IncorporatingAppleiPadsintheK12Classroom

2014

Incorporating
AppleiPadsinthe
K12Classroom

MatthewGKorich
PurdueUniversityLDT
9/26/2014

IncorporatingAppleiPadsintheK12Classroom

Abstract:
Astechnologycontinuestoevolveanddevelopmanyschoolcorporationsarefindingwaysto
useApplesiPadintheclassroom.UsingiPadshasprovidedmuchhigherlevelsofinteractivity
forstudentsandprovidedteacherswithmoreoptionswhencreatingtheirlessons.Manyschool
corporationsareinthemidstofadoptinga1to1iPadprogramensuringthatallstudentshave
accesstothetechnologywhileotherdistrictaremoreinterestedinaBringYourOwnDevice
(BYOD)program.Thepurposeofthispaperistoexplorethecurrentresearchsurroundingthe
useofiPadsintheclassroomaswellasaddressingtheprosandconsofchoosinga1to1
programasopposedtochoosingaBYODprogram.

IncorporatingAppleiPadsintheK12Classroom

Introduction:
ManyschooldistrictsareinterestedinbuildinganetworkofstudentusediPadsacross
theirschools.TheseiPadsaremoreorlessindividualizedpersonalwhiteboards,allowingfor
moreinteractivityinaonetoonesetting.(Lessthanaclassset)
Althoughtherehasbeenconcernregardingtheuseoftechnologywithyoung
childreninearlychildhoodclassrooms(Cordes&Miller,2000),thebenefitsof
developmentallyappropriateinteractivetechnologyhavebeendocumentedas
well(Couse&Chen,2010).Specifically,purposefuluseoftechnologycan
encouragethecognitiveandsocialgrowthofyoungchildren(Haugland,1992
Clements&Sarama,2002).
(Beschorner,Hutchison,1)
Withthecontinueddevelopmentoftechnologyandprogramsthatcanbeusedineducational
settingsthefocusofresearchoniPadsinclassroomsseemstobemorefocusedonhowtousethese
technologiesasopposedtowhetherornotthetechnologiesshouldbeused.(Beschorner,Hutchison)
MobileITdevicescanpositivelyinfluencethequalityofeducationinseveralways.For

example,mobileITdevicesenablestudentstoworkonassignmentsandaccessinformation
(includingpodcasts,seeEvans,2008)inamannerthatisnotrestrictedbytimeandspace
(similarly,seeSarkar,2012).MobileITdevicescanalsofosterstudentpeertopeer
collaboration(LauricellaandKay,2010).(Kobus,Rietveld&Ommerman)
WhileiPadsseemtohavemanybenefitsinK12classroomscanaschooldistrictaffordto
purchaseandmanageafull1:1programwhereeachstudentwillhavetheirownschoolprovidediPad?
Thispaperwillattempttobroachthesubjectof1:1programswithiPadsintheclassroomandwhata

IncorporatingAppleiPadsintheK12Classroom

schooldistrictmayneedtodoinordertoeffectivelyintroduceanew1:1programwithintheirschools
andhowtheprogramcanbenefittheirstudents.

LiteratureReview:

Benefitsofa1:1program:
ThebenefitsofprovidingiPadstostudentsinaclassroomsettingcanbetrickytosee.
Manypeopleconsidertechnologytobeadistraction,andwhenitisnotusedcorrectly
technologysuchasiPadscaneasilybecomeadistraction.Schooldistrictsandteachersalike
needtoasksomeimportantquestionsabouthowthetechnologywillbeusedhowwillthe
technologybealignedtocurriculumstandards?Whatisthecapacityoftheteacherstousethe
technologytotailorlessonstoindividualstudentneeds?Willtheappsprovideindividualized
feedbacktostudentsandteachers?Further,giventhefinancialchallengesfacingschools,
educatorswantassurancesthatthefundingfortechnologyistargetedwhereitwillbemost
efficientandeffective.(OMalley,Jenkins,Wesley,Donehower,RabuckandLewis,p.2)The
benefitsofhavingthetechnologywhenitisusedcorrectlycanbequiteextreme,assumingthat
allthepartiesinvolvedcontributetoaplanforthetechnologypriortoitsimplementation.
iPadintegrationcanleadtogreaterstudentunderstanding.Diemer,Fernandezand
Streepy.reportSpearmanrankcorrelationsfoundapositiverelationshipbetweenstudentse
learningpreferenceandtheirperceivedlearning((170)=0.30,p<0.0001)andperceived
engagement((180)=0.32,p<0.0001).Studentswhopreferredextensiveuseofelearning
technologyalsoreportedmoreperceivedlearningandengagement.(p.21)Essentiallythe
4

