The whole world is becoming more and more reliant on technology to carry out every day tasks. The education world is not any different, with each year bringing the increased use of computers and other mobile devices. The question is not if we, as a school, need to embrace the digital age. The question is when do we need to make the switch. The best decision is to make a progressive step forward and purchase the technology with the money we receive from the grant. I know it will be a change, and change is not often liked, but it is necessary and for the greater good for the students and education here at our school.
The technology that will be purchased is the tablet, a handheld mobile device that copies many of the features of a computer without the disk drive. To compensate for this, they have a large memory bank in which applications (apps for short) can be downloaded, allowing many different programs to be stored on a single device at once. This is very convenient, cheap, and time-effective as many apps are free and do not take very long to download.
There are three main types of operating systems with this kind of technology: the iOS by Apple, Windows by Microsoft, & the Android by Google.
Apple has the biggest market share with their products like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Their operating system, the iOS is designed to be simple to use. Ease of use is a part of what makes their products so popular. They are also self-updating, allowing for the most current and up-to-date software to be run on all their products. The App Store is also easy to use and most applications can be found on there, and some can only be found on there. Apple products also do not run into the same amount of bugs, viruses, etc. as other providers do, but when something does go wrong, they have great technical support that is there to fix whatever our school-employed IT people cannot fix. The main problem with Apple is that since their products are considered the best on the market, they do come with a hefty price. As the old adage says though, "You get what you pay for." They also may present a problem for a short while with people who are only used to using Windows software, as Windows and the iOS are two different ballgames.
Android is fairly new system comparatively speaking, only having been around for the last several years. They have gained popularity, with such products like the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook using this operating system. Their technology is cheaper than that of Apple and one key consideration is that Android is the primary eBook software (hence why Amazon and Barnes & Noble use it), which in an educational setting is an important thing. Where they fall short is that they do not have as many apps as Apple products do, they are more victim to technology bugs, and their tech support is not as strong.
Windows is a name that is well known and trusted. No doubt we have all used a computer with a Windows operating system at some point in our life. They are the standard when it comes to computing. That being said, they are relatively new to the tablet game, and are still figuring things out. While they are progressing and should be discussed in future considerations, their products are not as strong yet as the two aforementioned companies.
With all this being said, I believe that our best choice would be in going with Apple products. Many schools are going that route and we would be wise to do the same. They have a strong product line and one that best fits our needs. It's hard to deny their numerous apps, ease of use, long battery life, and up-to-date software that will last for years.
Now to dissect the Apple product line. First, the iPhone and iPod. While these are very useful in our personal lives, they do not hold much use in an educational setting. Their screens are just a few inches big which is often hard to read, and they are so small that they could easily be lost or broken when dropped. Also, the use of MP3's is not a often utilized tool during teaching, and if MP3's are required, then the iPad has the software to handle it. The standard iPad has about a 10 inch screen, and that's fairly large when it comes to tablets. It would essentially be like holding and carrying a notebook. The best choice for our school would be an iPad mini. The screen size is just under 8 inches, which allows it to be big enough for the screen to be read easily and it is easily carried and used with one hand.
When it comes to how these devices will best connect to the Internet, there are two options: adding in our own WiFi network or doing it cellularly. Buying an antenna and connecting to the signal off of the nearest cell phone tower would be the cheapest option. There's already service there, we just have to access it. On the other hand though, when the tower goes down or is being repaired or updated, we will lose all coverage. That is why it is best if we install our own WiFi network in the school. Though it would be costly, it would be the most effective. Our own network only allows our traffic to be on it, allows us to put our own security features on it, and allows us to repair it ourselves if it ever goes down.
In conclusion, buying iPad minis that connect to our own installed WiFi network is the best option. it does have some cost, but it is the best plan to better our educational system. It will take a while to get used to, and some teachers may have to change up the way they do things, but this will be a step in the right direction and that change will become a common practice within a few years.
Good work!
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