elsiegee40 Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 School accused of causing bullying through iPad scheme - Education News - Education - The Independent A school which has asked parents to buy iPads for their children to use in class has been accused of creating a “two-tier” education system in which pupils who can’t afford the gadgets are bullied by their richer peers
synaesthesia Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 It's one of my biggest fears with this type of scheme. WIth so much emphasise on child safety these days, it's a little ironic that the use of technology can so often be the cause of problems
Grey-gear Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 (edited) That does seem rather bad if the school does create another way for students to be bullied, but the artical seems more to do with "would someone please think of the children" from parents. will this cause bullying? Yes, if they did not do the iPad scheme will it stop the bullying in the school? No, only give the students on less reason to bully someone. Why do y5 and y6 need iPads? I know there are a load of education apps but if a lesson relies on an app that some students have on their iPads and others that have never had or delete that app that's the hole lesson plan gone. Or is this scheme away to look progressive? Edited July 26, 2014 by Grey-gear
FN-GM Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 Very similar story from a school near me - Bamford Academy Rochdale iPads - Manchester Evening News
Marshall_IT Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 Déjà vu, every time a school launches a scheme like this the parents have the same concerns and the media publish the same articles. I'm yet to see an article about a school 1,2, 3 years in where these concerns have come to fruition. I know there are some schemes that have seen more success than others but the biggest mistakes have now been made and are there for others who follow to learn from.
synaesthesia Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 Why do y5 and y6 need iPads? This. I have seen iPads used to *great* effect in primary schools and certainly at KS2, and with the likes of Scratch Junior coming to tablet devices soon, even more so. However they easily work best when the tablets are owned and kept by the schools. I don't even agree with 1:1 devices at secondary level for similar reasons. I'm not going all Daily Mail with that opinion but it's just too much, I believe.
truebluesteve Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 This. I have seen iPads used to *great* effect in primary schools and certainly at KS2, and with the likes of Scratch Junior coming to tablet devices soon, even more so. However they easily work best when the tablets are owned and kept by the schools. I don't even agree with 1:1 devices at secondary level for similar reasons. I'm not going all Daily Mail with that opinion but it's just too much, I believe. Interestingly a real advocate of 1 to 1 devices where I work has changed his tune completely after visiting a couple of schools where they already have them. Apparently it has become known as Bring Your Own Distraction and they have seen no real benefits at all. Now I'm sure there are some schools that do it really well but it's a lot of money and time to invest if the concept hasn't been proved.
jdoyle Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 Bring Your Own Distraction. Will have to use that phrase. Seems apt.
Norphy Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 Interestingly a real advocate of 1 to 1 devices where I work has changed his tune completely after visiting a couple of schools where they already have them. Apparently it has become known as Bring Your Own Distraction and they have seen no real benefits at all. Now I'm sure there are some schools that do it really well but it's a lot of money and time to invest if the concept hasn't been proved. Not that I'm an advocate for 1:1 tablets (I don't care either way tbh, I get paid the same whether they do or not) but that sounds like they were given to students without any real thought or planning on how to use and take advantage of them. Technology is only as good as the bearer, not a magic bullet and if it gets treated as the latter things have a habit of going pear shaped. 1
truebluesteve Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 Not that I'm an advocate for 1:1 tablets (I don't care either way tbh, I get paid the same whether they do or not) but that sounds like they were given to students without any real thought or planning on how to use and take advantage of them. Technology is only as good as the bearer, not a magic bullet and if it gets treated as the latter things have a habit of going pear shaped. Agree totally!
mrbios Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 I'm just looking forward to 3-4 years time when the iPads go the way of the interactive whiteboard in schools and we can forget about this whole fad. May be wishful thinking, but one can hope.
Marshall_IT Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 I'm just looking forward to 3-4 years time when the iPads go the way of the interactive whiteboard in schools and we can forget about this whole fad. May be wishful thinking, but one can hope. You mean used very well by some to enhance teaching & learning? It's not about the technology, it's about the teachers and the vision and direction of the school in general. 1
FN-GM Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 I'm just looking forward to 3-4 years time when the iPads go the way of the interactive whiteboard in schools and we can forget about this whole fad. May be wishful thinking, but one can hope. IWB's are used well in our place.
mrbios Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 IWB's are used well in our place. Oh I'm not saying that they aren't or can't be used well, but my point is that in the early 00's they were a must have item, lots of money was spent on getting them in classrooms as the new age teaching tool. Nowadays though a lot of teachers feel they're unnecessary and will quite happily teach without one, some will use them if they're there but aren't all that fussed. I've yet to meet a teacher in the past 5 years or so that has said "i really need an interactive whiteboard". They used to be a fad item that everyone wanted because they were the new shiny teaching tools, iPads are that new fad, and i look forward to that fad dropping off so tablets in general can be implemented by IT departments based on what works best NOT bought by senior management teams because they want to impress parents.
Marshall_IT Posted July 26, 2014 Posted July 26, 2014 They used to be a fad item that everyone wanted because they were the new shiny teaching tools, iPads are that new fad, and i look forward to that fad dropping off so tablets in general can be implemented by IT departments based on what works best NOT bought by senior management teams because they want to impress parents. They don't always impress parents, trust me 😊
MatthewL Posted July 27, 2014 Posted July 27, 2014 All kicked off here at the local primary school, similar story, if they need them the school should buy them, they are not cheap things to buy I don't think and if I was a parent I would not be happy doing so.
mrbios Posted July 27, 2014 Posted July 27, 2014 They don't always impress parents, trust me As evidenced by the existence of this thread
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