IncorporatingAppleiPadsintheK12Classroom

studentsthatparticipatedinthisstudywhousedandpreferredtheuseoftechnologyfeltmore
informedaboutthesubjectmatterthanthosewhodidnotusethetechnologyintheirclassroom
setting.Inanotherstudyconductedusingstudentswithdisabilitiesalongtermsoftheautism
spectrumhadveryfavorableresultswhensimplyincorporatingabasicmathpracticeapplication
intotheirnormalroutineMoreover,theteachersreportedthatthestudentsappearedtobeeagerto
participatewiththeiPadactivities.Throughoutthestudy,theteachersreportedthatthestudents
showedincreasedinterestincontentduringinterventionphasesandappeareddisappointedwhen
returningtobaselinephases.(OMalleyet.al,p.10)Notonlywerethestudentsshowingagreater
understandingofthesubjectmatter(basicmathematicsinthiscase)butthestudentswerealsomuch
moremotivatedtoparticipateintheirpracticewhenusingtheiPadapplication.Anotherstudy
incorporatesmultipleclassesusingthesamematerialbutpresentingitinvariousways.Studentsin
theclassperiodsthatusedExplore9/11applicationontheiPadsscoredhigheronthegraphic
organizer(outoftenpoints)onaverageasopposedtothestudentswhoreadthesamematerialon
paper.InclassesthatutilizediPads,themeanswerecomparableandstudentachievementonthe
graphicorganizerwashigher.(Garcia,p.33)ThestudyfoundthatwhentheiPadsareusedasaway
ofpresentingthesameinformationinawaythatissimplymoreinteractive,thestudentsshoweda
greaterlevelofunderstandingandperformedbetteronquizzescreatedbasedontheinformation.

IncorporatingAppleiPadsintheK12Classroom

ThesimplisticusabilityoftheappleiPadcanalsobeamajorbenefittoclassroomuse.

TheiPad,inparticular,isonetoolthatyoungchildrencannavigateanduse
independently.Thiscasestudyindicatesthatchildrencandevelopemergingknowledge
aboutprintindigitalcontextsusinganiPad,orasimilartablet,andthatitoffersunique
waystoemployreading,writing,listening,andspeakingwithinonecontext.

(Beschorner&Hutchisonp.23)
Inmanycasesinlocalelementaryschoolteachershavereportedthattheirstudentshavetaught
eachotherhowtousethetechnologyquicklyandefficientlyevenasfarasthestudentsteaching
theirteachersmoreabouttheiriPadsbuildingtoacommunityoflearningwhereeventheteacher
continuestolearn.Whenweall,studentsandteachersalike,askthesequestionsandbecome
learners,webecomerealpartnersinthisthingcallededucation(Foote,p.18)

Demandsofa1:1programonaschoolcorporation:
Therearemanyfactorsinvolvedwithaschoolcorporationdevelopingaprogramwhere
theyareabletoprovideeverystudentwithaniPadtouseatschool.Districtadministrators
shouldconsiderthedemandsofthemultitudeofdevicesaccessingtheinternetandusingtheir
internetservices,theadministratorsalsoneedtoconsiderthesecurityoftheirnetworkproviding
certainsafeguardstoensurethatstudentsdontseethingsthattheydontintendtoshouldtheybe
searchingthroughtheinternet,anotherconsiderationshouldbeputforthtowardsthesecurityof
thestudentsandtheschoolsproperty(potentialtheftofdevicesetc.)andafinalconsideration
thatwillbecoveredhereisthecostofthedevicesthemselvesandthecostsofdevelopinga
networkthatcanhandlesomanydevices.

IncorporatingAppleiPadsintheK12Classroom

NetworkDemands:
Thesheernumberofdevicesthatcouldpotentiallybeconnectedtoanetworkina1:1
programadopteddistrictisafairlyintimidatingamount.Theuseofbandwidthfromevenafew
deviceshasthepotentialtorendermostcommercialwirelessnetworksuseless.Thisfactalone
indicatesthatthetypeofwirelessnetworkthatwouldberequiredforaschooldistrictwould
needtobeonparwiththetypeofnetworkusedinmostuniversities,networksthatrequires
multipleteamsofstafftocontrolandkeepsafeandusablebyallthosewhorequirethenetwork
toremainstable.evennetworksbuiltin2008arestartingtobeoutdated."(Raths)

SecurityConsiderations:
ToensurestudentsafetyschooldistrictsshouldconsiderrequiringthattheiriPads
connecttotheirwirelessnetworksthroughfirewallsthatpreventstudentsfromaccessing
informationandothersensitivematerialthatshouldnotbeaccessedbystudents.

DistrictCosts:
ThefinancialcostofpurchasingclassroomsetsofiPadsenoughtoinitiatea1:1program
isindeedvastandshouldinmostcasesbeapproachedoveraperiodoftime.TheLafayette
SchoolCorporationlaunchedtheirpilotprogramwithiPadsin2013Thesuccessatthe3rdand
4thgradelevelshasencouragedustoexpandthe1:1initiativeatLSC.Ourgoalistoprovide
iPadstothe5thand6thgradein201415aswellashavepilotsin7ththrough12thgrade.
7

IncorporatingAppleiPadsintheK12Classroom

(LSC.k12.in.us)WhilethefinancialcostofpurchasingtheiPadsandbuildingtheschool
networkstosupportthemcanhaveahighpriceifthetechnologyisusedcorrectlymanybelieve
thatthecostiswellworththeinvestment.

