DISADVANTAGES OF TABLETS

Cons

I hate to do this, but a few words must be said about the cons. Basically, they all boil

down to four major concerns:

 Unnecessary distraction. Applies to younger students as well as grown-ups. It

might be hard to focus when you have in your hands a web-enabled device that can

virtually take you thousands of miles away from the stuffy classroom.

 Technical limitations. Tablets do not support multitasking, so several files or

windows might be a challenge to lesson integrity. Besides, online security has to be

taken seriously and requires a professional IT workforce. Not to mention the trivial

fact that tablets run on batteries, and batteries tend to run out of charge at the least

appropriate moment.

 Budgetary considerations. Notwithstanding the long-term benefits, tablets are

pretty costly. The school just needs to call the shots, which may take substantial

time and expense re-allocation.

 Training and adaptability. Teachers may be unwilling to adapt their methodology

to a new format. Consistent results take extra time and effort on the instructor’s

side.
At any rate, these factors don’t constitute any real dealbreakers, in my opinion. It does

take time and determination to embrace the new technology, but after all, the rewards

outweigh the risks many times over.

In conclusion

When deciding whether to incorporate tablets into your curriculum, it’s key to define

your ultimate goals and major stakeholders. Unanimous acceptance is crucial to make

the new initiative work despite the possible downsides.

Tablets prepare students for the future workplace, they give confidence and creative

tools unrivalled by traditional classroom infrastructure, and they engage those who are

hard to reach and motivate. Last but not least, they just help our kids and ourselves

speak the same language – that’s an opportunity you really don’t want to squander.

https://myelearningworld.com/10-benefits-of-tablets-in-the-classroom/

Top 3 Problems with Tablets in the Classroom

One million iPads. That’s the number of tablets Apple sold to schools and colleges in

the year before the current school year. It’s roughly double the number sold in the

education market during the previous year. In the same conference call where Apple
announced the exponential growth of iPads, they also announced a decline in sales of

Macintosh computers to schools and colleges.

Education, traditionally slow to adopt new technology, is bucking tradition snapping

up iPads faster than many people have expected. K-12 schools all over the United States

are integrating tablets into their classrooms and opting for iPads instead of laptops or

desktops.

This rapid growth of tablets in education will have far-reaching implications on digital

publishing. That’s why I’ve started this DBW column dedicated to education.

Tablets are appealing to educators and it’s easy to see why. They’re portable, powerful,

connected, colorful, interactive—and kids think they’re cool.

Tablets contain cameras for taking pictures of science projects, video players for

watching movies, and apps that allow students to look at 3D models. They play music

for humanities classes and voice-overs for language learners. And of course, they offer

email and the internet so students can communicate with far-flung experts.

Tablets are less expensive than computers and students can carry them easily from class

to class. They carry infinitely more information than a stack of text books—information

that doesn’t go out of date—and they weigh a whole lot less.

Students with tablets are no longer tethered to computer labs, and they can’t hide

behind a big box to avoid attention from their teachers. They let children move forward

with lessons, or review, at their own pace.

Problems with tablets in the classroom

As versatile as tablets are for learning, educators are still in the infancy stage of

integrating them into their academic curricula. A quick survey of the environment

reveals the three essential problems today:

Problem #1 Not enough dollars to purchase content

Budgets are always a concern in education. In a recent survey of more than 225

Kindergarten through grade-12 educators in the United States, 57% of responders

selected “No budget to purchase applications/e-books” as the biggest challenge in

integrating tablets in their lessons.

Though educators were able to select more than one answer in the survey, more than

half of teachers felt they did not have access to funding for making full use of the

hardware. The survey was sponsored by the web site E-booksandKids.com, a blog that

addresses digital

publishing issues for teachers, librarians, and independent publishers.

Problem #2 Input

Getting information into a tablet has never been easy. Tablets are more about receiving

information than inputting it. Schools, however, require students to read and respond.

Still, entering responses in to a tablet can be awkward.

Teachers complain about the lack of keyboards on tablets. Separate, connected

keyboards sap battery power. Accessory keyboards also reduce the simplicity and

portability that make a tablet so appealing. Plus, though many schools have purchased

iPads, very few of them purchased keyboards to go with them (see problem #1, budget).

Sure, many apps have onscreen keyboards. But generally they are small and quirky,

and they often cover up part of the viewing area. Still, if digital publishers want to take

the education market seriously, they are going to have to address the input problem by

coming up with new, graceful ways for students to share their thoughts onscreen.

