iPad compulsory at school

[Miss Chicken]

An Auckland school has triggered an uproar by placing the new iPad on its 'compulsory' stationery list for Year 9 students next year.

Orewa College last month sent a letter home to the parents of Year 8 students saying they need their "help and financial input" to provide "affordable portable computing devices such as netbooks and laptops, iPads and the smaller devices such as iTouch and smart phones" for students.

The decile nine school says it is "grasping the opportunity to step into the 21st Century with the latest technology available".

The iPad, which retails from $799 on Apple's website, is the school's recommended option, due to its longer battery life and selection of applications.

Labour's education spokeswoman Sue Moroney said many families will find it hard to find the money for the devices.

rest of story here

I certainly can see the advantages of every child having an iPad (there is a lot one can do with an ipad and there is a huge range of educational apps) but I can see disadvantages as well such as the expenses won't stop at the initial purchase (parents will have to buy cases, screen protectors, apps etc).

How would you, or your parents, feel if a your/your children's school put an iPad on your stationary list.

I know there is at least one state high school in Tasmania that has put a laptop on their stationary list.

Edited to add - it seems that the Tasmanian high school I mentioned hasn't made laptop/notebooks compulsory, they just encourage girls to bring their own to school at least according to their website.

 

[Amaris]

I would ask them who is going to buy the iPad because I certainly wouldn't be able to afford an $800 "stationery" item like that, as much as I would want my children to have the best of everything.

 

[ares93]

well, over here, everything that is compulsory must be provided by the school. so if a computer is needed they either must supply you with one, free of charge, or give you access to one on the school property.

I recieved a HP EliteBook from my school that i can either return once i graduated or purchase for 50€. The machine is a piece or crap that spent 8 months at HP Service or the 24 months I've had it. But its the tough that counts.
I was also loaned a iPad while i was working in the IT-dept.

 

[Miss Chicken]

iPads can be purchased cheaper than $800 dollars. The article is quoting the price for a 64 GB iPad, 16 GB iPad are about $220.00 cheaper and if the school bought in bulk they could offer them even cheaper. Not to mention that It should be even cheaper to pick up an iPad1. Also it is possible to rent one.

 

[RoJoHen]

iPads can be purchased cheaper than $800 dollars. The article is quoting the price for a 64 GB iPad, 16 GB iPad are about $220.00 cheaper and if the school bought in bulk they could offer them even cheaper. Not to mention that It should be even cheaper to pick up an iPad1. Also it is possible to rent one.

It's still a pretty steep expense for a high school student. My parents were pretty pissed when they found out I needed to buy a $100 graphing calculator in high school. There's no way they'd be okay buying me an iPad.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I managed to find $40 a week to get my disabled sons privately tutored because I didn't think the school was doing enough for them. I also managed to save up and buy them a secondhand computer. I did this out of my Supporting Parents Benefit which was less than half the average wage.

These parents have six months to save for an iPad, by which time they should be a bit cheaper. They would only need to put away $20 a week at the most. Or if they rent one it will only be about $30 a month.

 

[RoJoHen]

I think it would be perfectly fine if the school wanted to buy a bunch in bulk and have the kids use them during school for various projects, but I just don't think it's necessary for the kids to buy their own. It's great that they want to start using current technology in the classroom, but life is expensive enough as it is. The parents shouldn't be responsible for this cost.

I'd like to know exactly what the iPads are going to be used for before I would agree to anything.

These parents have six months to save for an iPad, by which time they should be a bit cheaper. They would only need to put away $20 a week at the most. Or if they rent one it will only be about $30 a month.

I know plenty of parents who would not be able to afford even this.

 

[bluedana]

This is the type of thing that a school would get a grant to fund, with the option of purchasing the machine at the end of the year. Our public school system has done this with laptops and netbooks.

 

[RoJoHen]

This is the type of thing that a school would get a grant to fund

That is presuming that the state has the money to give the school in the first place.

 

[Ninjacore]

Technology makes students stupider, not smarter, those graphing calculators are nothing but crutches, the students rely on them for nearly everything, to the point that they do not learn the math skills that their parents had to learn, these ipads will just further inhibit the students from learning how to use their own brain...

 

[Miss Chicken]

Why can't they afford it? As I said I was on a very low income but I use to find money to get my children tutored. True, I didn't own a car, a dryer or a dishwasher and I didn't smoke or drink alcohol. There was a time when I didn't own a fridge, for a while I was even without a washing machine but after rent, food, and the power my children's tutoring fees were the next priority.

 

[RoJoHen]

If they really really tried, they might be able to afford it. The problem is that you're going to get a lot of parents that don't think it's necessary for their kids to have iPads (and I would agree with them), and so they won't be able to justify the cost.

 

[trekkiedane]

Edited to add - it seems that the Tasmanian high school I mentioned hasn't made laptop/notebooks compulsory, they just encourage girls to bring their own to school at least according to their website.

I was terrified before I read the last (added) part your OP.

I would -however- find it OK if schools wanted their pupils to have an OLPC'ish device -something in a price-range not entirely out of the reasonable for a WHOLE school-career.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Technology makes students stupider, not smarter, those graphing calculators are nothing but crutches, the students rely on them for nearly everything, to the point that they do not learn the math skills that their parents had to learn, these ipads will just further inhibit the students from learning how to use their own brain...

These iPads are for grade 9 students. I would hope that all the necessary skills are taught well before grade 9 and that iPads only used as an extra tool along side other tools of learning.

 

[Ninjacore]

Technology makes students stupider, not smarter, those graphing calculators are nothing but crutches, the students rely on them for nearly everything, to the point that they do not learn the math skills that their parents had to learn, these ipads will just further inhibit the students from learning how to use their own brain...

These iPads are for grade 9 students. I would hope that all the necessary skills are taught well before grade 9 and that iPads only used as an extra tool along side other tools of learning.

Whats wrong with a notepad...paper one...a pencil and pen...alot cheaper, served their parents, their grand parents and so on fine and its alot cheaper.

 

[Cmdr_Blop]

I'd pull my child out of that school and enroll them somewhere where they'd actually learn something.

 

[RoJoHen]

Technology makes students stupider, not smarter, those graphing calculators are nothing but crutches, the students rely on them for nearly everything, to the point that they do not learn the math skills that their parents had to learn, these ipads will just further inhibit the students from learning how to use their own brain...

These iPads are for grade 9 students. I would hope that all the necessary skills are taught well before grade 9 and that iPads only used as an extra tool along side other tools of learning.

But what are they being used for, really? You're opening a can of worms allowing students to have these in class. They're going to spend more time playing with them than learning. My mom teaches high school, and if a student brought in an iPad, it would be confiscated.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Because a piece of paper does not work as an encyclopedia, you cannot download free classic books onto a piece of paper, and a multitude of other things.

 

[Ninjacore]

Because a piece of paper does not work as an encyclopedia, you cannot download free classic books onto a piece of paper, and a multitude of other things.

Thats what a library is for, yeah its slower and you won't be able to go partying as much but its been proven to work, I have a lap top I love it, i used computers for school, but I used it on my own time, its a learning aid, not a necc tool.

 

[Miss Chicken]

But what are they being used for, really? You're opening a can of worms allowing students to have these in class. They're going to spend more time playing with them than learning. My mom teaches high school, and if a student brought in an iPad, it would be confiscated.

What is hard about making students keep their iPads in their desk or bags when they are not needed for the lesson.