iPads in the Classroom - The Boston Globe

Fletcher, R. (2012, October 7). iPads in the Classroom . The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 25, 2012, from http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2012/10/06/ipads-classroom/O5X2E0Wl5ZK8kQedsG6KlJ/story.html

This source was great because it discussed some of the downsides to having iPads in the classroom. The Boston College High School made it mandatory for all students entering the school to come with an iPad, which allowed the school to get rid of textbooks. The article focused on a freshman classroom, where the teacher acknowledges some of the quick benefits to utilizing iPads in the classroom, but discussing his concerns, along with the concerns of upper classroom who were not required to come equip with an iPad.

One major argument presented in this article was how easily students could potentially get distracted from their work, and with the tap of a finger could not longer be focused on academics, but could be creating a new high score in their angry birds app. As a future educator, one can have the appreciation of the worry that students may become easily distracted, and therefore, their education may suffer. I can see this issue occurring with students who may be diagnosed with ADHD, or students find school challenging, and will therefore use their iPads for other activities that may not pertain to what is being taught.

Upper class men expressed their concerns about the new mandatory iPads in the classroom. The students feel as though students are loosing out socially, and many students agreed that they prefer to have books where they turn the pages. The high school discussed the noticeable changes socially, and said that due to the mandatory no electronic use at lunch, students maintain some of their social skills.

This source provided an argument about iPads in the classroom that I had not considered before; however, I do feel as though if students care enough about their education and realize how lucky they are, they can emerge themselves into the benefits that the iPad present.