FAQs

**Do iPads represent some whole new way of learning?**
While we will all need to address society’s larger e-issues, like the impact of internet surfing on human thinking patterns or the social effects of constant “connectedness,” the iPad of itself does not ”redefine” education. It’s an additional learning tool--albeit a powerful one--in a child’s toolbox, like textbooks, pencil/paper, encyclopedias, paints, or flashcards. Meaningful learning still resides in powerful, direct interaction between human minds--in teachers, students, parents collaboratively sharing knowledge, ideas, and wisdom.

Will my child spend all day with their face in an iPad screen?
By no means! First of all, our teachers make measured and throughtful decisions about the best means to deliver instruction or enhance student learning in each unit and lesson they develop. iPads will be the choice when they are that best means--but paper and pencil or hands-on manipulatives or group presentation, etc., will be the choice when the teacher judges them to be the best means. Thus, in our iPad classrooms, students are constantly jumping between iPads, books, paper/pencil, conversations with each other, manipulatives and science experiments, and the teacher’s informed guidance. We are always surprised to see how much more interactive they are in the classroom, as they seek out each other to share iPad solutions and exciting information they’re discovering.

Will rigor suffer?
The key to preserving and enhancing rigor is teachers redesigning their curriculum and instruction to maximize the academic power of the iPad in students’ hands. Early studies show that student engagement and time on task significantly increase with iPads. Student focus on basic skills tasks is much greater on iPad apps than with, say, flash cards. Above all, students’ use of a medium they find more meaningful and exciting is a powerful creative asset of the iPad. As mentioned above, however, teachers have at their disposal a broad variety of tools to choose or combine to ensure student learning is supported at its highest possible level.

Why iPads for younger students?
We’ve all heard the term “digital native” used to describe children born in this high-tech age. These students are immersed in much more technology than when their parents were young--and as adults they will utilize technology daily in almost any field or profession. We want to be thoughtful and proactive in the face of this technology onslaught, guiding and preparing them for safely traversing this world as competent “digital citizens.” It is critical for us to ensure their exposure is timely, yet always age appropriate. Yet we also want to help them realize that technology is not always the only or best answer in their learning--or in their leisure or recreational lives. Younger students' use of and access to technology is more limited at school and at home than their older counterparts for these reasons.

What about inappropriate websites?
There is great power for learning when students use the internet--but there is also great potential risk if their access is not closely filtered and supervised. All District 14 iPads filter for inappropriate content 24 hours a day, seven days a week, wherever they go. But there are limitations to even the best filtering systems like ours--and informed, supportive monitoring by educators and parents is always important and digital citizenship training for students is crucial.

**Will my child become addicted to the iPad?**
The “dark side” of any highly engaging medium is its draw to overuse and wasting time. While we load only educational apps on our iPads, some students find its use highly engaging--or they may request further access to games on home technology systems. It is critical for teachers and parents to monitor student technology use rates and to help students understand the importance of balance in their lives between the electronic and the many other aspects of a happy, healthy, whole child's life.

Where else can I get information about iPads in education at MSES?
1. Visit D14’s iPads wiki for dozens of articles at: ipads.mssd14.wikispaces.net. 2. Visit the growing MSES iPad study blog at: http://ipadsatmssd.edublogs.org. 3. Look through the other pages on this wiki, as well!