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Chris Epting

Connie Douglas

UWRITE 1102

30 March 2017

Tablets may be the future of education.

We can no longer sit back and ignore the writing on the wall. Parents and

educators inevitably will face the fact that technology has become an integral part of the

learning experience. Paper books are being replaced with e-books. Traditional lectures

and lessons are being replaced by interactive applications and presentations. The most

important tool you can bring to class is your finger, not a pencil. Tablet devices; such

as, the iPad, have presented educators with a unique opportunity to merge traditional

teaching techniques with modern technology. There is a lot to consider when

discussing the rise of technology and how it affects the educational establishment. What

are the advantages that these devices offer and how do they help enhance the learning

experience? What are the challenges educators and parents will face while trying to

utilize these devices in the classroom? Maybe there is an opportunity for these devices

to be implemented in a more specialized situation. Anytime something new is introduced

into our society, there are different opinions and groups that support those opinions.

Four voices often enter this conversation. Some consider the use of this new technology

a burden on teachers and parents. The lack of applications available is often discussed
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as a drawback to implementing tablet use in the classroom, while other praise the

available applications as a benefit. Finally, there are those that are advocates for these

devices and their use with special needs children. The objective is not to prove who is

right or wrong, but to develop a better understanding of the issue as a whole.

In most of the research conducted on utilizing tablet devices in the educational

environment there is a common concern: the burden placed on educators and parents.

One might ask why there would be a burden. These devices are supposed to make it

easier and enhance the experience for the children. While this is true, the need for

parents and educators to learn the functionality of these devices and then pass that

knowledge to the students creates a knowledge gap that they must overcome. Even

though the long-term benefits are cited, the learning curve presented and time needed

is often a challenge that not everyone is willing to accept. The teachers commitment to

authentic literacy education meant that some of the epistemic moves and collaborative

learning norms privileged in digital worlds were enacted in the focal classroom.

However, without the infusion of additional resources of adult time, these did not seem

scalable within that paradigm.(Dezuanni) Teachers are already challenged to find

enough time and resources to be effective. Placing this new responsibility on them may

be too much for some. Nevertheless, the inevitability of the digital age will most likely

push those concerns into the shadows, as the children of today become the teachers of

tomorrow. The generations to come will have had the exposure to these devices at a

much younger age and the learning curve will surely decrease as these devices

become more commonplace.

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What makes a computer useful? What turns a cell phone into a smartphone?

What turns a tablet into a tool? Think about those questions for a moment. They all have

the same answer: applications. Computers, cellphones and tablets are only as good as

the applications that they run. Imagine a smartphone with no applications, no Facebook,

web browser, camera or anything. Even making a phone call even requires the proper

application. Without the applications, these devices are useless. This is another

arguments brought to the table when discussing the use of tablets devices in an

educational environment. The lack of application support is often looked at as the

primary drawback of using these devices. The optimal use of tablets for early childhood

learning is dependent upon the availability of quality apps at home and in the preschool

setting and the type of scaffolding received from teachers and parents. (Neumann) The

challenge for this group is the frustration created by the lack of applications. A better

understanding of what applications are available and how to obtain them could possible

ease these concerns.

There are those that praise the availability of applications and how to use them.

This group often focusses on the benefits and use of the applications. Dr Ellen

McKenzie of the University Of New Orleans focused on the need for language in a

learning environment. She states that children enter kindergarten with varying level of

skills. The use of storybooks or read-alouds is an effective practice to help develop

language skills in young children.(McKenzie)The use of iPads and other devices help

create a more engaging environment. The children completed several tasks using the

applications on a tablet. They created slideshows and took photos of items that related

to a specific word. These activities were engaging, motivating, and proved to be an

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excellent way to incorporate technology into the educational environment. Clearly, the

applications played a huge part in the success of this researcher. In many cases, the

lack of applications is never an issue. The focus is on the contribution of the available

applications. Many children spend a great deal of time interacting with their mobile

devices. Mobile devices are, and increasingly so, will be a large part of childrens lives

now and in the future. These devices can and should be used for learning and

productivity related to learning. Applications for mobile devices provide the support for

learning anytime, anywhere, and right at the time learners need it. (Bestwick)

Special needs children react in ways never before seen in traditional settings

while using tablet devices. These children often suffer from language and

communication deficiencies. Tablet devices featuring icons that can be tapped to

produce vocal comments help bring largely silent kids with autism spectrum disorder, or

ASD, at least partly out of their shells, say education professor Connie Kasari of UCLA

and her colleagues. (Bower) The lack of applications in these cases is not an issue. In

fact, there are those that promote the applications available and their effectiveness.

Randall Palmer wrote an article in 2013 promoting the Top 10 iPad Apps for Special

Education. One application he discusses is Time Timer. Many special needs students

struggle with the concept of time. This application is one example of how an iPad

application can help overcome these issues. This also serves as a counter argument to

other groups that claim a lack of application support. Tablet devices have also shown to

raise the level of interest in these children. The allure of the device often helps to

engage these children in ways not observed before introducing the tablets.
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We live in a technological world. A world that continues to change in every aspect

of daily life. Every day traditional educational practices and tools will continue to be

challenged. There are very few that argue against the benefits of technology in the

classroom. The focus is often on the challenges these devices present. Like any new

technology, there is always resistance. There was a time when many people saw no

need for a personal computer. Now, nearly eight-in-ten U.S. adults now own desktop or

laptop computer. Smartphone ownership sits at nearly ninety five percent. There will

continue to be a focus on using tablets and other devices in an educational setting.

Embracing these devices will ensure their success. The old methods will continue in

some shape, but the landscape of the traditional classroom will evolve as technology

continues to grow. How we navigate, this landscape is up to the teachers,

administrators and parents.

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Works Cited

Bestwick, Angel, and John R. Campbell. "Mobile Learning for All."

Exceptional Parent. 40.9 (2010): 18-20. Print.

Bower, Bruce. "Body & Brain: Tablet Devices Help Kids with Autism Speak
Up: Ipads Show Promise in Helping Largely Nonverbal Children
Talk." Science News. 186.3 (2014). Print.

Dezuanni, Michael, Karen Dooley, Sandra Gattenhof, and Linda Knight.

IPads in the Early Years: Developing Literacy and Creativity. ,
2015. Internet resource.

McKenzie, Ellen. "Vocabulary Development Using Visual Displays."

Dimensions of Early Childhood. 42.2 (2014): 12-17. Print.

Neumann, M. M., & Neumann, D. L. (2014). Touch screen tablets and

emergent literacy. Early Childhood Education Journal, 42(4), 231-
239. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10643-013-0608-3