Problem #3 Monitoring use

Though tablets allow students to learn at their own pace, some educators are worried

about how to handle a classroom full of independent learners. The e-booksandkids.com

survey included opportunities for write-in answers and several educators expressed

concern about monitoring children while they use their tablets.

One teacher wrote of her concern about finding it “hard to control what ‘other’ activities

students do other than the lesson.” Another educator commented that her biggest

problem with tablets was “students visiting sites other than those for learning.” Of

course students who stray around the Internet is an issue with desktop and laptop

computers as well. A third teacher wrote that her greatest difficulty was “keeping

students on target” while they used the iPads.

Other problems expressed buy educators

With more than half of those surveyed selecting “no budget” as their biggest complaint

about using tablets in the classroom, educators noted other issues as well, though in

much smaller percentages:

 17% of respondents answered: Don’t know how to evaluate or guide kids in their

tablet use

 16% answered: Don’t understand how applications integrate into my lesson

plans

 8% answered: Don’t know how to get applications/e-books

 7% answered: Applications/e-books aren’t educational enough

 7%: The technology is confusing

 22% filled in the “other” form with comments, mostly about monitoring tablet

use.
Some schools have had problems with stolen iPads, but the thieves generally come from

outside of the school communities. Very few educators have complained about misuse,

breakage, and loss among students.

http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/top-3-problems-with-tablets-in-the-classroom/

Advantages/Disadvantages of the iPad Classroom

The Disadvantages of iPads in the Classroom:

 No ideal workflow solution. As of yet, there is no ideal workflow solution that

easily incorporates all aspects of teaching; particularly, there is no one resource

that allows for students to create and submit work, and for teachers to easily

receive, organize, grade, and return that work. Normally, performing a

multitude of tasks requires the use of several different apps. In many cases, this

might create more work than just receiving paper copies of work and grading it

in the traditional way.

 Wi-Fi issues. iPad use in the classroom is often heavily dependent on the quality

of Wi-Fi at your school. Between iPads, phones, computers, and laptops, there

are often many more devices fighting for Wi-Fi space than people in the

building! A slow or disconnected Wi-Fi server can ruin an entire lesson.

 The distraction factor. Electronics are great for learning, but they’re also great for

distracting students. When they’re supposed to be working, it is very easy for

them to quickly access a game, message, or app that they shouldn’t be using!

 Charging issues. “Books don’t need to be charged,” a hard copy patriot might

declare. And they’re right. Amidst all the iPad advantages, one disadvantage is

that they need power. So if a student doesn’t have a charged iPad, then they lose

access to all their learning materials for the day.

 You still need a computer. While there are hundreds of new uses an iPad opens

up for students, the fact remains that we still just need a computer to take care of

many tasks. Sometimes it’s easier to create documents with a keyboard and

mouse than it is trying to do the same thing with a second-rate app tool.

 Publishers haven’t caught up to book demands. There are many, many books

available for download; however, there are relatively few textbooks. So when a

teacher wants their student to access information from a textbook type of

resource, they may just be best by looking at an actual textbook and not a digital

surrogate.

 iPad options are overwhelming. The fact is that there are just so many options for

apps to use and educational approaches you could take. It is extremely difficult

to navigate the digital world, and doubly so if you’re new to the unique features
 mobile devices offer. While there are many advantages, the simple fact that the

options feel overwhelming may turn off many otherwise willing teachers.

 Change isn’t necessarily always good. Change for the sake of change doesn’t

make much sense. If you’re going to begin incorporating iPads into your

pedagogy, don’t rush to hand out the technology without a plan. If you’ve been

an effective teacher without iPads, you don’t have to fix what isn’t broken.

Consider how iPads can enhance or ease student learning first!

No one would argue that the iPads offer zero advantages, but no one should argue that

they’re perfect, either. Before diving head first into the 1-to-1 pool, take time to consider

what your students’ needs are and how you can address those both with and without

technology.

http://www.teachhub.com/advantagesdisadvantages-ipad-classroom

Disadvantages of Using the iPad for School

Between the apps, e-reader book function, Internet connectivity and multi-media

technology, Apple touts its iPad device as being an interactive educational companion

to classroom learning. Although the iPad certainly has many pros in the classroom

setting, using this portable tech device can also have some drawbacks for students.

