PART 1: Why Implement A 1:1 Tablet Program At Your School?
Due to increasing developments in technology, and the ability to fit high-tech devices into their budgets, many school administrators, officials and principals have enhanced student learning opportunities through the implementation of 1:1 tablet programs. But what does this mean for schools exactly? It means that in the third grade classroom, a student may be using an iPad to study flashcards. In the fifth grade classroom, a student may be using that iPad to learn about the solar system. Even in the first grade classroom, a student may be using a tablet to practice his or her handwriting.
Today, principals, administrators and school officials have the opportunity to purchase laptops or tablets in a 1:1 tablet program so that both students and teachers are provided with a whole new level of higher-learning. 1:1 tablet programs have become a functional and accessible tool that allow for teachers and students to interact in and out of the classroom with a creative and engaging learning environment. 1:1 tablet programs allow for students and teachers to use popular tablets such as the iPad or the Samsung Galaxy in order to have strong educational interactions.
But why should your school implement a 1:1 tablet program? Here’s a few reasons we think now’s the time:
- 1:1 tablet programs embrace the idea that technology is always changing, and so are students’ brains. 1:1 tablet programs allow students to develop skills in order to become the self-motivated, creative and tactical when it comes to solving problems.
- Many colleges and universities have implemented 1:1 tablet programs. When elementary schools and high schools initiate them as well, students become better prepared for their academic futures.
- Students will gain a higher-level learning experience through a variety of curriculum avenues such as tours of museums, sitting in on lectures, listening to speakers, watching videos, experiencing new cultures, researching, solving programs, and, perhaps most importantly, collaborating with teachers and peers.
- Technology is a language that young students understand. Ask any third grader what Google, Yahoo, Skype, Apple and the iPad are, and they are sure to answer you with confidence. Today’s students grew up with this technology and it should be provided for them for learning purposes.
- Teachers were once noted to be the “sage on the stage” in order to describe their teaching methods. With a 1:1 tablet program, teachers can now serve as the “guide on the side” and help with the evolution of the student-teacher relationship.
- Schools have already embraced the growth of technology, so why not continue? Poke your head into any school and you’ll find high-tech computer labs, impressive laptop programs and state-of-the-art SMARTboard technology. All of these technologies have improved student access to information, and 1:1 tablet programs do, too.
But after implementing a school’s 1:1 tablet program, what happens? What if a student breaks the precious tablet that you lent out? What if someone spills chocolate milk on a tablet in the cafeteria? What if a students’ tablet gets lost on the bus? These are fears that every school administrator may have before implementing a 1:1 tablet program. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this blog, where ProtectMe Plans dives into the principal’s buyer’s guide for finding, implementing and protecting a 1:1 tablet program.