PossibilitiesforFutureResearch:
ThereareagreatmanypossibilitiesforthefutureresearchofiPadsintheclassroom.
Individualapplicationscanbestudiedtoseewhataspectsofanapplicationarehelpfulto
classroomteachersandwhichaspectsaremoreofanuisance.Asthetechnologyitselfdevelops
theresearchcouldbegintoleadmoretowardsthedevelopmentofnewfeatureswithintheiPads
themselvesthatcouldbemorebeneficialtoteachers(i.eabiggerscreenforshowinglarge
readingbookstoanentireclassroom,fewerphysicalbuttonstoreducetheriskofstudents
damagingthedevice,morephysicalbuttonstoallowstudentstointeractwiththephysicaldevice
aswellasthesoftwaredisplayedonthescreen,thepossibilitiesseemendless)Oneaspectofthe
iPadthatwouldbeinterestingtoseemoreresearchinwouldbethedevelopmentofanapp
creatingsuite,whereteachers(oranyone)couldeasilycreatetheirownappsandloadthemon
theirclassroomiPadstoensurethatthereisinfactanappthatfitswiththeirlessonideas
(becausetheywouldbeabletocreatesuchanapp,orhavetheirstudentscollaboratetocreatethe
app.)

IncorporatingAppleiPadsintheK12Classroom

Conclusions:
ThemostimportantconclusionfromthispaperwouldbethatiPadshaveagreatpotential
inanyclassroomsetting,therearerisksandthereisasignificantamountofworkthatneedstobe
putintopracticepriortoanyiPadsenteringanyclassroombut,ifsufficienteffortisputinto
creatingastrongandsecurenetworkandthedistrictteachersaretrainedtousetheiriPads
productivelythenteachersshouldbegintoseegrowthwhentheiriPadsareputtouseinthe
classroom.Whenincorporatedintotheclassroomprudentlyandreflexively,educatorscan
maximizetheirpotentialtoenhancelearningandminimizetheirinterferencewithlearning.
(Rossing,Miller,CecilandStamper,p.20)
Therearemanyrestrictionsthatmaymakesomeschooldistrictsandsometeachersturn
awayfromincorporatingiPadsintotheirclassroomenvironments,thesecancomeintheformof
costs,teachersbeingintimidatedbychangingtheirclassplanstobefitthenewtechnology,and
manymore.Withproperplanningandsupportwithinaschooldistricthowevera1:1iPad
programcanbeimplementedoveraperiodofafewyearswithtimefortestingthroughoutto
determineifa1:1programistrulywhatthedistrictwantstoimplement.Otheroptionsare
availableandthosehavenotbeendiscussedabovebutcouldincludeBYOD(Bringyourown
device)ProgramsaswellasincorporatingotherdevicessuchasGooglesChromebooklaptops
orAndroidTablets.Thesevariouspossibilitiescomealongwiththeirownseriesofdifficulties
andchallengesalongwiththeirownrewardsthatcouldbediscussedinmoredetailinanother
paper.

IncorporatingAppleiPadsintheK12Classroom

References:
Bennett,K.(2011).LessThanaClassSet.LearningandLeadingwithTechnology,2225.
Beschorner,B.&Hutchison,A.(2013).iPadsasaliteracyteachingtoolinearlychildhood.
InternationalJournalofEducationinMathematics,ScienceandTechnology,1(1),1624.
Diemer,T.,Fernandez,E.,&Streepy,J.(2012).StudentPerceptionsofClassroomEngagement
andLearningusingiPads.JournalofTeachingandLearningwithTechnology,1(2),13
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Foote,C.(2012).TheEvolutionofa1:1iPadProgram.Internet@schools,1518.
Garcia,E.(2011).TheresanAppforThat:AStudyUsingAppleiPadsinaUnitedStates
HistoryClassroom.StudiesinTeaching2011ResearchDigest,3136.
Kobus,M.,Rietveld,P.,&Ommeren,J.(n.d.).OwnershipversusoncampususeofmobileIT
devicesbyuniversitystudents.Computers&Education,2941.RetrievedSeptember28,
2014.
Lsc.k12.in.usWelcometoLafayetteSchoolCorporation.(n.d.).RetrievedSeptember28,2014.
O'Malley,P.,Jenkins,S.,Wesley,B.,Donehower,C.,Rabuck,D.,&Lewis,M.(2013).
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Raths,D.(2012).AreyoureadyforBYOD:advicefromthetrenchesonhowtoprepareyour
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Rossing,J.,Miller,W.,Cecil,A.,&Stamper,S.(2012).ILearning:Thefutureofhigher
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Sangani,K.(March11,2013).BYODtotheClassroom.Engineering&TechnologyMagazine.
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