A school in Tennessee has made iPads mandatory for students in grades four through twelve.
The Webb School in Knoxville is embracing the tech trend of 2011 and has asked all students to purchase Apple tablets. The private school has made the iPad a mandatory accessory for all students from grades four through twelve and is hoping that it will replace heavy textbooks.
"We have some students carrying 50 to 60 pounds of books and the iPad weighs just a pound and a half,” TIME quotes Jim Manikas, Webb School's technology director, as saying.
Though the school is making the device a requirement, it seems they’re not oblivious to the fact that the iPad isn’t exactly cheap. According to TUAW, they’ll be offering a rental program for parents who don’t want to or can’t buy the iPad. Pricing for this be $200 per year, or $20 per month of a 10-month academic year.
Facebook and Twitter will be blocked and we assume there will also be restrictions on what kind of websites the children can access.
There are those of us who would enroll into a different school before buying an iPad. Or maybe just me...
There are those of us who would enroll into a different school before buying an iPad. Or maybe just me...
a book, unless its cutting edge science class, will last 10-20 years, and over all, if there is a MAJOR breakthrough in how we know science form grade 1-12, we can make a copy and give it to the kids.
over all its cheaper to get a new book than to get an ipad every 3 years.
at the very least get a program that is universal, as in ipad, laptop, and so forth. that way there is choice. i would be @#$%in @#$%ed if i had to pay even 200$ for one of those over blown pieces of @!#$, much less 600$ every 2-3 years or 2400 total for rending the thing.
Also Steve is not going see single penny from me because there are often better or cheaper options and more user friendly business models.
There is nothing wrong from requiring students to have notebook or ebook reader, but forcing you to use single brand is not right.
It simple, their getting low rates on their "Apple" educational computers, and if they push the iPad they will get lower rates on their equipment. Apple has been doing similar things for educational institutions for years, offering lower rates as long as the institution only goes with Apple branded equipment. The students use the Apple products are get used to it, then as adults they are supposed to prefer Apple products over MS ones. Its Apple's way of breaking how universal the MS platform is. Just ask anyone who is an Arts / Graphics design major, everything the university taught them on was Apple branded even though there are better non-Apple items out there. Industry standard isn't even Apple, but hey its supposed to make you more "creative" huh.
This was my first thought as well. But then I thought about it more... when I buy a book for a class, it has to be a specific book written by a specific author(s), and often has to be a specific edition of the book.
So really, this request isn't so far off from what most students in universities/private schools have to do now.
Instead allow the user to pick the brand of choice, i know i would take the win7 tablet over an ipad ANY day, tons of software way more possibility to be truly creative!
I for one don't like being looked up in a sheep pen!
And in latest news - The Knoxwille School have received a sum of money from Apple after fulfilling a contract!
But of course that wouldnt make them learn any better if the teacher sucks... which is why we need to get rid of teachers unions first.
What other tech can they lock down as they see fit.. no pr0n.. no usb.. LOL
LOL
Why the iPad? Sure there may be a couple of superior specced tablets out there, but the iPad had a huge head start on the competition and has already been established as stable. Audiobooks and podcasts can also be easily obtained through iTunes, which is also more established than any competing tech.