First, we are pleased to hear from a substantial number of students that the iPad has been extremely helpful for organization and time management. Because of the great notetaking capabilities of apps such as Notability, students can keep better notes and keep track of their materials much easier. All of their notes for all classes are in one place, rather than in multiple notebooks.

 

They also have multiple calendar-managing capabilities such that assignments from teacher websites go directly into their calendar apps. And there are far fewer textbooks and pieces of paper to keep track of.

 

“I am soooooo much more organized,” wrote one student in the survey (I may have actually eliminated a few “o’s” in my quote!) Another noted that the iPad has “changed my schooling experience dramatically.”

 

While not every student was this enthusiastic, the majority opinion was certainly that the organizational capacity of the iPad has lived up to expectations.

 

Secondly, the students are very happy to be able to access so much information so quickly. They have all the research information they could possibly need via their web browser on their iPads; this access allows for individual or group research to happen on an almost daily basis.

 

While there are appropriate filters in place so that students cannot get to every available site on the web, they still have the equivalent of the largest library in the world right on their iPads. In turn this means that it is easier for teachers to assign mini-research papers and expect more short presentations or collaborative projects.

 

It should be no surprise that the distraction factor is the number one perceived drawback with iPads. Distraction is now a chronic issue for everyone with regard to technology. (I have checked my phone twice just during the time I have been writing!) So rather than see this as a problem per se, we as a school need to address the issue head on.

 

At a time when all of us are constantly having our attention pulled in many directions, how do we resist temptation and maintain focus? Certainly, being intentional and helping our students practice this skill will help. Teachers must also intensify their efforts in the classroom to be watchful for students getting off task. I have noticed in my class that I can generally tell just by looking at a student that he or she has shifted away from notetaking or writing on their laptops or iPads. Interestingly, when I have called students on this, about half the time they are actually on task — at least tangentially.

 

Something said in a class discussion sparked them to look up a word they didn’t know or a fact on which they needed clarification. In other words, they were doing the kind of side-tasking that all of us do simply because the world is at our fingertips.

 

Best practice in iPad use goes beyond substitution (i.e., using the iPad as a replacement for a previously used tool, such as a textbook or pen and paper), but rather asks educators to redefine what is possible in the classroom. Our 9^th grade teachers in particular have taken that to heart, and next year as we continue to develop the 1:1 program, even more teachers and students will be on board.