Before investing in an iPad -- or several -- for your classroom, understanding the

disadvantages is key to making informed choices for your students. Learning Curve
While it might seem that children from tots to teens are on the ball when it comes to

being tech-savvy, not every students already knows how to use an iPad. Between the

class to class rigors of your already tightly scheduled academic day, tending to the

students' academic needs and dealing with other issues such as making time for

standardized testing or assessments, spending time teaching new technology may not

fit in. According to a 2010 survey of college students using iPads in the classroom at

Notre Dame University, only eight percent of respondents said that they were "very

extensively skilled" at using the technology and only 50% said they were at least

"somewhat skilled." Whether you teach first graders or college freshmen, taking the

time to help your students learn the iPad's technology can cut into class time and

present extra academic challenges that fall outside of the actual course content.

Overall Price

As of 2013, Apple's lowest priced iPad retailed for $499. That said, finding the room in

your educational budget to purchase these tech devices isn't always easy. With budget

cuts abounding and college costs rising, adding extra expenses isn't always a welcome

change. Providing pricey iPads to students may mean making cuts elsewhere,

impacting other departments or aspects of classroom instruction such as music or visual

arts programs. Colleges and private academic institutions may not have to make cuts to

include the cost of newer technology, but may have to pass on the price to students

through higher tuition rates.

Apps

Although educational apps have definite advantages in the classroom setting when it

comes to providing interactive instructional experiences, they can also pack a punch to

the school's budget. While there are free apps to use, Apple notes that some of the

popular educational iLife apps are sold separately at an additional charge. Aside from

the overall cost of buying the iPads themselves, having to pay for educational apps

provides an economical disadvantage to a free alternative such as using no-pay Internet

sites.

Teacher Training

The iPad learning curve doesn't just apply to students. Not every teacher has the

technical knowledge to quickly pick up on the iPad's many, and varied, uses. Switching

over from traditional textbooks and paper and pen lessons to interactive iPad lesson

means spending time and money on additional teacher training sessions. While some

teachers may have a full knowledge of this tablet device, others may need to play catch

up -- making iPad instruction uneven among classrooms with teachers who do and

don't understand the technology. Additionally, teachers -- even those who do

understand iPad basics -- may need extra training to figure out how to adapt iPad

learning for younger age groups or special needs students.

http://education.seattlepi.com/disadvantages-using-ipad-school-2954.html
Cons

1. Doesn’t support flash

One of the biggest criticisms of the iPad is its lack of ability to work with Adobe Flash

and Javascript. A lot of content in schools and websites for kids are dominated by Flash.

Although, some argue that the abundance of educational apps make up for it.

2. No USB port

The iPad has largely been positioned by Apple as a companion device to computers

even though many people use them to do everything they normally do on a computer.

3. Lack of multi-tasking

Multiple windows and files can’t be kept open side by side. Although this is definitely a

negative if you are trying to multi-task, it may be good for keeping your students

focused on the one thing they are supposed to be doing.

4. Expensive
Many schools find the iPad is just too expensive. One solution to ease some of the

financial burden would be to allow BYOD or even for schools to purchase the cheaper

iPad mini instead.

5. Potential to be distracting

Of course there is the possibility of student being distracted and wondering onto other

sites.

6. Lack of production capabilities

As I started earlier the iPad is a great content viewer, but unfortunately it’s not as great

for content creation. It’s better for light writing.

7. Typing is sometimes frustrating

Steve Jobs once said, “typing on the iPad is a dream.” Well, in truth, it is not a dream. It

is not like a computer keyboard, which makes it difficult to type longer emails or

documents. I much prefer a real keyboard any day. Syncing your iPad to an Apple

wireless keyboard is a great idea if you’re going to be doing a lot of typing.

8. Not good for sharing

iPads were designed to be personal devices. With the incapability to enter logins, each

student needs his/her own. Personal information can't be stored if students are sharing

iPads.

Saying all of this I think these mobile devices make great learning tools. I think that the

positives of the device make it worth the negatives. Having iPads in the classroom can

be very exciting for teachers and students. Just make sure you are planning and

implementing them correctly.

SecurEdge can help you with this process to make sure you get the full benefits of using

iPads in the classroom. If you have any questions, please contact us here for a detailed

consultation.

https://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/17-Pros-and-Cons-of-Using-iPads-in-the-

Classroom