but I feel a little queasy at the thought of a 5 or 6 year old handling a $600 device. Paper is just so...cheap to replace. ;)

I'm not in favor of ALL Kindergarteners having Ipads. They should be able to handle some basics, be able to write out letters, and maybe be capable of reading on the easy-reader level first. (Last year I read a scholarly article about second graders using e-readers and there were fairly positive results across the reading levels.) I think there is a lot of value to teaching kids technology, but waiting until they're 8 rather than 5 seems prudent. You can't read and write on an Ipad if you can't read or write at all.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

Okay now I'm confused. The video said that 40% of the K students are not reading at grade level. What does THAT mean? They don't know their letters? I thought K was supposed to teach reading!

ETA: okay sorry, it said 40% of all 3rd graders at the district. That's pretty serious. And I really don't think giving all the kids an Ipad is going to fix that as readily as they hope. jmho.

:yeahthat:

i agree.

[Green_Tea]

I am huge lover of technology and think it can be great for kids, but until every single public school in the United States has enough teachers, adequate supplies and resources, sufficient playground equipment, enough funding for a school librarian and new books each year and safe building structures, I don't think any public kindergarten needs $200K worth of technology that will be obsolete in 5 years. If Auburn, ME has $200K to burn, perhaps they'd like to send a few bucks to my best friend in LA - her DD's teacher has already been slapped on the wrist for letting the special needs kids use too much PAINT and they are asking parents to donate more.

[crl]

I think this is interesting. DH and I have been talking about the future of books and libraries. We both have iPads and read almost exclusively on them. Does anyone else think about what this means for access to books for the poor? DH has suggested that schools will simply have to issue ereaders of some kind at the grade school level in the not too distant future.

I also found it interesting that a study found that law firm associates stuck with document review for longer hours when done on an iPad. I don't know what that implies, if anything, for kids and reading.

Sorry, a bit tangential, I know.


Catherine

[larig]

I think this is interesting. DH and I have been talking about the future of books and libraries. We both have iPads and read almost exclusively on them. Does anyone else think about what this means for access to books for the poor? DH has suggested that schools will simply have to issue ereaders of some kind at the grade school level in the not too distant future.

I also found it interesting that a study found that law firm associates stuck with document review for longer hours when done on an iPad. I don't know what that implies, if anything, for kids and reading.

Sorry, a bit tangential, I know.


Catherine
Really interesting points. I think you are right to wonder about access to books in the future. Even libraries check out electronic versions of some of their titles.

This law firm study rings true with me. I'm a learning scientist by training (ABD) and studied the use of technology in learning environments.

[Kindra178]

As an attorney who sometimes does document review, I find it much quicker to do it on paper than on computer screen. I also think I am more likely to miss something on the screen. Doc review is rarely done on paper anymore.

[tribe pride]

I don't think this is a good idea. At all. As a supplement or fun game, fine. But there is no replacement for the basics. And it has been shown again and again that electronic and video learning is not the same and interaction with a parent or teacher.

Also, we are already phasing out cursive. I do not want us to become so digitized we phase out printing. ;)

:yeahthat: Plus, there are way too many other things- necessary things- that schools ought to be spending that money on. Like teacher salaries, classroom supplies, teacher training, funding classes like art and music, etc. I think technology has its place, but this isn't it.

[kijip]

EReaders have huge potential to create an economic barrier to new books and new writing because of the reduction of the numbers of copies printed. I buy a paper book and can pass that on to any number of people. EReaders copies only allow limited lending. It is not just the high initial cost of the device as a barrier, it is the high cost of each book. Old books are cheap or free for eReaders, new books are as expensive or sometimes more expensive than the print version. As more people switch to eReaders, fewer print copies will be printed and churn down to be cheap or even free used books. I worry that the next generation of great American books will not be accessible to poor and low income folks. I am not alone in this opinion at all. Economically, eReaders are great for writers and publishers but higher cost to consumers for new books and potentially isolating for people without means to pay at all. Many children make their way out of poverty because of education and many are drawn to education because of reading. Reading both old and new literature available for practically free. Library budgets are being cut heavily around the country so I don't see eBooks being available in all libraries and I don't doubt that library availability will correlated to the wealth level in the surrounding area.

Further I am not convinced that backlit readers like the iPad are very good for people's eyes. I find I retain far more from paper. If I am proofreading something, it needs to be on paper. I am not a Luddite...we have an iPad, an iMac, I use a smart phone for work, we have iPods and a MacBook Pro. But I still prefer to buy a book and have unlimited rights to pass it on/share. The only eBooks I have are a few classics. I still buy all of our other books in print and will continue to do so.

[crl]

As an attorney who sometimes does document review, I find it much quicker to do it on paper than on computer screen. I also think I am more likely to miss something on the screen. Doc review is rarely done on paper anymore.

I edit much better on paper--find more typos, work faster, etc. I wonder though if this is a function of how I learned rather than an inherit thing. Maybe if I had learned to write and edit on a computer I would be better at editing that way.

Just interesting to me.

Catherine

[larig]

my point above about libraries wasn't very clear...I mean to say that what if libraries spend their money increasingly on digital texts, but there are people that don't have them to use to check them out? Anyway, I love technology, I think it's great, I think that having an educator model their use is fantastic. But I will certainly agree with others that issues of access need to be in the forefront of people's minds when planning these endeavors.

[gordo]

For those of you concerned that the money can be spent on other things, that is usually not that case. I know in my district, our iPads came from a specific grant that had to be spend on technology and special ed students. So after things like communication devices, the money was spent on iPads. Same goes for the iPads we gave all of our 6th grade students. Grant money specifically for technology.