IPads in the Classroom

Schools all around the UK are now bringing IPad into schools to help children learn their reading, writing and maths skills and are also teaching kids Science, Art and most other subjects. Apps are installed or downloaded to help try and engage children into learning more and tools such as Dictionaries and Thesaurus' are now being used on the iPad's, children are not using the hardcopy books anymore. So is giving each child an iPad to use in class a good/bad thing?

Pros

• Homework can be completed at home and sent to the teachers through email.
• Children who are off sick can still see the lessons they had missed that day.
• Children who do not have computer resources at home, have the same opportunities to children who already had access to the internet.
• Once work is completed, children can show the whole class their work by connecting it to the interactive whiteboards based at the front of the classrooms.
• When supervised by an adult, children may be able to download their own chosen apps that interest them but still have educational purposes.

Cons

• IPads handed to each child will become tremendously expensive.
• Parents may be obligated to pay money if an iPad is damaged by their child.
• Children may miss more school as lessons can be seen online.
• Teachers may start to only contact parents through email and if a parent does not have an email they may miss out on vital information.
• Children's attention may become distracted in class by the different apps on the iPads.

The topic of iPads in a school is one that many people will have lots of different opinions. Myself, I think the idea of iPads in schools is a good idea but it does raise my concerns to if iPads were to become a thing of the future, will our pen and paper become a thing of the past and will we still be able to individually write in neat handwriting?