Number of students with iPads on a daily basis

[ms. G]

Middle School

My students complain that their teachers don't use the iPads. A problem I've encountered when planning technology in my lessons is that I cannot consistently count on iPads being available. I do not have a single class where everyone has been issued an iPad. Even among students that should have iPads, on any given day, students might not have them because they were left at home, broken, not charged, or confiscated by another teacher. 

I find the iPad becomes a supplementary tool to use if individual students have it available which generally means it doesn't really get used.

How many students in your classrooms have iPads on a daily basis? Can you count on it as a daily tool to be used? 

[bvillarreal]

I agree. I try to have paper copies or a hands-on activity to keep students engaged, but some of them would rather do the activity rather than on the ipad!

1/2 to 2/3 of my students have them.. this is challenging. I would be happier with a class set.

[eliotj]

I prefer the iPad over paper but agree that those with and without is a challenging issue. However, we have to be creative and innovative. We can't simply abandon the idea of technology. It's an evolution that has already started. we need to adapt or perish!
Adapt our lessons to the iPads. Even some of the hands on activities can be done with the use of the ipad. incorporate daily activities into the ipad like homework, warmups of problems of the day. for other activities, have them take notes on the iPad and turn them in to check for understanding. There are lots of good ideas.

Class sets will never happen. 40 teachers each with 25 ipads 1000. and that's only ONE campus. As it stands we don't have 1000 pads on campus.
for another discussion

[lorenzvilla]

One of my greatest challenges is trying to create assignments in which all or the majority of my students can participate while providing alternative assignments for those that do not have ipads. I have been frustrated at the number of students’ ipads that are not available, missing apps, or not able to e-mail. I have found myself trouble-shooting ipads everyday with no end in sight. The last assignment I gave my GT class was an example of excuses as to why students could not complete their assignments using the ipads. I have taken two random surveys and the results are summarized below.

I have 112 students on my roster. Of those 112 students 85 have been issued ipads and 2 have their own ipads from home. The first time I took an informal survey and asked how many students had brought their ipads to school; of the 85 ipads 61 were brought to school. Of the 61 that were brought to school 33 did not have the district apps, so using numbers, pages, etc. was not an option. I counted 19 ipads in which the students could not e-mail me!

After looking at the numbers I decided to do another survey, the first survey I just asked students, for example “how many students have your ipads ready to use today? They would take out their ipad and I made a count. The next survey was written. There were six questions 1. Do you have your ipad with you at school today? 2. Does your ipad have the following apps; Pages, Numbers, Keynote? 3. Are you able to e-mail your teachers from your ipad? 4. Does your ipad need repair? 5.Does your ipad need to be updated? How do you use your ipad at school? Again of the 112 students on my rosters 85 were issued ipads and 66 were brought to school. 40 did not have district apps (keynote, pages, numbers) and 30 could not e-mail their teachers. 10 needed repair and 13 needed to be updated. This means that if I plan on students using their ipads using district apps and e-mailing me their results at best of my 112 students I will get 27 who can actually complete the assignment.

[Artoo]

Teaching with iPads in the classroom has been a GREAT tool! As a high school science teacher, I have found that there are various apps that have changed how I teach in the classroom.

Yes, there is not 100% of the class with iPads, but we find ways around that (for example, working in pairs and even groups!)

1. EDMODO: excellent way to communicate with students, quiz them online, and posting notes, handouts, etc. It does why school fusion did not

2. science apps: there are different science apps that have helped (one dealt with the decibel meter. there is a lab where it asks for decibel meters for each student or group of students. we have only one on campus, circa 1970's, and it needs a 9 volt battery. the app we used on the iPad was FREE, convenient, easy to use. students were able to roam and collect data... and no extra batteries to buy!)

3. writng and reviewing apps: yes, there are students who do not all have pages and keynote, but there are other free apps that Don Keller told us about that we could use. it's all digital! students are able to try different things and are not limited to just pencil and paper!

[mbj]

This is a good reason, to train teachers first than the student.

[MS Teacher]

The teachers need to have great training on iPad implementation into their classrooms that is specific to subject & approximate grade level. This training needs to be ongoing throughout the school year. This will allow teachers to build up their knowledge base & confidence in greater iPad/technology implementation into their classrooms. The District needs to put their money where their mouth is in this regard. If the teachers/parents need training/guidance with the iPad, then the District needs to spend the money to make it happen. The District will be surprise at the outpouring of need & desire to get help.